1967 Baja Trip report with great pics

1leglance

2007 Expedition Trophy Champion, Overland Certifie
So this is NOT my trip, but it is an amazing read and well worth the time...
There is a website archive.org free to join and worth the effort
Search "Off the Beaten Track in Baja"
This 1967 book has Land Rovers, Ford's Chevy's and custom bikes & trikes traveling with air support all over Baja back when it was easier to use a boat or plane than something with wheels.
https://archive.org/stream/offbeatentrackin00gard#page/n0/mode/2up
baja.jpg
 

jus passin thru

Adventurer
I actually have the full set of these Gardner books , six books, very interesting. When he made his first trip they didn’t even know if it was possible to drive the length of Baja that was written in 1948 . I tracked mine down about thirty years ago. He was writing ********************** TV scripts as they made the trips. In one they had a Bell helicopter and flew into places that could only be reached by foot trails. Mike
 

Desert Dan

Explorer
Baja 1962 and 1966
 

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Mos6502

Member
I posted this in my Baja Saab project thread:
41398628512_f1fa3ecafb_c.jpg


In 1967 two California dealers entered a couple of stock Saab 96 cars into the Mexican 1000 Rally (before it became the Baja 1000). This report was printed in the winter '67 Saab dealer newsletter (and without copyright notice, in the U.S. before 1978, making it public domain).

Despite the author's closing comments, they came back in 1968 with a lightly modified car and won the 2-wheel drive class.

3843034859_e136777662_z.jpg


Interestingly rather than lift the car, they rerouted the exhaust over the roof to gain about 2" of ground clearance.

In the early years of the race, all sorts of improbable cars were entered - most didn't fare too well. Here's a relatively recent story of a Triumph that ran in '67 and was abandoned: https://www.race-dezert.com/home/ba...esert-racings-most-unusual-machine-51595.html
 

Mundo4x4Casa

West slope, N. Ser. Nev.
I remember much of this when it was printed in 4WD magazines like Four Wheeler, Off-road, and Pickup, Van, and 4WD. Dan, good to see you are still here. One story told to me by ******** Cepek was that he and another 4WD entrepreneur raced the 1967 Baja 1000 with Jeep factory support in a brand new Jeepster 4X4 with V-6 Buick power. They were doing well when a chibasco hit in the area they were racing. They crossed innumerable flood choked arroyo crossings finally meeting their waterloo when the brand new Jeep was washed downstream some distance ending their bid for glory. I've seen a picture of the remains: upside down and mangled. At least they got out before the water took the Jeep. Our Baja trip to San Quentin in June of 1965 was in this 1949 Willys Ute Wagon with Chevy V-8 power: The pavement stopped at Ensenada at that time. The gas also leaked out of those G.I. cans. The jeep had a small main tank under one of the front seats, a second 10 gallon tank with valve to change tanks, and 5-five gallon cans of leaky gas. It was just enough.
 
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toddz69

Explorer
Thanks for all this great history, guys! Lance - I leafed through the entire book at various points yesterday during my day. Lots of cool pics in there. I've read some of Gardner's other books but not this one - looks like it's worth having a hard copy of it.

Constants in his adventures seem to be helicopters, interesting ATVs, 4WDs, hearty meals, grand camps, and everyone very well-dressed for their adventures!

Todd Z.
 

Ace Brown

Retired Ol’ Fart
I raced in the Baja 1000 in 1970 (and more) and much of this history is known to me but I enjoy all the history of early Baja adventures immensely.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

Mos6502

Member
Excellent stuff, thanks for sharing.
Just shook a memory out of me, talking to Bob Sinclair a few years before he passed, about his racing the Volvo powered Burro. So many great stories from the early years, but not much online.
 

Regcabguy

Oil eater.
Thank you. What an adventure AAA must have had mapping. I've got one of the original Baja books from AAA.
I've also got the Baja Almanac. My regret is not driving further south when the highway was completed pre-mob. My friend drove his '66 Mustang convertible to Cabo back then.
 

Regcabguy

Oil eater.
I remember much of this when it was printed in 4WD magazines like Four Wheeler, Off-road, and Pickup, Van, and 4WD. Dan, good to see you are still here. One story told to me by ******** Cepek was that he and another 4WD entrepreneur raced the 1967 Baja 1000 with Jeep factory support in a brand new Jeepster 4X4 with V-6 Buick power. They were doing well when a chibasco hit in the area they were racing. They crossed innumerable flood choked arroyo crossings finally meeting their waterloo when the brand new Jeep was washed downstream some distance ending their bid for glory. I've seen a picture of the remains: upside down and mangled. At least they got out before the water took the Jeep. Our Baja trip to San Quentin in June of 1965 was in this 1949 Willys Ute Wagon with Chevy V-8 power: The pavement stopped at Ensenada at that time. The gas also leaked out of those G.I. cans. The jeep had a small main tank under one of the front seats, a second 10 gallon tank with valve to change tanks, and 5-five gallon cans of leaky gas. It was just enough.
I've been out to the point at San Quintin many times. We started in the early 70's. We'd be sitting around the fire and watching the few cars heading south on the highway. Beautiful. Empty San Carlos too. "Secret" spots used to be divulged over a few beers and shots around the campfire. Then came the internet.
 

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