00:00 00;01;10;12 00;01;13;22 Project Baja was born when a group
00:29 of friends set about entering one of the world's most brutal off-road races in an old school
00:34 Volkswagen Beetle.
00:35 00;01;34;22 00;01;39;22 The Baja 1000 is the longest point-to-point
00:41 off-road race in the world that's run in a single day.
00:45 We decided to race it because we just really like a challenge.
00:48 00;01;43;00 00;01;49;00 They took a 1970 Bug, threw in a roll
00:51 cage, added all-terrain tires, an auxiliary oil cooler, and a whole heap of other mods.
00:56 We started with the stock Volkswagen motor.
01:00 We've lifted the suspension using all-stock components, put a fuel cell, breathing, new
01:05 shocks, a GPS, a radio, and all new lighting so you can see in the night.
01:09 It's a very stock-looking car on the outside, but there's a few features that give it away,
01:13 like these big, goofy skid plates and these really bright lights.
01:16 Every single component on it was purpose-built by the team to race the Baja 1000.
01:22 And in addition to that, the Volkswagen logo is blessed by the Pope.
01:25 With modifications complete and holy approval, the team named the car Topé and set out for
01:32 the desert.
01:36 The Beetle's perfect for this race because of the preparation that goes into it.
01:39 It's able to get through a lot of the really difficult terrain that takes out other vehicles.
01:43 When you get into the interior of the car, you get into the GPS and the radio.
01:47 You've got an intercom, and you've got air that pumps into your helmet so you can breathe
01:50 in the dust.
01:52 The custom dash gives you all types of information from gauges and switches.
01:56 You can turn on each light individually and all of the things that makes it so that you
01:59 can continue on in the race.
02:02 Every time you come back from a race, you're constantly rebuilding and replacing everything,
02:06 so it's really just throwing money out the window.
02:09 And it's not just about the car.
02:11 In a race where many vehicles don't go the distance, to even have a hope of completing
02:16 the course, there's a whole crew behind the scenes.
02:21 There's a lot of people that have to bring fuel and tools along the course because it's
02:25 very remote.
02:26 And so we like to put all the names of all the people that support the car on the top.
02:31 I wanted to be a part of this project because it's always been a dream of mine to race the
02:35 Baja 1000.
02:36 It seemed like one of the greatest adventures a person could have.
02:40 My role on the team is co-driver, graphic designer, art director, and webmaster.
02:44 You could be doing anything on any given day.
02:47 One day you could be fabricating a mount for the traction boards, and another day you could
02:51 be wiring up the communications.
02:53 This might not be the fastest car, but it sure is capable.
02:55 It'll go up nearly anything you point it at.
03:00 It feels great to be sitting in the car again.
03:02 Every time I drive this thing I'm always amazed at how capable it is.
03:05 It's a 40 year old car that's mostly stock.
03:09 It is not originally designed to drive on this terrain so good.
03:14 It's quite a bit of fun to drive.
03:18 Man.
03:19 I love driving this thing.
03:21 It's amazing.
03:22 You get in the car, you think it's a really old bug, and then suddenly it just comes to
03:26 life.
03:27 It's roaring, it's fast, it's just incredible.
03:28 Driving this car in the Baja 1000 can be summed up for me in one word.
03:34 Exhausting.
03:35 You are out in the middle of nowhere and there's a constant barrage of input and stimulus.
03:45 Driving this car is like riding a bike.
03:47 It's so good.
03:48 But the teamwork pays off as Topey reaches the finish line.
03:53 Every time we race this car we learn something new.
03:55 So the next step for this thing is to continue to develop it and make it better so that we
03:59 can race it again in the 2020 Baja 1000.
04:01 (whooshing)
Comments