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"Foot Mail" is a section of the Extreme Fan Page, where BIGFOOT fans can submit stories about BIGFOOT.  These stories could range from when and where they first saw BIGFOOT to telling about their collection of BIGFOOT memorabilia.

Do you have something you think qualifies you as an Extreme BIGFOOT fan?  Send your submissions to extremefans@bigfoot4x4.com, and, if approved, it may be posted right here on this page.  BIGFOOT 4x4, Inc. reserves the right to determine the appropriateness of any submission and reserves the right to add, delete, edit, etc. any submission it decides to post.

10 January 2008

MONSTER TRUCK SHOWS

Have you ever been to a monster truck show?  Cars being crushed like pancakes.  Windows being broken and metal being flattened like a new paved road.  Maintaining the trucks toughness is a pretty hard job.  It also costs a bundle too.

Being at a monster truck show is the best feeling in the world.  Hearing  the sound of the motor when it starts is great.  Climbing on the 66 inch tires is awesome, when you get to the top; it feels like you are on top of the world.  Seeing it on TV just doesn't do it justice.  Before and sometimes after there is what is called a pit party.  A pit party is where you can meet the drivers and get autographs.  A pit party is pretty fun.

The cost of these massive giants is a whopping 100,000 dollars and that is just for building it.  Maintaining it is another 100,000 dollars.  They spend about 5,000 a weekend.  That means 20,000 dollars a weekend.

Maintaining the trucks stability is a pretty tough job seeing what they break almost every weekend.  When you have to change a transmission every month it gets kind of hectic.  Before a show you have to put the tires on the truck.  This is called "tiring up" and it is a tough job.  After every show you take the tires off.  This is called "tiring down".

So, what's the conclusion?  The conclusion is that it takes a lot of hard work to maintain a monster truck.  Also it takes a lot of team work.  Breaking every weekend can be kind of hard.  So why not go to a monster truck show.

- Written by Zack Long, the son of BIGFOOT driver Rick Long.

07 June 2007

Dear Bigfoot, my name is Eli Mann, 28 years old, and this is my Extreme Fan story.

The truck thing started for me when I was young.  My first word was mom and the second was tractor, from then on it was all wheels and tracks for me.  In the early 80's my parents got me a poster of Bigfoot, then came the toys.  I would spend every Sunday morning watching Bigfoot on the trucks and tractor power show.  The teen years came and the family went to St Louis not to see the Arch, but to see Bob Chandler's Bigfoot shop ... got to meet Bob and the family ... cool ... not long after this I got my first truck: 1986 F-150 V8 4x4.

The summer of 1997 is when the extreme fan thing took off I bought a 1987 F-150 Bigfoot Cruiser edition truck.  The following summer I bought all the remaining parts for these trucks from the company that built these trucks (Scherer truck equipment). T hen I started the Bigfootcruiser.com web site.

In the summer of 2003 Bigfoot invited me to be part of there display at the Ford 100th anniversary in Detroit.  My Bigfoot Cruiser F-250 was at this event.

In the fall of 2005 I acquired Bigfoot 4x4's old shop plow truck, a 1974 F-250 pickup.  The truck has some good history.  Bigfoot originally built this truck for a farmer in the mid west as a monster truck.  Bigfoot bought the truck in 1985 and then fitted it with the 10' tundra tires  The truck was then known as Bigfoot 5.  Latter they removed the body to make way for a new one.  The old body was fitted to a frame and used as a shop truck.

My future plan is to rebuild this truck to be the most accurate replica of Bigfoot #1 the way it was in 1982.

I would like to thank the Chandlers and all the People at Bigfoot 4x4 for all the great things they have done for me and everyone.

If you wish to contact me this is how:

Eli Mann Bigfoot Cruiser Club
PO Box 757
Bethel, ME 04217
207 890 6613
Bigfootcruiser.com

14 February 2007

This is Matt and his dog BIGFOOT!  Thanks to Matt and his dog for being great BIGFOOT fans!

27 September 2006

Hi!! My name is Christopher Allen. I am fourteen years old and I am a Bigfoot extreme fan.

I've been a Bigfoot fan since I was 4 years old. It started with me watching videos of Bigfoot that my parents would get for me. I think I must have all of them.

