Power of Pink: Patti the Power Stroke

September 2020 Power of Pink Colin Peterson

This article originally appeared in the August 2020 issue.

Here’s a colorful truck! To say that this one is show-worthy is definitely an understatement, especially with all the work that’s been done to it. Not to mention, this one is also female-owned, making a big statement in a male-dominated industry. That’s right, Brandi Jett of Magnolia, Texas, an outer suburb of Houston, is well-seasoned in vehicle builds and this 2017 6.7L Power Stroke Ford F250 Platinum short bed crew cab is no exception. Bought brand new and painted pearl white with sea foam green accents, this truck has unique feminine looks. It might be a show truck, but it’s definitely more than a princess; the truck sees plenty of daily driving.

“I’ve been customizing and modifying my vehicles since I was 16,” Brandi says. “I’m into the idea of having something no one else has.”

She’s very good at achieving it. After all, it’s the whole idea of a custom truck and what it’s supposed to do.

Usage

This truck, named Patti, is now mainly Brandi’s daily driver, and while it doesn’t see much off-road use, it does spend a lot of time at shows. Patti has picked up some fame to say the least. The truck has been shown at Lone Star Throwdown in Conroe, Texas, for three consecutive years starting in 2018. It also went to Heat Wave in Austin, Wake-n-Scrape in Huntsville, Show and Shine at the NHRDA diesel finals in Ennis, and several other events. The truck even gets a lot of towing use for show transport.

“I have now started building another show truck, a 2018 Ford F150. Patti is the tow rig for it,” she says. “I still show both trucks.”

Of course, it always makes a lot of sense to have a larger diesel around to do the heavier duty work in your life. Brandi also used the truck to pull a camper; she uses air bags in the rear to better handle the weight distribution with the towing and hauling of different loads.

Exterior

The paint scheme is probably the most eye-catching aspect about Patti The Power Stroke; the exterior paint matching was completed by Anything Painted. Bullseye Retros and Retro Customz did the paint matching on the headlights, taillights and third brake light. This whole color scheme of pearl white (the stock color) and sea foam green (custom added) ended up being the inspiration for Brandi’s build.

“I chose to give Patti sea foam accents, because that’s a color I feel I don’t get to see very much,” Brandi says. “I had previously gone to a couple of truck shows as a spectator and wanted a color that no one else was using. I built a 2014 F150 first and used more of a Tiffany blue on that truck. When I bought the 2017 Super Duty, there were already a couple of people starting to use the Tiffany blue so I wanted to change it up a little. I actually went to Lowe’s and found an interior color that I fell in love with.”

She then took that sample to Anything Painted, and the paint shop was immediately able to match it up with a color they had.

“Theirs was actually called Alpine Green but we named it ‘Sexy Foam,’” Brandi laughs. The first part of the truck painted in this color was the “PLATINUM” plaque on the tailgate; as soon as the photo of it hit social media, it blew up with reactions. That’s when she knew it was the perfect color for turning heads.

You’ll find sea foam throughout many parts of Patti’s exterior, which is quite rich in terms of build quality. First off in that area is the well-built suspension, which consists of a 3.5-inch Pro Comp leveling kit, Savage Fab four-link bars, 5-inch paint-matched coil springs, a PMF steering stabilizer and FOX shocks. That all sits on massive 24-inch American Force Flex wheels with a brushed finish wrapped in 35-inch AMP M/T tires. Brandi installed all of these undercarriage components with some help at her shop, Magnolia Diesel Performance. With all of it together, the truck is plenty prepared for the off-road, even though she doesn’t take it off-road that often. In addition, Brandi added a Peragon bed cover to keep her bed clean and protect her load without ruining her truck.

Interior

Upon the instant you climb inside Patti The Power Stroke, to say you’ll feel comfortable with a lot at your fingertips wouldn’t be saying enough. Especially considering this is the Platinum trim, this truck feels almost like a piece of a luxurious hotel room inside the cab. Notable upgrades include Roadwire diamond stitched leather seats and paint-matched trim pieces with pinstriping from Gooch that Brandi installed herself. Even cooler upgrades include an iPad dash kit from Retro Customz along with a custom stereo system installed by Wired Customs. The interior definitely plays a big role in making Brandi’s Ford a great vehicle to spend a long time on the road in.

Performance

Although the upgrades under the hood are modest, they still give Patti a strong boost in power and torque. The engine is also quite well dressed up with billet cap covers on some components. The truck is tuned by GDP and uses an EZ Lynk monitor for the tuning. A PSP fully aluminum air deflector doesn’t only improve fuel economy and vehicle stability, but it also further dresses up the engine bay and makes a statement every time the hood gets popped open. Topping off the engine side is a 5-inch Flo Pro exhaust and TSO 8-inch color-matched tip. Don’t let this rig’s meekness fool you; these upgrades under the hood and on the exhaust are full of character as far as appearance goes.

Looking Ahead

The Patti project has had several roadblocks with the installation of all its components it has now, but so far it’s one that Brandi wouldn’t trade for the world.

“This build was a learning process since neither of us who worked on it had done it before but it was fun,” she says. “The truck is perfect the way it is now; I couldn’t ask for a better project. Someone who has never drove a truck with such a wide wheel might be a little nervous just because there is some walking of the road I would say, but Patti runs nice at 80 miles per hour down the road.”

For a truck modestly built like Patti is right now, it’s not uncommon to be in a state of continuous improvement, especially if the truck is continually being used for truck shows. Brandi has quite a bit in store for her truck. Future upgrades on her radar include a GDP turbo piping kit, FASS fuel system, and possibly a compound turbo kit. She’s also looking at an 8-inch lift either from BDS or Wicked Customs.

“I will have it powder-coated to match the truck,” she says. “Then I will put some 37-inch tires. I also want to get the rear bumper plastic pieces and the plastic around the tailgate handle smoothed and painted Pearl White.”

We know those are major milestones for most custom trucks. “Building trucks is my passion,” she says. “I may not have the biggest, the most expensive or the best of the best of everything but I take a lot of pride in my builds. In a male-dominated industry, it’s easy to get lost in the shuffle as a woman but I am trying to my best to kill that stereotype.”

Yes, as always, it never matters what gender you are. If you have the passion for something, you should pursue it by all means. There’s no doubt Brandi is doing an amazing job with her perseverance.