Event Coverage La Carrera Panamericana 2021

Yes, I tried to do the race in every way from crew chief, driver, navigator, when I first went down in 1993 I wanted to see what broke in the various cars, what parts were available, what would the process be if you had to make repairs out of the local economy. In 1995 my Chrysler hemi threw a rod and we pulled the piston and ran it across the finish on seven cylinders, that story goes on for two hours and I cry at the end

 

Apparently my memory failed me, it was the 1991 event, not the 1990. I should remember that as it was the year Pink Floyd member David Gilmour crashed his C Type (?). First pic is the team at the end of one of the stages, I did not drive but was part of a crew that took the 3 Porsche 356's, that Buick and a Kurtis 500 coupe that you can just see the ass end of to the right of the 356. We borrowed that semi truck and trailer from Huffaker Engineering. Second shot is the finish in one of the little towns along the route. And then the program and my ID badge.

Man where do I start. Of course thirty years have dulled the recall mechanism a bit. Some of the highlights: the big rig tractor burned a piston as we came into Laredo, Texas, having driven from the San Francisco Bay Area. Had to have that repaired before heading into Mexico. Then the dually, crewcab pick up I was driving lost its transmission North of Mexico City. This was on the way down to start the race in Tuxtla Gutierrez, race hadn't even started yet ! The big rig went on south with all the cars, etc. I got the pick up to a repair shop and then left in a borrowed VW to drive from Mexico City to Tuxtla Gutierrez to meet them. I met up with the crew in Oaxaca at the end of the first stage. Things went well from there until the second to last day when the guy leading the team and driving the big rig plowed into the rear end of a car on a two lane road pushing it into oncoming traffic. Thankfully no one was killed in the ensuing head on collision but our trip North came to a halt by the side of the road in rural Mexico. The injured people were taken away to the nearest town and we awaited the arrival of the Federales. Mike and the other guy in the cab of the truck were arrested and made to drive the truck back to the nearest town. I was still in the borrowed VW with another one of the support guys. We were allowed to go on and we drove to the end of that days stage to tell the driver's that the support crew was now down to Phil and I, with no tools or equipment to service the cars. Luckily they all soldered on and finished the race in Nuevo Laredo with what minimal support Phil and I could provide. Once the race finished and Mike got out of jail they still had to go back to Mexico City to pick up the now repaired pick up truck. At that point I said I was done, got a lift to the border and walked across with all the day workers. Probably the only guy in line with a US passport !! I had volunteered for this adventure and not being on the payroll I figured I could leave.
I could go on and on recounting the crazy shit that went on. It truly was an adventure. Being in Mexico made it a bit of a free for all, especially with the race accreditation on the car I was driving. I'd be a little more nervous doing it now, all the drug cartel shit going on down there makes it seem a bit more sketchy than it was in the early '90's.
But looking back thru the lens of thirty years it was a blast.

 

Great story, thank you for sharing. This all proves it's not an easy thing to go racing anywhere, especially at this race. We had a local group go a few years ago and I witnessed the carnage of a finely prepared and expensive vintage racecar.
All it takes is time and money, though. Lots of it.

 

A Buick from 2010

 

Killer story Ric! We were just talking about you over beers last night after a ride. My buddy Bill had a funny Gary Fisher story from back then.

I have heard other tales of Federales, wrecks, smuggling during the race etc.....

 

Was that the Caddy you are talking about?

 

Yep, I think it was all repaired to race again, though.

 

Thanks Tman, I'll start in on my Gary Fisher stories next...........

 

From years past one of the most famous crashes

 

From years past, don't ya hate when your old Dodge gets stuck up in a tree?

 

Great fun to watch, thanks. Educate me please, I always thought this was a rally, and not a race, big difference. After seeing all the high HP, high tech, and high dollar builds, I assume its a race, which would have to be in cooperation with the government. for fun, back in the early 90's I rode my motorcycle down to Cabo San Lucas. While there, we learned about a race, illegal, that a bike club in San Diego ran from San Yisedero(?) to Cabo, about 900 miles, and the winners at that time were doing 900 miles in just over 10 hours, so average near 100mph. There are some stretches in the desert where a crotch rocket could cruise at 150, but there are many, many small towns with stop lights, and small villages with the dreaded mexican " topo's", speed bumps about 7-8 inches high, and maybe a burro or a villager with a back pack full of fire wood in the middle of the street! Enough ranting from me, tell us a little more about the "race" thanks.

