NICE!!!NORRA 2013
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AussieRod
- Posts: 2804
- Joined: Sun Sep 05, 2010 1:43 am
- Bronco Info: 81 Bronco XLT, 250 alloy head crossflow 6, NP435/NP208, 4:10 gears, 31-10.5R15 M/Ts.
- Location: Downunder
Re: NORRA 2013
WoW! My "old" Bronco sure has evolved. NICE!!!
NICE!!!-
323bronco
- Posts: 231
- Joined: Sat Jan 28, 2012 1:46 pm
- Bronco Info: 1989 BRONCO TTB with 96 front clip
Re: NORRA 2013
Don't leave baja with out them !!!
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tcm glx
- Peanut Butter
- Posts: 7303
- Joined: Tue Dec 08, 2009 11:19 am
- Bronco Info: 93 Ford Bronco 5.8
- Location: Riverside Ca
- Contact:
Re: NORRA 2013
Tacos..... LOVE EM!
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ChaseTruck754
- Spy/Ninja
- Posts: 9194
- Joined: Thu Jan 28, 2010 9:46 am
- Bronco Info: Don't have one - just old Ford trucks
- Location: Huntington Beach, CA
Re: NORRA 2013
damn! That is just not right. I need real tacos again - it's been too long!
Re: NORRA 2013
unfortunately our very own chris wilson is broke near lorreto with a broken motor. sucks! if anyone knows a trailer down that way he's currently looking for one.
another norra happening... the bfg blazer that i was very fortunate to work on to get it ready for this race was not allowed in the stadium in mexicali since it is the "bfg blazer" and norra is a general tire event. total bullshit!
another norra happening... the bfg blazer that i was very fortunate to work on to get it ready for this race was not allowed in the stadium in mexicali since it is the "bfg blazer" and norra is a general tire event. total bullshit!
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ChaseTruck754
- Spy/Ninja
- Posts: 9194
- Joined: Thu Jan 28, 2010 9:46 am
- Bronco Info: Don't have one - just old Ford trucks
- Location: Huntington Beach, CA
Re: NORRA 2013
Seriously? They wouldn't let it in because it's sponsor/owner is an opposing company???
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D1cker1
- Posts: 1255
- Joined: Mon Nov 29, 2010 10:44 pm
- Bronco Info: 93 EB Bronco 12"Over 40" BFG projects 5.13 gears in a 8.8... 1 seat and stripped Interior
- Location: ORANGE CUNTY, COMIFORNIA وس إنجليزي - عربي
Re: NORRA 2013
Looks like a fun event I missed.
Re: NORRA 2013
yes! total bullshit!ChaseTruck754 wrote:Seriously? They wouldn't let it in because it's sponsor/owner is an opposing company???
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SteveG
- Admin
- Posts: 6100
- Joined: Sat Dec 05, 2009 10:25 am
- Bronco Info: Wilson: 96, Stretched 17.5", coil-overs / Bypasses, 4-link, a fridge and all the amenities :)
- Location: Arroyo Grande, CA
Re: NORRA 2013
Lame!PBR wrote:yes! total bullshit!ChaseTruck754 wrote:Seriously? They wouldn't let it in because it's sponsor/owner is an opposing company???
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BajaF250
- Posts: 2430
- Joined: Fri Jun 18, 2010 7:47 pm
- Bronco Info: 1982 Ford F250
- Location: San Diego, CA
- Contact:
Re: NORRA 2013
Hola and Buenos Dias all!!!!
Yup, I've spent the last 7 or 8 months under the grey Bronco building it for this NORRA race. Pretty much every waking hour outside my regular job. Sorry for the lack of information flow, but the owner has asked that I not post info on the build or the race... and I honor that request. But, it is most unfortunate for us loyal Bronco followers and I am most humbly contrite in the lack of the story's entirety.
Just a little insight in the Bronco... it's a 92 Bronco (not Rod's) that was previously owned by John Harrah... it was crashed (he endo’d it) down prerunning the San Felipe 250 a few years back, 2008 to be exact, (Rick and I saw it on the trailer wrecked just after it happened). In the repair process he decided for unknown reasons to sell it after he had poured a ton of money in repairs. It was at Jimmy Weitzel’s shop (where Jimmy did the fab work on extending the rear) when he decided to sell it. When the current owner found out about it, he decided to buy it, it came bare frame, not complete with all the parts packed on pallets. And, that was the way it was delivered. So, we partnered up on the build with the goal of the 2013 NORRA race.
