We created Dirty Hands Happy Heart to “bring shop class back”.  We recognized an opportunity to provide young adults resources to build skills, exercise creativity, and become problem solvers.  Our first workshops explored different types of skilled work such as wood working, metal working, crafts, electronics, etc.  Then an opportunity for a very specific type of project presented itself.  A member of our church contacted us to donate a truck.  After some discussion, we learned that it was no ordinary truck, but in fact a 5th generation (square body) Chevy 4x4 “prerunner” purpose built to support dirt bikers preparing for the Baja 1000.  Our vision for this truck is to recruit a group of young adults to finish this project.  It will be a 500 hp machine capable of some serious abuse and will embody the spirit of legendary desert race trucks from the early days.

 

Desert racing began with one of the first off-road racing events called the Cactus Derby, which ran from Los Angeles to Phoenix in the early 1900’s.  In 1967 official racing organizations began to organize large scale events.  The National Off Road Racing Association, or NORRA, was created in 1967 and organized the Mexican 1000, later known as the Baja 1000.  Around that time, the MINT Hotel organized the MINT 400 desert race.  This event attracted racing legends such as Parnelli Jones, Walker Evans, and Mickey Thompson as well as celebrities such as Steve McQueen and James Garner.  Desert racing has now turned into a popular sport where the top competitors pilot machines costing nearly a million dollars.

 

In the mid-1980’s, the previous owner of our pre-runner took it to Baja California to support dirt bikes preparing for the Baja 1000.   It was then that he started the work to convert this truck into a pre-runner that could better support the dirt bikes as they ran the course.  He took the truck to a fabrication shop in Phoenix who welded in a roll cage, modified the suspension, and fabricated multiple parts including bumpers, shock mounts, spare tire holders etc.  We moved the pre-runner to our facility in January 2020.  After an inventory of parts (many of which are freshly painted and wrapped in newspaper from 1992), the plan for this machine started to come together.  We decided that we wanted to capture some of the spirit and nostalgia of the early desert racing trucks while utilizing modern equipment for the engine, suspension, brakes, electronics, and lighting.  For a power plant, we’ll be utilizing a GM 3rd generation 6.0L V8.  The machine work on the engine will happen locally in Flagstaff, AZ and our group will be able to observe this work in person.  We’ll then assemble the engine in a series of classes, followed by fabrication necessary to mount the engine and transmission.  The next steps will include classes focused on the suspension, electrical, interior, drivetrain, brakes, and lighting.

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The project kicked off in April 2021, and has been a great opportunity for young adults to be part of where they're learning valuable skills, meeting local people in the skilled trades, and having a lot of fun doing it.

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