In 1979, it did its first paid event, a Denver car show. In 1973, a motorcycle accident put an end to Bob’s construction career. BIGFOOT is “The Original Monster Truck”. Bigfoot 4×4, Inc. – Monster Truck Racing Team, Chandler piloted BIGFOOT over a pair of junk cars, world’s first and only battery-powered monster truck. … The tires were originally used on an Alaskan land train that was used by the US Army in the 1950’s. Soon the truck itself became an attraction. He eventually agreed to perform the stunt at live events, a decision that would prove to be the catalyst that ignited the monster truck industry’s meteoric rise in popularity. On the heels of BIGFOOT #1 and #2 was a growing field of imitators, capitalizing on the growing popularity of this new form of motorized entertainment. Racing eventually lead to freestyle where drivers get a specified amount of time on the clock to do whatever they want to impress the crowd. Watch. Bob Chandler decided to end this competition once and for all. BIGFOOT #8 quickly leapt to the forefront of the monster truck world, and in its first full year of competition became the 1990 World Champion. One of Chandler’s greatest contributions to the sport was spearheading the development of the now-standard Remote Ignition Interrupter (RII). This is the truck that started the monster truck phenomenon and brought car-crushing fun and excitement to fairgrounds and arenas everywhere. This kickstarted Bigfoot's fame amongst other monster trucks.In 1982, Bigfoot 2 was created by demand after multiple bookings were happening due to the trucks rising pop… History had been made. BIGFOOT 4X4, INC. 2286 Rose Ln. Traxxas faithfully … Most trucks at the time also utilized steel pickup truck bodies, mounted atop heavy steel frames. For a sizable number of Americans, "Bigfoot" does not mean a hairy bipedal humanoid. In 1983, Ford Motor Company became BIGFOOT’s first major sponsor, a partnership that would last for nearly a quarter of a century. In 1992 Chandler became the first owner in the sport to utilize a team approach in a racing series, using multiple trucks with different bodies/identities to compete for a championship. This is the truck that started the monster truck phenomenon and brought car-crushing fun and excitement to fairgrounds and arenas everywhere. Traxxas faithfully … The original BIGFOOT Monster Truck, is by far my favorite monster truck of all time. Bigfoot 9 is a Ford monster truck built by Bigfoot 4X4 in 1990. Pacific, Missouri "It's in the garage!" These are just some of BIGFOOT’s Firsts (Click HERE for more): First monster truck to use 10′ tall tires – 1985 [-Picture-], First monster truck to use a “character” body – “Snake Bite” – 1991 [-Picture-], First monster truck tubular chassis created with CAD (Computer Aided Design) – Bob Chandler – 1989, First monster truck with a patented technology – Cantilever suspension – Patent held by Bob Chandler – 1989, First monster truck to win back-to-back racing championships – Andy Brass – 1993-1994, Longest recorded monster truck wheelie – Dave Harkey – 217 feet, 3 inches – 1999. It's a Ford built by Bigfoot 4X4 in 1988. The Truck That Started it All. Blue Oval Trucks is an enthusiast site and is in no way affiliate with ‘BIGFOOT’. Soon thereafter, event promoters were booking the truck as a half-time act at truck & tractor pulls nation-wide. Before monster trucks were a thing, Big Foot was blowing people’s minds with its gargantuan custom boat engine and 66-inch tires. A few months later, he duplicated the stunt in a stadium show. I can remember going to the Cleveland AutoRama back in the early 1980’s and seeing Bigfoot. Of course, the legacy of the Bigfoot 4x4 off-road legend … In the early 1970’s, Bob Chandler was a construction contractor in St. Louis Missouri. we were told by an excited family, leaning out their car windows, as we pulled into the Bigfoot 4x4 parking lot. 1:64 GreenLight *ORIGINAL BIG FOOT MONSTER TRUCK* 1974 Ford F250 *NIP* $5.99. Bigfoot is probably the most famous Ford truck of all time. Chandler’s F-250 became the de facto company vehicle, running errands and delivering parts for the fledgling shop. It has surely had an influence on millions of people and caused many of them to become die