Vintage Racing Bronco Rescue

[BajaBronco]

Here's a few more pics!

 

[BajaBronco]

A couple more of Pony too

One thing you'll find confusing if you start looking at pics of Pony and Big Hoss during Mizel's ownership is that the '80ish Orange Bronco body swapped back and forth from one Bronco to the other...so sometimes Big Hoss wears the 80 body. Best always look at front suspension and whether there's a wing. Wing on Hoss, I beam front on pony. It would be easy to get them confused or think it was one Bronco with a removable wing if you didn't look at the other details.

 

[Bajabrewer]

OH WOW this is FREAKING AWESOME! Congrats to you & Todd on the score & can't wait to see what the future holds for all these trucks.

 

[bbolander]

Your story on them has a connection for me Andrew. From 1970-73 I worked in Tulsa for a fired heater company providing heaters for the oil refineries. John Zink Company was the major burner supplier for these fired heaters. John Zink Company had quite an unusual office back then and John Zink had a bit of an eccentric reputation. He had a large acreage near Tulsa and enjoyed moving dirt around for fun with his bull dozer!

 

[toddz69]

Your story on them has a connection for me Andrew. From 1970-73 I worked in Tulsa for a fired heater company providing heaters for the oil refineries. John Zink Company was the major burner supplier for these fired heaters. John Zink Company had quite an unusual office back then and John Zink had a bit of an eccentric reputation. He had a large acreage near Tulsa and enjoyed moving dirt around for fun with his bull dozer!

That's a great story, Bruce! Thanks for sharing that.

Todd Z.

 

[bbolander]

Todd, here's the story. http://www.thehubskiatook.com/2020/08/zink/

 

[bmc69]

Truly awesome!

 

[Yeller]

They used to hood off-road races at the ranch. Some of my local mentors raced there in the 60’s and early 70’s.

 

[toddz69]

Todd, here's the story. http://www.thehubskiatook.com/2020/08/zink/

Thanks Bruce - that's good history!

Todd Z.

 

[BajaBronco]

Your story on them has a connection for me Andrew. From 1970-73 I worked in Tulsa for a fired heater company providing heaters for the oil refineries. John Zink Company was the major burner supplier for these fired heaters. John Zink Company had quite an unusual office back then and John Zink had a bit of an eccentric reputation. He had a large acreage near Tulsa and enjoyed moving dirt around for fun with his bull dozer!

That's a small world Bruce! Great story. It was fun being there and meeting them and seeing all the cars and motorcycles he was racing back in the day.

 

[sprdv1]

love all those shots. thanks for sharing

 

[scoutingranch]

I love this. Am I the only one here that was in Mexico to watch James Garner race (from the starting point)? That, was one of the thrills of my life. The others? Watching Jimmy get in fights at Pro-Am golf tournaments here in SoCal. He liked to fight and wasn't afraid to mix it up. Gawd...time goes by.

 

[lars]

Hearing Pony's engine fire was pretty dang cool.

 

[BajaBronco]

I love this. Am I the only one here that was in Mexico to watch James Garner race (from the starting point)? That, was one of the thrills of my life. The others? Watching Jimmy get in fights at Pro-Am golf tournaments here in SoCal. He liked to fight and wasn't afraid to mix it up. Gawd...time goes by.

You were at the 68 1000? Thats cool! I wasn't born yet for a few 6 years or so.

 

[scoutingranch]

You were at the 68 1000? Thats cool! I wasn't born yet for a few 6 years or so.

If that was year Garner was there then yes. I couldn't remember. Grew up surfing San Diego. Bill, Ken and I would go down to Ensenada and surf that break until they ruined it with a jetty. Stay the night, wake up to watch the off load of racers and the drivers show up. I just wish I would have taken photos.
If memory serves, the race started either out of Tijuana or Ensenada. Damn old mind.

 

[4WHLFUN]

Unbelievable find Andrew. Congrats to you and Todd!

 

[Yeller]

they were in my hood and I had no clue

 

[Ether]

Oh my gosh. These were right under my nose!

Bronco enthusiast here in Tulsa, and we have been to Zink ranch over the past few yrs to race bikes (bicycles). Man, I wish those had been on display and I could have seen them.

[mention]okie4570 [/mention]


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[BajaBronco]

Oh my gosh. These were right under my nose!

Bronco enthusiast here in Tulsa, and we have been to Zink ranch over the past few yrs to race bikes (bicycles). Man, I wish those had been on display and I could have seen them.

[mention]okie4570 [/mention]


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Yeah, I know, i was expecting to be able to see them when I called. Oh well. In good hands now, and being fixed up. I've torn into Colt (Pickle Power, orange one) and am leaving Big Hoss to rest for a bit as it needs the most work. Have the intake off and all looks fresh in Pony, but fresh and then sat. So we will get it running better and see what we have once it's mobile.

I sent the Black and White Blazer down to Robby Gordon as his dad drove it after Parnelli did. So he grew up helping Dick Russell and Scoop Vessels and the rest of the gang at Vel's Parnelli Jones Race Shop work on the two Blazers. Enough Chevy talk....I'm starting to feel dizzy....

 

[BajaBronco]

Had Big Hoss out for a wash Friday afternoon before closing shop. It's really a neat Bronco but likely needs the most engine and trans work to get it up and running. Has a 351w, Toploader 4speed with hydraulic clutch, and an F100 tcase. Front axle is a 9" center section with halfshafts connecting to Olds Toronado spindles and uprights via fab'd a-arms. Sure looks good washed up tho! Parnelli Jones started building this in his shop in '71 or earlier, as they were racing Big Oly. Always thinking ahead. The chromoly chassis and cage were done and Parnelli changed his mind and sold the project to Stroppe teammate Bill Rush, who was doing well in the Colt Stroppe Bronco. Bill and his ace mechanic and fabricator Dan Shield, and Parnellis former fabricator Smokey Alleman finished the Big Hoss Bronco by the 73 Baja 1000 where Rush/Shields drove it to victory. It's won two Baja 1000s and one Baja 500 as well as Parker 400 and some others! It's about as close to Big Oly as a Bronco has been - same fiberglass molds were used, and the chassis design very similar in the rear.