Modified Ford Bronco with off-road racing modifications, large t…

wmnlny in ma 51mm 5 ~ class a Heavy mm ,- 5 i. . W atigrymv F3050! 1 A? ;% oseu CLASS CHAMP 0N By Tom Mon ith the Ford Bronco turn- ing 25 this year, its ironic that the vehicle recently became the first Class 3 (short wheelbase 4x4) entry to win a SCORE/HDRA Heavy Metal Chal- lenge Championship. Driver David Ashley accomplished this in 1989 by being the overall points leader in Classes 3, 4, 6 and 8. Even more ironic, theEnduro Racing Bronco won the title in its rst season in the desert. Halfway into the season we only had one Class 3 win to our credit, tication. . Running that race mg a movie, Ashley 3 vehicles stuck p n in the road hangi 3 ng on the e e dclm's; everything you can imagilfe. I! m m wm/mm 1891 t? was like watch. . recalled, There in silt beds, upside Photos by Kevin Wilson We were very fortunate not to suffer any of those setbacks ourselves. However, the season didnt start as gloriously for the Enduro Bronco. Al- though the vehicle remained mechan- ically the same throughout 1989, class wins were elusive until then 26-year- old crew chief Mike Bakholdin saddled up in the shotgun seat. Ashley then began a winning streak with Bakhol- din at his side. Im not saying hes our luck charm, but I dont want to change anything right now. Superstitions aside, the 89 Bronco is the culmination of years of racing experience. Enduro Racing owner Dick Landeld of Placentia, California, cam- paigned Broncos in the formative years of desert racing and has subsequently become synonymous with Ford perfor~ mance though his Southern Califor- nia dealerships. (Fairway Ford in Placentia and Fairview Ford in San Bemardino). As Ashley says. Dick has been; strong supporter of off-road ran acquired from another team engineered by Enduro. Using thq chassis as the foundation, all cations were made with 4130 e a moly tubing and plating For . , 2-inch diameter, .120-inch wall 1 " ness tubing was used for the i mounted roll cage to comply SCORE safety regulations. mini ,7 tube framing under the hood, -' tect the grille and around the , Safe 45-gallon fuel cell in thy was fabricated from Fi-inch . chrome-moly. The suspension was engi produce 13 inches of travel at ~. while maintaining caster and a V Up front, the stock Twin-Traction ' IFS axle was reinforced with .. moly plating. Three Biletein 7. with remote reservoirs comm} corner. Two of each front shock I tted with special two-stage . springs. The thinner top coils lower spring rate for a smooth ' smoother surfaces while the lower coils kick in as suspension approaches full droop over I .u. ' rain. Limiting straps keep a'n :_ traveling too far. The rear suspension also has primary Bilsteins per wheel . of auxiliary shocks mounted n '