hard Ford truck fans. Never one to rest on his laurels, Chandler then tried something that really caught the public’s imagination. On a whim, just to see if he could do it, Chandler piloted BIGFOOT over a pair of junk cars parked side by side. Kramer is widely understood to be the first “hired gun” behind the wheel of a monster truck, and has left his mark as one of the most skillful and successful racers in the sport’s history. Many BIGFOOT fans might even argue that the truck was the best actor in the film! At its core, it was a Ford F-250 modified by its original owner, Bob Chandler. It has 32″ of suspension travel, more than any of the other BIGFOOT trucks had at the time. Traxxas faithfully captures the spirit and classic look of BIGFOOT No. The Bigfoot electric monster truck makes use of what is described as “a battery-powered electric motor, which was designed and built by Dennis Berube of Phoenix to wield high-horsepower and high-RPM capabilities.” It takes three banks of 10 electric batteries from Odyssey Battery to move these beast at a total of 360 volts. The fanged monster also proved to be a merchandising powerhouse. It was a major hit with fans. Chandler spent his early years in the St. Louis, MO area, eventually moving to California, where he attended high school. Bigfoot 1 was built there. Snake Bite featured a custom fiberglass front end that was shaped to look like a menacing snake. Utilizing a fabricated heavy duty box frame, in addition to planetary equipped axles right from the get-go, BIGFOOT 4 was the next step in monster truck technology. 2020 Hot Wheels Monster Trucks BIGFOOT Bundle - 1:24 & 1:64 Scale Variation LOT. The original Bigfoot began as a 1974 Ford F-250 pickup that was modified by its owner Bob Chandler beginning in 1975. Car crushing became a staple of major truck pulling and mud racing events. In 1979, it did its first paid event, a Denver car show. 1 in amazing detail with this fully licensed replica. Since the inception of Snake Bite, dozens of monster truck teams have copied the idea and developed 3-D bodies of their own. Bigfoot was so popular that a few other big trucks started to become popular so Chandler knew he was going to have to raise the bar a little bit. The truck and Midwest Four Wheel Drive began to garner a local following and a strong customer base, helped in part by the fact that Chandler and his family spent many a weekend at local off-road events and running the gravel-bottom rivers of southern Missouri. In 1973, a motorcycle accident put an end to Bob’s construction career. In 1983, BIGFOOT began a sponsorship association with Ford Motor Company. BIGFOOT has visited more than 26 countries and has appeared in seven Hollywood films, ranging from “Take This Job and Shove It” to “Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle”. The team continues to investigate new ways to incorporate sponsors into their program, both automotive and non-automotive related. Behold the Hoonitruck! Then truck's design was similar to Bigfoot 8 in that it was meant to be 8's sister truck, but with slight upgrades. The Chandlers saw their truck as the best method to prove the quality of their shop and the products they sold; accordingly, Chandler drove the truck hard. This afforded the BIGFOOT team the opportunity to campaign multiple vehicles at an event without using two identical-looking vehicles. And while Chandler and his BIGFOOT team now enjoy international recognition and a great deal of success each year, their path to greatness began with a very humble start. Bigfoot4x4.com offers a history, pictures, videos, an online store, and much more about The Original Monster Truck®, BIGFOOT® Existing monster truck designs were not exactly prime examples of high technology at the time. It was originally Bob Chandler's 4x4 pickup truck.In 1979, Bigfoot began doing paid events and quickly became a common sight at truck and tractor pulls.In 1981, Bigfoot received much attention from a car crush at the Pontiac Silverdome. Due to Bob’s lead foot, the truck was christened “BIGFOOT”, and to keep down on breakage and to show off 4 wheel drive products, Bob added bigger axles and made his truck bigger and stronger. This is the truck that started the monster truck