Inspiration - Toyota ShopTalk April 1971

Shop Talk was the magazine for Toyota parts and service managers.  This was the first (and possibly only) issue.

The first article was on my dad racing in Baja.  It's a pretty good read but I'm a little dissapointed that the full page psychedelic image wasn't his Toyota.

What i'm working on

....sort of....I've been trying to figure it out for a while.

Old Gold - White Light, White Heat....

White Light, White Heat, White Noise, White Cube, White Album, White Christmas
Sean Duffy
2006
3 Velvet Underground - White Light White Heat album covers, 3 Beatles - White Album covers, 24 music boxes, wood and hardware.

Latest Race Repair

Well it's almost been a year since the Mexican 1000 and I just got around doing what I believe is the last race-damage repair.  At some point south of Lorretto the fan shroud came loose and chipped off a couple fan blades.

new fan - old fan

I eventually repaired the shroud with some bailing wire before driving the car home.  The water temperature never changed and even though Man-a-fre gave me a good used one when I returned to the US it took me almost a year to put it on.

In other news, the spur trails on the way to  Rowher Flats have been shut down.  They were dug up with some kind of earth mover and are impassible (I tried).  Since they're spurs off the Sierra Pellona Mtwy, they're technically not in the Rowher Flats OHV park but does seem silly to go from two parallel fire breaks to one.  But what do I know.

all dug up

On a brighter note - There's an apricot tree near the top of hills and it was in full bloom.  It was amazing that in the middle of this windy high desert there was one tree that was so happy.

Old Gold - Blatant Localism

digging through my old video files.



Blantant Localism
2006
2 turntables, birch plywood, paint, Beach Boys - True to your School, 45, Jody Foster's Army - Blantant Localism EP and Beach Boys - I just wasn't made for these times, SubPop single.

Sean Duffy

Here's the 45 sleeve for it from my Group Show installation

and the original JFA sleeve

Trip to Costco! and Up and Over Rowher Flats 2

I needed to go to Costco and decided to take the best route rather than the quickest.  The quickest would take me twenty minutes but the best would wind up taking over two hours.  30 miles of which were off road.

Basically, I'd start by driving in the wrong direction and then take The Sierra Pelona Mountainway off of Bouquet Canyon, climb over the hills through Rowher Flats and wind up on Sierra Highway about 10 miles east of Costco.

A - The start of the trail is pretty easy to miss it while your zipping along Bouquet Canyon.

B- I stopped at the first pullout to  quickly to check over the car and wound up right next to an ancient dump.  It was pretty picked over but still neat.

The road going up is pretty smooth but a bit narrow with plenty of blind corners.  There are some bits where rocks have fallen into the road and  if you don't like heights you shouldn't look down.

C - Weird rock formations!  The goelogy in this area is amazing.  

D- Pretty quickly you reach the most western point and have a great view of Santa Clarita and beyond.

E- As you head back east there are several spurs off the fire road.  Mainly little hill climbs, some more challenging that others but only one the Land Cruiser couldn't handle.

F - Somewhere around the highest point on the trail.

G - As you start to descend you can see the Bouquet reservour off in the distance.  Turn right and head down Fall Canyon Truck Trail.

H - More weird rocks!

I - As you head up Texas Canyon Trail keep your speed down.  There are a few puddles that seem to never dry up and in the case of the Toyota FJ40 hitting them at a moderate speed can mean a mud bath.  Here's what happened on a previous trip.

This time I kept my speed down and made it to Costco relatively clean.

And realized that because of my "active lifestyle" I need some new sunglasses.  It was the retro early 90s packaging that convinced me.

thanks Costco!

Van for Sale

I've alway had a soft spot for the Corvair Greenbrier and was excited when I saw this one by the side of the road.

Until I saw the other side.

$575 seems a bit steep for half a van - maybe if the trailer was included

I am wondering what caused the perfect circle of rust on the back. The paint is completely gone.  A tire mount would've blocked the back door and cover the license.  Maybe a big decal that took the paint of when it was remove?  hmmm

New Drawing - Originality!

Another drawing I've been playing with.  I can't decide if I like it plain or with the orange background.

Simple Solution

Beer Koozie Camera Case

Up and Over - Rowher Flats - 1-18-13

I love that part of this Fall Canyon Trail that was just carved out of rock.

After a cold snap Santa Clarita started warming up.  I'd been wanting to get the Land Cruiser out and  test my Canon G11.  I'd dropped it before the holidays and it had died.

After failing to find a local repair shop, online I came across Walter's Camera Repair online I was a little wary.  Walter's seems to do everything by telephone, snail mail and money order but I decided to put my faith in humanity (and yelp)  and go for it.  $160 and a  bit over a week later the camera was back with a new lens unit and all cleaned up.  I packed it up and headed, once again, to Rowher Flats.

This time I was planning on going up and over the hills.  Starting on the Sierra Highway and ending in Boquet Canyon.  Taking Texas Canyon Trail to Fall Canyon to the top of the mountain via the Sierra Pelona Road and then down the Artesian Springs Road to the reservoir. The whole trip would be around 28 mile on trails and about 40 on pavement.

When you're on top of a mountain you get great cell service.

View of the desert windfarms.

The altitude of the trail head was 2000'.  It was warm and balmy but when I reached the peak at 4800' I was relieved I'd worn a heavy sweatshirt, hat and gloves.  It was cold (to a Southern Californian). Going down the backside of the mountain there were still a few patches of ice.

It's odd on a warm balmy day to see a patch of ice.

The Artesian Spring Road is really smooth and easy.

Overall, it was an easy enjoyable morning.  There were still enough smaller climbs to keep me entertained but being alone, I avoided some of the steeper bits and favored the fire road.

View of the Bouquet Reservoir while cruising down to the pavement.

inspiration - Botany 500 Racing Team

While poking around ebay I came across this -

I really need to find an awesome sponsor like Botany 500.  Vic Abruzzese had it right, off road racing should really be the place for the well dressed man of leisure.

detail

Happy Birthday Mom!  83 awesome years.

The Banquet Bronco

1972

The "Banquet Bronco" has recently been rediscovered and found a good home.  The story goes, that in the earliest Mexican 1000, NORRA promised a banquet at the end of the race.  So, Vic Abruzzese donned a tuxedo at the start so he'd have something to wear for the festivities.

Tom Duffy, Vic Abruzzese and margaritas - 1969

The Bronco sporting an extra tall air filter - 1970

burned top hat - 1969

It raced from 1967 -1977 which is quite a testament for one vehicle.  It's now being restored and hopefully will see Baja again.