 

Rusty
When I first went down in the early 90's the race was run as a time, speed, distance, rally, F.I.A. style. Over time it evolved to its current mayhem style race. I haven't been down there since 2000 and most of the people I hung out with are passed, I met some really cool people and some real a hos. Because I have no skill as a driver and the cars I built fall into the contraption, or death trap category, I never expected to win anything, but I did have a lot of fun and the race opened doors to other events. If you drive down with your race car on a trailer and you make it to the start they should issue you your racing license right there, if you can drive with the Mexican truckers you'll have earned it. The evolution of the cars is interesting, for example the dodge in the tree appears to have a Corvette transverse leaf front suspension, The Lincoln I crewed had a number of modifications like tie rods and ends that looked like they were off a one ton truck, steering stops that limited front wheel travel, one crew chief said to me when you think you've overbuilt it, build it stronger.

 

Thanks, love to hear more. I have a local car dealer who ran a 52 or so buick about 10 years ago, even know one of the crew who went along, and sadly have not heard many stories about it. one year only they ran, wonder why?

 

Also, rode my MC all around the entire coastline twice, and zig zaged thru the middle once, and once into central america, so yes, I know about the truck and bus drivers there! that was all 25 years ago, not sure I would do it again today

 

Slowly completing my '54 Lincoln an hope to take part in the race sometimes in the future...

 

more pictures of the Lincoln, bitte

 

Its far from being finished... hopefully get it together over the coming winter...

 

A few years ago I got an e-mail from a guy organizing a race from Ensenada to Cabo San Lucas, it is called the Rally Historico Transpeninsular, it is one thousand miles on pavement, lots of long straits on what appeared to be decent roads Carrera Panamericana style and rules. All on the Baja peninsula. I first got interested in these events because the idea of useing a big American luxury car as a road racer seemed like a fun challenge, kinda like Cunningham did with his 50's LeMans Cailliacs. So far I don't think this guys event has really gotten off the ground, border issues, covid, something keeps happening, when it finally gets going it should be the best race. I'm collecting parts for two cars now

 

Helge71
Very nice! you will need the de froster blower motor to keep the windshield clear, I once heard a story about a Lincoln crew in Mexico, the navigator unbuckeled and was cleaning the fog off the inside wind shield during a speed stage, they were doing a 140 mph. Hopefully you won't have to change a gasket or work on the driver side rocker arms, I had an issue with my hemi valve covers being too close to the power booster. What steering box are you using? reinforce the tie rods and ends. Hey! wheres the big ugly cross over pipe in the exhaust?

 

I have the old 6V blower Motor, but it is very tired ..still looking for a suitable 12V replacement...
I use the Stock non-power steering box...
The ugly crossover pipe is gone...I built a header for the driver side, so the car has true dual exhaust now...

 

Helge71
I think Ford changed to 12 volt in 55? on the original Pan Am Lincolns they used two blower motors mounted in the trunk to cool the rear brakes

 

btt

 

Thought I'd add a little to "ric's" post about the '91 Carrera..... My wife and I had the pleasure of participating in the '91 race with Ak Miller and Ray Brock. It was a trying adventure, but it's great looking back on it....I had worked with my good friend Ak Miller for a year, re-creating the El Caballo from the pieces and parts he had left from the original. Much of the original had gone to the building of the El Caballo II. Like ric, I could write a book on the experiences we went through, from start to finish. It created a bond between Ak, Ray, Nancy, and myself, that stayed strong 'till Ak and Ray had passed. I miss them both terribly, and still am amazed at the contributions they both made to the world of hot rodding. I added the picture of the jacket which I had made for us all, and Ak wore his virtually every day for the rest of his life !! My wife and I still have ours.....






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Got messed up on the pics.... The last (small) one was taken in Tuxtla, at the beginning of the race.

 

It looks like the picture of you all standing around the car is from Chaputapec park in Mexico city. I heard a story about the recreated Caballo, being driven around Tuxtla like a maniac by one of the race organizers and he managed to over heat the car and catch it on fire, and a none running car was what greeted your team

 

more pictures please, also do you have early pictures Caballo?