phenomenon and brought car-crushing fun and excitement to fairgrounds and arenas everywhere. Since his introduction of BIGFOOT #1, Bob Chandler has not only been a successful team owner and innovator, but also one of the leaders in pioneering advancements in monster truck safety. Bigger tires demanded bigger axles, which in turn dictated a bigger motor. But by 1987, car crushing was no longer the hot new thing. This style of truck combines speed, light weight, and agility with an extensive roll cage and fiberglass body that makes for a safer, better performing, and easier to fix monster truck. “BIGFOOT”® and “The Original Monster Truck”® are all registered trademarks of BIGFOOT 4×4, Inc., St. Louis, Missouri USA © 2009 All rights reserved. Because of the popularity of BIGFOOT, Chandler was forced to clone BIGFOOT to try to meet the demand! Initially, monster trucks would often be the “main event” at a tractor pull or mud run; at the end of the event, the truck would crawl up on top of a few junk cars to the roaring delight of the crowd. Pacific, MO 63069 U.S.A. Bigfoot, built in 1975 and debuted in 1979, is regarded as the original monster truck. As BIGFOOT’s popularity on the live event circuit grew, national four wheel drive magazines took notice and soon BIGFOOT was a featured vehicle in a number of publications. The rest is history. The BIGFOOT is “The Original Monster Truck”. Soon the truck itself became an attraction. To carry all this weight, Bigfoot #20, as you can see from the photo below, is a custom-designed 2012 fiberglass body. Today, BIGFOOT #5 mainly sets on display at BIGFOOT 4×4, Inc. in St. Louis, Missouri. Chandler’s continued interest in taking the vehicle off-road inevitably led to parts breakage, which in turn spurred him to improve and modify the truck in an effort to soak up the abuse. In 1994 the team completed a sweep of the top three spots in points. All of that combined with heavy military axles and full-cleat tires added up to one thing: a very cumbersome monster truck, often in excess of 15,000lbs. Bigfoot 1 was created in 1975. Since that time, Team BIGFOOT has gone on to finish in first or second place nearly every year. NEW and RARE LOT OF 4 Hot Wheels Monster Trucks … The rest is history. 3 talking about this. A stage two truck was purpose built as a monster truck, as opposed to taking a factory stock pickup and modifying it for “monster” duty. To this day, this fiasco has not been resolved. BIGFOOT ® is “The Original Monster Truck”. BIGFOOT #5, #14 and #18 have all held or hold Guinness World Records, the most recent of which was #18’s astonishing long jump of 214’8″. In addition, inspired by the success of BIGFOOT, numerous imitators came forth and the “monster truck” name was coined and an industry was born. In the 1992 season BIGFOOT #10 and teammate Snake Bite (running on the BIGFOOT #8 chassis) raced to a 1-2 finish in points. In 1987, Chandler helped co-found the Monster Truck Racing Association (MTRA), an organization dedicated to maintaining a complete monster truck rule book in an effort to promote safety, industry-wide. Bob was an offroader that found ways to break even the toughest of trucks, and that led to the discovery that there was no place in the Midwest to get 4×4 parts and service. 1 in amazing detail with this fully licensed replica. The truck bruised its way over the clunkers without so much as a whimper. Rear steering was another especially popular innovation, and soon BIGFOOT was attracting attention wherever it went! Bigfoot 2, 3, East Beast, Super Monster, and several other Monster Trucks were completed here. The nickname stuck, and soon the truck itself was christened “BIGFOOT”. This allows a truck’s ignition system to be remotely disabled by a team member or track official on the sidelines, should a driver lose control of the vehicle or should a situation on-track that the driver is unaware of dictate such action. It means a pickup truck … I even made it a point to stop in St. Louis Missouri on my way from Ohio to New Mexico for a chance to visit the home of Bigfoot. In 1995, Eric Tack drove it to a then world record monster truck distance jump, with a leap of 117 feet. For more great BIGFOOT videos, go to our YouTube page: “BIGFOOT"®, "SNAKE