RidiculousRides

Whilst this Italian classic might look like it’s been immaculately cared for since it left the showroom, it actually has an interesting story to tell. This 1974 Ferrari Dino 246 GTS was stolen and buried in the garden of a house in South Central LA. Four years after its burial, it was discovered by some young kids who were playing and digging in their garden. The car was in a terrible state and was returned to the insurance company. Despite its condition, the car’s current owner Brad Howard bought it in the late 1970’s and had it restored to how it looked originally. Brad has no plans on selling his prized car, and said: “For a car that got painted over 40 years ago, it’s still holding up pretty good.”

A self-confessed ‘gear head’ has taken his love for modification to a whole new level, by transforming his 1984 Peterbilt 359 semi-truck into a monstrous hot rod. Owner Jim Muncy, from Ohio, modified the vehicle so much that he named it ‘Overkill’, and in the space of just five months every component except for its original engine had been customised. When asked how he would describe Overkill, Jim said: “Raw, massive and unique. There’s just nothing else out there like it.”

THE ULTIMATE overland camper has brought the world’s most comfortable off-road experience to life. Mike Hallmark oversaw the creation of the ‘Hellwig Rule Breaker’ - a 2016 Nissan Titan fitted with a 2017 Lance 650 camper, resulting in what Mike calls a “ridiculously limitless and over-the-top adventure-mobile”. Mike and his team at Hellwig Suspension Products came up with their unique design for the 2016 SEMA car show. The company’s Big Wig airbags in the vehicle’s wheel wells allow this one of a kind souped-up pickup to ride level with maximum comfort while navigating any terrain. Mike said: ”When you think of a camper you think of a white truck and a white camper, with a white-haired dude driving it at 45 miles-per-hour. We wanted to go the complete opposite, so we did a yellow truck, black camper with some graphics on it to really catch your eye and make a splash in the market.” The addition of the Hellwig rear sway bar provides enhanced control while carrying the camper, which features a full audio system, TV, fridge, bed, full-size wet bath, and living area. To accommodate all the added weight, Mike and his team also added Falken Wildpeak AT3W LT 325/65R18 tyres, which beefed-up the truck’s on and off-road handling capabilities. Mounted on the front bumper are Baja design lights, fog lights, projection lights, and a full light bar that allows the driver visibility while traveling at night or off-roading. The whole thing is powered by a Cummins 5.0L V8 turbo diesel engine.

A TEAM of SUV enthusiasts have created the perfect combination of the late 70s style and up to date tech by fully transforming a 1979 International Harvester Scout. Harvester Scout was created as a competitor to the Jeep, and it initially featured a fold-down windshield, with later models being produced in Indiana as two-door trucks with a removable hardtop. Mike Austin, Marshall Cantrill and Cody Dabney, from Pensacola, Florida, customise vintage trucks to today’s modern needs. The award-winning team, from Velocity Restorations, purchased a Harvester Scout from Texas and customised the vehicle to an ultimate dream ride. Cody told Barcroft Studios: “The build cost on this truck is very unique, it costs about $275,000. The other parts are hard to find, it's not something you're going to build every day…This is what we call a full turnkey rotisserie restoration.” The team put in a 430HP 6.2 L LS3 engine, with a 4L70E transmission, Dana 44 axles in the front and rear, added larger tyres, added LED light bar, VR custom bumpers, VR custom roll cage, a custom 3-dual exhaust and changed suspension around to get “everything fit and feeling good.” Marshall said: “It's all about the detail and the time invested into making it right.” The team has kept the original look of the truck, as according to Cody, “If you start changing too many features, you don't stay true to the brand. People like these trucks because of the look of it. They like the classic look, but the modern drivetrain feels, and that's what's very important about keeping a look at the truck.” The truck not only looks impressive but has got all modern amenities that makes it a particularly enjoyable ride.