As I mentioned earlier, it’s a ’92 Bronco, extended 11” from 104” to 115” wheel base and an extended “stock” shell. It retained the stock width, of course minus wheel offset and tire size. It’s running 37” BFG KR and KRT tires on Trail Ready wheels. It has a 351W stroked to a 383cu-in, Jim Horne build motor putting out 531 dyno’d HP (at 6,300 rpm) with 468 ft-lbs torque at 5,600 rpm with a Ken Mogi Turbo 400 tranny and a TCS torque converter. We redlined it at 5,500 rpm (~500HP) for motor reliability. It has Dirt Tech trailing arms and a Chrisman live axle rear end with CNC brakes, 14” rotors, strange 10” rear end running 5.43:1 rear ratio. It’s a three-seater and dual parker pumpers (passenger and co-driver run off a single “dual” push pumper. It has Lee steering components including a ram and dual swinger setup. Its running fox shox on all corners, 2 ½” x 16” coilovers with Hypercoil springs and 3” x 16” 4-tube bypass shox. It’s two-wheel drive and has 23” front travel and 27” rear travel (actually it has 37” of travel, but it’s strapped to 27”). It has Master craft seats and harnesses all the way around. The GPS unit is a Lowrance Baja-840c with dual SD card slots.
One of the really cool aspects of the three-seater, the rear seat has PLENTY of room… you can stretch your legs completely and it even has a foot rest, hand bars and a perfect view out the front and sides. It’s like you’re riding in Capt Kirk’s command chair aboard the starship “USS ENTERPRISE.” It really is very “cush!”
So, the bottom line on the race. We entered the race the day registration opened (1 Jan). We entered the “Vintage Open Truck” class in order to get clean air (first class to start the race) and race at the front of the pack. It’s the same class as Walker Evans, Michael Gaughn, Kash Vessels, etc. Tech went exceptionally well, many folks interested in the Bronco at the Bull Ring… lots of admirers. The race start was a transit stage from the Bull Ring out to the northern end of Laguna Salada dry lake. The real race started on Laguna Salada. Not much to tell from there, we took off, started 7th, and the truck ran flawlessly. We passed three of the trucks ahead of us in the first 5 miles or so and it ran very cool and smooth out on the lake bed. The engine temps were between 160 – 170F. With no warning the coolant temp jumped up to 250F, and we shut it down immediately. We popped the hood and it was clear the coolant was pushed out and drained. So, we gave it a shot and filled it back up with our drinking water, started the engine and it poured out the right exhaust… pretty clear we had a bad gasket or head. We tried driving a little and the water was all gone in about a minute. So, we shut down… we were out!
We were incredibly lucky and had the most unbelievably great group as chase/support. For the northern section, day 1 we had: Tony, Yikes and Jesse were in T’s Black Beauty, Vic and Isreal were in Jelly 52, Chris had his Diesel (he towed the Race Bronco from San Diego to Mexicali, and Roger, Roger Jr. were in Roger’s Diesel . We also were honored with Nate from BFG in their Ford F250 prerunner (and a VERY nice prerunner it is!). The chase support for the first day was laid out such that Tony covered the start, Vic was prepositioned at the end of stage 1 to catch us on the radio as we came around the southern tip of the mountains and provide radio relay, a visual at the end of the stage and to chase to the pit site. We had Chris and Roger’s group set up a refueling and crew change pit at Borrego, just prior to the start of the second stage. We were also very luck as we had a satellite radio system for the team and could talk to Nate in his prerunner and the rest of the crew down in Bay of LA when needed. So, when we figured out what was wrong with the motor, we called Nate on the Satellite radio and he relayed to Vic and the crew at Borrego to get back north to tow us out and load the trailer. It all worked out well and exceptionally smoothly… the professionalism and determination of the crew worked so well and I can’t tell you how humbled I am to have such good friends willing to go to such lengths to help. Everyone’s efforts were and are so highly appreciated. Thank you!
So, Nate made his way down the race course from the beginning after all the racers had started off the line. As he was heading down the course, he pulled several stuck racers out of their peril as he came upon them. He found one of the two Porche 911 rally cars stuck so he hooked up and pulled them out… but the terrain was soft silty and whooped out… so he had to keep his speed up just a little. As you hear Nate tell it, he looked in the rear view mirror and one second, the Porche was out of sight dipped down below the whoops and the very next it was sky-rocketing up in a huge cloud of silt as it bashed it way up and out. After he got them to hard terrain, he apologized for such a rough run and the drivers exclaimed it was fantastic and it would be “…the fastest we’d be able to go the entire race!!!!”