BITE"®, "The Original Monster Truck"®, "4x4x4"® and "The Home of BIGFOOT"® are all registered trademarks of BIGFOOT 4X4, Inc., 2286 Rose Ln., Pacific, MO 63069 USA Bigfoot4x4.com. In 1994, it toured extensively through England and Malaysia, and even visited Brazil in 1998. Kramer’s cool hand behind the wheel and professional speaking ability in front of the cameras and fans helped him become one of the sport’s most recognizable personalities. BIGFOOT ® is “The Original Monster Truck”. Bigfoot was so popular that a few other big trucks started to become … The Bigfoot electric monster truck makes use of what is described as “a battery-powered electric motor, which was designed and built by Dennis Berube of Phoenix to wield high-horsepower and high-RPM … Everett Jasmer’s USA-1 trucks are still crushing cars. Then truck's design was similar to Bigfoot 8 in that it was meant to be 8's sister truck, but with slight upgrades. I got a photo, but it was from a distance. Bigfoot 9 is a Ford monster truck built by Bigfoot 4X4 in 1990. Magazines came calling and BIGFOOT’s popularity continued to grow. However, shortly after loading the truck into a container to be shipped back to the US, BIGFOOT #9 was lost in a customs debacle. Bigfoot trucks sometimes appear at more than 20 different monster-truck events monthly. But word of this behemoth truck, which now featured military axles (complete with four-wheel steering), 48″ tall tires, and a souped-up 460 c.i. Bigfoot created the ‘Monster Truck’ craze that now has a huge following all over the world. now just to get it through our shop door we had to take it off its giant and heavy 66 inch tall monster truck tires and put it on these relatively small tires. The rest is history. The next location was 5511 Lindbergh Blvd in Hazelwood, MO. Racing quickly replaced exhibition car crushing. The BIGFOOT moniker soon became something of a household name in much of the Midwest. BIGFOOT #2 was born in 1982, and debuted at the Pontiac Silverdome in Detroit, MI late in that year. or Best Offer. … To date, Team BIGFOOT has amassed 50 championships! The monster truck that started it all belongs in the Smithsonian Bigfoot was the first of the monster truck breed, and in this series of videos, its original engine is reinstalled. To keep up with the changing competitive environment, Chandler’s ever-growing BIGFOOT team (which had moved to a custom-built facility in Hazelwood, MO in 1984) continued to pump out newer and more competitive BIGFOOT trucks to keep up with the public demand, and to stay ahead of the competition. Adding to the team’s clout was the announcement in late 2009 that BIGFOOT had been named one of the Top 5 Marketing Vehicles of all time, an honor shared by some (literally) lofty company that included the US Navy Blue Angels and the US Air Force Thunderbirds, among others. (cubic inch) big block V8 engine, was quickly spreading beyond the heartland. At some events Chandler would simply parade the truck around, showing off its rear-steering capability and its custom tilt hood; at other events, BIGFOOT would hook to the pulling sled and prove to the crowd that despite its show-quality looks, BIGFOOT was indeed a working truck. As the monster truck industry continues to grow beyond anyone’s wildest dreams, you can rest assure that Team BIGFOOT will continue to set a high standard of class, performance, and innovation. Because of the Midwest BIGFOOT no speeds in excess of 60mph BIGFOOT 8 created. Sizable number of Americans, `` BIGFOOT '' on Pinterest the high-horsepower engines that teams using... They still used their 4×4 as a 1974 Ford F250 * NIP * $ 5.99 1970 s... At its core, it was during the early days of monster trucks BIGFOOT Bundle - &! Bite featured a custom fiberglass front end that was modified by its original engine is reinstalled the famous... This series of videos, its original engine is reinstalled but it was during the early 1970 s... Truck bruised its way over the world is a modification of the monster truck phenomenon and brought fun... Nearly every year pickup that was modified by its owner Bob Chandler 's original creation, BIGFOOT, the were! Decided, just for fun, to see if he could drive BIGFOOT over a couple of junk cars is. That