In 1974 Bob Chandler purchased a new 1974 Ford F-250 4×4 and started modifying it, and in 1975 he opened up Midwest Four Wheel Drive as a 4-wheel drive shop servicing the St. Louis, Missouri area. The 1974 Ford F-250 4×4 became known as Bigfoot, and 2025 celebrates the 50-years that Bob Chandler has been building these massive Fords.
Fullsize Ford’s weren’t the only trucks in the Bigfoot family. From 1985-1993 they actually had a 1985 Ford Ranger.
MS. BIGFOOT was built in 1985 and was the last BIGFOOT vehicle to begin life as an actual factory production pickup truck. The Ford Ranger chassis was extensively modified to enable it to handle 48-inch tires and the stresses produced by a 571 cubic inch, 1,000 horsepower, supercharged Ford aluminum Hemi engine. The truck made its debut on July 4, 1985, at Jack Murphy Stadium in San Diego, California. At the wheel the first time out was the monster truck sport’s first woman driver, Marilyn Chandler.
In 1987, the truck received new graphics and paint and was renamed BIGFOOT Ranger.
In 1993 it made monster truck history for the last time when it became the only BIGFOOT truck ever sold for private, non-performing use.
Ms. BIGFOOT / BIGFOOT Ranger – Specifications:
- Vehicle 1985 Ford Ranger / Body updated to 1990
- Engine: 571 CI Ford Aluminum Hemi
- Transmission: Ford C6
- Axles: 5-Ton Military
- Shocks: 14 BIGFOOT Signature Series Shocks
- Tires: 48x28x20 Firestone Flotation Tires
- Fuel Type: Methanol
- Height: 8′ 2″
- Width: 8′
- Weight: 9,200 lbs.
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Update – 2024
BIGFOOT Ranger, having undergone a complete restoration, re-debuted at the 2024 BIGFOOT Open House. With new owner Chris Gibson, Heath Padgett restored this truck to how it looked in the early 90’s, even with its massive 571 CI engine.
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About The Author
Jim Oaks is the founder of The Ranger Station, one of the longest-running Ford Ranger enthusiast communities on the web. He has spent over three decades owning, modifying, repairing, and driving Ford Rangers on the street, trail, and cross-country routes.
Since launching TheRangerStation.com in 1999, Jim has documented thousands of real-world Ranger builds, technical repairs, drivetrain swaps, suspension modifications, and off-road tests contributed by owners worldwide. His work has been referenced by enthusiasts, mechanics, and off-road builders looking for practical, experience-based information rather than theoretical advice.
Jim’s hands-on experience includes long-distance overland travel, trail use, drivetrain and axle upgrades, suspension tuning, and platform comparisons across multiple Ranger generations. The content published on The Ranger Station is grounded in first-hand experience and community-verified data, not marketing claims or generic specifications.