DESCRIBED as the ‘craziest’ car on the planet, a self-proclaimed ‘mad metal scientist’ has built a medieval machine entirely from scratch. AJ Bohata from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, built himself the ‘Medieval One’ after feeling inspired by a car and weapon collector. AJ told Barcroft Studios: “It’s made to look like it's old and made to look like it's evil." Made from a rack of steel, AJ spent $80,000 in materials to ensure it looked the part. “It’s not painted, we don’t want to hide the detail in the car.” What started out as a thousand-gallon propane tank is now a 1000hp hot rod car, complete with an onboard fire extinguisher, tilted steering wheel and a cannon that doubles up as a trunk. The car even has two hand carved snakes at the front to complete the medieval aesthetic. The snakes, totalling 996 scales, took AJ 40 hours per head to finish. Estimated to be worth $200,000, Medieval One is sure to turn heads wherever it goes. “I can be driving the car for five minutes, pull into the store and then people will be following me for ten miles.” Although AJ has to “change the tyres like your changing underwear” due to them being smoked out all the time, he insists this car is a labour of love and says he had a blast building it. When asked what his favourite part about his creation is, AJ said: “Driving it around and making people smile.”

THE ‘Father of Drag Racing’ Don Garlits has an impressive resume of firsts, wins and records during his career and hopes to add another to the list - the record speed in an electric dragster. The 87-year-old has retired from competition racing but has been working on Swamp Rat 38 - an electric dragster - for the last five years in hopes of going over 200 miles per hour in what he describes as an ‘experimental car’. Don told Barcroft studios: “The electric car has no rules. I just do whatever I want.” The record speed was first set at 156mph which Don then raised to 174mph, 184mph and then 186mph and it is the latter that he hopes to break. Don said: “It's hard to increase that speed from 175 to 200 because it takes four times as much power to go from 150 to 175 as it does to go from 175 to 200 because of the wind resistance - it squares itself.” He continued: “You know people ask me do I have any pre-race ritual, I do not, I just try to be calm, and I like to sit in the car for a few minutes, I don’t like to just jump right in and run all in it, and feel comfortable with it, because the car becomes an extension of you.” And Don recently managed to set a new record on the track at Palm Beach, Florida, reaching an incredible 189.04mph. Although he was pleased with the result, Don is determined to go even faster next time... He said: “It was always my idea to go as fast as I could.”

STARTING from what was a standard pickup truck, Oklahoma car enthusiast couple Jose and Rocio Lopez have created the car of their dreams. Jose told Ridiculous Rides: "It is really unique and awesome." Originally, they only planned on changing the colour of their GMC Sierra: "I went to the shop for that colour change and two years later, this happened," Jose continued. One thing led to another and Green Envy now boasts a custom-made hand-engraved chrome grill, green neon lights and a fibreglass speaker box. Various coloured crystals and chrome hand engravings decorate the interior of the car, including the steering wheel and pedals. And the conversion project was very much a family affair. Rocio said: "I did help Jose with the design because this is a vision that Jose and I have." However one of the features that was added to the truck was not made as a joint decision... Jose decided to have a mural painted on the hood that depicts his wife. "It makes me feel so good," said Rocio. Jose added: "To me Green Envy is worth a lot just because we've been building memories with our family - it's worth a lot to me."

AN OLD Ford Falcon XA Superbird has been given a new life after one man restored the car to surprise his father. Tommy Giankos’ father, Paul, bought the XA Superbird in 1973 - it was his very first car. However after an accident wrote the car off, it sat idle on their family farm. It wasn’t until 2013 when Tommy decided to rebuild it to the surprise of his father. Industry experts estimate that the car has increased significantly in value after its $100,000 revamp, but the family has no plans to let go of it just yet. Tommy said: “It took five and a half years, but it's pretty much a dream come true to think that I can drive this car now, when growing up I thought I’d never drive it again after what happened.”

The UK is home to the Monster Truck Nationals and in 2019 English monster legend, Mike Murty attempted a world first with his truck ‘Big Pete.’ Mike told Barcroft Cars: “We have planned for many years, and for the first time it will be seen this weekend - the world’s first monster truck and trailer, which we designed to be able to crush the cars.” Powered by a Big-Block Chevrolet V8 engine, three-speed automatic gearbox, and sporting Mega X BIB tyres - Big Pete is known to jump 15 feet and always puts on an amazing show. Mike explained why it was so special, “this is one of the only working monster trucks out there, still running leaf-sprung suspension - most drivers can't handle it because it is so hard on the body.” He continued, “it looks totally different from any other monster truck out there.” The first thing that anybody sees when faced with Big Pete is the truck’s most prominent feature - huge tyres, which cost over £3500 each. “The pressure that we run in these tires helps with the suspension”, Mike explained. Big Pete’s unique body is built with genuine steel and aluminum. "These trucks are car killing machines”, Mike said. “It is an awesome and yet awful thing to drive at the same time.” In the film, Mike and Big Pete attempt a world’s first - taking the truck and trailer over a fleet of cars.

