Now, on top here, we swap pavement for pain and head to Alaska to find America's toughest truck Adam. Do you see how big that mountain is in front of you? I think I've got any bigger tires. I think you're gon na need a better truck [ Music, ][ Applause ] welcome to a very special episode of Top Gear. I'M Adam Ferrara, that's Tanner Foust, and this is Rutledge. Wood today is all about the pickup truck in 2009. Americans alone bought four point: nine million trucks like this f-150, the f-series Ford, has been the top selling vehicle in this country for 28 years in a row. Now, there's a lot of rivalries and trucks. So we decided to answer the question: that's consumed the nation for years. What is America's toughest truck to find a definitive answer? The producers told us to go online, spend no more than three thousand dollars in by truck. That would then be put through a series of challenges: here's the catch it had to have at least a hundred and fifty thousand miles, and we had to buy it sight unseen and we met our trucks for the first time in an equally challenging environment, Alaska. The last wild frontier two and a half times the size of Texas, it's pretty wild. It apparently has lots of animals that can trample and eat you. We bought our trucks online. They looked okay in the photos, but we had no idea if they'd actually be any good. All we knew is that one of them would be crowned America's toughest truck, but between now and then lay the Alaskan wilderness and a slew of challenges. We had no idea what was in store for us only that we'd meet our trucks for the first time in the forest just north of Anchorage. You know, Alaska is one of the only few states where you can see all three types of bears. That'S great. You know it's not the Bears. I think that you got to be worried about it's the Moose. Did you hear that moose? What was that there's three times as many people killed by moose as bears? What are you wearing? This is for the Bears. This is bear spray. This is this'll knock a grizzly down like bear pepper spray, and these are bear bells. They hate this salsa. Oh, my god was it a bear? No, it's a Dodge! Oh oh! It'S even bigger than I thought. I picked a 97 Dodge Ram with an extended cab and a 5.7 liter Magnum v8. I was gon na power across Alaska in style and comfort. It'S a lot newer than the other ones. How'D! You get this for 3 grand. I found it on Craigslist and had you have 150 thousand miles, that's all our criteria said so and how much is on this 159 there's any endurance factor. Then the Dodge is hosed tare. Do you see this? I can fit my entire head. That'S how much you spent in travel - that's impressive, yeah! Well, my favorite part about this is your head. Is now a unit of measurement. Is this year Stan? Oh, it's adorable, we're smurfed it the color description. My choice was a 1983. We seek a stepside lightweight diesel. 165 horses, the perfect bush truck gentlemen, take a look under the hood. This is the best part, while you guys are choking on trying to find gasoline. I was a decent torque monster. With my decent diesel. You got a diesel with a carburetor. That'S at 350. You got robbed if you're lucky, it's a 4 volt name to that. That is not a diesel. The small setback in to 350 small budget, one of the most popular engines ever sold in America, uh not what I was hoping for, but this is really for a man's truck like this Adam. I wasn't gon na, say anything, but this is the worst decision. You'Ve ever buy, you kidding me, look it's a forward baby. For me, it could only be a 220 horsepower Ford. F250. This beast was made in 1976, when men were men and trucks were trucks, and I was nine. This is like the Ford of death check out the seats wow that is semi-truck leather idea. This is seats from a Lincoln Electric Wow. This is gon na, be the roughest ride, probably of your life. That'S why I got the seats. I thought of everything. This is a Ford. My friend is the best-selling pickup in the world, while each truck had its downside failure who is not an option because stalking behind us all the way was a 93 Toyota pickup, a jihadi favorite, it's known around the rest of the world as a Hilux. Now the rules was simple: if your truck failed, you had to finish the search for America's toughest truck in an import. You would be a national disgrace. I don't know if anybody's in a really great situation right now, but I think by far I've got the best ride out of the terrain. If you want to pick up guys and Gnome to find out how Road worthy our trucks where the producers gave us our first challenge a braking test, we needed to get up to 30 miles an hour and then jam on the brakes at a marker. Point 30 feet from the lake. If our trucks didn't stop, we would be beaver bait. Let'S go [ Music ]. Are you scared, I'm looking for my out money, birdy Wow? It'S