how-this-first-gen-raptor-went-from-iconic-truck-to-a-member-of-the-rescue-team
By now you should know how much the BumperOnly team loves a good truck story. We can’t wait to share this other one with y’all, it’s about a man who made a historic jump with his truck and what was next for this famous beast on four wheels. Here’s what happened:
The jump that made history
Back in 2013, Alex Wacker was just chilling and hanging out with a buddy on a casual winter day at the Rednecks with Paychecks parks. Suddenly, he had an idea - he handed his beer over to his pal and headed straight inside his new 2012 Ford Raptor. That was the beginning of a moment that went down in history in the Offroad Community.
Without hesitation, he sped up and headed down the dirt track and towards a ramp. His truck hit 60mph when he went over it, which sent him 90 feet in the air with the jump. What at the time seemed like a great idea, suddenly hit him with regret.
He had survived the jump but his polished Ford Raptor had taken quite the beating and as he was rescued out of the truck, an ambulance was called to check on him.
The unexpected transformation
Traveling back to current times, this truck is still out there and happily driving, even if it has retired from its brief but intense jumping career. The new owner is Ryan Winner, the man who was contacted by Alex Wacker when he totaled the Raptor. Ryan worked at a fabrication shop and was offered this smashed-up beast in exchange for a new 7200 Race Truck.
He didn’t let its appearance deter him from turning it into a completely new truck, even if it wasn’t gonna be a walk in the park. So the team delved straight into replacing the old frame, suspension, the rear end, and drivetrain with new parts. Before ya think that they must have lost their minds to invest in this project, we wanna let you know that these trucks were going for $60k to $70k and the repairs cost $30k in total, so it was still within budget for a First-gen Raptor.
A new purpose
Once it was functional again, Ryan added some extras to it to give it a whole new life. First of all, he made sure to give it extra protection with ADD Off-road Venom Front and Rear Bumpers, then he added a Race Series Raptor Chase Rack and a new Aftermarket suspension system.
Initially, this labor of love resulted in a truck that Ryan used as a shop truck and temporarily as a chase truck for the Winner Motorsports Group. But once the fun was over, he decided to turn it into a fire and medical truck. For this final transformation, he added a full medical box, equipment to extinguish fires, backboards, and anything else that would be helpful in case of accidents.
Now, this famous 2012 Ford Raptor has joined the Rescue Team for Best in the Desert, working as a first responder to offer medical assistance in addition to obtaining photos of wildlife fires for the fire departments. A fitting end for a truck that used to be in need of so much help and that now helps others.
Even if ya don’t plan on jumping around with your truck, it’s always good to get that extra protection with Top-quality Bumpers. Check out the ones we offer and discover which one is the best for you with our Ultimate Bumper Guide and get in touch with us via live chat or by calling us 281-404-2124 if you need any advice.
(Original story published by addictivedesertdesigns.com - https://www.addictivedesertdesigns.com/news/journey-first-gen-raptor)
