Desert Dingo Racing

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  • Countdown to “The 24” begins

    Our new deck lid, replacing our old deck lid, which was crushed by 775 at VORRA’s USA 500.

    Crusty and I wrenched on the car on Saturday. Mostly Crusty. With the engine installed, Crusty filled it with oil provided by our new sponsor Motul. In addition to the engine, we have to add enough oil to fill the engine, 1.5 quart oil accumumulator and all the hoses and filters. The new front skid plate (we sort of lost the last one at the USA 500) is in from State Steel in Watsonville.

    I focused on everything comm, getting the radio and comm re-plugged in and going through all of 1107’s wiring to streamline wiring routing to ensure that nothing was exposed if it didn’t have to be, nothing was hanging where it could be snagged by anyone climbing in or out of the car or grabbing a tool or somesuch. Also picked up new Nylocks to make sure the air pumper doesn’t fall off during the race and a few bits and bobs at Home Depot.

    Buttoning up continues today. I’ll learn how to drive the rat rod hauler. We’ll fuel 1107 (so we can bring additional fuel in the speed jugs). We’ll go through a ton of zip ties. I’ll be duct taping a handheld mic in a zip lock baggie with a handheld mic somewhere in the car. Naturally I’ll test the ability to plug my old skool iPod shuffle into the Rugged Radios intercom. The new deck lid will go on and I’ll attach and wire the TrailGlow rear number panel. Everything is a process.

    That new model VW Beetle is still parked on the hauler in Felton. I’m this close to taking a blow torch to it.

  • Racing is sketches

    I don’t know how Chad Knaus runs things, but we do sketches.

    Folks think Desert Dingo is Santa Cruz and Silicon Valley based, but that’s not really the case. For The 24, we’ve got people coming in from Canada, Washington, D.C., Colorado, SoCal and the SLV. Our sponsors are spread across the country and internationally. A lot of what we do is by email. And a lot of those emails includes sketches of changes we’re making to 1107 to make it better.

    Above is the sketch that Joel at Bilstein sent me explaining a change he’s making to keep us from blowing out connections on the front shocks for like when we launch the car off a two-story tall cliff and plant it on its nose. Joel has the patience of Job with us.

    And here’s the sketch Canadian rally driver Paul Hartl sent us on his idea for the now industry standard “Hartl Bend” that provides drivers and co-drivers with more leg room by routing an A-pillar structural support over the steering column rather than under it.

    Ok, and then this is me sketching the correct positions for the dials on our Rugged Radios intercom so that driver and co-driver can hear each other in the car.

    2.5 weeks and counting to the 24.

  • This time next week we’ll be racing the USA 500

    Some nice looking blue circle wheels

    New tires and spares for VORRA’s USA 500.

    One week to go and I’m putting finishing coats of paint on our race wheels and spares. Also cleaning up our speed jugs. Tomorrow and Monday are big work days. I’m starting to pile stuff on the front deck.

    Hood and engine deck lid get another coat of paint.

  • Our pit bike reveal for the USA 500

    What’s this? We finally have a pit bike? And who’s the scruffy looking character who did desert testing at Fourth of Juplaya?

    Here’s what it’s looked like over the years (mostly from Burning Man). People love their ’87 Suzuki LT 230s, you betcha. Ours now has an electronic start.

  • Body is coming off today


    The last of 1107 1.0.

    Crusty will make the fine cuts to the body and Richard will use his fork lift to remove the main cabin from the pan this morning. I’m hoping to get over there to get some video when it happens.