00:00004 Project Baja
00:25001 Project Baja was born.
00:29and a group of friends set about entering one of the world's most brutal off-road races
00:34in an old school Volkswagen Beetle.
00:39The Baja 1000 is the longest point-to-point off-road race in the world.
00:43It's run in a single day.
00:45We decided to race it because we just really like a challenge.
00:49They took a 1970 Bug, threw in a roll cage, added all-terrain tires, an auxiliary oil cooler
00:55and a whole heap of other mods.
00:57We started with the stock Volkswagen motor.
01:00We've lifted the suspension using all-stock components, put a fuel cell, breathing, new shocks,
01:06a GPS, a radio, and all new lighting so you can see in the night.
01:09It's a very stock-looking car on the outside, but there's a few features that give it away,
01:13like these big, loopy skid plates and these really bright lights.
01:16Every single component on it was purpose-built by the team to race the Baja 1000.
01:22And in addition to that, the Volkswagen logo is blessed by the Pope.
01:25With modifications complete and holy approval, the team named the car Topey and set out for the desert.
01:36The Beetle's perfect for this race because of the preparation that goes into it.
01:39It's able to get through a lot of the really difficult terrain that takes out other vehicles.
01:43When you get into the interior of the car, you get into the GPS and the radio.
01:47You've got an intercom and you've got air that pumps into your helmet so you can breathe in the dust.
01:52The custom dash gives you all types of information from gauges and switches.
01:56You can turn on each light individually and all of the things that makes it so that you can continue on in the race.
02:01Every time you come back from a race, you're constantly rebuilding and replacing everything,
02:06so it's really just throwing money out the window.
02:09And it's not just about the car.
02:11In a race where many vehicles don't go the distance, to even have a hope of completing the course,
02:18there's a whole crew behind the scenes.
02:21There's a lot of people that have to bring fuel and tools along the course because it's very remote,
02:26and so we like to put all the names of all the people that support the car on the top.
02:31I wanted to be a part of this project because it's always been a dream of mine to race the Baja 1000.
02:36It seemed like one of the greatest adventures a person could have.
02:39My role on the team is co-driver, graphic designer, art director, and webmaster.
02:44You could be doing anything on any given day.
02:47One day you could be fabricating a mount for the traction boards,
02:50and another day you could be wiring up the communications.
02:53This might not be the fastest car, but it sure is capable.
02:56It'll go up nearly anything you point it at.
03:00It feels great to be sitting in the car again.
03:02Every time I drive this thing, I'm always amazed at how capable it is.
03:05It's a 40-year-old car that's mostly stock.
03:09It is not originally designed to drive on this terrain so good.
03:15It's quite a bit of fun to drive.
03:17Man.
03:19I love driving this thing. It's amazing.
03:22You get in the car, you think it's a really old bug, and then suddenly it just comes to life.
03:26It's roaring, it's fast, it's just incredible.
03:29Driving this car, the Baja 1000, can be summed up for me in one word.
03:34Exhausting.
03:36You're out in the middle of nowhere, and there's a constant barrage of input and stimulus.
03:45Driving this car is like riding a bike.
03:47Just so good.
03:49And the teamwork pays off as Topey reaches the finish line.
03:53Every time we race this car, we learn something new.
03:55So the next step for this thing is to continue to develop it and make it better
03:59so that we can race it again in the 2020 Baja 1000.
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