Ford Offers F-150 Raptor Matte-Black Hood Decal in Nod to Historic Bronco Racers
Back in the 1970s, matte black hoods were all the rage. You found them on muscle cars and increasingly on trucks. In fact, as far as Ford was concerned, motorsports legend Bill Stroppe, who prepped the original Baja Ford Broncos back in the day, added matte black to the hoods to reduce glare while pounding along the rocky trails at sizable speeds. The look caught on with the street crowd and Stroppe’s California shop ended up turning out some 650 Broncos with matte black hoods for customers.
Now, 35 years later, with Ford back into Baja in a big way with the Raptor, the matte black hood makes a return. Though according to Raptor designer Bruce Williams, this time around, things are a little different. Rather than paint, “it’s a protective graphic,” he says. The hood blackout treatment incorporates a F-150 SVT Raptor logo across it and there are cut outs for the twin hood vents.
The hood graphic will be optional on all 2011 Raptors and complements the “digital mud” graphics found on the side of the doors and pickup box, that help accentuate the Raptor’s hardcore, off-road aura.
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