Could A 1997 Cruiser Run The Baja 1000?

[4WD Toyota Owner Magazine]

We just ran the Baja 500 in an FJ Cruiser and with a full pro pit crew driving 80s!

Anyway, for the 500, we were racing the clock, not other people. HAd to average 24mph. It's not that fast. In sportsman classes, you need to save your vehicle, not pretend you're Herbst or Gordon. You finish, you podium, in our class anyway (stock mini). Even Sportsman has very few finishers. Build and drive to finish. Drive the truck at 75% and you'll have a much better chance to finish. We went out at 250 after multiple bent knuckles. Everything else was a solid as a rock. So it goes. It'll be a blast--DO IT! We'll cover it every step of the way!

Dave

 

[Boston Mangler]

We just ran the Baja 500 in an FJ Cruiser and with a full pro pit crew driving 80s!

I was there with the 80 gang and must say, i had a blast!

We have been doing this for years and heading down with Dave in the gang from 4WDTOM was one of the best times we have had Racing in Baja! Commaradre was awesome and the teamwork was top notch!

The coverage in the Mag is going to be kickass so if your lazy ass hasnt subscribed yet, get on it!

Dave is 100% right! The 80 isnt going to beat Robby G in his TT, but if you drive it smart, hold it together and finish, you have a good chance of a podium!

I WOULDNT EVEN CONSIDER STARTING THIS PROJECT WITHOUT GETTING YOUR HANDS ON A SCORE RULEBOOK FIRST!!!!

 

[Imagery]

That is very promising to hear about you guys running the 500 with the FJ and the 80's as chase vehicles.. That is what I had already planned as far as how I would intend to drive... about 75% and just focus on making it to the finish before race times out. My friend already has his 2006-2010 Score Rule book and I sent my order in today for my copy as well. We will make our final decision based on what we feel we can handle and if we want to run my 80 or find another one to build or try and go with another vehicle all together. We had given some thought into running a 1969 VW Baja bug but not convinced at this point. I was thinking about at least doing a Pre-Run in my 80 just to get a better feel for things and flag some waypoints with the GPS. I do plan to document our experience from beginning to end with several video cams and still cameras

 

[sleeoffroad]

All I can say is you should ask Shotts if you should rather that the 100 with N74L shocks

 

[landtank]

I actually know where there is a full frame with drive train from a 100 deisel here in the states. It just needs a body and a few other odds and ends.

Well it was there last year anyway.

 

[landtank]

A guy that I used to work with had a plaque on his desk that said:

If you can't dazzle them with brilliance then baffle them with bull s***.

Dunno why that image returned after all these years but it did.

for me it's

Don't argue with an idiot, people watching might not be able to tell the difference!

In fact this is going to be my new mantra

 

[IRBIS]

Here is my opinion on this topic. In Russia we have alot of racing similar to Baja or Paris- Dakar. Alot of people successfully use the 80 for this racing. The 80 is a very good strong vehicle, and it has only two weak points in racing situations. Weight distribution; too heavy on the nose and front axle. The best way to keep it as stock as possible means stock gears, transmission and engine. These will be easy to repair and stronger. I don't think you need a huge lift on the racing truck, you need better control on all four corners and double shocks with remote reservoirs, which going to help you better than the lift. About the engine, I think you better keep the gas engine because it is lighter than the diesel. I don't know if Baja racing allows body modifications but that will be helpful. About salvage trucks, that will be really easy to buy 80 with some small body damage, I have 8 trucks right now that we are parting out or using on different projects. Like I said if you buy a stock 80 with a gas engine it will be easy to care spare parts and do repair during the race. Let me know if I can help you with any stock parts, I will be glad to do it. Here are some pictures from the Russian modified 80.

Thanks

Oleg

 

[IRBIS]

Here are a few more pictures of the vehicle.

