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Oh no!!! Big oly!!

House

Contributor
Minutia Militia
Joined
Aug 12, 2004
Messages
2,409
I wasn’t there, but I heard it was a transition from dirt to pavement not spinning donuts, which I can understand with a spooled rear end…
 

DirtDonk

Contributor
Bronco Guru
Joined
Nov 3, 2003
Messages
48,743
For sure. Lots of legit reasons for rolling a Bronco like that. And that's sure one of them!
I wonder who started the whole "doing donuts" story? Then again, maybe he was in fact doing donuts, but at a transition between dirt and pavement. Worst case scenario!
Just takes a second...

Paul
 

Broncobowsher

Total hack
Joined
Jun 4, 2002
Messages
35,391
Still waiting for the link to the video that is rumored to exist.

My first sighting of it in flesh was at SEMA in 2002, hanging from a wall.
 

JefeAZ

Bronco Guru
Joined
Aug 23, 2011
Messages
3,038
Loc.
Tucson
I've looked everywhere and cannot find the video again. I was able to find is a screenshot though. Went from pavement to soft sand and rolled

1652126820282.png
 

toddz69

Sponsor/Vendor
Bronco Guru
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Nov 28, 2001
Messages
10,425
They weren't doing donuts. They were going extremely fast down the highway and came to the spot where they were supposed to turn off into the dirt (sand, really) onto the road to the finish line about 1/4 mile down the road. There were a number of people there (as is often the case in Mexico) giving conflicting hand signals on what to do. The driver (Mark) stood on the brakes, Oly did what every EB does - locked up the rear brakes and the back end spun around (that's what looked like donuts), it went off into the sand (which sloped away from the highway) and over it went. I talked to Philip shortly after it happened and Mark told me the story the next morning before we left for the day.

I don't know what happened to cause the second roll because we had left the finish line in Cabo before they arrived.

At least one other person rolled Oly besides PJ - race promoter Mel Larsen. He drove the truck from the finish line back to the transporter after one of the races and was horsing around (no pun intended) and flipped it.

I think Mark Vaughn's article mentions at least one other person flipped it too back in the day.

I had some time to think driving back from Baja over the past 3 days and I started thinking of all the Broncos rolling in races in Baja. PJ, the Unsers, and Rod Hall rolled them back in the day. I was thinking of us modern racers and the list is somewhat long too - including myself, Andrew (bajabronco), Chris (landshark99), Chris Sullivan, and I think Scott Barnes (coachbarnes) rolled his too. I think Chuck rolled his in the 1000 as well.

Todd Z.
 

JefeAZ

Bronco Guru
Joined
Aug 23, 2011
Messages
3,038
Loc.
Tucson
The driver (Mark) stood on the brakes, Oly did what every EB does - locked up the rear brakes and the back end spun around (that's what looked like donuts), it went off into the sand (which sloped away from the highway) and over it went.
Oh wow, thanks for the details. The 3-4 second clip I saw was exactly of that moment. That must have been a wild ride!
 

englewoodcowboy

Lick Creek Restorations
Joined
Jul 25, 2010
Messages
4,200
Lots of people losing their mind over the truck, it is still just as fine as it was before only the skin is messed up. Honestly it looks more like it did in all of its wins now than it has for the last few decades. I think it is great they are letting the ole girl buck! Only regret I can see is if the new owner was OK with this happening why they didn't enter it in the actual race and let it all hang out, that would have been epic! In the end it is still Big Oly, always will be!
 

Broncobowsher

Total hack
Joined
Jun 4, 2002
Messages
35,391
They weren't doing donuts. They were going extremely fast down the highway and came to the spot where they were supposed to turn off into the dirt (sand, really) onto the road to the finish line about 1/4 mile down the road. There were a number of people there (as is often the case in Mexico) giving conflicting hand signals on what to do. The driver (Mark) stood on the brakes, Oly did what every EB does - locked up the rear brakes and the back end spun around (that's what looked like donuts), it went off into the sand (which sloped away from the highway) and over it went. I talked to Philip shortly after it happened and Mark told me the story the next morning before we left for the day.

I don't know what happened to cause the second roll because we had left the finish line in Cabo before they arrived.

At least one other person rolled Oly besides PJ - race promoter Mel Larsen. He drove the truck from the finish line back to the transporter after one of the races and was horsing around (no pun intended) and flipped it.

I think Mark Vaughn's article mentions at least one other person flipped it too back in the day.

I had some time to think driving back from Baja over the past 3 days and I started thinking of all the Broncos rolling in races in Baja. PJ, the Unsers, and Rod Hall rolled them back in the day. I was thinking of us modern racers and the list is somewhat long too - including myself, Andrew (bajabronco), Chris (landshark99), Chris Sullivan, and I think Scott Barnes (coachbarnes) rolled his too. I think Chuck rolled his in the 1000 as well.

Todd Z.
Todd, I recall you even stuffed your race bronco a few years back and took out a little bit of the front clip. Happens all the time on race trucks.
 

toddz69

Sponsor/Vendor
Bronco Guru
Joined
Nov 28, 2001
Messages
10,425
Todd, I recall you even stuffed your race bronco a few years back and took out a little bit of the front clip. Happens all the time on race trucks.
Yes, I included myself in the list in my post above - quite a number of us have eaten some humble pie after doing something similar.

Todd Z.
 

sprdv1

Contributor
REBEL
Joined
Mar 8, 2007
Messages
81,964
They weren't doing donuts. They were going extremely fast down the highway and came to the spot where they were supposed to turn off into the dirt (sand, really) onto the road to the finish line about 1/4 mile down the road. There were a number of people there (as is often the case in Mexico) giving conflicting hand signals on what to do. The driver (Mark) stood on the brakes, Oly did what every EB does - locked up the rear brakes and the back end spun around (that's what looked like donuts), it went off into the sand (which sloped away from the highway) and over it went. I talked to Philip shortly after it happened and Mark told me the story the next morning before we left for the day.

I don't know what happened to cause the second roll because we had left the finish line in Cabo before they arrived.

At least one other person rolled Oly besides PJ - race promoter Mel Larsen. He drove the truck from the finish line back to the transporter after one of the races and was horsing around (no pun intended) and flipped it.

I think Mark Vaughn's article mentions at least one other person flipped it too back in the day.

I had some time to think driving back from Baja over the past 3 days and I started thinking of all the Broncos rolling in races in Baja. PJ, the Unsers, and Rod Hall rolled them back in the day. I was thinking of us modern racers and the list is somewhat long too - including myself, Andrew (bajabronco), Chris (landshark99), Chris Sullivan, and I think Scott Barnes (coachbarnes) rolled his too. I think Chuck rolled his in the 1000 as well.

Todd Z.

Thanks for sharing sir..
 

sprdv1

Contributor
REBEL
Joined
Mar 8, 2007
Messages
81,964
I Duno if the complete opposite crowd is speaking out. I think a lot of people and the majority are stoked it’s not just locked away in a private collection and it’s actually out being used and shown off. What I think a lot of people are confused about is how do you roll it not only once but twice in a non competitive class. But I guess if you have 1.8 million to buy Big oly you have the money to fix it.

that's for sure.. use that beast for it's intention and share w/the world
 

Bronco4x4

Sr. Member
Joined
Dec 21, 2009
Messages
599
“Steve Austin, astronaut. A man barely alive. Gentlemen we can rebuild him. We have the technology. We have the capability to build the world’s first bionic man. Steve Austin will be that man. Better than he was before. Better, stronger, faster.”
 
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