The Petersen Museum in Los Angeles recently announced a new exhibit honoring the legendary Ken Block, founder of Hoonigan Racing Division and a pioneer in motorsports. Initially, the museum hadn’t disclosed which of Block’s vehicles would be featured, but they’ve now confirmed the exhibit will showcase two of his Ford coupes and a Ford pickup.
The first Ken Block machine on display is the 1977 Ford F-150, nicknamed the “Hoonitruck.” This heavily modified pickup was the star of the show in Climbkhana Two, Gymkhana Ten, and The Gymkhana Files. It harnesses the 3.5L V6 EcoBoost engine, tuned to deliver 914 horsepower and 702 pound-feet of torque to all four wheels via its six-speed transmission. Recently, the Hoonitruck sold to a new owner at Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale, fetching $1 million, but fans who want to see it in person can check it out while the Ken Block exhibit is open.
The Hoonitruck will be accompanied by the Hoonicorn, which a 1965 Ford Mustang touted as the world’s first all-wheel-drive variant of the pony car. It’s fitted with the twin-turbocharged 6.7L V8 engine, doling out a healthy 1,400 horsepower, stealing the show in Climbkhana, serving as Block’s mount for a run up the famous Pikes Peak highway, reaching 14,000 feet of elevation without breaking a sweat.
The third Ken Block ride is his 1994 Ford Escort RS Cosworth, also known as the “Cossie V2.” Fitted with a peppy turbocharged 2.0L I4 engine, this coupe kicks out approximately 371 horsepower, delivering power to all four wheels. It was built as the successor to Block’s original 1991 Ford Escort Cosworth, which was destroyed in a fire in a race in 2018. Instead of replacing it outright, Block and the Hoonigan team updated this 1994 Cossie to modern rally specifications, earning it the Cossie V2 nickname. Block’s daughter, Lia, raced this very rally car to honor her late father.
“A motorsports icon and pioneer of automotive content in the age of online media, rally driver and DC Shoes co-founder Ken Block utilized his marketing acumen, driving expertise, and automotive enthusiasm to create the enormously popular Gymkhana video series and Hoonigan, an automotive lifestyle brand and production company that has captivated audiences for over a decade,” reads the exhibit’s description on the Petersen Automotive Museum website.
Comment
Thinking about Ken Block it’s interesting that Ford didn’t do a special Block version of the Mustang instead of making a RTR ecoboost car. Hoonicorn is arguably the most iconic “RTR” vehicle built.