Pacific Northwest 4 Wheel Drive Association Race Jeeps
More about PNW Racing has been going on for at least 4 decades, most likely longer than that.
Sep 012010
This is a post I have wanted to publish for a while and finally got to drafting it last night. I have a lot of good memories of Playdays. One of my most powerful memories was a trip to Pendleton, Oregon, for Summer Convention 1975 (I think that was the year). It was located in the middle of a clearing in a forest: no buildings, just dirt, grass and trees. I was 10 and pal’d around with Tim and Steve Carter for most of the weekend. We were kids in a candy store, wandering around and through the various camp ‘cities’, made up of campers and tents and people and jeeps, meeting other kids and having a blast. There were an endless stream of club names and club stickers (on the side of the jeeps) that I’d never seen before. It truly was a different world …
Most of the images below came from the WWJC Scrapbook I borrowed a couple weeks ago. Because the book was too big to fit on my parent’s scanner, I had to snap photos of them, which explains some of the low quality.
It’s fair to call this a sampling of events, as I hardly went to all playdays. Feel free to comment on any I’m forgetting and I’ll add them to the post.
We’ll start out with this article in a newspaper about Jeep Racing from the mid 70s. I have to say I was a little surprised at the ‘retarded’ comment, which just highlights how fast language can change.
Jeep Stuffing: For the first event, let’s highlight this this oddball contest. Here’s Al “Ham” Hamilton in his old jeep Gypsy B. He and his Wife Barb were founders and deeply involved in the WWJC and the PNW4WA for many years. The remainder of the people piled on to this jeep appear to be WWJC members as well.
I couldn’t say how this was judged, but it reminds me of the Yipao events in Columbia where they stuff CJ-3Bs with just about everything.
Barrels: Here’s Al again. This is a classic event that still endures. Inspired by the barrel racing event you’d find at horse races, barrels were positioned in a triangle. The racer starts at a gate, circles around each as fast as they can, then heads back to the gate.
The Gypsy B was Ham’s road/race/trail jeep. As you can see, Ham didn’t even bother to take off the winch. He even scored some trophies in his jeep (well, at least one big trophy according to the scrapbook).
Potato Stab: In the Potato Stab, a racer races around a track and stops at each box of potatoes to allow the passenger to stab a potato, put it in a sack, and race onward. The fastest time won. There were variations of this event. One variation involved popping balloons instead of picking up potatoes.
Balloon Throws: This was just for fun. Two jeeps would pass each other and water balloons were thrown. I *think* this picture was taken at the Beverly Sand Dunes in Washington (near Vantage). In the CJ-5 is my mother driving and my sister riding shotgun, probably in the late 70s. This is Dad’s post rollover Jeep, note the cage has 4 loops with two in the middle. It’s the kind of cage you install in your jeep after you’ve rolled down a hill 5 times.
Balance Beam: The balance beam is pretty self explanatory. Again, this is my mom and sister (which is kind of weird, because I do not remember my sister or mother ever doing any of this). The object was to balance as quickly as you could. This had to be around 1973 — in other words, this is the pre-rollover jeep. I’m not sure why the side of the body on this jeep is so beaten up. I’ll have to ask Dad if he remembers why that is, though I suspect he might say something like “cuz your mom drove it” 
Balloon Pop: In this event, a child drives a course and stops at a special spot. Once stopped, the child jumps out, runs to the balloon, pops it, runs back to the jeep, and completes the course. This jeep appears to sport a Bobcat fiberglass body, though it appears to be just a body shell.
Banana Course (no image): In the banana course, a driver drives the course with a passenger. At a particular spot, the driver stops and the passenger hops out and runs through a little obstacle, consumes a part of a banana, hops back in the jeep and then the driver finishes the course. There were probably variations of this as well.
Tire Pit: I suspect this is a precursor to the mud bog, but I couldn’t say. I don’t remember ever seeing this event in person. I suspect the object is to get out of the pit the fastest?
Obstacle Course: Still included in racing today, this course is a tight course, usually muddy, that racers try to get through as fast as possible. Below is an image of me after an obstacle course at the ORV Park Near Olympia during the 1985 Summer Convention.
Team Relay: This has been and continues to be a traditional end of the playday/summer convention race. It involves four teams of four jeeps and four drivers on one course. The object is to get all four drivers around the course one time. Each team is assigned a colored flag to make it easy to identify the teams while they are racing. The top two teams to finish a round advance to the next round. The team that wins the final round wins a trophy.
When I last raced, this event would take the entire day. There were many, many teams and people. It’s a fun event to participate in and watch.
The first time I ever ran this event (March 1985 on a cold weekend north of Everett), I broke the front driveline in my jeep in the first round, I broke the front driveline in Tim Carter’s race jeep Priority (version 1) in the second round, and I thought I had broke the front driveline of Jim Carter’s jeep Otis in the 3rd round (we lost, so we didn’t advance after that — and I was relieved!), but fortunately I didn’t break it. I have never broken a driveline since. Weird ….