 

[FJ40 CruiserEd]

Tech shnech

So you want to race an 80 in the Baja 1000? That's easy, just visualize and go for it...everything will fall in place.


Have fun and don't forget to take pics and share your story when you return

 

[Juergen Heinemann]

Try the Baja 500 first. And not in your truck! That thing is too nice man! I'd recomend a tacoma, or if you must go SUV a 4runner (older). Plus a front solid axle is a no go. I've spent alot of time in The Baja filming racers. A long trave suspension is a must Tottal Chaos makes a great long travel. Not the cheapest but worth every penny. If you are going to runn the 1000, honestly one of your biggest issues will be the silt beds. Full faced helmets and some kinda breather are a must. It'll be the experience of a life time. Go for it! And post lots o' pics of the rig you use! Ha!

 

[LandCruiserPhil]

A new class for the guy who THINKS he has what it takes to be an off road racer.
Trophylite

 

[Boston Mangler]

Try the Baja 500 first.

Agreed

And not in your truck! That thing is too nice man! I'd recomend a tacoma, or if you must go SUV a 4runner (older). Plus a front solid axle is a no go.

I am going to disagree with almost 100% of what your saying aside from the first and last statements!

I've spent alot of time in The Baja filming racers.

I have actually driven the race in an 80!

A long trave suspension is a must Tottal Chaos makes a great long travel. Not the cheapest but worth every penny.

Why would someone want to run that? It is illegal in almost every class but sportsman! With all of the bottle necks and accidents ahead of you, there is almost zero chance of finishing a race in the Sportsman class with an 80 series.

We ran a "upgraded" solid axle with 3" triple bypasses and the thing worked TITS!

If you are going to runn the 1000, honestly one of your biggest issues will be the silt beds.

100% disagree! I locked the CDL and rock and hammered through the silt beds with ease, passing stuck TT's, Class 1s, etc.... The 80 make short work of the Silt

Full faced helmets and some kinda breather are a must.

Yes and No, we found the ideal setup, was a full faced helmet with no visor and a fresh air system. The visors go covered with so much dust, so often, it was driving us both nuts! We quickly removed the visors and it was smooth sailing, the fresh air blowing in, still worked good enough to keep the dust out.

It'll be the experience of a life time. !

That i will agree with 100%

 

[Imagery]

Well we did run the 40th Baja 1000 last year but we drove a VW Beatle, class 5-1600. We had only about 6 months to build or find one already built, fully prep and get all the required safety equipment ect. We did find a car that was recently SCORE certified and raced so it was a good start but the PO took all of the radios, intercom, good seats, lights and even the race motor ect so we still had alot of work to do. Anyway, we drove the 1800 plus miles to Ensenada and had a day to finish preping the car and put in the new race engine. We were very pressed for time but we pulled it all together and started the race. However we only made it to race mile 98 and in a series of deep woops, we had our return line for the oil system come off of the connector. When we noticed what happened we stoped and killed the engine to look at the motor. We put the line back together, refilled oil only to discover the enging had locked up on us. So that was the end of the race for us but luckily we still had the old moter we swaped out so we just went back to Ohjos Negros (mispelling) and set camp and rerun that section for practice. Anyway, we are going to do it again this year November 19 and we have all we learned from that experience so we are hopeful to finish the race this time. We are also going to race a couple events in Nevada to get some more raceing under our belts.

I still want to bring my Land Cruiser to have as part of our support team but knowing just how rough the course can be, I don't trust anyone but me to drive it and not wreck it. One of the most dangerous aspects of the race is the chase teams running back and fourth on the race course and running balls to the wall. There was a head on collision with two chase trucks meeting over a hill resulting in two fatalities so it is very dangerous for anyone driving a vehicle.

Here is a picture of our 5-1600 race car.

 

[Boston Mangler]

Have you ever filled up with gas in the Baja area?

Yes, all the time in multiple vehicles, zero issues!

Don’t think for a minute that racers count on the local Premex for fuel.

