Remember the kid with thick glasses from grammar school? It might come as a shock, but Von Miller—the Denver Broncos 250-pound linebacker who was named MVP of Super Bowl 50—was that kid.
He hasn’t forgotten the challenges he faced as a youth. In fact, Miller will be raising money to provide thousands of pairs of glasses for needy kids at no charge by auctioning his highly customized 2013 Ford Raptor pickup on eBay from Nov. 1 to 10.
Miller grew up in Texas, so quite naturally, he’s a truck guy. The Raptor is his daily ride. Miller teamed up with Golden, Colo.-based Five-R—from the Velocity Channel’s popular “The Lifted Life” series—to build the custom 2013 Ford Raptor, which will be displayed this week at the 2016 SEMA aftermarket trade show.
All proceeds will go to Von’s Vision, the charitable foundation established by Miller to provide Denver-area youth with eye examinations and eyewear. “Most kids who come to a Von’s Vision Day are being made fun of on a daily basis because they can’t see or have nerdy glasses,” Miller explained. “When they return to school after receiving their new glasses from Von’s Vision, that child goes from being least to being the beast in that school.”
Totally Tricked Out
The customized 2013 Raptor was equipped with a slew of upgrades performed by Five-R. Magnum Truck Gear donated the vehicle along with a set of Magnum RT front and rear bumpers and side steps. A custom grille—fitted with a set of Rigid Industries LED lights with amber and blue accents—features Miller’s signature.
The truck has a tough tactical look, with a flat-black wrap accented by orange graphics designed and supplied by Impacted Wraps and Graphics. It rides on aggressive Nitto Ridge Grappler tires wrapped around custom 20X9 American Force wheels, which were engraved with Von’s signature and his “58” jersey number.
The suspension system uses King Suspension off-road racing components, with front coil overs and triple bypass rear shocks. R1 Concepts custom-slotted brake rotors also feature Von’s jersey number.
There’s a beast beneath the hood. Five-R fitted the stock 6.2-liter V8 with a Roush Supercharger and bolted on a Magnaflow cat-back exhaust system, with another instance of Miller’s signature etched on the exhaust tip. The powertrain combination yields approximately 600 horsepower.
The tail features a set of smoked Recon LED taillights and a third brake light. An UnderCover Flex Tonneau Cover seals the cargo bed and conceals a pair of handy swing cases.
The interior is also decked out. The seats feature custom embroidered Roadwire leather upholstery. Memphis M-Class speakers crank up the audio system, with component speakers in the front, coaxial speakers in the back, a pair of 10-inch subwoofers, and a 700-watt power reference amp to rattle the windows. Heavy-duty Weatherboot floor mats keep mud off the carpet.
Von’s Raptor was featured in “The Lifted Life” episode 5, season 2, which originally aired on October 8. The truck will be displayed this week in the Seymour Paint booth at SEMA 2016.
The winning buyer and one guest will also get to meet Miller at Von’s 2017 Celebrity Grand Prix in Denver—airfare, hotel, and a VIP passes are included for the event, scheduled for June 14, 2017.
Jeff Ginn, executive director of Von’s Vision, reminds us of the deeper reason why the Ford Raptor is being auctioned. “Glasses not only provide a child with the gift of sight,” he said. “They can also shape a child’s view of themselves.”
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