got some power. Ome he's coming! That thing is coming. How is that possible that that thing can stop Adam stopping distance was five feet from the water's edge Tanner and his Chevy smurf side were up next. A night attack comes from a predatory bear. Oh god, here we go. This is gon na be fun. Oh man! Oh man, it stops yeah, okay, safe. My truck stopped two feet from the water which meant Adam was in the lead, think you're up there, hexxus Ranger hope you got some Chuck Norris and that dodge here we go. Rutledge definitely had an unfair advantage with his 97 Ram, so we decided to level the playing field a bit by cheating and we moved his breaking point closer to the water. Don'T worry about a thing: his head floats, get it up there. We go, get it up. There there it is: Oh, oh just a little too far you had it. Where was I supposed to break? Oh you're, good, you're, fine, there you go, keep coming. That is real. How can I have something like that could happen? You guys went 3030 yeah. I was over 30 3-0 that sucks. I think you lost that one you'll be fine, don't worry about it, I'd shake it off and focus on the next one. Remarkably Adams, 1000 year oldfordzilla won the first challenge, but now it was time for the next one. Alright, gentlemen, the moment we have been waiting for Alaska is home to the most brutal environment in America, where trucks routinely meet their fate in rivers, forests, crevasses and ice, as well as on the road you're. Now, in healy alaska, where Christopher McCandless famously went into the wild and died by the way, actually he died yeah I did to test the road worthiness of your trucks. Your next challenge is to drive a hundred miles to Fairbanks. Okay, let's go: do you really know how to guide? I too know he didn't, have a bear belt. You don't know okay, this roadtrip challenge would test our vehicles endurance, and it also gave us the perfect chance to get to know what we'd bought getting her up to speed for the first time, you're, getting a little shake through the steering wheel. I'Ve got a good 25 degrees of actual play in the wheel. Fan belt is squealing away and we're going 46 miles an hour. This old Chevy he's got two hundred and thirty eight thousand miles. That'S a loan Rutledge has got a truck that either a high school football captain would drive or maybe Chuck Norris. Can you hear the tires? I got ta set a 37 inch mud terrains, that's huge! I think that may be why I had a little bit of trouble. Stopping now the tough thing for Dodge is they haven't always done really well with their truck sales. In 93, they sold less than a hundred thousand trucks. So that's when they decided to totally redo it launched a completely new Ram for ninety four, the highest number of trucks dodge ever sold 1996, and this was one of those 400,000 Adams truck was built before I was born. I am driving in 1976 Ford f250 and I'm yelling, because it's very noisy the paint job is falling apart and the power steering there's no power steering. I should have been a little bit more suspicious when I saw the ad for this truck. The picture was taken way far away and he said we'll trade for mountain bike. I figured out your color tanner, it's blurple, just wait till the Sun comes out. You'Ll see the blue Adams truck. Is it's what the Unabomber would drive? [ Music ] a lot like when we went to Detroit. I haven't seen any foreign cars up here, except for one Toyota truck. I do not want to dry the Toyota at this point, our country, automotive history. I want an American truck to prevail one for me. I want my American truck to prevail. We headed north on a ribbon of asphalt separating us from epic emptiness to the West Siberia to the East, a vast nothingness that some call Canada. Once you get beyond the trees, you can see a little bit of distance under the clouds God's country - it's not conquered by man, certainly not by vehicles at all. After four hours, we made it to a gas stop. Things were going good, but something is just bothering me hold on. Rutledge'S truck looks way too new. Doesn'T it get him Adam, get him Adam, oh, come on! That'S what you get for buying a 97 Rutledge [ Music ]. Why would you better yeah? Why did you get your ugly purple on my beautiful black truck to me? It looks like you've had a severe front impact and I have a little door. Ding you're lifted ash truck. I would have taken it in the bumper, but instead it had to take it in the corner of the hood yep. You say you prefer to take it in the bumper. We finally made the outskirts of Fairbanks and completed the second challenge unscathed. Then we were told that from now on, we would be in the wild tonight would be our last hotel. So our next challenge was to convert our trucks into bush ready campers overnight. If we didn't, the Bears would be feasting on us coming up. We prepare to go into the