Hennessey/Ford HPE750 Makes A Great Ford F-150 Upgrade

With all of the stuff that is going on today, the last thing that is on your mind is a new Ford F-150 pickup or an upgrade, right? Why should this be?

Hennessey/Ford HPE750 Guide Better Read

Isn't it better to sit down with a catalog from a manufacturer or tuner and think about all of the neat ways you can treat your Ford F-150 to an upgrade?

Okay, let’s take a look at an exciting Ford F-150 upgrade by Hennessey Performance Engineering. It is the upgrade that turns a normally aspirated V-8-powered Ford F-150 into the Hennessey/Ford HPE750. This upgrade consists of these parts:

• Basic
• Performance
• Off-road

Hennessey Performance Engineering makes some interesting pickups out of Ford F-150s. Jimmy Dinsmore, another Ford F-150 reporter, tells the tale of an embarrassment for a GT350 by an special pickup. Lately, though, there are other outfits making interesting upgrades from Ford F-150s.

Hennessey/Ford HPE750 Is Supercharged

In the basic upgrade, the installation team adds a 2.9-liter supercharger. The blower drives the 5.0-liter Coyote V-8 from 395 to an estimated 757 brake horsepower at 7,000 rpm.

Taking a closer look at the upgrade process, it begins with your truck. The only requirement is a V-8 powerplant for the pickup. There is no suggested trim level, but you would probably want at least a Ford F-150 XLT SuperCrew with seating for six. If you don't need the SuperCrew's four doors, you might try the SuperCab, which also features seating for six. Rear access is limited to a half-door.

With the truck in hand, it's time to turn it over to the magicians at Hennessey Performance Engineering.

Hennessey/Ford HPE750 Power Spec

For starters, Hennessey installs the supercharger, which is responsible for the increase in power -- 757 brake horsepower at 7,000 rpm or 570 rear-wheel horsepower.

Hennessey Performance Engineering (HPE) notes that the power ratings shown for the engine are estimated. The HPE team measures power at the rear wheels, before and after the upgrades are installed and tuned.

Rear-wheel horsepower and torque are about 15 to 20 percent lower than the factory published settings. The factory settings are measured at the crankshaft when the Hennessey/Ford HPE750 is on the engine dyno. Hennessey also makes a special note in its information that larger and heavier wheel/tire configurations lower wheel horsepower and torque.

Hennessey/Ford HPE750 Install Parts

With the supercharger installed, the upgrade continues with the addition of an air-to-water intercooler plus a high-flow air induction system.

Next, the installation team upgrades the fuel injectors and fuel system. Finally, a stainless steel cat-back exhaust system completes the engine/plumbing installation.

All of this equipment is professionally installed by Hennessey's technicians who also do a Hennessey Performance Engineering engine management calibration followed by chassis dynamometer tuning and road testing.

Following the powertrain upgrades, the installation team adds serialized plaques to the dash and engine. The serial numbers add to the uniqueness of the Hennessey/Ford HPE750 upgrade.

Hennessey/Ford HPE750 Finishing Touches

Other touches include exterior Hennessy badging and Hennessey embroidered headrests, which both add to the unique feel of the Hennessey/Ford HPE750.

A three-year/36,000-mile limited warranty covers the upgrade.

This covers the basic – or power -- upgrade. There are two more levels that you can add to make your Hennessey/Ford HPE750. The first makes the Hennessey/Ford HPE750 a more balanced road handler, while the second enhances its off-road manners.

The Hennessey Sport Upgrade adds outstanding handling and braking features to the pickup.

Hennessey/Ford HPE750 Sport Upgrade

For starters, the installation team adds a lowering kit to help with the handling. Then, anti-sway bars go in. Each piece helps to keep the Hennessey/Ford HPE750's wheels planted firmly on the ground if you decide to push the pickup a bit.

Since your pickup has undergone a significant increase in its power, it stands to reason that you might have to upgrade the braking system. Hennessey's installation team takes care of this with the installation of a Brembo braking system. And, there is a tire/wheel upgrade as the 22-inch Hennessey wheels wear performance rubber for better handling.

Let's say that you want to use the Hennessey/Ford HPE750 off-road, rather than as a performance vehicle. Hennessey has this covered with the third piece of its upgrade puzzle.

Hennessey/Ford HPE750 Off-Road Upgrade

The pieces of the Off-road Upgrade enhance the off-road performance of the Hennessey/Ford HPE750. For example, instead of lowering the chassis, the installation team adds a three-inch lift kit for the front end. The lift kit takes out the noticeable front-end droop that's part of the standard Ford F-150.

With the lift kit, you can add bigger and tougher off-road tires to the Hennessey/Ford HPE750. Indeed, the lift kit enables you to use 20-inch, 10-spoke Hennessey wheels wrapped in 33-inch Toyo off-road rubber.

Meantime, the off-road upgrade includes the addition of Hennessey front and rear bumpers. The front bumper provides five LED lights that put more light on the road ahead for better nighttime lighting.

Hennessey/Ford HPE750 Final Touch

A set of Hennessey exterior emblems completes the professional installation. A three-year/36,000-mile warranty covers this installation.

Marc Stern has been an auto writer since 1971. It was a position that filled two boyhood dreams: One was that I would write, and two that I write about cars. When I took over as my newspaper's auto editor, I began a 32-year career as an automotive columnist. There isn't much on four wheels that I haven't driven or reviewed. My work has appeared in Popular Mechanics, Mechanix Illustrated, AutoWeek, SuperStock, Trailer Life, Old Cars Weekly, Special Interest Autos, and others. Today, I am the Ford F150 reporter for Torque News. I write how-to and help columns for online sites such as Fixya.com and others. You can follow me on Twitter or Facebook. Most of Marc's stories can be found at Torque News Ford coverage. Check back again and search for Torque News Ford F-150 news for more F-150 truck news coverage.