Nate made it to our spot, we hooked up and rode the Bronco all the way back to the head of Laguna Salada “…on the hook…” so-to-speak! Not the way you’d want to start, or finish a race… The chase gang showed up and we loaded the Bronco for its trip back to San Diego. In the meantime, we coordinated with the rest of the team down in BOLA and determined what everyone wanted to do since we were out. Jules and I decided (quite easily) that we wanted to continue down south with the race and experience as much as we could… so we followed the race south… all the way to San Jose de Cabo. What a fantastic journey… we had a great time! The only thing that would have made it better is if we’d been able to do it in the race Bronco!
As of this morning, the motor is still in the Bronco but will be pulled this week and head up to Jim Hornes for forensic teardown and analysis. It’s sort of funny, the cylinder that went bad was number 4… and usually if the motor gets hot, it’s 2 or 3 (or 6, 7)… From what we can tell, the head has a hole (casting hole perhaps) or crack (never got hot, so it would be something from manufacture). We’ll find out the “rest of the story” when it’s all broken down and the parts are looked at.
It’s been an incredible journey, the whole enchilada… and although we only got 20.8 miles into the race; that was only a very small part of the journey… I learned so much from the entire build, the organization and the team, the trip, everything. It was fantastic. Racing often lets you go only so far… this was one of those cases… it’s just racing. And, racing is fun! Period… it’s also EXPENSIVE!!!! (Don’t laugh here Don). I’ve known it for a very long time it’s just when you’re shelling out the pesos, it’s a little more real!
Below are a few of the archive photos I found of the endo'd Bronco prior to the 08 SF 250, south of town freshly loaded on the trailer for it's journey north.
Yup, I've spent the last 7 or 8 months under the grey Bronco building it for this NORRA race. Pretty much every waking hour outside my regular job. Sorry for the lack of information flow, but the owner has asked that I not post info on the build or the race... and I honor that request. But, it is most unfortunate for us loyal Bronco followers and I am most humbly contrite in the lack of the story's entirety.
Just a little insight in the Bronco... it's a 92 Bronco (not Rod's) that was previously owned by John Harrah... it was crashed (he endo’d it) down prerunning the San Felipe 250 a few years back, 2008 to be exact, (Rick and I saw it on the trailer wrecked just after it happened). In the repair process he decided for unknown reasons to sell it after he had poured a ton of money in repairs. It was at Jimmy Weitzel’s shop (where Jimmy did the fab work on extending the rear) when he decided to sell it. When the current owner found out about it, he decided to buy it, it came bare frame, not complete with all the parts packed on pallets. And, that was the way it was delivered. So, we partnered up on the build with the goal of the 2013 NORRA race.
As I mentioned earlier, it’s a ’92 Bronco, extended 11” from 104” to 115” wheel base and an extended “stock” shell. It retained the stock width, of course minus wheel offset and tire size. It’s running 37” BFG KR and KRT tires on Trail Ready wheels. It has a 351W stroked to a 383cu-in, Jim Horne build motor putting out 531 dyno’d HP (at 6,300 rpm) with 468 ft-lbs torque at 5,600 rpm with a Ken Mogi Turbo 400 tranny and a TCS torque converter. We redlined it at 5,500 rpm (~500HP) for motor reliability. It has Dirt Tech trailing arms and a Chrisman live axle rear end with CNC brakes, 14” rotors, strange 10” rear end running 5.43:1 rear ratio. It’s a three-seater and dual parker pumpers (passenger and co-driver run off a single “dual” push pumper. It has Lee steering components including a ram and dual swinger setup. Its running fox shox on all corners, 2 ½” x 16” coilovers with Hypercoil springs and 3” x 16” 4-tube bypass shox. It’s two-wheel drive and has 23” front travel and 27” rear travel (actually it has 37” of travel, but it’s strapped to 27”). It has Master craft seats and harnesses all the way around. The GPS unit is a Lowrance Baja-840c with dual SD card slots.
One of the really cool aspects of the three-seater, the rear seat has PLENTY of room… you can stretch your legs completely and it even has a foot rest, hand bars and a perfect view out the front and sides. It’s like you’re riding in Capt Kirk’s command chair aboard the starship “USS ENTERPRISE.” It really is very “cush!”
