SEMA 2015: BedRug's 2015 F150 XLT - Leather

Roadwire has always been a long supporter of our builds. They make some quality products and really push the envelope. They're forward thinking, and we've always appreciated have them on board.

We've finally completed the leather kit, and it is top notch.  I don't say this because they support us.  I say this because we don't just partner with just any brand. We look for quality. The leather is always a tight fit.  I'm talking it's a work out just to put the kit on. Why? Because a kit should properly hug the cushion so that it doesn't slide around when you're sitting on it.


This would be our first experience with a Roadwire kit with the double diamond stitching. We've done other brands before, but not Roadwire since its relatively new with them. After sitting in it, it exceeded our expectations. The feel of sitting in it was just awesome.  The additional cushioning from the double stitching was just a much better feel than the competitors. And aesthetically, it was just a beauty. All I wish is a perforated double diamond stitch would work with cooled seats. Until then....I'll take these all day. Read more

SEMA 2015: BedRug's 2015 F150 XLT Build

We have the honor this year of building BedRug's 2015 F150 XLT Supercab for SEMA.  We've done the rendering, and everything was set in motion several months back.  It wasn't until recently that the rendering had been released.  Now that a majority of the product have arrived, it's time to get this show on the road.

First up is the Roadwire leather kit.  We have been distributors and authorized installers for Roadwire for a long time now.  As far as installations go, these are some of the simplest seats I have ever installed.  The SuperCab makes it really easy to remove the seats from the vehicle.  I was able to do the Passenger front seat today from start to finish in almost half the time I usually take on one.  (Note: This is a special pattern that was approved from upper managment.  You will not be able to request this through Roadwire.)  More progress pics to come on the leather as parts they're done.

Read more

SEMA 2015: Project Brutus *update*

Parts are arriving. As we gather them together, we get ready to schedule one of our biggest builds of the year. After some phone calls, we have almost secured the components necessary to complete this build properly.

American Force Wheels is again our primary sponsor. Always an honor to work with reputable companies. Even better is getting the opportunity to repeat that working relationship. American Force is working on a special project that will debut this year on Project Brutus. 

BedRug and Retrax have returned as sponsors as well. Both great companies with an true no hassle lifetime warranty. We wouldn't want to work with anyone else, so we are happy to have them aboard again. This year, Retrax sent us their newly released MX (Matte) cover, which is amazing.  

BedSlide is another company that has repeated their sponsorship with us. Their products are for SURE a lifesaver for anyone that works out of their truck.

Bushwacker was a no brainer. What better way to accent some 24's with a pocket style fender flare. 

Magnaflow provided us with a dual tip catback exhaust. We can't wait to hear the sound of the itty bitty EcoBoost turbo, spooling.  

Fab Fours sent us their new Venegence Series bumpers to really beef up the truck. They arrived raw for us to Powdercoat gloss black (at our request) and the craftsmanship was amazing.

Roadwire returns to provide us with a leather kit. This one is going to be a surprise which we are really excited about.  We will remove the seats to send off to them for replication. They will return with a new, custom setup. 

Ride Controller is a new company on board this year. This product is amazing. With Bluetooth sync capabilities of up to 150ft, I can turn on and off just about any 12v switched source with a phone!

Extreme Dimensions brings us the hood to give it a more aggressive and tough feel. The hood will also be unveiled at SEMA. 

Sony Car Audio is going to provide the audio system to finish out the interior.

Amp Research is also a new addition, utilizing their XL setup that offers a 3" drop on their steps.  We are super excited about this.  

Last but not least, Bulletproof Suspension, Icon Vehicle Dynamics, and Atlas Suspension finish out the look with a 12" lift. Components will be powdercoated red with a marbled hydrodip to represent Greek pillars. 

Read more

Black Rhino still alive....

Finally!  After a couple of years, Black Rhino Project has been officially published in the July edition of Diesel World Magazine.  Shared throughout social media, online magazines, and other outlets, we have finally seen it in print.  We thank all our sponsors on this build.  It has truly been a dream fulfilled for me and the MSA Team to build a mini Semi-truck.

Read more

MSA and the Arkansas Traveler's present the Grand Slam Auto-Rama August 24th, 2014

This is an event that's bound to be a grand-slam.  (Pun intended. :D)

The Arkansas Traveler's and MSA have teamed up to put on the Traveler's first Auto Expo.  50 vehicles selected from various car shows and events from around the state have been invited to display their vehicles in front of Dickey Stephens stadium during the game.  The selected vehicles range in all years and comprise of some of the baddest cars and trucks in the central area.

The primary sponsor, Crain Kia, will have 2 modified vehicles on display: a Hulk themed 2014 Kia Soul and a Batman themed 2014 Kia Optima.

And of course, MSA will feature it's own lineup of vehicles including Kim, the 1989 240sx MSA Formula D Pro-Am drift car - and Black Rhino, the 2014 F350 Dually built and debuted at the 2013 SEMA Show.



Read more

MSA's 2013 SEMA Project: Black Rhino > Snow Pictures

It's not every year that snow comes down in Arkansas.  So we definitely wanted to take advantage of the opportunity.  Here are the shots we got.  Feel free to use as a wallpaper.  In fact, we'd be honored.














Read more

MSA's 2013 SEMA Project: Black Rhino > What's SEMA without hurdles?