We went to our first Monster Truck show in January of 1996 and I (and my parents) have been huge Monster Truck fans ever since. We even planned a trip to St. Louis, MO, just to visit the home of Bigfoot, to see where the monster truck phenomenon all started. I got to stand inside the wheel of Bigfoot V, saw the work shop and we talked to all of the nice people there. However, none of the drivers or Bob Chandler were there at the shop that day.

In 2001 we moved to Phoenix and I got to meet Dan Runte at Firebird raceway that October. That was so exciting for me. He is my favorite driver and a really great guy. He always takes time for me and my parents every time we see him. We make a special effort to see him every time he comes to Firebird. We also try to find out where he is making an appearance with Bigfoot before the show and go see him there, too.

Last month I got the thrill of my monster truckin' life. We went to see Dan and Bigfoot at the new Glendale Football Stadium for the AMP Monster Truck World Tour. While there I got the surprise of my life. I was at the pit party and I got to meet the legendary Bob Chandler. He was very nice and I was very happy to spend a few minutes talking to him. What a great night.

Submitted 24 September 2006

I LOVE BIGFOOT!

My name is Audrey Ransier/Hickey

I have loved Bigfoot since I was a child. I started going to shows when I was about 14 years old. I was born and raised in 
California and went to every show that I could. I love trucks and have always loved everything there is to know and do with 
trucks. When I was 18 I even got a tattoo of a monster truck on my hip.

I got the experience of a lifetime in November 1990, in the area where I lived at the time there was a show on T.V. called 
"The Home Show" with Will Shriner as one of the hosts and he had a contest going called "Thrill with Will". What they were 
looking for was "stay at home mom's" to write in and express something that they had always dreamed of doing. Well that was 
the perfect opportunity to tell someone I would love to drive Bigfoot and meet Bob Chandler. I was embarrassed so I did not 
tell anybody what I had done. I figured nothing would ever become of the letter. About two months later I received a call 
from the producer of the "Home Show". The producer wanted to know more details. He had never heard of a girl who was so 
fascinated by Bigfoot trucks. Well, they picked me to do a segment on the show and said I was going to drive Bigfoot!

Audrey's son Kory

I got to fly all the way to St. Louis, Missouri with my new born son Kory and like I had mentioned before, get an experience 
of a lifetime. I got to spend the day with Bob Chandler, meet his wife, tour all around the inside of the Bigfoot shop, and 
have lunch with a great many of the Bigfoot team. I got to drive a truck and "CRUSH" two cars right there in the "Home of 
Bigfoot" parking lot. I even got to drive around the block two times in a Bigfoot truck. All I know is that hanging out with 
Bob Chandler all day was the coolest thing I have ever got to do. I know Bob was not expecting to spend the whole day with me 
but still was so patience and kind to me.

Bob Chandler and Audrey

Time has flown by and still almost 16 years later and this experience is something my two children and I speak of just about 
on a daily basis. My baby son is now almost 16 years old and I have a 12 year- old daughter Julie to whom both LOVE Bigfoot 
as much as I do. We have the whole segment on tape and watch the segment often. Unfortunately, we had to move away from 
California in 1993 to a place (Pasco, Washington) where Bigfoot does not come and do Monster Truck shows so my children are 
not able to enjoy seeing great monster truck shows like I got to see. Kory watches videos and anything that comes on the 
learning channels about Bigfoot every chance he gets.

Kory and Audrey

I thought I would share my "Bigfoot lover" family story and I personally wanted to say, "Thanks" for the awesome opportunity.

Someday I hope to come visit again so I can share the "Home of Bigfoot" with my children in real-life not just on video.

Submitted 05-12-06

Bigfoot 4x4-

Please find enclosed photos and disc containing pictures from Essex Jct. Vermont.  I took these over the course of the weekend in August 2005, and though I am far from a professional photographer, I feel like I got a few lucky shots.  I noticed that on your website you have pictures posted in the gallery that other drivers, teams, etc. have sent in and thought I could add to your collection with these.  ...

I'd also like to compliment Dan Runte on his capability behind the wheel all weekend.  His tremendous talent is obvious by how easy he makes it look although it is certainly a job that is not.  But beyond that this is great guy who cares and makes time for every fan and is always genuine and positive.  I was fortunate enough to get the Bronco that I had in the show competition close to the autograph area for Dan to sign the tailgate which he gladly did despite the demands on his time.  His autograph on the tailgate helps complete the truck that my interest in Bigfoot for the past 20 years has helped inspire me to build. ...