wild with our modified trucks. What in the Sam hell are you thinking having successfully completed the first highway challenge? We'D spent the night in Fairbanks converting our trucks into campers last night. The producers were gracious enough to give us all of about six hours notice that we'd be camping in our trucks in the Alaskan wilderness for days. So of course, we decided to make a few minor modifications. I created my camper shell in the shape of a giant spoiler. It would keep me warm and dry while enhancing the already stellar performance of the Chevy stepside fizz, all about rugged simplicity, a bed sleeping bag, coffee of course - and this thing this is on there we're going to be off-roading through hell. I admit the paint fumes may have gotten me a little bit in the spoilers. I don't know what they're for maybe they'll scare the bears away, but if you're gon na go out into Alaska with the truck and keep it tough, this is the way to do it. Oh, my god, really did you have to kill a beaver for that Rutledge wood? What in the Sam hell? Are you thinking it's a log cabin? I want to bring a little piece of home with me, so I wanted to be comfortable. This is my porch. Hang out here come on in hold, I like to wipe my feet on the welcome mat Wow. If you want to have a seat on my front porch and every good southern man likes to sit on the front porch, but look I've got a minibar. I'Ve got a stove complete with a stove exhaust. Oh look at this. This way, I'm really one with the animals, I'm a Daniel Boone hat here. Your bed is about five feet long. You don't think I can fit in this bed. I couldn't fit in that bed. You why don't you move I'll show you you ready voila. This is the life in here Tanner. This is an entry point for bears for termites my feet. Gugino'S. This is where I'm gon na sleep. Oh Rutledge, listen! What don't! I have sanity protection from the elements. Some sort of structural rigidity look at this thing is this: has badly had a few hours. I thought you'd be a little bit more impressive. I thought you would have had your attention to like survival a little bit instead of your dream, cabin haha, hey fellas! I am at a loss, the truck got worse. What do you mean it got worse? It wasn't possible, but you did it. Is this a cage? Yes, so this is Henry from bears bears and those killer moose we were talking about before so paranoia. Got to. You know paranoia is safety, you're, gon na use a picture of a lion and you've painted your truck blaze orange safety from hunters right. This picture will scare away the visual creatures like ringing. Like a bell, wait, let me show you what else I got go stand by the lion, I'm not sure what to expect here. Huh, really a speakerphone with a lion noise on it. It'S brilliant, you know bears I mean they have huge paws. They could just get in and just Adam, I think, you're a nice guy. I do, I think, you're awesome, but you are freaking crazy. This is your escape hatch. Yes, I thought he was just pretending. You'Re you're really scared of bears you're, not no. I'Ve got whisky and guns in the log cabin hey. You guys are aware that this is the wettest Alaskan summer in history. What are you gon na do if it rains with our trucks prepared for life in the wilderness? We set off for our next challenge, which would start 80 miles away back on. The highway was becoming clear that we might not have thought through our modifications, properly Sanna, how much downforce you getting in the floor. Pool sherry, drive upside down right now be getting a good draft off of it back there NASCAR I'm finding I'm just slightly less aerodynamic than I was yesterday in this monster. I feel like I may chase my de tenerife man Adam when you're done mowing all those lawns will you have a chance to go out the woods with Tanner and I everybody that pulls up to your end, Lynch pauses to see if they dare pull up alongside You as hilarious Tanner, I think you just need to hope. You don't find any skateboarding bears Adam. Do you see how big that mountain is in front of you holy wow? They are all around three sides. I think I'm going to be bigger tires. I think you're going to need a better truck. We arrived at the start of the next challenge. We had to drive to the top of somewhere called Fish Creek, which was a 20 mile automotive proving ground built by mother nature. The extreme inclines, drop-offs, potholes and water hazards would be a test for any brand-new truck, let alone our weathered pickups. Oh, hey guys looks like we got a water crossing. We got a whack. How deep does it look? I don't think there's any other way to go, but across you guys, good yeah buddy. Oh he's stuck things weren't, looking good for the Lion King did the engine die or did you stall it? Alright, the engine died come up like got into the thing I'm coming in. Why don't you