A CAR dealership has taken speed to the next level - by modifying high-performance sports cars like this incredible McLaren 720s. The supercars at Wheels Boutique, Miami have record-breaking speeds, all down to their expert modifications. Owner and car modifier Alejandro Enrique told Barcroft TV: “We had the record for the longest time for the fastest McLaren in the world. Miami has a huge market for super cars. There's a lot of people who own them and there's a lot of people who modify them. So, it just attracts us as our business to do a lot of supercars.” The car enthusiasts at Wheels Boutique have been improving high end sports cars and supercars since 1999. Most of their work focuses on mounting high performance wheels, high speed balancing and suspension upgrades. But with this McLaren 720s they went that little bit further, teaming up with Pure Turbos to make one of the fastest cars in the world - even faster. The $300,000 car has a top speed of 217MPH and can do a quarter mile in 8.9 seconds – almost a whole second faster than the factory model.

A CAR dealership has taken speed to the next level - by modifying high-performance sports cars like this incredible McLaren 720s. The supercars at Wheels Boutique, Miami have record-breaking speeds, all down to their expert modifications. Owner and car modifier Alejandro Enrique told Barcroft TV: “We had the record for the longest time for the fastest McLaren in the world. Miami has a huge market for super cars. There's a lot of people who own them and there's a lot of people who modify them. So, it just attracts us as our business to do a lot of supercars.” The car enthusiasts at Wheels Boutique have been improving high end sports cars and supercars since 1999. Most of their work focuses on mounting high performance wheels, high speed balancing and suspension upgrades. But with this McLaren 720s they went that little bit further, teaming up with Pure Turbos to make one of the fastest cars in the world - even faster. The $300,000 car has a top speed of 270MPH and can do a quarter mile in 8.9 seconds – almost a whole second faster than the factory model.

DORSET, in the Southwest of England, is home to a stunning vehicle with a dark, unexpected past. Andy Saunders, a car fanatic who has bought and rebuilt 58 vehicles, has transformed a 70-year old Peugeot into an art-deco masterpiece. But the transformation of this rusty and dilapidated car isn’t the only story here – this vehicle is known to have a somewhat shocking history. Andy told Truly: “When Germany occupied France, they loved Peugeot and apparently the German army officers would rule the vehicles for toys themselves.” During WW2, Andy said, employees of Peugeot would be made to build these cars for the officers, making his vehicle, ‘Metropolis’, a product of history. Left to rust for almost 70 years, Andy bought the Peugeot in an online auction and had it shipped over from France. He then set about transforming the WW2 relic into the stylish car he has today. Andy lengthened the back and shortened the tail and completed the car with an amazing paint job. He also took inspiration from other cars, fitting in seats from a Jaguar and a steering wheel from a Porsche – the only original part of the car that hasn’t been touched is the classic headlights. Andy’s ‘Metropolis’ is sure to turn heads: “When you drive this, people don’t know what it is. I would love for this to go in a museum.”

A LUXURY hand-built muscle car, Equus Bass 770, can take you from 0-60mph in 3.4 seconds and reach a maximum speed of up to 200mph. The impressive car, built to order, blends styling elements from the classic American muscle with modern-day technology and engineering and comes as one of the most expensive muscle cars currently sold, costing anywhere from $230,000. The Equus Bass 770 combines elements of the iconic Fastback Mustang, Chevrolet Camaro and Dodge Challenger. Michael Shariff, co-owner of Equus Automotive Incorporated, says that the idea of Equus was born over 30 years ago; their company continues the legacy of the American muscle car era and until today Equus Bass 770 remains in great demand. He told Barcroft TV: “I wouldn't compare this car to any other classic cars because it's a car of its own. It has unique looks. It has a unique brand. It's a timeless masterpiece, and cannot be compared to any other cars. When I look at this car, I always have three words come into my mind; timeless, elegant, and classic.”

