Strolling around the floor of the convention center at SEMA 2019, you can easily become overwhelmed by all of the awesome off-road vehicles on display. However, every once in awhile, you will come across a SEMA build that is so unique, that it stops you dead in your tracks. That’s precisely what happened when we encountered Advanced Accessory Concepts‘ brilliant Ford Ranger XLT build at the Ford booth.

Advance Accessory Concepts Modified Ford Ranger Truck at SEMA 2019

Eager to learn more about the overlander on display, Rory Connell from Advance Accessory Concepts (AAC) walked us around the team’s one-off Ford Ranger XLT. Connell explains that while AAC is better known for its 12-volt power distribution modules, it has recently begun distributing vehicle armor products from a company in Portugal. While we were unfamiliar with Portuguese manufacturer AFN, Connell tells us that the brand first made a name for itself by providing armored security solutions to armed forces and the United Nations.

When asked about this Ranger’s underlying purpose, Connell tells us that after receiving the pickup from Ford, the team got to work with a primary objective in mind: “…capitalize upon the global overlander market that is the Ford Ranger…” While AAC has yet to tap into various other automotive platforms, Connell seems quite content with focusing on Ford’s smaller pickup for the time being. “We felt like the Ranger was a good start because it is available globally,” he explains.

As for the project itself, Connell says that despite taking possession of the Ranger in June of this year, the build really didn’t start moving along at a brisk pace until September. It wasn’t until Icon Vehicle Dynamics kicked things off that things really began to snowball. After affixing a fully-adjustable secondary shock coilover suspension system prototype to the Ranger, a Hellwig sway bar and Airlift springs were mated to the chassis, all three of which work extremely well together Connell explains.

Upon removal from the pickup, the stock bed was modified in order to provide more space for the aforementioned AFN canopy. This setup includes an aluminum roof rack, which can hold up to 100kg (220-lbs), with brackets aplenty for additional jerry cans and spare tires, along with enough space for a roof-top tent. Being that Ford prefers to use Tepui tents, this Ranger has been outfitted with the company’s “High Box,” which Connell explains that once unzipped, it can be turned into a hard storage box.

It was around this time that AFN’s line of bumpers, sliders, and aluminum camping accessories also made their way on board. While the custom cut canopy is the big attention grabber, the Ranger’s 3-piece front bumper is pretty badass in our book. This product consists of the bumper itself, the winch cradle, and an aluminium skid plate, with open sconces allowing additional lighting and AFN’s new line of DRL indicators.

“The biggest things you are going to see are the lift, the wheels, tires, armor, and then the canopy,” Connell tells us. “We’ve got Rigid lights, and accessories like the fridge, the interior storage system, all the cool stuff from Front Runner, MAXTRAX, ARB… all of the cool overland ‘tchotchke stuff’ we love to overload our vehicles with.”

We also noticed Advanced Accessory Concepts’ Trigger controller power distribution module was on board, the product that made the brand what it is today. Simple yet effective, this contraption takes the power from the battery and utilizes the brand’s dual charger setup, which in turn powers all of the Rigid lights, as well as things like the ARB compressor and fridge.

So with SEMA 2019 officially in our rearview mirror, we look forward to seeing what Advance Accessory Concepts has on the horizon, as it branches out into the ever-evolving off-road market.