2012 B500

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Quailhunter
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Re: 2012 B500

Post by Quailhunter »

tcm glx wrote:
BajaF250 wrote:
tcm glx wrote:Tom...... Projector conversions in a 200MM lense!!
Image
Hey T,
Can you tell who makes it? I can't make anything out.

Yup, the are a custom retrofit using the exact same projector I use on the Brnco retrofit. Looked fantastic in person!
Tony, could a guy get away with running this on the street or is this off-road only?
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tcm glx
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Re: 2012 B500

Post by tcm glx »

Actually. This is exactly what you would want to run on the street. It is a true HID Projector conversion with the proper cutoffs for the correct lighting. This is exactly what you would want to run on the street, but it's pricey!!


Edit.......
Here is a good thread that shows the work needed to get it done

http://www.hidplanet.com/forums/showthr ... ight=200mm
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Quailhunter
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Re: 2012 B500

Post by Quailhunter »

Thanks for the link Tony. Looks like a real project.
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tcm glx
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Re: 2012 B500

Post by tcm glx »

Quailhunter wrote:Thanks for the link Tony. Looks like a real project.

No worries, I will be doing a set eventually, just have a few others in the pipeline that need to o first.
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Re: 2012 B500

Post by 300 »

Moss Brothers Racing 2012 Baja 500 Post Race Report

The 2012 Baja 500 was held on June 2 and the Transfer Flow Moss Brothers Racing Bronco and team brought home their 40th SCORE Class 3 win! We pulled a crew of 13 together for this race that were able to dodge some kind of graduation celebration and go with us. Everyone is so busy these days with the rest of our lives. We did have Kevin, Mike and Jason along with us as new members of the Moss Brothers crew. We are also very proud to announce the latest sponsorship by Transfer Flow, Inc. and Industrial Sunscreen. Transfer Flow is the premier manufacturer of oversized replacement and auxiliary fuel tanks for pickups and commercial vehicles, and Industrial Sunscreen provides a product that is exactly what it says it is. Their sunscreen is formulated to protect those that work out in the sun on a daily basis, and it worked very well in Baja. Both companies proudly produce their products in the USA.

We started the race in Ensenada with 3 entries in the class, the Bronco and two Jeeps starting directly behind the lone class 2 (mini truck) entry and the 5-1600 Baja Bugs in front of them. At the drivers meeting the night before Sal Fish had warned us that the wash at the start was flooded and they were not sure how they were going to get it dried out. The wash is less than a half mile from the start line, and the first of thousands of unknown hurdles that we will see this day. It reminds me of my very first race in Mexico were there was an old couch floating in the first pool of water we came to in this very same wash!

Rick and I headed off the line first in class and splashed our way through the wash and out of town. We caught the Class 2 entry at the end of the pavement, but couldn’t quite get him passed and were forced to eat his dust through the bridge and housing development construction. They have now built it up enough that we are running through the brand new streets between houses. The dust was just terrible and remained that way for the first 40 miles. Neither of the Jeeps ever appeared behind us, but at about mile 30 we came up on the Bunch Jeep parked on the side of the course changing a tire! How did that happen? The explanation we got later was that they had gotten “lost”. Billy Bunch has been doing this entirely too long for me to believe that. We went on, working our way through the dust and occasionally passing slower cars from the classes that started in front of us along with broken down unlimited vehicles. Before the start, a guy had come up to our truck pleading for us not to harm the 7 something truck starting several vehicles in front of us with a young, first ever driver. I told him we would do what we could. Sure enough by mile 15 we came up on the truck driving rather erratically. We didn’t hit him, but followed him for nearly a mile with the horn blaring. I would swear that I saw the co-driver finally reach over and yank the wheel to get them out of our way!

At about RM 98 we arrived at the BF Goodrich Pit 1 where we were scheduled to get fuel and do a rider change. Sometimes the BFG pit boss will allow us to do the change while they fuel, but this time they did not, and Dan had to get in just past the pit. When we pulled ahead, the Bunch Jeep came screaming up and as they looked over to see what we were doing, they blew right through the 90 degree corner! We were able to pull back onto the course ahead of them and motor for the Summit. As we had just started to ascend and the trail had become only one lane wide we came to our first road block. One of the mini trucks had stopped for some unknown reason in the middle of the trail. Of course the Jeep was immediately on our tail when we stopped. Another truck in front of us was able to get a tow rope on the stalled truck and drag them slightly off to the side. There was just enough room to literally scrape by as several vehicles in front of us went around. We went on, with the Jeep on our 6, as we climbed the rocky and rough Summit. This section is basically a very tough 4x4 road, with huge, loose boulders in the trail, and it is strictly about survival and keeping the tires in one piece until after passing through. The Jeep is now using Brand X tires, and I was not surprised to hear a large BOOM over the noise of our truck right before topping out over the pass. They had destroyed a tire on a rock their second before RM120, and we went on without them!