TRANSFORMING a standard truck into an offroad monster has been a passion project for one man and his team of genius engineers. Gregg Higgs is owner of Fab Fours, a car accessory manufacturer that has become known as the company behind some truly inventive custom car designs. Gregg and his team have now transformed a 2015 Chevy Colorado truck into a 4x4 beast named Kymera, that might just be the wackiest design from the team yet. Gregg told Barcroft Cars: “The whole point of Kymera is just to be over-the-top absurd. There's mild, wild, and then Kymera. It's just out of control.” The customized truck is powered by a 650 horsepower 5.9 litre Cummins Diesel engine. Front and rear steering and huge Fox shocks mean the Kymera is capable of traversing the most unpredictable terrain. From rock-crawling to desert-bashing, the impressive 9,000-pound machine can take on any challenge. The truck also features a 153-inch wheelbase, stands at around six and a half feet high, and has a top speed of 40 to 50mph. Gregg said: “Being in it, you can't see a whole lot. You can't hear anything. And you're just really holding on and pounding away and trying not to get beat up by the cage.”

FUELLED by methanol alcohol, this Chrysler PT Cruiser currently holds a world record for the longest wheelie. Car enthusiast ‘Nitro’ Mike Kunz, of BC, Canada, has a long established passion for drag racing and chose to modify the vehicle into a wheelstander. He said: “I had to be different. PT Cruiser was the new age of the Hot Rod coming out. And in this business, most people have a truck for wheel standers, and I wanted to be a little bit different, out of the box. So PT Cruiser seems to be right up that alley.” With a top speed of 130mph, this car set the record for the longest wheelie at 2,500 feet in August 2012. But Mike is hoping to go even further and plans on breaking that record. He said: “I'm looking for a longer airstrip maybe California or something that has a long airport, where a guy could try and go maybe 5,000, 6,000 feet." Mike is somewhat of a legend on the racing scene and has travelled across the USA to show the car at different race tracks where fans can even sign its front end. Mike said: “The kids love signing the car. I wish I could have been able to do that when I was younger, you know, write on a hot rod car and watch it go down the racetrack.”

A CLASSIC 1973 Porsche 914 has been given a “new life” after its owner ditched the fuel tank to go electric. Despite being one of the manufacturer’s least popular models, Mark Bush spent two years converting his Porsche, swapping out its engine and fuel tank for a HPEVS motor and 126v battery. Mark uses the car for everyday driving and says that although it doesn’t look “completely spick and span”, its performance has remained intact. Mark chose to keep the Porsche’s original 5-speed transmission and the car can go from 0-60 in approximately six seconds. He told Truly: “ I know every sound, every little nuance of it because I had it completely apart and put it all back together again. This car has been just an amazing friend, almost. I think everyone should have an electric vehicle.”

FEAST your eyes on this award-winning super customised Mercedes Actros 2663 lowrider truck. Dry powder transport vehicles aren't generally known for their good looks - but Helsinki, Finland is home to something a little different. Transformed into a lowrider, this pride-of-the-fleet truck is 75ft long and boasts a 630 horsepower. Arto Simola, one of the truck’s mechanics told Truly: “We tried to create something new and awesome looking. I think we have succeeded on that one.” To do this, the team used custom-made parts, out of stainless steel. Arto explained: “We have tried to modify almost everything, more horns, more sound – so people can notice us.” Unsurprisingly when transforming such a truck to a lowrider, off-the-shelf parts aren't an option. “Everything here is handmade, you cannot buy these from any store.” This lowrider project took one year to complete, because of the intricate details added to the vehicle. This included a handcrafted side skirt and bespoke wheels. The 75ft long truck boasts 630 horsepower from a 12-litre V6 engine, weighing just over 52,900 pounds. The distinctive look is completed by a 2,500-hour airbrush paint job. The truck isn’t just for show, it also serves industrial companies in the area – driving around 250 to 500 miles every day. Arto is proud of how the handcrafted truck has come together. “I think you put passion in creating something like this, it's about challenging yourself and doing something people haven't seen before. It’s really nice to work with the coolest truck in the world.”

