Facts on Bigfoot the Monster Truck

Bigfoot the monster truck began as a simple Ford F-250 pickup.

Monster trucks have become a common site at car shows and tractor pulls, but perhaps the most well-known of all monster trucks is Bigfoot. Built with a 1975 Ford F-250 body, Bigfoot began its career as a family vehicle.

Beginnings

Bob Chandler drove his F-250 four-wheel-drive pickup truck during his job as a construction contractor in the mid-'70s. When he started his own Midwest Four Wheel Drive & Performance Center to supply 4x4 parts and labor, Chandler used his F-250 to promote his business.

Experimentation

Chandler worked throughout the late '70s to enhance the pickup, installing fat tires and a heavy-duty elevated suspension and strengthening the frame. He tried out new parts on his truck to see how they worked and to discover the best way to install them. The truck got bigger.

Fame

The amped up F-250 was first showcased at a car show in Denver in 1979. It was a huge hit with the crowds. Bigfoot began making regular appearances at truck pulls and exhibitions in stadiums and fairgrounds across the country.

Car Crushing

Chandler wanted to try something different at a truck show in 1981, so he lined up several junked cars and drove Bigfoot over their tops, crushing them. The stunt was a hit and inspired legions of imitators to duplicate the feat, making car crushing a staple of monster truck rallies.

Bigfoot Fleet

Bigfoot is no longer a single monster truck. The name and attitude has been applied to a fleet of 16 monster trucks that appear at car shows and race other super-charged monster trucks. By 2010, the Bigfoot team had racked up 25 championship titles.

References

• Big Foot 4x4: History of Bigfoot

Resources

• Monster Trucks