When Ken Block unleashed the original Hoonicorn back in 2014, we went just a little bit of crazy. And why not? With an all-carbon widebody paying homage to the ’65 Mustang, a race-spec AWD system, and 845 horsepower from a 410-cube race-spec V-8 with velocity stacks rising more than a foot out of the hood, it was pretty much the perfect machine for grabbing eyeballs on the Internet. Now, Block and the Hoonigan team have once again managed to one-up themselves. The latest is called the Hoonitruck, and it's bigger, more powerful, and crazier than the original Hoonicorn.

Like the Hoonicorn, the Hoonitruck took about two years to build. This time around though, the machine is “based” on a 1977 Ford F-150. And by based, I mean the Hoonitruck employs the same general shape as the factory pickup. That’s it though, as everything else is custom-built to put on a tire-killing speed show. The Hoonitruck is now headed for a starring role in the tenth iteration of Block’s über-viral Gymkhana video series, but until then, read on for all the details on this wild new smoke factory.

2019 Ken Block’s F-150 Hoonitruck

Specifications
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  • Model: 2019 Ken Block’s F-150 Hoonitruck
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Pros
Cons

Ken Block’s F-150 Hoonitruck Exterior Styling

Widebody F-150 Huge turbos and intake manifold sticking out of the hood Custom-made aero components NASCAR-style rear wing Custom 20-inch deep-dish wheels Body made from military-grade aluminum Same style wrap as the original Hoonicorn Much largerthan previous Gymkhana cars

After all, the Hoonitruck is intended as a showpiece to garner attention for the Hoonigan brand, and as such, it had to look different from anything else out there. And badass to boot. As such, it’s similar to the original Hoonicorn, at least in terms of design philosophy.

The Hoonigan team took responsibility for drawing up the overarching design, and the final result is very wide, very low, and quite blocky (pardon the pun) in terms of the shapes and lines.

“For me, the truck was just a natural progression because I wanted something that was definitely unusual as a gymkhana car,” Block explains.

Every piece of this machine will be on camera, so it has to look the part down to the smallest of details. That includes the biggest of details as well, with the most attention-grabbing bits seen sticking out of the hood.

The turbo inlets take air directly from the surrounding atmosphere, with just a thin wire mesh added between the exterior elements and the furiously spinning compressor wheels. The turbos use unique red “breather mouths” to help suck in the air, as well as set of carbon fiber surrounds to protect the hood from all that boosted heat. The fascia gets X-ed out headlights, just like the Hoonicorn, while a simple boxy grille and low-hanging air dam round it out.

Viewed in profile, the Hoonitruck shows off with some truly massive fender flares, under which you’ll find a set of custom wheels from Fifteen52. The design is dubbed the Turbomac HD, and the rollers measure in at 20 inches in diameter and 10.5 inches in width, and they come with a 5x4.75 lug pattern. The wheels are finished in a shade of matte bronze and utilize a true beadlock construction. Appropriately, the wheels are built specifically for a truck application, and use a deep-dish aesthetic that has us taking a second look.

Just behind the front wheels on both sides of the vehicle, you’ll find a set of side exhaust pipes, with a separate pipe used for the wastegate. The look is spot-on, and we’re also digging the surround plates to protect the body bits.

Maybe Block will incorporate the hitch into one of his stunts. A rear-facing camera is installed for smokey rear-facing shots, as well as easier hitching should the shoot call for it.

The build uses a riveted construction style throughout, which includes the plate surrounds and a rear plexiglass window. There’s also a set of smoked lenses from front to back, which aren’t only appropriate for the Gymkhana theme, but also add to the dark color scheme as well.

Unlike the all-carbon-fiber Hoonicorn, the Hoonitruck’s body is made from aluminum, specifically the same military-grade stuff as the modern Ford F-150 line. However, the alloy panels come covered in the same wrap style as the original Hoonicorn, with grey-and-black camo aesthetic, plus all the requisite sponsorship decals to boot.

It’s also worth noting that the Hoonitruck is rather large in terms of overall exterior dimensions, especially compared to something like Block’s older Ford Fiesta rally cars.

“It’s just such a different shape from anything else I’ve ever driven. If you put the Fiesta next to the thing, it would be tiny,” Block explains.

Ken Block’s F-150 Hoonitruck Interior Design

- Custom dash and controls - Huge gold hand brake - Analogue and digital gauges - Recaro race seats

Rather, the cabin space also offers a surprisingly pleasing aesthetic, albeit with a race car theme. Whereas a race car might have tons of dangling wires, exposed lines, and other relatively messy bits and pieces scattered about, the Hoonitruck has a splash of performance-oriented “show car” vibes inside. From the dash, to the center console, to the controls, everything has to look impressive - after all, it’s gonna be on camera.

The best way we can classify it would be “functional chic,” with not too many frills added, but still attractively executed. As such, there are several blank aluminum panels and extra contrast stitching just about everywhere inside the cabin, as well as what appears to be carbon sections around the inner door frames. There’s also plenty of exposed tube sections as well.

Drift angles are dialed in thanks to a small-diameter three-spoke steering wheel, which comes with a quartet of thumb-length buttons with an unspecified functionality.

A long shift stick for the sequential race transmission rises from the central tunnel, and comes with what appears to be a line lock as well, which we can only assume disengages torque to the front wheels for extra RWD burnout awesomeness. There’s also a long handbrake to lock the rears, finished in gold and rocking the Hoonigan logo on the handgrip.

The dash itself is a broad carbon panel beset with both digital and analogue gauges. The primary display offers info on the current selected gear, boost levels, the intercooler temperature, and water temperature, plus there’s a set of sequential shift lights up top. Meanwhile, to the right is a speedometer, and to the left is a tachometer.