One more thing ... Thanks for keeping Bigfoot traveling in the circles of legitimate racing and competition, away from the freak show, three ring circus, and fake wrestling style shows that some promoters produce.  The technology, hard work, and driving ability of your team is anything but ridiculous and as a longtime fan [ I ] would not really want to see you guys in that light.  Enjoy the photos and thanks for the existing and future memories from upcoming events.

Jess Delaney - JT Delaney Construction Building & Remodeling

Submitted 02-05-06

Hello, I'm Ryan Roberts.  I have been a BIGFOOT fan since May, 1998.  I always take at least one or two visits up there [St. Louis] each year and take pictures of it all over again pretty much except see some new things each visit!  My best BIGFOOT visit would probably have to be this past March when I got the ultimate autograph from the one the only Bob Chandler.  Special thanks to BIGFOOT's own Doug Welker!  I am sending you 3 of my BIGFOOT computer drawn pictures.  BIGFOOT Old School and 2 Fantasy (maybe ideas for the future bodies!) BIGFOOT drawn trucks which are Red/Yellow stripes & Wildfoot.  I'm also sending a few pics of various visits to the shop.  They are pictures of numbers 14, 8, 5, and the Fastrax.  I hope this makes me a Extreme BIGFOOT fan!

Sincerly , 
Ryan Roberts

Submitted 12-14-05

Hi there. My name is Tommy Lee Byrd and I'm from Dayton, TN. I'm 19 years old and have been a fan of Bigfoot all my life. I have a lot of Bigfoot collectibles such as two Playskool Bigfoot SST's, 2 sets of Hot Wheels Bigfoot Champions w/ the arena, Bigfoot 10 model, and a Snakebite model. I also have the Rev 'n Go style Bigfoots made by Hot Wheels. I have a Bigfoot vs. Snakebite slot track made by Marchon. I have the Bigfoot Thunder on Wheels, Bigfoot in Action, Battle of the Bigfoots, Bigfoot 4x4x4, Bigfoot Racing 93, 94, Bigfoot 25th anny., and many more videos featuring Bigfoot, as well as a lot of stuff taped from TV. I'm attaching some pictures to this email, also. The first will be of me and cousin in Chattanooga, TN at Mountain View Ford back in '92 I think. The second will be from this past year in Cleveland, TN where Firestone Destination was on display. I love Bigfoot 4....that truck just seems so much bigger than the other trucks. The last four will be drawings I've done of Bigfoot trucks. Bigfoot 4 from 1990, Bigfoot 30th anny., ChromaLusion Bigfoot, and the Summit Bigfoot. Well, that's about it. Thank you very much and I hope to see a Bigfoot truck soon. Hopefully in January in Knoxville, TN I'll get to. Thanks again...

Tommy Lee Byrd

Submitted 11-25-05

Dear Bigfoot 4x4 

Its me again Mike Comerford.  In honor of Bigfoot's 30th year and Dan Patterson I have done some thing so "cool" that I was wondering if you would add it to my first posted pics to the extreme fan page [see post below from 7-01-04].  The pictures you see are the Bigfoot 30th paint scheme on my Bigfoot 15 and a cut away body on my Bigfoot 11.  In honor of Dan Patterson, I painted on the left side of the back bumper "R.I.P. D.P." for all the years that he made Bigfoot paint scheme's look like a millions bucks.  I got the idea of the 30th paint scheme when it first came out and said to myself, "Now that's HOT/Old School."  I hope you enjoy the pics. Thanks again - Mike -

Submitted 11-22-05

Dear BIGFOOT,

Attached is a set of pictures that I hope qualify me as being an "extreme" fan.
bigfoot7 - a collage on my wall
bigfoot2 - big foot shuttle, bigfoot 14, & Fastrax models all made from kitbashing. Several models starting with bigfoot shuttle created from 4 different models: For bigfoot shuttle an A team model extremely modified, a snapfast bigfoot frame, tires from an old "fall guy" model, decals from one of second bigfoot model series
For bigfoot 14 (a challenge because there was no such model so I created it from: Bigfoot 10 frame & tires, 2 sets of decals from a bigfoot snapfast kit, back bed from F150 pickup model, front from '98 F150 
Fastrax: (again no such model exists so created from: M24 Chafee tank frame, van model extremely modified to fit tank frame, twin motors, body that pivots
bigfoot4: Last but not least my extreme bigfoot collection including all 10 bigfoot models, built & painted to match each individual bigfoot.
From 3 different model - I created Bigfoot #1
From stock bigfoot & 4 extra large tires from airplane model - I created Bigfoot #5 
I hope this qualifies me as an "Extreme" Bigfoot Fan.
Thank you, Steve Ellsworth