We did and the truck ran great!

Fuel is preplanned thru US racing fuel providers because you cannot bring fuel with you into Mexico. I have never seen any racer run anything but race fuel except in an emergency.

All depends on the class and motor. Most of the high dollar teams have such hi-perf, hi-compression motors that they need the 100+ octane!

I can ASSURE you that there are PLENTY of teams in class 11, 7, and others that run pemex!

 

[Hanna Quality]

of course a 80 can do the Baja 1000.

hell even a jeep can make it... check out the Jeep Speed class

Lance from Pirate 4X4 finished the Baja 1000 2nd in class with there Heep Speed...might be because their rigs engine was having problems and would not go over 3000 RPM. Speed does not finish the Baja within the time limit its all about indurance.

video of what to expect for 30 + hours of ruff road in a almost stock SUV. Not Baja but gives you an idea.

YouTube - Jeepspeedin'

go for it dont let anyone tell you you cant...but know what you are in for

 

[LandCruiserPhil]

Yes, all the time in multiple vehicles, zero issues!

I agree 100% for the last 30+ years I have ran Premex all over Baja and Mexico mainland with never an issue.
The quote was not by me and it should have read “Have you ever filled up with gas in the Baja area? I have” Sorry My bad!


Kevin you are way off on the race fuel topic - If you are competitive race team you are running race gas, period! I don’t know any pit support (Mag 7, Checkers, BFG) that will dump anything but race fuel. You will be hard pressed to find any class winner that does'nt run race fuel. Also you will be challenged to find a winning team in any class without a modified engine that doesn’t requires race fuel.

Compression is open in a class 11 and with the limited engine mods available to them they all run hi- compression motors that need the 100+ octane.

I see many benefits to running race fuel and none not to unless you cant afford it.

I have crewed, co-driven, and driven in Class 3,7,8, TT, chased for others, and currently contribute a small sponsorship to an Open expert rider and all run/ran nothing but race fuel.

Try it you will definitely like it better then Premex even in an 80

 

[LandCruiserPhil]

Yes and No, we found the ideal setup, was a full faced helmet with no visor and a fresh air system. The visors go covered with so much dust, so often, it was driving us both nuts! We quickly removed the visors and it was smooth sailing, the fresh air blowing in, still worked good enough to keep the dust out.

Sounds like a good way to loose your eye sight from golf ball size rocks by passing vehicles.

 

[derrickbwg]

Here is a picture of our 5-1600 race car.

If that's the same one...I watched that car on race-dezert's classifieds...there were a few 5-1600's listed at that time but that was a decent deal.

this it?

 

[Imagery]

Yes thats my car. I have done alot to it to get it prepped for the 1000. New seats, radio, intercom etc. and new 3 way bypass 2.5 Fox shocks on back and two tube bypass 2.0's up front. The car was a pretty good start when I got it but there were some things I wish I had known before I got it. Thats just how it goes but I have seen 5-1600 cars for about the same price with very little prepping to do. But I have been completely through the car front to back so now I at least know what I have. I talked to somebody who pitted this car for the previous owner in the Best in the Desert Caliente 500 of '07 and he said that it took a low speed roll so when I got it, you could see where they welded in a new top on the car which is not uncommon but other than that it is a good straight car. I tried to find out the race history on the car and who the builder was and when it was built but haven't found any information. We think it was built in 2006 just based on the engine which was a single port and the cage is DOM instead of 4130. Thats cool that you have those pictures of the car before I bought it off SNORE web site. I have seen the car on some race photography sites and it used to be painted silver with flat black hood. We now have a new dual port engine 1600 for racing and a 1900 motor for test running.

 

[Boston Mangler]

Sounds like a good way to loose your eye sight from golf ball size rocks by passing vehicles.

Not that it provides 100% protection, but we were running with a windshield, and yes, i agree, it wasnt the best idea, just stating what works, i didnt recommend it!