The San Felipe side of Baja is very hot, well over 100 degrees, and it became a juggling match adjusting speed to manage the water and oil temperatures all the while dodging what I call “day ending” rocks in the soft sand wash. We covered the Cohabuzo junction and then Laguna Salada. You would think the dry lake would be very fast, but there is only one line that you can use and not sink into the soft lake surface, and it is completely whooped out and rough. We made radio contact with Rick and Brad, our support crew in the area and reported no problems. Then there were the silt beds and the long 40 miles to Borrego and the next BFG pit. Dan commented that it is so much easier to negotiate the silt in the daylight, and I would have to agree. At the Baja 1000 we did this section as well, but by the late afternoon in November it is completely dark and the best lights in the world just glare back at you in the silt. By 160 miles, I am starting to get hot and tired, and then you throw in this especially ugly section, and I am more than ready to be physically pulled from the truck at RM 200.

Dan and I made it to Borrego, and with no problems at all, we were running well up in the middle of the faster classes of racers. Ken and Craig jumped in and we got another load of fuel at BFG 2. The next 12 or 13 miles is some of the worst whooped out road in Baja, something to get them set up for the rest of their day. The road up to Mike’s Sky Ranch makes up for it, and I made Cliff and Kevin stop the chase truck so I could listen to that new engine we have been working on for a year now as Ken quickly knocked out some more miles. At Valle de Trinidad we actually stopped twice for tacos since we had a long wait as the truck did the long Pacific side loop. Gary had stayed behind in Bakersfield and was providing us with the Bronco’s progress from the satellite tracking site. Dave, Dennis, Jason and Mike were stationed in the El Alamo area to provide support and a splash of fuel. From there the Bronco moved on to the coast where the course ran right on the beach.

Typically the SCORE operations and the Weatherman are able to be heard by our support personnel at home via the internet however this race there was a snafu with the internet connection at the observatory on top of the mountain, and this feed was not available to them. However we could hear the Weatherman going on and on via the radio about the record high tides, race vehicles stuck in the surf, and police officers that would neither let the racers continue on the beach or run through the town of Erindira. Of course all this is also going in the dark near midnight, and the story is third or fourth person by the time it gets to the Weatherman. We now had more than an hour lead on the other two Jeeps that were still moving, but I have seen a lead much bigger than this evaporate with a course problem before, and I started to sweat. Just about this time, a report came in from Gary that showed the Bronco had cleared the bad section. Hooray! Later Ken and Craig explained that they had still had to do some creative maneuvering around the flooded beach section and that there was at least one Virtual Checkpoint that they could not approach because it was out in the water! They reported they could see three vehicles stuck that tried it as they went on. At Santo Tomas, Craig got out and Dennis got in to help Ken get across the difficult section beyond Uruapan. On the highway they somehow got carried away passing a semi and managed to rack up nearly 10 minutes of time penalties for speeding over the 60 mph limit! The Bronco arrived at the massive circus that forms in a farmer’s field near Ojos Negros. I don’t believe the farmer even bothers to farm this area anymore, as he charges $5 per vehicle to enter! It is a convenient area to get to off the highway and usually there is a quite a long wait for the racers as they slowly make their way north from Uruapan. We watched straggling Trophy Trucks and Class 1 buggies come through, often stopping for extended repairs after damaging something in that nasty section just before. There are locals mixed in with the racers, typically well lubed from a long day of spectating, tending warming fires in the dust and the smoke. Chase trucks are coming and going, sometimes with a broken down racer on the trailer with them. It really is quite a show.

The Bronco came in right on schedule to our location at RM 400 and I replaced Ken for the last 40+ miles as the crew added a splash of gas. Dennis was still going strong in the right seat as we carefully picked our way back to Ensenada. It always amazes me that there are so many people still out spectating on the course, often many miles from anywhere at 1 or 2 a.m. You just don’t get fans like that everywhere! We finished in 14:53:38 for an average speed of 30.2 mph. That doesn’t sound that great until you realize that the overall unlimited entry only averaged 48 mph. At the finish I had told Sal Fish that we had not touched a tool all day, however I later learned that Ken had asked them to check the lug nuts before he did the beach section at the south end of the course. They didn’t find anything loose by the way. I believe that is our cleanest, most problem free race we have ever had in that 33 year old truck!