Submitted 12-28-04

Dear Bigfoot 4x4

Hi my name is Mike Comerford. I'm 18, and I have been a big fan of Bigfoot since I was 5 yrs old. I have been to 6 displays including visiting the home of Bigfoot, and 6 monster truck shows. I heard that your where making a extreme bigfoot web site from truckworld.com and thought it be cool to submit some pics of my collection of bigfoot, if approved. With in my collection are some muscle machines, a piece of tire, pics, posters, and six 1/25 models of bigfoot, from the first truck to the current, plus the new franklin mint bigfoot 14, total 7. I also had a painting done of power wheels bigfoot, done by my grandfather who was a painter. the trucks I have tried to recreate to the original are bigfoot 8,12,15, with the pics you see I put duel tires one bigfoot 1. Thanks again 

Mike Comerford

Submitted 07-01-04

Hey guys,

My name is Dustyn Morgan, I am 23 yrs old and from Saginaw MI. I just read the extreme fan web page for the first time. It is awesome. I have been a Bigfoot fan since the beginning when I got my first hot wheels Bigfoot toy (which I still have of course). I have a pretty extensive collection of bigfoot toys and collectibles. If I could afford it, it would be as good as Jeff Hallidays. But, on a college budget, I have to manage my money wisely. For my 14th birthday we took a trip to St. Louis so I could visit the shop. It was a dream come true! I bought like $250 worth of collectables and got to meet Jim Kramer. It was an experience I will never forget. I have a picture of us that my mom took and blew up hanging on my wall where my collection is. I think Jeff has some great ideas when it comes to developing a page for fans to chat, trade, and sell. I would totally love to participate! There are so many bigfoot things out there that I would love to have that were sold when I was younger. Also, great job on this new page, I love learning about things bigfoot did in the past, old pics and stories are great and I hope you guys keep them coming. Keep up the great work and keep the info coming!

Dustyn

Submitted 07-03-04

Rick is turning fourteen and has many happy memories of Bigfoot. He has been at the Wayne County fair and met many of the drivers. Iceman and Hollywood, Dan Runte, Dave Harkey, Brian and the Eric M and Eric T. One year Jim Kramer asked if he had seen Bigfoot Five. When Rick said no he said he would bring it next year, and he did. Jim brought Bigfoot Five to the Wayne County Fair - What a thrill to see the huge monster.  We did his room in blue this year and he enjoys the Bigfoot collection. A Franklin mint (signed by Dan And Bob at the Ford 100 [Celebration in Detroit, June 2003]) from his friend Tim and a special signed Take This Job and Shove it Poster from his Florida Monster friends. The collection includes the motorized ride on Bigfoot (when he was two) and many models. The theme is monster trucks and includes a collection of pictures. We have had many spectacular summer nights watching the monsters. Thanks to the Bigfoot team for many wonderful memories .. and more to come.

Dick, Mary and Rick
Michigan

Submitted 07-09-04

Hi,
My name is Rich and this is my story. Since the late 70's when I first heard of Bigfoot I was about 8 years old. I could not get enough of the big blue truck. Seeing it at every show my parents could stand to take me to. I learned to draw. It's a funny thing, at the age of ten the only thing I could draw was monster trucks. Later on when I got my license I was given a Honda civic. I hated it, so to make it a little better, I drew , and freehand etched my rendition of the Bigfoot truck, next to another truck. I still only like to draw big monster trucks

After realizing Honda Civic's are just not for me I junked the car. But I still have the window. Many years later... lucky for me, I was traveling all over the country as a service technician, when I passed the home of Bigfoot. Not able to control myself, I found the car "magically" attracted to the exit ramp. I stood in the shop's garage doorway, looking with amazement at the pure muscle of the Bigfoot trucks. I respected the plastic chain link across the open doorway. When Roy came too close, I had to start asking suspension questions like uneven 4-link bars and the problems associated with them.. He seemed to like my questions and that I respected the shop by standing outside. Much to my amazement, he invited me inside the shop. This is when my addiction to Bigfoot really got worse. I was greeted by the one and only Bob Chandler. He was very nice to me. Then he introduced me to many other people in the shop. I was told I could bring back a camera, and take as many pictures as I wanted. I have over 50 pictures from inside the shop, and I look at them all the time. While I was asking about hydraulic steering Bob gave me a phone number to call. It was Vince Nowack. About 15 minutes later it so happens that Vince walked in. Later on I did purchase some things from Vince. Thank you for the contact information that was very nice.

