Big Oly, the world’s most valuable Bronco, finds its face in the dirt…twice!
Chris Collard
In the early ‘70s, off-road racing was gaining traction in the automotive world, and the National Off Road Racing Association (NORRA) was leading the charge with the Mexican 1000, a point-to-point contest of speed down the Baja peninsula. It had attracted the likes of actors Steve McQueen and James Garner, and Indy car luminaries such as Parnelli Jones. While most were running modified production cars, Jones had another plan for the toughest race on the planet.
He leaned on friend Bill Stroppe to build a vehicle that could handle a thousand miles of Baja’s bumps and jumps, choking silt beds, and washboard roads. It would resemble a Ford Bronco, but the end-product was far from the factory-built steed that legends Rod Hall and Larry Minor piloted to an overall win the previous year. With a chromoly tube chassis and fiberglass skins, an extended roster of high-performance aftermarket parts and only two-wheel-drive, Big Oly rolled out of Stroppe’s shop as a blueprint for the modern trophy truck. With Jones’ roots planted in Indy racing, it was only natural that Big Oly should be fitted with an airfoil, or wing up top to keep it on the ground at speed…of which there would be plenty.
Big Oly took the stage in 1970, and in its five years on the track ferried Jones and Stroppe to numerous overall wins, including the top rung on the podium in back-to-back Mexican 1000s. But it gained world notoriety last year when it rolled off the Mecum’s Spring Classic auction block with a winning bid of nearly $2 million. A week ago, it rolled into contingency row in Ensenada for what would be an eventful run down Baja.
This isn’t the first time Big Oly has been rubber-side-up. Afterall, it’s an old-school dust-and-guts stallion from the early days and stuff happens. Right! However, what the rest of the industry is not mentioning is that Big Oly wasn’t actually in the race. Rather, it was running in the Slow Baja Safari Class (a guided tour) along with vintage FJ-40 Land Cruisers, stock Jeeps, and Sprinter vans. What the…?
Big Oly as it looked when it sold at auction for $1.8 million. NORRA
David Newhardt/Mecum
Yep, one could surmise that the drivers had a happy right foot, fed the 400-horsepower 351 Windsor a few too many oats, and simply ran out of talent. And yes, they did it—twice. The first was right out of the gate on day one, the second was on the final stretch heading to San Jose del Cabo. We can’t confirm which of the drivers were responsible for wadding up this iconic treasure of automotive history, but we can confirm that the 2000 people at the awards banquet were shaking their collective heads in dismay—or disgust. When the dust settled, drivers and navigators emerged unscathed, but Big Oly is due for a major aesthetic makeover.
He’s a tough old boy and we’re sure he’ll be back, proudly displaying the Olympia Beer shield of honor and ready for the next chapter in his 50-year chronicle.
Keyword: Run out of Talent, Trash a 1.8-Million Dollar Piece of History