Once again, it takes a ton of people, work, and contributors to this effort to make it as successful as it is. With 4 class wins already this year, our goal is to bring home our 10th Class 3 championship. In addition we are still in the running of a handful to collect our 4th Toyota Milestone award for running every mile of every race in the SCORE series. As mentioned previously, Transfer Flow, Inc. was a huge contributor by setting up two of our chase trucks with long range tanks. I have a capacity of just over 100 gallons of fuel in my truck now, and will never have to wait in another long Mexican fuel station line again. Thanks also to Industrial Sunscreen for providing a very useful quality product. We would like to offer that they now change their slogan from “Bubba Tested” to “Baja Tested”. Once again, we could never do the races we do without the support of BF Goodrich and their fantastic tires. Combined with Slime tire sealant, we never touched a tire all the way through pre-running and the race with the very same tires, and they are still completely pumped up here in Sacramento a week later! The Autofab fiberglass quarter panels held up great to Baja. I know I don’t say it enough because we almost never even think about anymore, but the KC HiLites HID Pods make the night sections just as easy as the day. We just turn them on and keep driving. In the “old” days we all used to dread the night sections. A million thanks again to River City Differential for completely rebuilding the front axle once again after I am sure I damaged it Laughlin earlier this year. The RoughStuff Specialties rear axle housing continues to take as much abuse as we can supply to it without even a whimper. I know the list is long, but I must also say thank you to Mid State Barriers, Deaver Springs, King shocks, Autometer, Sunoco fuel, Instant Mexico Insurance, K&N Filters, Powdercoat-it.com, Optima batteries, Canidae pet food and West Coast Broncos. Each of them makes the effort to make us successful.

So the next scheduled race is the legendary Baja 1000 in November, right before Thanksgiving. This year it will return to the traditional point to point format. We will start in Ensenada and finish in La Paz. I know the crew is looking forward to it, I guess because it has been just long enough for them to forget just how grueling it is! We will look forward to the challenge.

Don
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yikes
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Re: 2012 B500

Post by yikes »

however I later learned that Ken had asked them to check the lug nuts before he did the beach section
Comedy! If only the rest of the racers could say that. Amazing.


Awesome Don! Congratulations on another great win and the Moss Bros 40th!! Wow!! You guys are pure awesome. I hope you'll have a big bash to celebrate the accomplishment.
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tcm glx
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Re: 2012 B500

Post by tcm glx »

300 wrote:Moss Brothers Racing 2012 Baja 500 Post Race Report

Neither of the Jeeps ever appeared behind us, but at about mile 30 we came up on the Bunch Jeep parked on the side of the course changing a tire! How did that happen? The explanation we got later was that they had gotten “lost”. Billy Bunch has been doing this entirely too long for me to believe that.
Don

First off Don, congrats on yet another win, the Secret Society of Black Bronco Owners Salutes you!!!
Second off.... on Friday, when a few of us went down prerunning the secton from town to Ojos... we had a VERY VERY VERY similar incident with a Class 1 car that had a broken Arm or Spindle. We passed them when they were deep in the hills, and kept motoring along. Only to find about 10 miles down the road, almost to Ojos, we had to pass them again!! I was like WTF!! Later we remember there is an access road, and I believe it must cut straight out of the hills, as opposed to the windy road the race course takes.....

Intreresting "line" if you ask me... hahaha
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Re: 2012 B500

Post by Broncodawg »

What a race weekend! Seems to get better every time I head down. Been out of town on business since the race, but still amped about fueling 300 at BFG 1, watching them get passed by Bunch and then get it right back when Bunch blew the corner and had to turn around! Great to see the Moss gang as always and congrats on win 40!

Saw the black bronco society at BFG 1, but we were in the middle of our prerace safety meeting, or I'd of flagged you down. Before I knew it you guys were headed back out to the hwy? No whoops on the course right there, so bet you were off to better spot, but you missed some good high speed into a 90 degree turn that made for some good action. About 10 racers blew the turn (including Bunch and Pistola), but thankfully no one wrecked.

Great pics, thanks.
Ole Yeller-89 Bronco Prerunner/77 Bronco rock rig/79 F100 prerunner yard art
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tcm glx
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Re: 2012 B500

Post by tcm glx »

Broncodawg wrote:What a race weekend! Seems to get better every time I head down. Been out of town on business since the race, but still amped about fueling 300 at BFG 1, watching them get passed by Bunch and then get it right back when Bunch blew the corner and had to turn around! Great to see the Moss gang as always and congrats on win 40!

Saw the black bronco society at BFG 1, but we were in the middle of our prerace safety meeting, or I'd of flagged you down. Before I knew it you guys were headed back out to the hwy? No whoops on the course right there, so bet you were off to better spot, but you missed some good high speed into a 90 degree turn that made for some good action. About 10 racers blew the turn (including Bunch and Pistola), but thankfully no one wrecked.

Great pics, thanks.

Awwww man, I wish I would have come back. We actually took a little side trail, and backtracked about a mile on the race course and hung there all day. Still no whoops, but a few turns that got exciting.
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