A look back at the ROUSH 500RC

The F-150 sector of ROUSH Performance has never received the love it deserved. While ROUSH Mustangs sell like hotcakes and are the source of envy for virtually the entire world, the excellent lineup of ROUSH truck packages is largely ignored and production numbers barely clipped four digits for any given year. The reason? They offered less performance than expected at the drag strip along with some vague combination of economic and sociological factors, probably. Maybe most people don't see enough general utility in the concept. We beg to differ. The fact that the fairly bare bones, supercharged ROUSH 500RC came standard with 445 horsepower and 500ft/lbs of torque out of the ROUSH's headquarters that helped pull and prod the heavy F-150 frame into real performance territory, proved once and for all that raw power has a utility all its own.

The 500RC was an excellent package. This powerful version of the Ford F-150 was built around an M112 roots-style supercharger that added 145 horsepower and 143ft/lbs of torque to the V8's flywheel. Unlike its ROUSH Stage 1, Stage2 and Stage 3 cousins; the 500RC did not receive a chin spoiler or wheel flares as a standard option, but did have a couple of aggressive trim accessories, including a hood scoop, rear spoiler and billet grill. When it comes to the F-150, the lack of features turns into sort of a blessing, because the 500RC kit could fit both SuperCabs and CrewCabs, unlike the other ROUSH truck packages specifically meant for two-door trucks. The ROUSH dual-exit rear exhaust gave the 500RC a massive, vicious sound as an inherent part of the its kit. The best news about the 500RC is that there's plenty of room to throw on aftermarket customizations to give ROUSH's best truck a unique look and feel. Owners of standard F-150s don't need to fret, either, because bringing a stock F-150 up to 500RC specification is fairly simple with just a few modifications.

Stage 3's 500RC goes for a scary, aggressive theme that makes our truck a one of a kind road dominator around the deserts of the Phoenix Metro Area. We ditched the white ROUSH top stripes and 500RC rocker stripes, standard ROUSH chrome wheels and chrome bumpers for a set of matte black stripes, matte black 22 inch wheels with 305/50R22 tires and standard Ford painted bumpers from a local supplier. The mean, black on black on black look is complemented by a ROUSH chin spoiler and a side step delete that gives the truck a quick, clean and race-ready look. We beefed up the RC500's handling with the addition of the Complete ROUSH Suspension kit for rear-wheel drive F-150s, though we also carry an all-wheel drive version. The addition of a ROUSH Cold Air Intake bumped up our fuel economy by 6mpg and enhanced throttle response along with the supercharger's signature roar. Our 500RC makes up for nearly all of the factory F-150 shortcomings and is extremely fun to drive on the streets and highways.

Stage 3 Motorsports has everything a 5.4L Triton F-150 owner needs to bring their truck up to 500RC specifications and beyond. Reaching the ROUSH truck's power levels requires the M112 supercharger kit that comes a complete package with a new intake, air-to-water intercooler, a ROUSH ECM calibration and pulley capable of producing up to 7.5lbs of boost. The kit will work on both AWD and RWD F-150s and is perfect for the drag strip, off-roading or anyone who needs extra pulling power for towing. Customers looking at serious off-road applications should take a look at our Pro Comp 6-inch lift kit that includes front coilovers. Street, drag or customers who need extra towing power should seriously consider the ROUSH Suspension package that provides the truck with nimble, car-like handling and makes the F-150's massive weight much less noticeable. We have a variety of F-150 wheels and tire sets that can meet almost any need or application. Even though we recommend using the ROUSH dual exit rear exhaust kit, Stage 3 also has other exhaust kits that provide single-exit, side mounts and other configurations that may be more to your liking. Perfectly replicating the 500RC look requires a ROUSH F-150 hood scoop and a rear tailgate spoiler. One of the most popular exterior parts that we sell is the ROUSH side skirt kit for SuperCabs. No ROUSH side skirts are available for CrewCab owners, though it's not uncommon to simply fuse two pairs of the urethane SuperCab skirts together for proper fitment on the four-door F-150s. ROUSH top stripes and rocker stripes round out the body styling and come close to replicating the RC500's standard stripe package.

Even though the rest of the world has moved on to the Tenth Generation F-150s, the 500RCs, and any F-150 that strives to become a 500RC, has plenty of life left. These powerful, under-appreciated trucks were more than capable of handling most applications, but just couldn't appeal to the greater public in the same manner as ROUSH Mustangs. The 500RCs' excellent street and towing performance has allowed these trucks to stay competitive with Ford's modern 6.2L engines found on the newest F-150s and SVT Raptors. Most importantly, it proved that the ROUSH M112 supercharger could turn the the underpowered factory F-150 into something that felt like a performance vehicle. Until the release of the TVS 2300 for 5.0L F-150s, a 500RC spec truck is the way to go for serious power. That being said, the 500RC is something truly special and will become a classic ROUSH vehicle in no time at all.