T'was the last day of the build before departure.  Late nights assembling last minute parts, the front end, the BedRug, BedSlide, Retrax Bed Cover, Automatic Cargo Lights, and the interior.  After it was all assembled, we took it for a test run.  It was a rocky drive and was deemed undriveable for the 22 hours drive it was to make in a few short hours.  We then scrambled to located a truck and a trailer with the capacities to pull Black Rhino.  The problem was, we would find a 5th wheel trailer and no truck with a hook up.  Or vice versa.  After a few hours, we finally located a bumper pull that would haul the load.

Or so we thought...  After finally getting on the freeway, the trailer began to sway some.  Due to the weight, the drive was no more than 60-65mph down the freeway.  Long nights and a 2 man crew taking shifts, the trailer blew a tire approximately 2 hours from Las Vegas.  Stressed and exhausted, they changed the tire on the trailer and continued.  30 minutes later, a second trailer tire blew.  Already late to the destination, the Black Rhino was pulled off the trailer and drove the rest of the way.

Black Rhino finally made it to the SEMA show approximately 5pm, Monday before the show.  By then, our booth spot was locked up and there were no entries into the location.  So we were then set aside in a new lot where many of the other "late" trucks were parked.  Seems like we weren't the only to have issues. There was another vehicle that was to be in the same booth that had suspension problems.  Broke down on the side of the road, they rented a local shop's bay for $2,000 that night!

The rush to SEMA and fulfilling sponsorship obligations is normally a stressful time for shops.  Unless you're just bolting on parts, you're looking at newly developed parts that are being tested.  You're looking at shops balancing clients and their SEMA build.  So many factors play into building a vehicle.  The final results are always incredible though, and it is always a memorable experience.  Thanks to everyone that's been following the Black Rhino Project.  Look for it's feature in Street Trucks magazine and Diesel Army Magazine.

Read more

MSA's 2013 SEMA Project: Black Rhino > Headlamp Retrofit

As with most everything, this wasn't an easy task to accomplish.  Most headlamps these days are situated in such a way that disassembling them makes it difficult.  There are several ways to go about separating the headlamp lenses, every single one of them softens the glue.  One way is the oven.  This is risky because the lenses are plastic and can melt under the heat.  Second is using a heat gun.  The challenge here is the black housing itself can melt under the heat gun should you keep it in one spot too long.  The last way I've been told is putting the headlamp in some very very hot water.

My option was the heat gun.  I didn't have a stove here at the shop to boil hot water and using our micro microwave wasn't an option.  The oven was too small.  In order to do this, I had to cut the outer lip of the black housing to access the glue to soften it.  Imagine the headlamp housing (black part) in the shape of a U.  Put your adhesive in the valley, then place the lens in it.  It's the most effective way of making sure you have a proper seal.  However, separating this is not an easy task.  Until I learn a better technique, I've had to cut the "U" into an "L", exposing the glue, then softening it from there.  I then use plastic pry tools and as the glue softens, work myself into separating the lenses.  (I'm sorry I didn't take better pictures of this process.)

Once the lens was separated, the inside housing was removed for trimming.  Per the instructions from the retrofit source, the housing is cut and JB Welded into place.  Due to time constraints, this is what I did.  However, it was my first option to create 4-way adjustments.

Another trick we did on this setup was, we relocated the hi/low beam to the top section and the turn signals to the bottom.  It was a subtle hint that most may not have caught.  I dremeled the lower housing to allow the turn signal to fit in there as if it were factory.

The reflector was separated and paint matched as well, leaving a small strip for DOT legal purposes.  The law states that the front must have an orange reflector.  The retrofit source's xB light strip in amber replaced our existing 194 bulb for a brighter light and a cooler effect.

This was my first retro fit installation, so of course, there were some hiccups.  The instructions require the truck to be at level height to do the installation.  Unfortunately, I didn't have that due to the suspension being modified.  All in all, it was a good learning experience for me.  I'd say I would definitely continue to do this type of work just to gain the experience.

Again, I apologize for the lack of images.  As the deadline grew closer, the focus was on getting the truck done.  In addition, the reflections in the images, made it difficult to capture the true look of the headlamps.

Read more

MSA's 2013 SEMA Project: Black Rhino > Fab Work continued...Wheels Arrive.

After some tracking, the wheels arrived at our door steps on October 21. Any person that does bag setups know that one of the crucial pieces of a bag setup is the wheels and tires. Location of the bags, parallel bars, and other bag components depend on it. BUT with some SEMA builds, you don't always have that luxury. So we guesstimated. Well....we guesstimated ok. We weren't terribly far off, but it definitely created needed some reconfiguration.

First, our bags were off. The bags have 10" of lift and the rear mounts were way lower than the front. The rears would have to air up 4" before it would equal where the fronts completely deflated. So we used the torch to completely cut out our current top bag mounts and made them lower. This allowed us to have equal height adjustments for both the front and the rear.

Second, we had started to fiberglass and do body work on the Bushwackers. Our original plan was to use the rear Extend-a-fenders made for the F250 and modify them for our Dually fenders. After mounting the wheels and tires, we would have been left with about 1" of tire that stuck out beyond the fenders. That was a no go. The design calls for the rear fenders to be completely flush. Well, we can bring the wheels in or we would have to cut the bed. That would then conflict with our BedRug sponsorship. So, the rear fenders...trashed. We overnighted 2 rear dually fenders from Ford, then cut, trimmed, and molded into the existing ones. This allowed us to extended our fenders out to where we wanted it - flush with the wheels. Having only a few days left, this was definitely going to be a rush.

Lastly, our fittings leaked.  Every single joint and fitting leaked.  So we spent hours upon hours upon hours, looking and searching for the correct fittings to correct all the points in the system that was leaking. Sometimes a set back when it comes to airbags.  But it was another challenge that was overcome.

Read more