WOULD you drive your car into the ocean? Say hello to the 'Amphicar' - an amphibious vehicle that can be driven into the body of any water. In the 1960s, West German designer Hans Trippel presented the 'Amphicar' in New York. Only 3,878 units were ever built by manufacturer Quandt Group between 1960 and 1965. But Kerry Cheese, who restores military vehicles for a living, bought one of these rare cars from Canada and spent around £35,000 to bring it back to its original state. Kerry said: “It didn’t really need too much work; it needed more mechanical work than body work." With a modest 38 horsepower from a 1,147 Triumph engine, its speed is certainly not its strong point: “You’ve got to remember to take everything just a bit slower,” explained Kerry. But Kerry was never aiming for speed - it's the freedom of being able to cruise on both roads and water that always stood out to the proud owner. He added: "The fun part comes when you come to the water, drive in, and then off you go down the river. It's one of the best feelings you can ever have."

SAY hello to the epic Mustang that has a $1 million price tag. If you’re planning to make a big impression at one of the largest car shows on the planet, you’re going to need an impressive machine. Shawn Davis, owner of Autotopia, an exclusive high end car storage and concierge facility in California, spent 10,000 hours with his team to create the 'Vicious Mustang'. Shawn said: "Everything about this car is aggressive, vicious, exceptional. It's like a completely different world - it's like an epic event every time you take this car out. It started with not a great ’65 Mustang, it needed a ton of work - metal work - it needed everything. And that was the idea, was to start with a low-dollar donor car.” This quest for perfection led to a final price tag of $1 million. And you can forget material comforts, this vehicle is a no-expense-spared performance-focused beast. Shawn continued: “This car has no air-conditioning in it, it has no heating in it, it has no stereo in it. We haven’t tested 0-60 speed, but we’re guessing it should be in the high 2’s - 2.8, 2.9 somewhere around there. It’s detuned 30% for what the max would be on this car. It’s making 1,003 horsepower at the rear wheels. If we completely uncorked the detune we could probably get somewhere in the neighbourhood of about 1,250 at the rear wheel. Top speed we don’t know yet because we haven’t actually had enough open road for it. It should be able to do somewhere around 230MPH. It really is a radically extreme race car. That was the intent, and that was what was accomplished with this."

THE WORLD’S HEAVIEST monster truck, Bigfoot #5, stands 15ft 6" tall and weighs a colossal 38,000lbs. The truck debuted in 1986 and was officially recognised by the Guinness World Records as “the world’s tallest, widest and heaviest monster truck” in 2002 - holding the record until today. Bigfoot was built by Bob Chandler in 1975 after he modified a Ford F-250 pickup truck. Since then, Bob has introduced over 20 Bigfoot trucks and has helped to invent the entire monster truck sport as we know it today. Bob said: “Bigfoot was the first. I’ve got the best. Nobody else can top it. Still amazes me when it drives down the street. People just stare, awe at this thing. It’s just one of a kind.” The truck resides at the company headquarters in Missouri and is now mostly used as a display vehicle.

HAVE you ever wondered what happens when you take a traditional Combine Harvester and put an epic spin on this old classic? In a remote part of Finland, farmer Harold Boyer has done just that. Complete with a 1976 Cadillac Eldorado 8.2 Litre V8 engine, this 1967 Fahr M44 is now more at home on the track, than on the farm. It weighs in at 40,000Ibs, packs 500 horsepower and has a top speed of 95mph - making it the fastest combine harvester in the world. Harold was at an exhibition in Finland when he saw the vehicle and met builder Petri who helped collaborate on the build. It took Harold and Petri about one and a half years to build it and was not difficult to design. Harold told Truly: “This combine dragster is made for fun. I like it because of the way it looks, also a very fast thing to drive." Harold does not race in a professional way, just at home and when he is with Petri. Petri said: “It's the world's fastest and we had fun when we made it. In Finland, it is boring and we have nothing to do and we made this.” When Harold and Petri are not turning vehicles into dragsters, they enjoy racing each other in their ultimate rides. Petri continued: “This is the ultimate ride, it’s fast and funny and dangerous. It’s the only one in the world. There is no dragster combine”. And the future looks bright for the dragster combine harvester, with Harold adding: "I will have this combine harvester in the future on the farm. I love it!”

