When it comes to things that instantly take me back to my childhood, 1980s monster truck video clips are just the ticket. Pressing play on the video below will likely do the same for you and it’ll have you doing it with a smile on your face because this video features some trucks that are rarely seen outside of the rare still photo here and there.
For starters there’s the Super Pete which was one of a handful of big rig based monster trucks of this era and with a center of gravity that is akin to that of the Eiffel Tower, it may come as no surprise to see the big truck topple over. Seeing them right the thing with a backhoe and then allowing driver Mike Welch to continue on with his act (and nearly rolling again) is what makes this extra cool. Super Pete ditched the diesel for a big block Chevy. Horsepower and torque are not the problem but physics are when it comes to this truck. There was a cab over big rig monster out there as well at this time in history and if you think the Super Pete looks weird, imagine a slab faced monster jumping and bouncing!
I had seen photos of the “Six Foot” monster Ford many years ago but never saw anything about it again so watching it actually put on its show in this video was a bit of a revelation. You’ll see it roll out in front of the crowd, mash the cars a time or two and then return back to the pits. It does not appear that the truck has steering axles in the back so turning it around is a big of a chore. While the technology of the sport was rapidly advancing around it, we think that the crowd dug the six tired freak as it strutted it stuff in the arena.
The stock bodies of the era attract us to these trucks. You’ll see plenty of square Chevrolets, Ford Rangers, and more. There’s some bonus pulling action featuring Art Arfons and some mud bogging action that is filled with some of the most 1980s looking junk you have ever seen in your life.
In short, this is video nirvana. Enjoy!