So, the bottom line on the race. We entered the race the day registration opened (1 Jan). We entered the “Vintage Open Truck” class in order to get clean air (first class to start the race) and race at the front of the pack. It’s the same class as Walker Evans, Michael Gaughn, Kash Vessels, etc. Tech went exceptionally well, many folks interested in the Bronco at the Bull Ring… lots of admirers. The race start was a transit stage from the Bull Ring out to the northern end of Laguna Salada dry lake. The real race started on Laguna Salada. Not much to tell from there, we took off, started 7th, and the truck ran flawlessly. We passed three of the trucks ahead of us in the first 5 miles or so and it ran very cool and smooth out on the lake bed. The engine temps were between 160 – 170F. With no warning the coolant temp jumped up to 250F, and we shut it down immediately. We popped the hood and it was clear the coolant was pushed out and drained. So, we gave it a shot and filled it back up with our drinking water, started the engine and it poured out the right exhaust… pretty clear we had a bad gasket or head. We tried driving a little and the water was all gone in about a minute. So, we shut down… we were out!
We were incredibly lucky and had the most unbelievably great group as chase/support. For the northern section, day 1 we had: Tony, Yikes and Jesse were in T’s Black Beauty, Vic and Isreal were in Jelly 52, Chris had his Diesel (he towed the Race Bronco from San Diego to Mexicali, and Roger, Roger Jr. were in Roger’s Diesel . We also were honored with Nate from BFG in their Ford F250 prerunner (and a VERY nice prerunner it is!). The chase support for the first day was laid out such that Tony covered the start, Vic was prepositioned at the end of stage 1 to catch us on the radio as we came around the southern tip of the mountains and provide radio relay, a visual at the end of the stage and to chase to the pit site. We had Chris and Roger’s group set up a refueling and crew change pit at Borrego, just prior to the start of the second stage. We were also very luck as we had a satellite radio system for the team and could talk to Nate in his prerunner and the rest of the crew down in Bay of LA when needed. So, when we figured out what was wrong with the motor, we called Nate on the Satellite radio and he relayed to Vic and the crew at Borrego to get back north to tow us out and load the trailer. It all worked out well and exceptionally smoothly… the professionalism and determination of the crew worked so well and I can’t tell you how humbled I am to have such good friends willing to go to such lengths to help. Everyone’s efforts were and are so highly appreciated. Thank you!
So, Nate made his way down the race course from the beginning after all the racers had started off the line. As he was heading down the course, he pulled several stuck racers out of their peril as he came upon them. He found one of the two Porche 911 rally cars stuck so he hooked up and pulled them out… but the terrain was soft silty and whooped out… so he had to keep his speed up just a little. As you hear Nate tell it, he looked in the rear view mirror and one second, the Porche was out of sight dipped down below the whoops and the very next it was sky-rocketing up in a huge cloud of silt as it bashed it way up and out. After he got them to hard terrain, he apologized for such a rough run and the drivers exclaimed it was fantastic and it would be “…the fastest we’d be able to go the entire race!!!!”
Nate made it to our spot, we hooked up and rode the Bronco all the way back to the head of Laguna Salada “…on the hook…” so-to-speak! Not the way you’d want to start, or finish a race… The chase gang showed up and we loaded the Bronco for its trip back to San Diego. In the meantime, we coordinated with the rest of the team down in BOLA and determined what everyone wanted to do since we were out. Jules and I decided (quite easily) that we wanted to continue down south with the race and experience as much as we could… so we followed the race south… all the way to San Jose de Cabo. What a fantastic journey… we had a great time! The only thing that would have made it better is if we’d been able to do it in the race Bronco!
As of this morning, the motor is still in the Bronco but will be pulled this week and head up to Jim Hornes for forensic teardown and analysis. It’s sort of funny, the cylinder that went bad was number 4… and usually if the motor gets hot, it’s 2 or 3 (or 6, 7)… From what we can tell, the head has a hole (casting hole perhaps) or crack (never got hot, so it would be something from manufacture). We’ll find out the “rest of the story” when it’s all broken down and the parts are looked at.
It’s been an incredible journey, the whole enchilada… and although we only got 20.8 miles into the race; that was only a very small part of the journey… I learned so much from the entire build, the organization and the team, the trip, everything. It was fantastic. Racing often lets you go only so far… this was one of those cases… it’s just racing. And, racing is fun! Period… it’s also EXPENSIVE!!!! (Don’t laugh here Don). I’ve known it for a very long time it’s just when you’re shelling out the pesos, it’s a little more real!
Below are a few of the archive photos I found of the endo'd Bronco prior to the 08 SF 250, south of town freshly loaded on the trailer for it's journey north.