My love for Bigfoot, four wheeling and mudboggs was getting worse. 5 years ago I needed to get a truck and make it BIG. I found one that was already a pretty good size, but it needed to be bigger and Bigfoot blue. As you can see, I very quickly became the "recovery" vehicle with a 40,000 lb PTO winch in the bed. It weighs in at 11,000 lbs But still was not big enough, or powerful enough to be my "Bigfoot."

After doing a little motor work and adding a15 lb nitrous bottle to help out in the deep mud , I followed Bigfoot's foot step, and swapped in a C-6. If it works for you, it should be good for me too. That was still not good enough for me. I added 10:26 gears in the rears with Detroit locker's and found myself replacing axle shafts quite often. I now have my own broken axle shaft collection. Like the one you gave to Jeff Halliday. That was very nice of you to do that for him. That probably made his day.

Then one day I was driving down the road to go four wheeling for the holiday weekend. Traffic got real heavy so I stopped in a Burger King, in a town I have never heard of before. I walked in to hear someone shout out. Look it's Bob Chandler with the Bigfoot monster truck. I turned my head, I was so excited that Bigfoot was around. I was looking out the window, trying to spot Bob and his truck. All I saw was my truck in the parking lot. Then I realized it was me they were talking about. It turned out to be one of my friends laughing, he happened to be working that day in that town. He's not even from this state. All the kids in the building went outside. And I saw the look in their eye's of pure excitement as they jumped around. I realized it was the same look that I had 25 years ago every time I saw the real Bigfoot truck. Wow, the kids like that really made me feel great. The kids loved it. I still get that look in my eyes when I see Bigfoot. Due to my respect of your copy right, I will not put the Bigfoot name on it. But I want to really bad. So it only has our 4 wheeling club name on it, plus a 4x4x4. Yes it has rear steering too.

Since 5 ton axles don't seem to hold up. I now have a set of Pettibone planetary ends, I will be making my own 4130 Chromoloy axle shafts on my milling machine. And those 60" tires are still not the monsters tires that my idol Bigfoot is using. So I must still go bigger and wider. I found a guy that is donating me his old logger tires to me. They are 67" tall, and 32" wide. I really wanted the same tires as Bigfoot is using, but I can't seem to find a set cheap or figure out how to get down most trails if I went with the 66" by 43" tires that Bigfoot has. So these will be as close to Bigfoot as I can ever get.

I know, it's not really a collector's kind of story. But I am a action type of guy, not a watcher or collector. And that is my EXTREME BIG FOOT FAN story . Also, soon I will be purchasing a Freightliner truck then getting my CDL to tow it to mud boggs and the woods a little easier, and yes it too will be painted the original Bigfoot truck blue.

Rich

Submitted 07-18-04

Hello,

My name is SGT Brian Jansen, I'm a U.S. Army Military Policeman stationed in the Baghdad Iraq area. I am originally from St. Louis and remember seeing BIGFOOT 1 at the old store as a child. When I'm not deployed to some corner of the world, I live in Texas. Every time we visit the St. Louis area, I make it a point to go by and show my children all of the BIGFOOT trucks. Everyone is partial to the BIGFOOT 1 . I've attached a photo of the truck that I drive around the streets of Baghdad in, it's called an ASV, (armored security vehicle) this thing is pretty big, and on one occasion I did a little car crushing myself, don't worry, no one was in the vehicle. Had no choice but to go over it. Anyway, I have nicknamed my truck BIGFOOT, for security reasons we had to remove all the markings, but with a little computer help, I recreated what it used to look like. We have Internet tents over here and every chance I get I pull up BIGFOOT4X4.COM to see what's new. Take care and I'll be back in St. Louis as soon as this is all over to visit.

SGT Brian Jansen.

Submitted 09-03-04

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