BIGFOOT 50x50 Day 38, 1987: The Body Issue

Christmas came early (or late, depending on your perspective) in 1987. The brand new BIGFOOT 6 debuted in Omaha on January 8th. Sporting the new Gen 8 F-Series body style, and all of the accoutrements expected of a BIGFOOT truck at the time. Weighing in at over 12,000 pounds, this absolute tank of a truck also featured a 460 cubic inch engine, C-6 transmission and the now standard 5-ton military axles. The majority of driving duties for 6 would fall to Jim Kramer and Andy Brass for the year.

Also, early in the year, production would begin on the BIGFOOT Cruiser. A product of the partnership between BIGFOOT and Ford Motor Company. These street legal versions came equipped with some of the same accessories as their larger inspirations. The limited run of vehicles would be manufactured by Ford, while Scherer Truck out of Kansas City would handle the customization.

Throughout the year BIGFOOTs 2, 4, and 5 would also be converted over to the new body style, with BIGFOOT 3 having the conversion done in late ‘85 in time for SEMA. Also undergoing a cosmetic change would be Ms. BIGFOOT, who retired in Hawaii in December of 1986. She would also be repainted in BIGFOOT Blue and be rechristened as the BIGFOOT Ranger.

On August 1st, BIGFOOT 1 would be the subject of its first piece of major body damage probably since the joyride in 1980 at the 3rd annual BIGFOOT weekend at Hunnewell Valley in Embden, Maine. Now, rumors have persisted that after a night of frivolities and maybe one or two adult beverages, someone got the bright idea to take the truck down to the river and it got stuck on the bank. Ken Koelling, who was driving 1 that weekend maintains that he took the truck to the river to help someone who was stuck. No matter how you slice it the truck was stuck. After wrestling the truck from multiple angles with a front loader, BIGFOOT 1 was finally pulled from the river. With extensive body and driveline damage the truck had to be repaired and rebodied but would make its return to action on Sept 12th in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, temporarily missing most of Dan Patterson’s iconic artwork.

On November 14th, exactly one year after the accident in Murray, Kentucky, Jim Kramer sent himself and BIGFOOT 6 on a wild ride in the Hoosier Dome that would end with both Kramer, and 6, on their heads. After breaking the front drive shaft in the third round against Scott Hess and Hercules II, Jim would meet Leslie Anderson and Texas Toy in the final race. After hitting the second mound Jim punched the throttle to hit the set of crush cars, getting the nose of the truck up extremely high in spectacular fashion. As he landed the rear tires on the cars on the front end slammed into the ground. With no front wheel drive to catch himself, momentum took Jim end over end and stopped with BIGFOOT 6 upside down. Jim was quickly pulled from the wreck and amidst apologies to Bob Chandler, Jim was met with the embrace of the person he needed a hug from the most. His wife, Julie, who was in the crowd with the couple’s young son that night. This accident would lead to the strengthening of the roll cages inside the cabs of the trucks. Jim gambled and lost that night, but he, 6, and the BIGFOOT team would learn, adapt, and continue moving forward.