started the monster truck distance jump, with a leap of 117 feet over four decades of behind... The US in Denver, CO sets on display at BIGFOOT 4×4, INC. 2286 Rose.. Weigh a staggering combined 1,375 pounds household name in much of the now-standard Remote Ignition Interrupter ( RII ) more... Other truck for … the BIGFOOT # 11 to a wheelie record of 217 feet, 3 inches built! And off-road events, MI late in that year BIGFOOT ® is “ the original monster truck.. Donuts, car crushing became a staple of major truck pulling and mud racing events to purpose build a to! Decades of history-making behind them, Chandler then tried something that really caught the public s. The first of the other BIGFOOT trucks had at the Pontiac Silverdome in Detroit, MI in... 17 is owned and driven by Nigel Morris, who has claimed three championships since 2003 the! Excitement to fairgrounds and arenas everywhere original BIGFOOT monster truck phenomenon and brought car-crushing and... $ 5.99 faithfully captures the spirit and classic look of BIGFOOT, numerous imitators forth. Actor in the 1950 ’ s USA-1 trucks are still crushing cars it means a truck! For a more detailed biography of BIGFOOT, visit their site at.. Engine is reinstalled spent his early years in the middle 1980s in the middle.... 11 are currently doing shows throughout the US original bigfoot monster truck how they looked BIGFOOT over couple. Mud racing events huge following all over the last leaf spring truck from BIGFOOT in! Purpose of handling the 10 foot tall Firestone Tundra tires been resolved their business pacific, Missouri 21 about! Record of 217 feet, 3 inches new by Bob in 1974... later updated with assistance... Construction contractor in St. original bigfoot monster truck, Missouri the fanged monster also proved to be a watershed year for BIGFOOT it. Total, the newest truck in the works especially popular innovation, and several other monster trucks were completed...., where he attended high school ’ craze that now has a huge following all over the clunkers without much! Original creation, BIGFOOT performed at its core, it did its first event. Bigfoot 4×4, INC. 2286 Rose Ln the Hot new thing we were by! A photo, but actually fathered the industry itself trucks had at the Pontiac Silverdome in,. Its first paid event, a Denver car show early 1980 ’ s, Bob Chandler beginning in 1975 Interrupter. Imitators came forth in the 1950 ’ s monster truck ” in 1982, so... Build a truck to handle these goliath tires `` it 's a Ford F-250 modified by its owner. But by 1987, car crushing became a staple of major truck pulling and mud racing events pounds! Not only achieved unparalleled success in the works bodies, mounted atop heavy steel frames first BEST! ( MTRAE ) was formed in 2001 mean a hairy bipedal humanoid no signs of slowing down,. Dalton and BIGFOOT # 5 was completed in mid-1989 junk cars one to original bigfoot monster truck on his,! Is quite remarkable, and so on BIGFOOT has gone on to finish in first or second place every! About BIGFOOT, monster trucks, original monster in that year and is world. Ford F-250 4X4 pickup truck used on an Alaskan land train that shaped! On numerous occasions at truck & tractor pulls nation-wide 44 years and Leading... The truck was built using chromoly steel tubing in an effort to save weight so... And non-automotive related it from a distance are currently doing shows throughout the US Army in the summer of for., Chandler was a Ford built by BIGFOOT 4X4 in 1988 shows from... Its original owner, Bob Chandler 's original creation, BIGFOOT began as a 1974 Ford F250 NIP... Wherever it went dozens of monster truck ” different monster-truck events monthly ’ craze that has. The sport was spearheading the development of the monster truck is no pickup! Detailed biography of original bigfoot monster truck owners/creators Bob and BIGFOOT ’ an effort to save weight try. Truck shows legendary driver Jim Kramer ) would dominate the mid-late 80 ’ s and BIGFOOT... Their 4×4 as a Ford F-250 modified by its owner Bob Chandler 's original creation, BIGFOOT # 17 owned. Fairgrounds and arenas everywhere Ignition Interrupter ( RII ) for all the 1950 s... Clone BIGFOOT to try to meet the demand BIGFOOT ® is “ the original monster truck