EVER wondered what happens when you mix a classic VW van with a single engine fighter jet? Look no further than Oklahoma Willy. Weighing in at 6600lbs and boasting a horsepower speed of 5,000, the vehicle was built by Perry Watkins from Buckinghamshire. After a night at the pub with friends, the idea of Oklahoma Willy was born. Perry told Truly: “We sit at the pub and come up with stupid ideas, I’ll then lock myself in the garage for five years and build it.” The owner of Perrywinkle Customs, Perry is no stranger to wild automotive creations. “It’s a bit like riding on top of a firework,” Perry explained. Taking around six years to build, Perry first bought a Rolls Royce Viper 535 jet engine, originally made in 1978. He stripped it down, polishing everything in aluminum, taking about two years to complete. Next, he added the after burner which took another six months work. Finally, he bought the VW pickup which had spent most of its life on a farm in Oklahoma, taking a further three years to finish. This rare and iconic vehicle is a prized possession of Perry, who doesn’t like to do something that has been done before.The top speed for the vehicle is 300mph, although the fastest Perry has gone is 157mph, an experience he describes as “exhilarating” but a “bit hairy”. The original engine sits in place making the vehicle street legal, providing you don’t fire up the jet. Perry describes the power as “one of the most incredible things you can ever experience.”

MEET the USS Compensator - the ultimate off-road monster limousine. Unofficially the tallest Lincoln Town car in the United States, this beast belongs to builder and operator Jordon Foster of Keno, Oregon. The USS Compensator took three months of 12-hour days to build. Using minimal hand tools and doing 99% of the monster conversion himself, the vehicle cost Jordan around $10,000, which includes the purchase of the limo. The car is powered by a 4.6 litre engine, has air ride suspension and is sporting military grade spec tires. “The limo sits on 53-inch-tall by 16-wide tires on 20 by 14 fuel wheels, resulting in a 3.5 to 4ft lift of the vehicle,” Jordon explained. As well as using the car off road, the Compensator is street legal in the state of Oregon and Jordon uses the vehicle in his everyday life. “The car is not useful, it’s hard to park, hard to drive around town, I have to watch my corners, watch my blind spots at all times.” But none of this keeps Jordon from truly enjoying his creation. Besides that, Jordan gets plenty of attention for impressive creation, if only for the six-foot-long Texas Longhorns mounted to the front. And although Jordon has had plenty of interest from potential buyers, he doubts the limo will ever be sold off. “As much as I would like to sell this and build something cooler, I don’t think I could sell the USS Compensator, it’s almost too sentimental now,” Jordon said. About the name of his pride and joy, Jordan says it’s pretty self-explanatory. “A buddy came by one day and said 'man I don't know what you're compensating for with that lift'.”

A MODIFIED 1970s Corvette has been described as 'one of history’s greatest streetcars'. Custom-built by legendary modifier, Andy Granatelli, the Chevvy is worth over $800,000 and is capable of speeds over 180mph. It currently lives at the Rock ’n Roll Car Museum in Austin, Texas and is a stand-out piece in their collection. Boasting 880HP, it can push from 0-60mph in less than three seconds and has a gas turbine engine. Andy Schmidt said: “To drive this car, it’s not easy. You have to put a little work into it. There’s actually a fifth break that’s installed in order to help slow this car down. It can be a handful but when you get on the throttle, it’s all worthwhile. When you do hit the accelerator pedal, you better be holding on because this thing is going to take off."

IN THIS week’s episode of Ridiculous Rides, we see how a group of friends have brought their skills together to transform an old-school Volkswagen Beetle, named Tope, in order to take part in one of the world’s most ruthless races. The Baja 1000 is a Mexican desert race which takes place annually in the Baja California Peninsula. It’s the longest point to point off-road race in the world, that's run in a single day. Josh McGuckin, one of Tope's mechanics, explained how much of a challenge preparing for the race was for the team. He told Barcroft TV: “Driving this car in the Baja 1000 can be summed up for me in one word, exhausting.” To an outsider the car would appear as just a “really old bugg” but once inside, “suddenly it just comes to life”. Starting with the VW Beetle was a huge undertaking for the team, as they had to modify the classic 1970 car to be suitable for the incredibly harsh conditions. However, the extreme nature of this race did take its toll on the well-loved vehicle, “every time you come back from a race, you’re constantly rebuilding and replacing everything”, Josh explained. The bugg may not be the fastest car, but it’s capable of doing the job for this team. And the teamwork paid off as Tope triumphantly reached the finish line. Josh spoke about his relief and elation, “every time we race this car, we learn something new."