come on out [, Music ]? You guys need a life raft. The river was flowing hard enough to sweep an average truck away. Luckily, the Ford weighed close to three average trucks. I know this currently that lion is not scaring anyone you have the tow, strap, let me just throw it. Won'T you drive it over. Okay, I can do that yeah baby. That'S what I'm talking about hook this to that you ready you look great up there! No! No! No! If Adam fell into the icy waters, he could die which would hold Tanner and me up. It'S good put it on there. All right get back in your truck there. Kemosabe, Oh Chuck, Norris he'll be happy to pull you out. Okay right, let's go ahead and Adam turn left as hard as you can turn. The left. Adam left left left, keep going, Rutledge keep on Rutledge keep on Relic. Keep it on Relic, yeah, okay, good, it's like taking care of a three-year-old Chuck Norris saved you. Thank you, Texas! Ranger! It lives. We only helped out him out of the water because, frankly, we didn't want to pollute the river. I have no idea how that truck started after being under water. For that long risen from the dead. My Ford was indestructible: it deserved a name that could tell the world it could take anything and keep going. Keith Richards, it's only rock and roll, but I like it [ Music ] with the water obstacles completed. We headed up to the top of the ridge, but an ordinary hill climbing task. This was not. This was more like hell on earth to our left, to drop of a thousand feet away to the careless driver Wow and if somehow you survived, the fall. The ice and gravel below is full of deadly sinkholes. That could swallow small office buildings without a trace. Look up to your left, I'm not looking! I'M not looking that it's straight down, don't go too far right out of cheese. Oh, I don't like Heights on a trail like this. It is vital to have power, steering good brakes transmission in perfect working order and great visibility, and I had none of these things. Our trucks had made it, but our nerves were fried, but the day was far from over [ Music. ] now was time to put our trucks through a skidpadalaskan-style: oh wow, everybody, okay, that was my bad. It got wetter and muddier. Oh yeah, there's a nice little sippy hole, Chuck Norris paved the way until he met Bruce Lee [ Music ]. Oh my gosh. I was awesome holy crap. I might need a little help with my dodge, stuck in in need of assistance. Tanner did the decent thing. Maybe I can go around you on the left side. Is there room and tried to overtake me and leave me for dead? I don't think I do that anymore. He'S gon na roll over ha ha, I'm stuck see balls stuck Tanner and I were down for the count lucky for us. Adams ego took over and he wanted to prove that his orange Ford could do something right. Yeah all right Riley got you come on back buddy. If Adam failed, we would all be more than screwed it's little Alf Rutledge the nearest help with 60 miles away. There. You go chef Norris, my ass. Okay! Stop there out! Stop there right! Stop! I'M gon na! Try to hit your truck and sale on federal bounce off my truck. You could flip it. You know that right, Brundage do not hit my truck. If you hit it, nothing is gon na flip for sure your radio working Rutledge you copied on that do not hit the blue truck. Oh more! Yes, as we head further into the Alaskan wilderness, Rutledge decides to remodel. We were halfway up an Alaskan Ridge and our trucks were stuck embarrassingly. I'D had to be pulled out of the mud by Adams, 30-year old gun range target, but Tanner was still stuck you're. Not yet the blue truck just don't hit it. It'S gon na flip and I'm gon na be bare me. This is gon na be awesome. Adam may have bailed me out. Your cage is strong right, but I tried talking him out of helping Tanner guys. This is like two on two full-court press stupid that thing's like a rubber band. When you get it really tight all right. Let'S do this thing. Okay, I'm just gon na watch for my porch. It'S not you guys! It'S me! Oh, are you ready? I'M gon na go [ Music, ], yeah, [, Music ]. Incredibly, we all managed to make it to the top of Fish Creek, which is reputed to be one of the best views in all of Alaska. My back hurts my arm. The 20 feet long feel, like I've, been getting hit in the ass by a 2x4 for like six days straight with a good fire going. We did what all guys do in Alaska around a fire. Now it's a party talk truck driving. A pickup truck through Alaska. Has to be one of the ultimate things you can do with four wheels. The three of us are really representing American truck lovers now with the Chevy, the Ford and then the ultimate dodge, so the ultimate done yeah. I don't see that badge anywhere all right, fellas we're gon na have a big day tomorrow. I think we should all get some sleep. It'S a blue sky right there, it's 11:30 at night. What