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BajaF250
- Posts: 2430
- Joined: Fri Jun 18, 2010 7:47 pm
- Bronco Info: 1982 Ford F250
- Location: San Diego, CA
- Contact:
Re: NORRA 2013
Yup, true story... I talked with Cam after it happened... he was pretty sore about it... and rightfully so. This should be about the Vintage part of the race. Sorry it happed that way.SteveG wrote:Lame!PBR wrote:yes! total bullshit!ChaseTruck754 wrote:Seriously? They wouldn't let it in because it's sponsor/owner is an opposing company???
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BajaF250
- Posts: 2430
- Joined: Fri Jun 18, 2010 7:47 pm
- Bronco Info: 1982 Ford F250
- Location: San Diego, CA
- Contact:
Re: NORRA 2013
Sorry Rod, your old Bronco still sits behind Bill's shop in it's entirety! It runs and is fully smogged, registered and licensed.AussieRod wrote:WoW! My "old" Bronco sure has evolved.
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BajaF250
- Posts: 2430
- Joined: Fri Jun 18, 2010 7:47 pm
- Bronco Info: 1982 Ford F250
- Location: San Diego, CA
- Contact:
Re: NORRA 2013
Hey Ollie,PBR wrote:unfortunately our very own chris wilson is broke near lorreto with a broken motor. sucks! if anyone knows a trailer down that way he's currently looking for one.
another norra happening... the bfg blazer that i was very fortunate to work on to get it ready for this race was not allowed in the stadium in mexicali since it is the "bfg blazer" and norra is a general tire event. total bullshit!
I saw Chris towing his Bronco behind his motor home south of Mulege Friday evening. So, it looks like he got it figured out. (We were at Olivia's on Bahia de Concepcion.
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BajaF250
- Posts: 2430
- Joined: Fri Jun 18, 2010 7:47 pm
- Bronco Info: 1982 Ford F250
- Location: San Diego, CA
- Contact:
Re: NORRA 2013
Yup, you sure missed a "doozie!" GREAT TIME!D1cker1 wrote:Looks like a fun event I missed.
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BajaF250
- Posts: 2430
- Joined: Fri Jun 18, 2010 7:47 pm
- Bronco Info: 1982 Ford F250
- Location: San Diego, CA
- Contact:
Re: NORRA 2013
Oh, I also wanted to mention that Rob (our very own Quailhunter) and Ryan from Autofab were there to see us off... they also escorted us to the start line for support... many thanks Rob!!!!
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Quailhunter
- Posts: 356
- Joined: Sat Jul 31, 2010 7:29 am
- Bronco Info: 74 F100 Stepside 408 sbf complete Autofab truck 74 F-250 Supercab Shortbed
- Location: San Diego,CA
Re: NORRA 2013
The pleasure was ours. Tom, a quick head gasket or head repair and you're all ready for NORRA's September event.
Re: NORRA 2013
Wasn't Frank DeAngelo driving this Bronco?
Saw Quailhunter's truck beside us at the gas station in San Felipe.
Todd Z.
Saw Quailhunter's truck beside us at the gas station in San Felipe.
Todd Z.
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BDKW1
- Posts: 1517
- Joined: Mon Jun 14, 2010 1:19 pm
- Bronco Info: It's the new and inproved Party Barge!
- Location: Not Socal
Re: NORRA 2013
BajaF250 wrote:Hola and Buenos Dias all!!!!
Yup, I've spent the last 7 or 8 months under the grey Bronco building it for this NORRA race.
Ah, wondered where the HRT Bronco ended up after the endo. I remember seeing them dragging it out thinking, "That's not going to buff out."...........
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BajaF250
- Posts: 2430
- Joined: Fri Jun 18, 2010 7:47 pm
- Bronco Info: 1982 Ford F250
- Location: San Diego, CA
- Contact:
Re: NORRA 2013
toddz69 wrote:Wasn't Frank DeAngelo driving this Bronco?
Saw Quailhunter's truck beside us at the gas station in San Felipe.
Todd Z.
Hey Todd,
Yup, on the button... Frank was at the wheel.
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Broncodawg
- Posts: 711
- Joined: Fri Dec 11, 2009 10:14 pm
- Bronco Info: Ole Yeller- 89 Bronco prerunner, 77 Bronco rock rig, 79 F100 prerunner barn find
- Location: Bishop, CA
Re: NORRA 2013
Great write up Tom. Hated hearing about your truck in SF, but love the way you guys rallied and went south anyway! Lots of carnage on day one, so you guys were far from alone. Our truck was done by BofLA with overheating and fuel pressure issues, but glad we continued down too so we could help out and take it all in. Quite an adventure!
Good seeing Rob, Yikes and all the GFB boys down to help out.
Good seeing Rob, Yikes and all the GFB boys down to help out.