Here’s a pic from the Moonshiner’s Jeep Club website showing a Summer Convention 2000 race. Here we see a driver from the white team exiting the course. Once the jeep clears the barrels, the next team member (in front of whom the exiting team member crosses) will enter the course.
Other events not shown:
Water Course: The object is to get around the course the quickest without spilling water held in a cup by a passenger. It’s a slow, but comical race. A derivation of this involves an egg; if I remember correctly, the passenger carries a spoon, on which they balance an egg through the course. If the egg falls off, they have to stop and can’t start forward again until the egg is back on the spoon.
Tonka Course: Kids put strings on their Tonka vehicles and pull them as they run through a course. There were other kid-specific courses that I don’t remember.
Backwards: The racer drives a course forward to a stopping point, then has to drive the course in reverse as fast as possible.
The Divorce Course: The driver is blindfolded. The passenger must tell the driver how to drive the course.
Cross Country Course: This is still in racing today and is a faster, longer course designed for faster speeds.
Hill Climbs: Self Explanatory. I haven’t seen one of these in a long time, but they got held occasionally. A derivation, based on the newspaper article above, is the chain hill. In this event, climbers put chains on their jeeps and try to climb hills. However, these hill climbs do not compare to those crazy Finnish Hill Climbers.
Drags: Self Explanatory.
King and Queen: This race is still run today. I’m not exactly sure when this was first run. If I understand correctly, this is an elimination race where 2 racers compete against one another. One racer starts on one half of the track and one on the other. Each racer completes the entire track. The first one to complete the race advances to the next round. The man that wins the final round is King and the woman that wins her final round it Queen.
Sprints: You can still find this racing occasionally (Here are some pics from earlier this year). This is head-to-head competition where a group of racers have to race a certain number of laps on a course. I never saw this at a playday, but did watch the Yakima Mud Races with were sprints in mud.
Top Eliminator: Only the fastest winners in certain events (such as the fastest cumulative times in the obstacle, cross country and barrel races for example) race in this race. There are no separate classes. The winner is the top racer (male and female brackets) for the weekend. The race track is usually a tighter version of a cross country course.
May 102010
Map
UPDATE: Price reduced to $3000
(10/26/09) There has been a few mods on this jeep.
“48 cj-2a 302 ford c-4 tranny dana 18 tran-case full width dana 44 front full width 9″ rear sprung over suspension. one peice front hood fenders and grill. tub is just a shell with all alluminum floors. 8 point cage to the frame and the motor has a half cage around it. This is the do-all jeep, goes good in the sand good in the mud and good on the trails. Needs to be teailered, not street legal and I do have the title. $3000.00 OBO may consider a trade”
Nov 012009
The motor needs work, but the price still looks decent.
“1948 willy’s race jeep has a1966-77 bronco frame, motor, tranny, and running gear, 400hp 289-302, motor needs work, full cage, 5 point harness,tilt fiber glass hood and fenders, $2000 firm call (509)697-8209 ask for Tom or will trade for equal value quad. also has a12 gal fuel cell.”
http://yakima.craigslist.org/cto/1446365805.html
Sep 222009
Troy’s race jeep is for sale. It’s a very nice, fun looking rig.
“PNW RACE JEEP..SHORT COURSE OR SAND DRAGS..HAS ONE RACE ON REBUILT MOTOR, TRANNY AND TRANSFER CASE…355 SBC..TH350 WITH NEW 3500 STALL CONVERTER..DANA 20 TRANSFER CASE..JEEP J-10 44 FRONT END..SCOUT 44 REAR WITH LOCKER..427 GEARS..4 WHEEL DISK BRAKES .PURPLE CRANIUM DIFF COVERS …ART CARR SHIFTER…AUTO METER GAUGES..BEARD ULTRA SEATS WITH COVERS…$600 PERFORMENCE RADAITOR..MSD SOFT TOUCH REV LIMITER….BLACK FIBER GLASS BODY WITH CAMELEON GHOST FLAMES..FRONT AND REAR PADDLES AVAILABLE .I AM SURE I FORGOT SOMETHING..THIS JEEP IS VERY FAST AND A KICK TO DRIVE. 253-732-6329″
http://sacramento.craigslist.org/cto/1387744186.html
Aug 312009
Troy forwarded me this great pic of his son Tyler dragging at the PNW Summer Convention. Tyler is 18 now and Troy writes, “I HAVEN’T HAD TO RIDE WITH HIM AT THE RACES SINCE HE TURNED 16…. I MADE A BIG MISTAKE THIS YEAR AND RODE WITH HIM ON THE X-CROUNTRY…..THE KIDS GOT IT, BUT @#!%&##@ HE SCARES THE HELL OUT ME…LOL.” You can see both the race jeep and troy’s other jeep here. Looks fun!
