Now the Excursion wasn’t exactly well enamored by auto critics. Still, it was longer than the Suburban, and offered the same powertrain choices as the Super Duty lineup, just like the Centurion product. Massive by any way you look at it, even if its wheelbase was three inches shorter than the Classic 350. The Expedition didn’t have that either (initially, anyway). Video entertainment system in the rear? Nope. But was it a true replacement for the 350? Its wheelbase was some twenty inches shorter, and it didn’t even offer the bigger engines included in the F-Series lineup. Introduced in late 1996, it was based on the F-150 platform, and featured many of the same luxury appointments as the 350. Then you get beaten at your own game by the hand that fed you. So what happens when you create a luxurious truck-based SUV that could run toe-to-toe with the Chevy Suburban? You get noticed. Here’s a fun fact: see that Performance White Mustang peeking out from underneath the driver side mirror of the GMC? That was my first ever sale. Also, check out the gargantuan proportions of this beast! It makes the late-model Acadia look like an Equinox at best, and the Fiesta could probably fit inside the 350 without a problem. And it definitely featured the diesel – everyone heard this thing rumble by the showroom. So what of our featured Centurion product? The rust is a clear indication that its been a resident of the northeast for most of its life. A Frankenstein truck fueled by vengeance, through and through. Notice anything about their lineup? The Classic is the only one being stitched together with two separate Ford trucks. Clearly, the folks at Centurion wanted a Ford Suburban, and they made one.Īnd here’s why. Plus, the 350 had nine more inches of length than its competitor from the General. Of course, GM offered a wide range of engine choices as well, but they didn’t displace as much as their Ford counterparts. All Ford engines of course, and they warrant a sentence simply because of their massive size. It was probably both, but you get the point: The Classic 350 was meant to beat the Suburban at its own game.įour engine choices, including a 7.5-liter gasoline engine and a 7.3-liter turbo-diesel. These guys either really loved Ford trucks, or just held a deep seated hatred for Chevy. “ A video cassette player inside the truck? Amazing!” – That’s a line that must have been said at least once by a potential C350 customer. It seems like this aftermarket concoction delivered. When you’re spending the type of money that would make a sizable down payment on a house, you’d better be getting some bang for your buck. All for the price of $62,122.02 in inflation-adjusted numbers. They cobbled various parts from the F-350 and Bronco, added some magic and poof! They created a truck based SUV that could haul the whole family, a boat, and all the gear you’d need to set up camp for the entire summer. Well, the employees of Centurion Vehicles were certainly grabbing life by the horns. At least one person involved with this particular conversion company saw the Ford lineup of the late 80’s and yearned for something more. Or does it explode?” The last lines of Hughes work speaks to the odd case of the C-350. But it applies to our featured vehicle today, and the company that created it. ( first posted ) That question, asked by the great poet Langston Hughes, was meant to reflect on the experiences of African Americans in early twentieth century America.
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