The SuperDuty!

Old Smokey is the nickname I have for my 2026 Ford F-350 SuperDuty which I purchased at the end of March 2026 to replace my former truck, Big Red, a 2011 Chevy Silverado. Why the name Old Smokey? One is it the color is smokey but also it’s the truck that Smokey the Bear drives, at least the latest generation of DEC Forest Ranger trucks tend to be this color gray and built to a similar configuration. Why old? It is a work truck, and while it has some technology, most of the design is tried and true – 6.8L MiniZilla push-rod engine, key ignition, needles for speedometer and all guages, manual climate controls, conventional cruise control.

The Old Smokey truck is a “one-ton” class axle commerical HD pickup truck, extended cab, short bed (6 3/4 foot bed). While the short bed seems small by SuperDuty propotions, it actually is a very good fit for my uses, as it’s long enough to sleep on and camp once I get a camper shell (aka topper or cap) on the truck. It also is reasonably short at 19 1/2 feet, that with the backup camera makes it possible to get into relatively small campsites.

The truck has the FX4 and XL Off Road HD Utility Package, which provides 33-inch Goodyear Wrangler tires, skid plates, specifically tuned off-road shocks, Hill Descent Control, an electronic locking rear differential, a raised air dam for better ground clearance and water-fording vent tubes on the rear axle. It also has dual alternators and batteries, able to supply up to 410 amps of power for camping, and has the upfitter harnasses for additional power and configuraton.

The next step will be ordering the camper shell, moving the solar panel, lead acid batteries, interverter and CB radio to the new truck, and acquiring and installing additional solar panel(s), cellphone booster, and probably a supplemental LiPo battery. By next winter, I also want to add a diesel heater for comfortable winter camping. Stay tuned, as they say. It’s going to be a great rig.

My 2026 Ford F-350 Super Duty XL is more than just a pickup; it is my ticket to the kind of wilderness only found at the end of a long, winding dirt road. While others might see a heavy-duty work truck, I see a purpose-built overland rig designed to handle the grit and grime of the backcountry. With its Carbonized Gray paint and a SuperCab layout that provides extra gear storage without the bulk of a full crew cab, my truck is perfectly sized for navigating tight forest trails and rocky outcrops.

Why I chose the SuperDuty F-350 XL Off-Road – People are often surprised by my choice of building my new rig around an F-350 SuperDuty.

Do Not Fear the SuperDuty – It isn’t a fear of the machine itself—Old Smokey has a solid, planted ride, though that straight front axle definitely reminds you of its presence when the pavement gets choppy. No, it’s more of a deep-seated resentment toward the act of driving in the modern world.

Do I need a car? Regular readers of my blog, may have the impression that I’ve already decided on the truck I will buy come the spring, that I’ve all but picked out the color of Ford F-350 I’ll be driving home in a few months. Maybe that’s true or maybe it’s not. Really I’m undecided. For other audiences like my liberal friends and those on Facebook, I’ve been playing up my new urbanist ideas, with a healthy dose of skepticism about owning a vehicle.

More on Short Beds vs Long Beds on SuperDuty– Choosing between a Short Bed (6.75 feet) and a Long Bed (8 feet) on a Ford Super Duty depends on how you balance daily maneuverability against maximum utility. But hell yeah, I should just get the ARE MX Cap for the SuperDuty! I’ve had my reservations about the mid-high roofline. But I decided to get it regardless. Maybe I am just trying to re-create Big Red, but there will never be another one quite like Big Red.

The Godzilla Holstein and (Anti-) Status Symbol. It will be as much an anti-status symbol with friends and colleagues judging me the wrong way, seeing the truck as completely fuelish, wasteful both in money and fuel. But my hope this is the Last Truck Until Retirement? In fourteen years, I’ll be fifty-seven, backed by three decades of state service and a Tier 4 pension that says I don’t have to answer to anyone. I occasionally find myself staring at my Ford SuperDuty and grappling with the sticker price. At nearly $60,000, it is a staggering sum for a vehicle. Is it big enough for my broken penis? I did pay cash for it.

Thinking about buying a car without a car … What came first? The first chicken or the first egg? I’ve been watching videos on car buying strategy to get a fair price and good service when buying a new automobile. It has me thinking about what my strategy will now that Big Red is retired. I also have several books I’m getting out from the library on both the seller’s and buyer’s perspective on the transaction.

The Best Warranty is a Match and a Plan. My mailbox is currently a graveyard for extended warranty offers. Every time I see “F-350” printed on an envelope, I know exactly where it’s going: the “fire starter” pile. I’ve always been a skeptic when it comes to these “protection plans.” I didn’t buy my SuperDuty with the 6.8L engine to outsource its longevity to a middleman. I chose that specific motor because it’s quiet, basic, and old-school—the closest thing to a simple, reliable machine you can find in 2026.