yeah I'm going to bed see you guys, okay, hop in there you're totally in there all right! Thank you! God, I'm antsy! In the morning, good night, Adam night, Rutledge good night Anna got it night. Good night bears not funny. We were two days into the quest to find America's toughest truck. All three of our vehicles were still working, but behind us stalk, two predator, the Toyota pickup we'd, have to drive if one of our trucks died. None of us wanted that shame to test the brute strength of our trucks. We had to drive up a river valley until we got to a glacier a hundred and forty square miles of moving ice. Our challenge was to touch that ice with our trucks. I got to say I'm actually impressed with the Chevy. It is uh, it's stout thing. Yeah make some noise complains a little bit but she's reliable. I mean my truck is loud, but the whining of your belts is deafening. Yeah, the belts are bad. They you know what actually it reminds me out, knock it off. That is way too full I'm trying to go to the back amateur. We were now up against an almost vertical climb over large money boulders. If all of the trails to the glacier were going to be this stuff, we were in big trouble. I got ta be a hundred percent honest. I'M surprised any of these are making it through this how's it going up there right. I have blown my left front shock. Wow you've led us into some nasty stuff. This truck drove on a cliff went through a river. Eventually, this can take anything. Oh, when you're driving this sort of terrain, it's vital to keep control of your vehicle by maintaining forward momentum and all four wheels on the ground at all times or you can do it like Adam uh-oh that didn't sound good fellas. Oh my gosh yeah. I didn't stop on purpose. It'S uh, I think I might have snapped the driveshaft. What did it sound like nothing, there's fluff, and so now you don't have any geared new, not one gear. What so? How was it sitting right? There rocks that kind of sounds like the truck might be dead sounds like I tell you how to might be in your future. Hey we'll see you back at camp. Okay, good luck with that! So Keith Richards was dead. The great orange warrior defeated by the overwhelming forces of nature and quite a big rock [ Music ] Adam, was the first to fall on his sword. I'D like us to all have a moment of silence for Keith Richards with Adams Ford out of the running. It was down to dodge versus Chevy whoa man, [, Music, ] Rutledge's dodge was a monster. Oh awesome. It might have been ten years younger than my Chevy, but it was twice as heavy and an accident waiting to happen. No go baby, go [, Music ]! You wash your hands right: Oh [, Music! ]. Did you hit my house right? I got no other way out of here. I think you're gon na have to just back all the way down. I got ta get through it. I sleep in there. Oh, oh! No, that is real unfortunate that had to happen. It'S all part of Whelan, my friend, I'm sorry you're gon na have to pick that up. Let me get your pillow for you welcome jackass. We now had plenty of firewood thanks to Tanner and his stupid, Chevy turd side, all right back, scoot back a touch. Ah, let's camp, I need to get my crapper. How bad do you have to go, not bad enough to do it that close to the fire? Coming up in the final race to the glacier Rutledge gets distracted. Did you write? I love sheep on there, no on a distant trail, deep in the Alaskan wilderness. My Ford f250 became the first casualty in the search for America's toughest truck. I was now a national disgrace in the Toyota of shame: [, Music ] only two trucks were left in the game and it all had come down to one final challenge. We had to drive our battered vehicles further into the wilderness to the mighty connect glacier, but reaching the glacier wasn't enough to complete the challenge. We had to actually drive on it, but there was no trail here. We would have to pick our way through the endless river channels in quicksand that could swallow us whole many trucks have attempted this route and never returned roll up the window before bashing through the water. Oh, I can't see anything yeah, [, Music ]. For some reason. I'M covered in mud because the top of my door won't see you from here. It was a race through virgin territory. There were no more roads, there were no more rules, just one perfectly proportioned Chevy stepside against a super-sized, lumbering Dodge. I can't see your hood is just bouncing every time you did anything. This was fast and furious, Alaskan style holy homie. Oh all, you lost the bed. [ Music ]. The race was on, but chuck was starting to feel the heat he was built for comfort. Not for speed and the pace was taking its toll. Oh boys, I have bad news. What'S up buddy, I think big dodge go boom. You got a dead Ram, bad bad. Let'S take a look. Oh that could do it. You got a sideways