When something like this comes out of the bloom, you can easily understand the reactions of people around it, even if this means the video recently posted by the 1320video YouTube channel now comes with the NSFW label. But this thing is so hilariously cool that we advise you to watch it with as many people as possible.
Looking out for the next great automotive thing to film and share a story about, the 1320video team came across something that you probably see just once in a lifetime. At the very successful Cleetus and Cars event that took place during the first weekend of May at the Lucas Oil Raceway (Indianapolis, Indiana), the guys uncovered a seemingly unassuming and beat-down ‘85 Ford F-150.
But there was something amiss, such as the fact that it had the engine protruding through a gap cut inside the... bed. Yep, that’s right, the motor was in the back of the truck. And that’s not all, because the build was also parked with the rear wheels sitting at a very uncommon angle.
After many laughs and further investigation, here’s the story. It turns out this wreck of a Blue Oval truck is entirely backward, with the steering wheel facing the back window and the trunk residing where the engine was supposed to be!
According to the owner, he got the truck for “nothing, the guy was going to scrap it because it had a blown inline-six.” A couple of beers with the father-in-law later, he decided to rebuild the entire truck to run backwards... and they did it way back in 2004.
Naturally, they were pulled over when driving it no less than 22 times just in the first year of operation, but the only thing they got a warning for (not a ticket!) was for not having an additional set of wipers in the “backfront.”
As it turns out, this contraption isn’t out on the street anymore, even though the local police placed an ad in the regional newspaper to warn citizens they were fully aware of the backward F-150 and that it was fully legal, even coming with taillights on the “frontback.”
Shows are the only thing that remains for this truck now because “people are a lot more sensitive” in 2021. No worries, because events like Cleetus and Cars have plenty of automotive aficionados approving of such quirkiness—after recovering from the initial shock.
Speaking of the latter, the footage includes a ride along and a little test drive from the 3:50 mark, complete with funny crowd reactions (4:35, priceless!) and the host’s declaration that “I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything that’s got more attention than this.” That's obvious when the suicide-door truck puts on a very cool burnout show in front of everyone from the 7:05 mark.
Aurel has aimed high all his life (literally, at 16 he was flying gliders all by himself) so in 2006 he switched careers and got hired as a writer at his favorite magazine. Since then, his work has been published both by print and online outlets, most recently right here, on autoevolution. Full profile
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