Old F-150 flipped down a 50-foot embankment, but it still starts, runs and drives in some manner.
Ford trucks are known for being tough, but the F-150 in the video above from the YouTube channel of Will Spicer is the true embodiment of the phrase “Built Ford Tough”. This truck was involved in an accident in which it rolled three times side-over-side down a 50-foot hill, and while the old F-Series was pretty much destroyed, it still runs and sort of drives. Sure, you can’t drive it on the street, or even in the fields with any sort of accuracy, but the bottom line here is that this truck, in this condition, still runs and moves under its own power.
Last Ride for the Old F-150
The details are short as to what actually happened this seventh generation Ford F-150, but we know that the driver lost control and the old red pickup tumbled side-over-side down a steep, 50-foot hill. When it came to rest, pretty much every part of the truck was crushed, but the cab did its job, protecting the driver from injuries any worse than cuts and bruises. The truck didn’t survive, but the driver did, and that is the important part.
Then again, was the old F-150 really destroyed? The body is mangled and the frame is bent in the front, but overall, the 30-year-old truck held up to the crash pretty well. In fact, the 300-cubic inch inline-six still runs and as the video shows, the truck still moves under its own power.
Rough but Ready
The video above begins with a walk-around of this battered F-150, giving us a look at every side of the truck. The front end has clearly gotten the worst of the damage, but the cab is a little dented, the bed is crumpled in many places and the entire truck is twisted a bit, so there is no question that this old Ford has seen the end of its road days.
Even with that in mind, the owner climbs in, hits the key and the engine roars to life. It sounds like hell, as we would imagine that the pulleys on the front of the engine are pressed against the radiator and the other components that have been pushed back a few feet, but it starts and stays running.
Once it is running, the next obvious step is to see if it drives, so the owner throws it into the D and it gently inches forward. The old, wrecked F-150 only moves a short distance, but in this condition, this old Ford truck is still technically drivable.
"Before I was old enough to walk, my dad was taking me to various types of racing events, from local drag racing to the Daytona 500," says Patrick Rall, a lifetime automotive expert, diehard Dodge fan, and respected auto journalist for over 10 years. "He owned a repair shop and had a variety of performance cars when I was young, but by the time I was 16, he was ready to build me my first drag car – a 1983 Dodge Mirada that ran low 12s. I spent 10 years traveling around the country, racing with my dad by my side. While we live in different areas of the country, my dad still drag races at 80 years old in the car that he built when I was 16 while I race other vehicles, including my 2017 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat and my 1972 Dodge Demon 340.
"Although I went to college for accounting, my time in my dad’s shop growing up allowed me the knowledge to spend time working as a mechanic before getting my accounting degree, at which point I worked in the office of a dealership group. While I was working in the accounting world, I continued racing and taking pictures of cars at the track. Over time, I began showing off those pictures online and that led to my writing.
"Ten years ago, I left the accounting world to become a full-time automotive writer and I am living proof that if you love what you do, you will never “work” a day in your life," adds Rall, who has clocked in time as an auto mechanic, longtime drag racer and now automotive journalist who contributes to nearly a dozen popular auto websites dedicated to fellow enthusiasts.
"I love covering the automotive industry and everything involved with the job. I was fortunate to turn my love of the automotive world into a hobby that led to an exciting career, with my past of working as a mechanic and as an accountant in the automotive world provides me with a unique perspective of the industry.
"My experience drag racing for more than 20 years coupled with a newfound interest in road racing over the past decade allows me to push performance cars to their limit, while my role as a horse stable manager gives me vast experience towing and hauling with all of the newest trucks on the market today.
