Each year, the Bigfoot Open House is always a fun event and a real treat for Bigfoot and monster truck fans to get up close and personal with the iconic legend that started it all. The popularity of Bigfoot runs deep and the truck has made numerous Hollywood cameos over the years with the latest being Ready Player One.
Inspired by Steven Spielberg’s new movie, JConcepts’ Dan Wyatt set out to recreated the Ready Player One Bigfoot truck to go on display at the 2018 Bigfoot Open House and came up with something quite magical. Using the JConcepts MT Conversion for the Traxxas Stampede and Slash 4×4, Dan now had the perfect platform to start with.
Taking the JConcepts 1984 Ford F-250 MT body, Dan modified the fit and look to closer resemble the truck from the movie. The body was hand painted including the Bigfoot logos, the racing stripes, and grill. The smaller logos, like the Runnit and Firestorm logos on the side, are decals from the body’s decal sheet, but still look absolutely stunning when all put together.
First, Dan had to chop off the roof of a brand new body to closer mimic the look of the truck on the big screen. Consequently, with the roof cut off, there’s an open gap that doesn’t look natural and to remedy this Dan came up with the idea of adding an interior to fill the space but to also enhance the realism making it custom and show worthy.
Next, custom roll bars and lights were added to further mimic the realism of the movie truck along with the handcrafted racer-back and from here, Dan’s creation really starts to come to life. A Ready Player One logo was also painted into the bed of the truck that’s also low-key understated, but very elaborate in detail.
Dropping in for a closer look, here’s the interior of the truck and you can see the paint details and how much it really adds to the overall appearance and presentation with scale size dash, steering wheel, shifter, and seats.
A very nice touch that takes time and attention to detail to ensure a nice fit that looks authentic and real.
To seal the truck and protect the electronics from dust and moisture, the JConcepts Illuzion Over-Tray for the Slash 4×4 #2238 was used and painted matte black for the incognito, stealth look. The over-tray is secured to the chassis by velcro for a factory fit and a clean appearance.
From the Traxxas 4×4/Stampede conversion to the 84 Ford F-250 MT body and over-tray, the pieces assemble together seamlessly with purpose and perfection.
With the body off, here’s an inside look at Dan’s Traxxas Slash 4×4 equipped with the JConcepts Traxxas MT Conversion kit that provides a durable platform and a whole lot of monster truck fun. The power is provided by a black Tekin RX8 Gen 2 ESC and Tekin’s powerful Pro4 4×4 specific motor that not only is fast but looks awesome in the truck. Adding to the bling factor, a Traxxas Slash 4×4 specific JConcepts Monroe Carbon Fiber battery brace was used to holster the shorty pack in place.
To beef up the drivetrain, MIP’s X-Duty Front CVD Kit was used to add durability and ruggedness as the bigger, heavier MT tires and wheels put a lot of stress on the stock driveline. Lunsford titanium turnbuckles were added for strength and always look awesome in any ride. The springs are standard Traxxas springs, but after a quick charcoal dye job, they’re much more subtle instead of the attention robbing stock white springs.
Once again, MIP’s X-Duty Rear CVD Kit was used and from the above picture, you can really see the extra beefy, high-grade carbon heat treated steel drive shafts ready to handle any kind of power you throw at it. To keep the rear end from flexing, Traxxas aluminum hubs and Lunsford titanium turnbuckles were used to add durability and strength where it’s needed most.
Focused on realism, the JConcepts Firestorm tires and grey Tribute Wheels are the perfect combo to further enhance the authentic look that was created in the movie. Since its initial release, the Firestorm tires have been a huge hit with monster truck fans all over the world.
Glancing at the underside of the truck, the bottom shows the underpinning of the popular Slash 4×4.
After a successful show at the 2018 Bigfoot Open House and many, many hours of hard work, Dan’s truck collected a few autographs in recognition of his efforts and will definitely be a cherished item for years to come. Great work Dan Wyatt and thanks for sharing!
