Customer Spotlight: Mike's 2016 F150 Platinum!

For this month's Customer Spotlight we're diving into a longtime Stage 3 shopper's 2016 F150 Platinum build. This vicious F150 slid into our DM and captured our eyes and hearts immediately. We love how the clean, simple styling contrasts with the audacious wheel and tire setup to deliver a balanced, yet ferocious aesthetic. Let's take a closer look at this uniquely classic pickup and uncover the details one by one.

Mike Stanford designed his 2016 F150 build to serve as a practical daily driver that could dominate trails with the best of 'em. The build's creative direction is all his own and he installs just about everything himself - with help from his cohort Lucas Hall - taking full control of the build and letting his distinctive vision shine.

Starting with what is arguably this truck's most recognizable feature, Mike's got his 2016 F150 riding on 35" Nitto Trail Grapplers and 22x12 KMC Chopstix wheels. Rocking a rather aggressive wheel offset, this setup undoubtedly turns heads on and off the pavement.

Mike called upon Fabtech to clear the way for his rugged wheel and tire setup, employing their 6" coilover lift kit (and Mike's personal favorite mod) to optimize off-road performance and maintain a comfortable, controlled street ride. While this kit will get you enough clearance for 37" tires, we think Mike made the right call with the thirty-fives, leaving just the right amount of wheel gap in tact.

Mike has deliberately maintained a clean, streamlined look with this F150 build. The factory Platinum grille has been painted a tri-coat pearl - compliments to Varsity Collision of Novi, Michigan, while the stock front bumper was replaced with a painted version in order to rid the build of any OE chrome accents. The lighting setup has been upgraded with Raptor-style headlights and upgraded fog lights.

While he's already rocking the monstrous 3.5L EcoBoost under the hood, Mike turned to SCT in his search for improved power output and ended up going with their X4 Handheld Tuner. Despite power gains up to +15whp and +51 lb-ft of torque, Mike threw on Full-Race Catted Downpipes and SPD High-Flow Turbo Adapters to improve turbo function and off-the-line grunt. Finally, Mike upgraded his intake system with S&B's Cold Air Intake for good measure.

Keeping Mike's cargo safe from harm is TruXedo's Lo Pro Tonneau Cover.

It seems like the newer trucks get, the less noise they make. While that's nice for long roadtrips and the daily commute, sometimes you just want to let your truck roar. That's why Mike replaced his stock exhaust kit with a free-flowing system from Magnaflow, an upgrade that will also support future power adders like the upgraded turbos Mike has in store.

Mad props to Mike for keeping it classy with this 2016 F150 Platinum build. It's the sort of build where the more you look into it, the more interesting little details are uncovered. To be sure, this is one to keep a close eye on and you can do so by following @lvl.up.mike on Instagram and lvlupmike on Snapchat.

If you've got your own build to show off, whether it's an F150 or a Fiesta ST, be sure to send us your best pictures and we'll feature it on our website, possibly as a Customer Spotlight if it's really awesome.