Jul 302009
Here’s some great old photographs from the 1970s. They document some of the events attended by the Good Time Four Wheelers. The image below was from the 3rd Annual Green River Valley Jeepers in 1976. I attended one of their playdays in 1981 (I think). It was located between Black Diamond and Enumclaw; I wouldn’t be surprised if the area is full of homes now.
I’m suprised that as late as ’76 they weren’t requiring cages to race. It wouldn’t be too long before they were required. View all the pics (lots of desert dogs) at the pnw4wda forum.
Mar 182009
Update: No Recent Update 
I like the color mix as well as the overall construction. Front shackles are reversed and it appears the rear springs are outboarded.
“Custom Race Jeep, narrow fiberglass body. Chevy 355 full roller motor, four speed top loader transmission, Dana 20 twin stick transfer case, custom Dana 44 front w/posi Dana 44 rear. Lots of horsepower. Ready to Race or take to the dunes. “
Feb 262009
huh … unusual design.
“350 Hipo small block with corvettte manifolds,Holley 600 cfm carb , electronic dist, 350 turbo hydro transmission with shift kit hurst comp shifter , Hooker super comp headers, Ford 9″ loncoln housing currie axles 457 gears disk breeks, all new paint , guages, interior carpet seat street legal runs FAST and turns Heads…. Call Greg @ 951 -212-1918″
Feb 142009
This is a very good price on a race jeep that looks ready to go. Get ready for summer! I think this has reversed springs in the front. I can’t tell if the back springs are outboarded or not. I’m gonna guess the body is a fiberglass one piece bobcat body, judging by the thickness of the rim around the back side of the body that either tilts up or you lift off. The desert dogs look in very good shape as do the rims. The paint job is unique as well.
“Race Jeep, Chev. 350, 4 speed trans. disc brake 44 front end, 44 rear end. Runs and drives. Mount body and its ready to go racing.”
**SOLD**
Jan 192009
UPDATE: This is still available
I like the drive train decisions, though I’ve never raced with a dodge engine.
“Flat fender jeep built on a cj-5 frame, dana 44s front and rear, 4.88 gears, power lock posis f&r, hard running dodge 360, top loader 4 spd, twin stick 20 t-case, scatter shield bell housing, full cage down to frame, msd ignition, hardened rear axles, fiberglass fenders, race buckets and harnesses, aluminum radiator, some spares. Very fun reliable rig. Needs nothing, turn key race ready, or bolt some paddles on and head for the sand dunes. NOT STREET LEGAL.”
Dec 132008
I’m not sure if this is a PNW legal racer or not. It may just be a sand/mud buggy. I can’t tell for sure, but I suspect the body is fiberglass, probably a bobcat body, as the rim around the back looks wider than a standard body. I am wondering why they dont’ have a front bumper on the thing. There about $800 is tires alone, if in decent shape.
“i have a 41 flat fender willys jeep it has a 350 and a 700r tranny and a narowed toyota rearend and five point harrnesses it comes with a set of 31” paddles and a wheelie bar askin 3500 or trade for something 4×4 and of equal value.”
Nov 132008
I haven’t seen any race jeeps with later model bodies on them. I wouldn’t’ mind checking out a few more pics of this to see what kind of mods have been done.
“This is the ALLEY RAT pro arena truck/ short course race Jeep. Engine: Flat top 350, Edelbrock Performer RPM heads, Performer RPM AIR GAP Intake, Holly 750CFM carb. Trans: Turbo 350, B&M Shift kit, Transfer case: Dana 20 DIFFS: Front Dana 44, open diff, 373 gears, Rear Dana 44, Welded rear, 373 gears. Set of 4 desert Dogs $8200.00. With the Paddle tires $9000.00″
Nov 122008
I’m not sure what to say about this one ….
“302 c4 dana 18 clark county fair winner 31″ tires great off road toy will go anyware needs short axle in front and rear pinion and ready to play 1968 302 awsome power 44 fr and rear power stear call for more 360-624-0659 trade for quad sandrail cj5 4×4 or?”
Nov 032008
UPDATE: I’m not sure if this ever sold or not.
“This jeep is not street legal but does have a registration. Willy’s truck frame, 231 v-6, mustang top loader 4 spd transmission, one piece tilting fiberglass race body in the narrow flat fender style. Raced in pacific northwest 4 wheel drive association events (go to pnw4wda.org website to see pictures of races). Asking $4200.00 ready to race and some extra parts (drivelines, axels, tires)”
Aug 232008
Update: The price is now $2000
Though no motor and transmission, everything else looks heavily built. This is designed for pnw racing.
" rolling chassic no motor or trans, rear diff dana 60 355 gears welded mosler axles, front diff dana 30 355 gears gov lock heavy duty upgrade axles, fiberglass tip-up (funnycar style) flatfender body,
1 set boggers 37×15.5×15, 2e terra tires on alum rims, jeep had 475hp 340 with 727 with a trans brake that ran through a 200' mud pit in about 5 sec. paddle tires also available for a price."
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