1968 Ford F100 Dirt Track Push Truck

[Chuck Most]

From 1974 to 2001, North Star Speedway provided thrills, chills, and spills on it's 2/5 mile dirt track. And off the track? Suffice it to say there was plenty of excitement there too. Although likely not the kind you'd want.

Endless, endless legends of disgusting bathrooms, dangerously neglected grandstands, sketchy vendors,drug dealers and scalpers, stolen coolers and other personal effects, and even brawls in the parking lot and in the stands loom large over the now overgrown and abandoned track, which even in its heyday had something of a shady reputation. No police reports back it up, but there's a persistent rumor that at least one person was murdered on the premises, and it's also rumored it might be a makeshift burial ground. 

In 1982, track owner John Swaggart lost a game of Baccarat, which upset him more than usual because he'd been cheating specifically to screw over the guy who'd ended up beating him. He relieved his frustration by drunkenly crashing the track's 1956 GMC push truck. Despite the GMC barrel rolling six or seven times and bursting into flames, Johnny was unscathed. But he was now in need of a new push truck. 

After putting out feelers, Johnny Swag landed a decent 1968 Ford F100 for $325... about a grand in modern money. A front bumper from a decommissioned wrecker was fitted to the front and the Effie was put to work pushing dirt cars around when needed.

Over the years, the truck got a few modifications. Wide 5 hubs and Hoosier rubber appeared around 1985, along with an amber beacon. In 1988, driver Bill Lewis (known in his push truck driver capacity as Screwy Louie) forgot to make sure the hood was latched, necessitating a mismatched replacement. Originally a solid Holly Green, the lower body was sprayed white and festooned with sponsor stickers.

When the track folded in 2001, Screwy Louie basically commandeered the truck, calling it a severance package. Shortly after, he fitted the truck with a vertical straight pipe exhaust fitted with a propane fed flame thrower. To this day, he can be seen at various dirt track races doing his thing.

The kit is the Moebius '68 Mercury M100 that donated it's Mercury markings to another project. The bumper is from the wrecker kit, with tread from a Revell Firestone Pro Street tire attached. An old Chimneyville Code 3 MX7000 sits atop the cab. The rear window was converted to a slider, and the propane tank is an old Iceman Collections print. The wheels are old Fred's Resin Workshop pieces, and the tires are MPC Goodyear Blue Streaks with the lettering shaved off and replaced with Hoosier markings. The entire contraption was slung with a liberal amount of Vallejo mud. Screwy Louie himself is a modified Italeri figure, and he's accompanied by some girlie magazines I've had forever, along with a Hot Rod magazine and a V-belt from spencer1984. The project itself was inspired by a Chevrolet push truck built by Clay Kemp years ago.

 

[Jim B]

That's pretty cool. Great weathering. Well done. 

[AmericanMuscleFan]

Superb job Sir, the weathering is spectacular and very convincing, the photos are easy to mistake for those of a real truck! 👍

[ChrisR]

Very nice.

[Darbo]

Excellent 

[Sledsel]

Super cool build!

[bob29579]

Real nice.

[ncbuckeye67]

That weathering & mud look so realistic, it looks like a real truck!

[stavanzer]

I well remember that Clay Kemp Push Truck. I've had a box full of parts to build my own tribute to it for many years.

I need to get building after seeing your build..

Magnificent Work! The Mud, is perfect. I like the exhaust too.

 

Good Show.

[Street Rod]

Great looking truck, very realistic looking mud job.

[TonyK]

I don't know what you're better at; story telling, model building, or photography. All are great.

[TarheelRick]

Excellent build, weathering is perfect. Also enjoyed your backstory.

[espo]

Realistic looking body finishes. Remember seeing more than a few push trucks long ago that would look just like this by the end of the night. 

[PappyD340]

Awesome build!

[slusher]

Great build Chuck, nice story also!

[Zippi]

It looks the part Chuck.  Nice weathering.

[Steve H]

Love the backstories you are doing with your builds now Chuck, great stuff. Your weathering is always awesome, but this one is another level. I really enjoy all your builds, but this might be my favourite. The flamethrower exhaust is a particularly cool detail…

[Dragonhawk1066]

Outstanding! And awesome!