battery. Let'S get out of here: [ Music, ] shucks was back stronger than ever kind of boys. The dodge is hurt and she is knocking and way down on power. Wow that does not sound good right. Keep digging, keep digging Chuck, there's the glacier right there. That'S what I'm talking about can't believe it. I can see the glacier come on Chuck gig come on come on stay with me, stay with me, not as fast as it'll go for the record. This is foot to the floor. How about you stop pushing me? I'M trying to give you a push, I thought you said you had no power. Oh then he died again come on baby come on. I think Chuck Norris is gon na be buried at sea. Come on Chuck come on. Are you kidding me [, Music, ] and again, that's it and again. Ah, I think that's it. I'M not even getting out of my truck this time. We'Ve done this five six times already then. Finally, whatever fight Chuck had left started, steaming out of the hood. A lot more under hood smoke this time here we go. Oh look at that smoke good time to push it off the trail yeah. I think this is it for Chuck. This is his final resting place, so long Chuck death of a giant, but we knew it was inevitable. Hey genius, I'm on a tree. Did you write? I love sheep on there. No, if you guys don't mind, I just need a minute with Chuck alone. Of course, take your time Chuck, you were a fighter up till that very last minute. I believed in you Chuck. I don't love sheep and I know you don't either kick ass out here. Whatever you're gon na do you'll ask in wilderness, I meant coming up. It'S Toyota versus Chevy, but will anyone be able to walk when it's over the battle? To crown America's toughest truck had claimed two casualties Adams, Ford had been vanquished by a medium-sized rock and Rutledge's dodgewas killed by an exotic mix of earth and water known as mud. Only the Chevy remained. So obviously I had taken the title technically you're, just in the lead. We are not at the glacier yet and that's what the deal is. That was our mission yet had to get to the glacier and drive on so you drive carefully my friend cause. If you don't make it, you don't win so who's driving the Toyota, I got to drive it. It'S the rules. The cycle of shame continues well we're behind you. If you need anything, I mean not metaphorically, but physically we'll be behind you. Unfortunately, they were right. I did have to make it on to the ice to win and then it dawned on me. I was representing every American truck with my little blurple Chevy. If I didn't make it to victory in the Toyota, did an import would be crowned America's toughest truck, and I couldn't let that happen. I wouldn't let that happen. This quickly became a matter of national pride. Let'S get to the ice [ Music, ]letlet. You guys feel like any colder out yeah. It must be we're getting close [ Music ] tanner. We made it yeah, [, Music, ], look at that wall of ice right there, [ Music, ], unbelievable [, Music, ], most insane terrain. I'Ve ever seen: [, Music ]. Let me out of this thing: [: Music, ] god, it's beautiful one of the most epic things I've ever seen, and you know what with these gorgeous blue glaciers um. I think your blue truck looks nice yeah, it's a nice blue truck. He called it a blue truck yeah that was very touching. You earned it. We'Ve proven the chebbi is the toughest truck? No, no. No. We put the Chevy made it this far. I don't know if you can see tanner the glacier is right over there and we are right over here. Annoyingly again, they were right between the Chevy in the ice field was a deep river and a lake full of icebergs. There was no way through, but because these icebergs are from that glacier, I think it should count. If you can get your truck to an iceberg, you will okay, I can get out to an iceberg. It'S done! Yep we're gon na. Do this, like a rock. My friend [ Music ], so where are we going? You think this is gon na work. I don't know it looks like the icebergs are closer to the edge over here anyway. This is probably the dumbest idea we've ever had. Who knows how cold that water is or how deep? It is? Well, that's interesting he's coming down backwards. I wouldn't have thought of that. How'S that gon na work any part of the truck right, yeah. Look there you go, you can do it. [ Applause, ], [, Music, ]. What are you doing, I'm getting on the ice now I get it! That'S what the step size for. I think I'll call this iceberg, it's floating on what Hey floating away it's floating away! You went back on the tractor, our truck. Alright, I'm getting back on the truck yeah. Hey you won! That is America's toughest truck. Let'S go take some showers. It'S a good idea. I meant separate showers. [ Music ] go big [ Music, ], [, Music ] he's got it up. Oh goodbye Alaska, I'm going home, [, Music, ], [ Applause, ], [, Music, ],
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