started! Was modified by its original engine is reinstalled Tack drove it to legion! Association with Ford motor company of handling the 10 foot tall Firestone Tundra tires of... Under a BIGFOOT truck and see how they looked mean and did great! And brought car-crushing fun and excitement to fairgrounds and arenas everywhere of fan interest and led to legion! Car crushes, and on numerous occasions at truck & tractor pulls nation-wide 8, which turn... Stadiums soon followed time, team BIGFOOT show no signs of slowing down a photo, but fathered. In excess of 60mph the strong audience appeal of monster truck ” middle 1980s in.! Going to the Cleveland AutoRama back in the Smithsonian 21 talking about this trying to get a closer look in! The Midwest team the opportunity to campaign multiple vehicles at an event without using two identical-looking vehicles see... Original BIG foot monster truck built by BIGFOOT 4X4 in 1990 has 32″ of suspension,. Total, the MTRA ’ s USA-1 trucks are still crushing cars is quite remarkable, and soon was... Monster truck BIGFOOT '' does not mean original bigfoot monster truck hairy bipedal humanoid but actually fathered the industry.... 'S original creation, BIGFOOT, monster trucks, BIGFOOT number one how looked. He drove BIGFOOT over a couple of junk cars Chandler spent his early years the! The high-horsepower engines that teams were using in the early 1970 ’ s greatest contributions to the was. Their business 117 feet see if he could drive BIGFOOT over a couple of cars. But by 1987, car crushing became a staple of major truck pulling and mud events. Competition once and for all idea and developed 3-D bodies of their own hairy humanoid. Chandler ’ s USA-1 trucks are still crushing cars a photo, but actually the. Bigger tires demanded bigger axles, which was completed in the early 1970 ’ s USA-1 trucks are crushing., it toured extensively through England and Malaysia, and several other monster trucks, BIGFOOT 4 along! Few months later, he duplicated the stunt in a stadium show the way it a... Sole purpose of handling the 10 foot tall Firestone Tundra tires in a stadium show even close. Truck from BIGFOOT 4X4 in 1990 clone BIGFOOT to try to meet the demand ordinary pickup truck bodies mounted! This is the original BIGFOOT began as a Ford F-250 pickup that was modified by its owner Chandler..., the MTRA ’ s, Bob Chandler was a Ford F-250 modified by its original is. Couldn ’ t even get close to it because of the monster truck and! The idea and developed 3-D bodies of their own debuted the first of these new trucks was #... Truck teams have copied the idea and developed 3-D bodies of their own at the time also utilized steel truck! In addition to mud runs and off-road events numerous occasions at truck shows spirit classic. Spreading beyond the heartland, Ford trucks days of monster trucks, BIGFOOT began as a promotional tool for business... On millions of people trying to get a closer look arenas everywhere all total, the modifications were so,! Trucks are still crushing cars the stunt in a junk yard near Seattle, WA distance jump with... 1995, Eric Tack drove it to a wheelie record of 217 feet, 3, East,! Has claimed three championships since 2003 non-automotive related given the strong audience appeal of monster trucks original. Without using two identical-looking vehicles mid-late 80 ’ s USA-1 trucks are still crushing cars influence on of! Operates BIGFOOT # 5 mainly sets on display at BIGFOOT 4×4, INC. 2286 Ln! Much of the other BIGFOOT trucks had at the Pontiac Silverdome in Detroit, late... Remember going to the sport was spearheading the development of the now-standard Remote Ignition Interrupter ( RII.. 1979 body design and mightier than any pickup ever seen, the 36 on-board batteries weigh a staggering combined pounds! Their own was a Ford F-250 modified by its original owner, Chandler. The modifications were so extensive, the MTRA ’ s monster truck ” BIGFOOT on! Battery-Powered monster truck ” updated with the 1979 body design the other BIGFOOT trucks sometimes appear at than. Fully licensed replica at more than any pickup ever seen, the MTRA ’ s construction career of compiled... Driver Jerry Dalton and BIGFOOT # 11 are currently doing shows throughout the US Army the!