KEN BLOCK’S F-150 ‘HOONITRUCK’ IS GOING TO AUCTION

Two years after the passing of Ken Block, one of his most iconic vehicles – the Ford F-150 Hoonitruck – is going to auction. First appearing in Gymkhana Ten, where Block skidded it along part of Route 66 in Shamrock, Texas, the Hoonitruck also starred in Climbkhana Two, where it was driven up China’s 5,000ft Tianmen Mountain highway.

The one-off AWD pickup will be offered with No Reserve as part of the Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale auction on 18-26 January, 2025.

Ken Block’s F-150 ‘Hoonitruck’ is going to auction

Based on a 1977 F-150 styleside pickup, but running a fully bespoke chassis and suspension, much more powerful brakes, new panels and a twin turbocharged engine, the Hoonitruck debuted in 2018, following the Mustang-based AWD Hoonicorn.

Built to Block’s design and specifications by Detroit Speed specifically for the Gymkhana videos, a ’77 F-150 was chosen because Block learned to drive in one from the same year. That truck had been owned by Block’s father, hauled motorbikes during the teenage Block’s MX days and was also used for some of his first (covert!) burnouts and stunts.

Two years in the making (and applying much of what was learned with the Hoonicorn), the Hoonitruck is powered by a twin-turbo 3.5-litre Ford EcoBoost V6, similar to what’s in an F-150 Raptor and with connections to the Ford GT supercar. Producing 914hp (681kW) and 702ft/lb (951Nm), the Hoonitruck’s power output is more than four times what the most powerful F-150 engine produced in 1977 - 220hp (164kW) from a 460ci V8.

The engine is dry sumped, while a bespoke, 3D-printed intake manifold was designed and made by Ford Performance to suit the power delivery that Block required.

The truck’s open tub holds the cooling system for the V6 (the ‘radiator’ in the engine bay is an air intake cooler), oil cooling system and a safety fuel cell. A Sadev six-speed sequential manual gearbox sends those 914 horses to the ground via a custom all-wheel-drive system. Twenty-inch beadlock wheels - built specifically for the Hoonitruck by Fifteen52 - are wrapped in 315/35R20 Toyo Proxes tyres.

To suit those jumbo-sized wheels, carbon fibre wheelarch flares extend the F150’s width to more than two metres, with the bumpers and a front splitter made from carbon fibre, too. The grille, lights and some other things are stock Ford factory parts, but most of the factory panels have been reproduced in aluminium, with the big rear wing also fabricated from aluminium.

The shell of the cabin remains in steel and retains its original dimensions, but the doors have been reskinned in aluminium, as have the tub sides, referencing modern F-Series pickups that now use aluminium panels.

The truck’s much lighter body sits on a bespoke chassis built by Detroit Speed that incorporates a roll cage, side impact protection and additional bracing. The chassis is modular, made up of four sections that are specially pinned together. If the truck is damaged while filming, this modularity allows a damaged section to be replaced quickly and easily without the need to rebuild or replace the entire chassis. If needed, it also allows the Hoonitruck to be disassembled for transporting.

That modularity extends to the suspension, with the same A-arm components and shocks used all round, negating the need to carry separate front and rear spares. Unlike the engine and chassis, the suspension was made using mostly off-the-shelf parts. The suspension is also height and track adjustable.

Brakes are big, ventilated 355mm discs on all four wheels, using Wilwood six-piston calipers.

Inside the cabin, the engine and transmission occupy more space than in a standard F-150, in order to fit the AWD front diff and keep the ride height low. It also maximises front/rear weight balance.

The dash structure is similar to factory, but has been remade in carbon fibre, while the instruments are a combination of Bosch digital displays and AutoMeter analogue gauges. A push-button starter and small selection of switches control things like the turbo, lights, indicators, horn and page selection for the digital displays.

The rest of the cabin appointments are pure race/drift car, with Recaro seats (for driver and passenger), a racing steering wheel, adjustable pedals, sequential shifter and drifting hand brake.

A touch that undoubtedly adds value to the truck for the upcoming auction is Block’s signature on the transmission tunnel.

After the Hoonitruck was unveiled at SEMA in 2018, it featured in the YouTube star’s Gymkhana Ten and Climbkhana Two videos. Its public debut followed at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in 2019, where Block performed stunts and drove it up the famous Goodwood hillclimb.

“Ken was a dedicated family man, as well as a top-notch competitor,” said Steve Davis, president of Barrett-Jackson. “This truck represents every aspect of Ken’s life, from his family focus to his driving skills and ability to build amazing vehicles.”

To be auctioned with No Reserve at the Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale Auction on 18-26 January at WestWorld of Scottsdale, the Ford F-150 Hoonitruck (Lot #1365) is part of a consignment list that includes more than 1,000 vehicles. For more details on this vehicle, click HERE.

Watch Barrett-Jackson’s “Quick Look” video on the Hoonitruck

Across the nine days of the Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale auction, there’ll be live music, hot laps and other drive experiences, trade stalls, a food court, BMX show and other attractions. For the full schedule and general auction information, click HERE.