Baja or Bust Build Thread

[tasker]

Go get'em dave!!

 

[Bukin 67]

It's great to see you're on the road Dave! You should throw down a post to let everyone know how youre doing. I'm on the H0nda Ridge!ine team pitting in San Felipe rm 191.2. White D0dge RAM. I hope to see you in Ensenada. Were arriving there tues am and heading over to S.F. Wed by noon. I can throw in an extra spare 35x12.5x15 Km2 for you. You'll be crossing some pretty rocky terrain to get to the east coast. I've got some stang 5.0 bolt-ons, but I think you're running an early 302. Be sure to stop if you need something. Remember, we'll be the helpful H0nda guys!

 

[fatboy]

Very cool! Safe travels and good luck. What an adventure.

 

[Swerve]

Hello!

First I want to thank everyone on here that offered encouragement and advice and secondly I want to apologize for not keeping this post up to date, especially since I have been home for a while now...The last few weeks leading up to the race I just didn't have time, and once I got home I just needed a break from Broncos and Baja stuff for a while...

We did drive my '76 Bronco across the country from Maine to Baja and raced the 2017 SCORE Baja 1000. It was quite an adventure even though we did not finish (we didn't finish the last time we raced in '97 as well).

Once the truck was at the starting line it performed flawlessly, it is tougher than a bag of nails! I wish I could say the same about my health. I became badly overheated and dehydrated despite drinking plenty of water the weeks following up to the race and literally drinking two gallons of water after the start of the race while driving before I had to get out of the Bronco. I thank God that I did not expire and also that I didn't wind up needing a helicopter ride!

The main problem was that the interior of the truck was just too damn hot. Since it is enclosed for street use (real swinging doors, windshield, mostly weather tight cab...) there was not enough air flow to keep the cab temperatures down. The exhaust runs behind the rockers and the whole bottom of the Bronco is enclosed with skid plates. It was very hot!

I had fully intended to install air conditioning as BC Broncos had suggested to me but I just ran out of time and so, lesson learned! The warm snowmobile suit type race suits that they require now didn't help either, but I understand their necessity. Seriously, I wear less warm clothing when I snow blow my driveway!

After I got out of the Bronco my cousin Brian took over driving with his brother John navigating, but because the Satellite phones didn't work we were unable to find one another to meet up for a refueling and the time we lost for that and my overheating put us out of the race.

After the race I drove the Bronco out of Mexico to a friend's home in Oceanside CA and had it shipped home to Maine from there. I just had not recovered (I am actually still recovering at the time that I am writing this) from getting overheated and I was ready for a break. (The shipping company was nice enough to haul it up onto the trailer by wrapping the cable around my steering linkage! And also they transported it for three weeks across the country with my drivers window rolled down!).

The ride home from Oceanside was great for sight seeing...Hoover Dam, Vegas, Shelby Museum, Pawn Stars shop, Grand Canyon, Meteor Crater, Petrified National Forest, a good part of Route 66...

I will post some photos soon as I find them on my various devices...

 

[toddz69]

Wow - what an adventure! Most importantly, I'm happy that you're still with us and recovering!

Todd Z.

 

[tasker]

Good to hear you are ok Dave...was starting to worry! Can't wait to hear more

 

[sprdv1]

look forward to more pics.. Nice shot there

 

[Swerve]

Thanks guys...More photos...Notice how much abuse Migg's coil cups can withstand, and how well the shipping company treated my steering linkage! Next to last photo shows it home and drying out...

 

[fatboy]

I was wondering last week how you had made out. Sorry to hear about the dehydration, glad you are on the mend.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Jeff10]

Hi Swerve,

Thanks for sharing. I was hoping you guys might come through Indy on your way... sorry I didn't get a chance to meet you.

Glad you're on the road to recovery, too. Looking back I imagine you're pretty grateful you didn't push yourself over the limit.

Take Care,

Jeff

 

[sprdv1]

Like, Like Like.. Great shots bud

 

[BajaBronco]

Man, Sounds like a heck of a trip. Glad you are on the mend. Do norra sometime soon. Super fun. Norra bent my tie-rod when I ran it first time - same tie rod you have there. Might have to set you up with what we run now. Still looks pretty stock but doesn't bend - not made of cheese. We bent it on first 70 mile stage with 40 miles on car as it left the start.

 

[markw]

Good to hear from you! Glad you're Okay. Like Andrew says, do the NORRA adventure next time if you're up for it. Long days but the overnights give you a chance to connect and recover. Ship your Bronco to San Diego, fly in, pick it up and head South!

 

[Bukin 67]

Good to hear you're ok and recovering. I saw you guys working on the Bronco right after we got in town and were getting tacos. You were working on the fuel pump I think. I ran across the street and yelled at you from the other side of the fence. I could tell you were in deep so I left and I hoped to see you go by our pit on race day at rm190 but never saw you.
That's racing and that's totally Baja. I hope you don't give up and give it another go!

 

[Swerve]

Thanks guys! I am considering a third attempt but it will probably not be anytime soon, maybe 2020...

 

[Swerve]

Race 399 has been put into hibernation...2027 1000 maybe?