Both analogue gauges use a “Hoonigan” branded backing face, white lettering, and a red needle. A secondary display on the far right displays the current selected gear and other digital display bits (we also saw it flash a map real quick), and it also comes with Block’s skull and crossbones #43 logo for extra style points. To the far left is a panel of switches for activating features like the headlights, the ignition, the horn, the fire suppression system, and the engine start/stop button.

Recaro race buckets (two of them, because who wouldn’t wanna go for a ride in this thing?) come finished in black and are made from a composite material. The seating position is also pretty far forward compared to the Hoonicorn, which affects how it feels to drive.

Ken Block’s F-150 Hoonitruck Drivetrain And Performance

- Dedicated gymkhana build, rather than a race car - All-aluminum 3.5-liter EcoSport V-6 - Two turbochargers - 914 hp, 702 lb-ft of torque - Similar engine spec as Ford’s Le Mans racers - Rear-mounted radiator - Sadev six-speed sequential race transmission - Rally-bred AWD system - Tube frame construction - Independent coulover suspension - Wilwood brakes - Toyo Proxes tires

When Block and the Hoonigan set about building the Hoonitruck, they were able to leverage all the knowledge gleaned during the development of the original Hoonicorn.

When you break it down, this machine is essentially a purpose-built gymkhana car, which is a bit different from a racing car that must conform to a certain spec.

To help the build progress, the Hoonigan team worked with Detroit Speed, a speed shop based out of Mooresville, North Carolina. Detroit Speed took responsibility for creating the chassis, the bodywork, and all the fabrication duties for the various custom pieces, as well as provided support for the Hoonitruck’s various demos, repairs, and other various activities.

Lift the hood, and you’ll discover the Hoonitruck’s main party piece - a 3.5-liter EcoBoost V-6 hewn from billet aluminum. As if it it weren’t obvious from the red-trimmed snails blocking forward visibility, the ‘six uses a double-dose of turbocharging to make the extra go, doling out an impressive 914 horsepower at 7,400 rpm and 702 pound-feet of torque at 6,450 rpm.

The big names attached to this monster powerplant include the likes of Ford Performance and Roush Yates. The Hoonigan team also proudly points out this engine is based on the same powerplant equipped in the Ford GT that took victory at Le Mans in 2016.

“It sounds like a pissed-off rallycross car with a deeper sound,” Block offers.

It’s an impressive set-up, that much is for sure, but it’s not quite as insane as the most recent iteration of the original Hoonicorn, which, for the sake of comparison, equips a meth-injected, twin-turbo Roush-Yates V-8 pushing more than 1,400 horsepower.

The Hoonitruck also sports a unique power range compared to Block’s older gymkhana cars. Exact details are still forthcoming, but we suspect it most likely offers up a more top-heavy torque band compared the the older ‘eight.

Still, the details on the ‘six are utterly drool-worthy, the most visible of which is the large, custom intake manifold mounted front and center. Produced as a one-off piece from Ford Performance, the manifold was 3D-printed piece in aluminum and comes outlined with several intricate silver mesh inlays that make it look even cooler.

To keep the charge air as dense as possible, the Hoonitruck equips a massive front-mounted intercooler courtesy of Detroit Speed Inc. Meanwhile, the radiator is mounted just behind the cabin, most likely for improved weight distribution, and is kept cool by twin fans.

Sadev once again provides the transmission, which returns as a stout six-speed sequential ‘box.

Under the skin, the Hoonitruck uses a tube frame chassis for its underlying architecture. The rear bed looks particularly devoid of “extras,” with lots of open sections between the frame sections to give it the right looks and proportions. Taking up some of the space is a rear-mounted fuel cell, with an upturned filler tube for a quick splash of fuel between shots.

Making it handle properly is a fully independent suspension system with race-spec components throughout, including coilover suspension bits in the corners. The setup looks like it should offer a ton of adjustability, no doubt to better suit whatever stunt is on deck.

To help haul it down, the Hoonitruck employs a full Wilwood braking system, with six-pot calipers up front mated to big discs.

As for the sacrificial rubber, the Hoonitruck sticks with Toyo tires, specifically the brand’s Proxes ST III compound. The tires measure in at 315/35R20, with a wide contact patch and a very thin sidewall. Interestingly, Toyo produces this tire specifically for its truck line, which make them quite appropriate considering the application.

All the custom pieces look factory-built, and on the whole, the machine is a stunning thing to behold.

It’s also no surprise that Block says the Hoonitruck drives totally differently from the Hoonicorn, with the weight transfer, throttle response, and braking all unique to this larger, more cumbersome vehicle.

“It drives exceptional, but the feeling of the size of it is very foreign,” Block says. “The Fiesta is really what I’m most comfortable with as far as dimensions of a race car and being able to put it where I want.”

Final Thoughts

When asked why he decided to build the Hoonitruck, Block says it goes back to his childhood. “I grew up with a Ford truck. My dad, when I was a young teenager, had a ’77 F-150, so I learned to drive in it, I drove myself to the dirt bike track, raced out of the back of it, pretty sure I did my first burnout in that truck!”

With that in mind, the Hoonitruck seems like a natural choice, as it provides similar characteristics as the original Hoonicorn, but with a totally different style.

“I’ve always wanted one of those trucks, that generation,” Block continues. “Well, we needed to build a new vehicle for Gymkhana 10, so this idea came up.”

For now, you can catch the Hoonitruck in the metal at the Hoonigan booth at the 2018 SEMA show in Las Vegas, after which it’ll appear in a starring role in Gymkhana 10, slated to drop on YouTube on December 17th.

Further Reading

Read our full review on the 1965 Ford Mustang Gymkhana 7 By Ken Block.

Read our full review on the 2018 Ford F-150.