Stroppe’s off-road parts and accessories catalog offered a wide variety of options, from racing seats, harnesses and auxiliary lighting, to Phase 1 and Phase 2 performance upgrades. The former includes expected mods for the standard 302, such as headers, dual exhaust and a four-barrel carb. If you really wanted more power than that, the next step up was a 351 Windsor V-8 engine swap; the latter also mandated a Mustang scoop on the stock hood to allow for clearance of the slightly higher manifold and carb setup on a 351.
Uber serious Baja (and racing) Bronco collector Kiyoshi “Tiger” Uchiyama has one such 351-motivated ’71 Baja -- in fact, one with a unique racing provenance, which we’ll get into in a bit. As if to demonstrate how serious the mid-40s-ish Uchiyama, (originally from Tokyo, who now spends most of his time in Los Angeles with construction business involvements in both places), is about Broncos, you should know he collects but two types of vehicles: multi-window early Volkswagen Type 2 buses and trucks, and Ford Broncos. A visit to his shop will have you breathing heavy within moments of arrival. Even though the White/Blue/Red paint scheme is the iconic and generally considered standard treatment for a Stroppe Baja, not all of them were. However, this particular Baja was built accordingly. It also wears chromed steel wheels, while many ended up with brushed or polished aluminum “slot mags” -- we submit that the steelies are just the right look for a Baja.
And it’s stunning, now an older restoration albeit with constant fettling by the abovementioned Norton. It’s also immaculate, save for a bit of dust here and there to prove it’s driven and enjoyed, but not an overly polished concours prisoner. It wears the seminal tri-color paint scheme, roll bar, and a few engine dress-up goodies underhood, plus a B&M floor shifter for the automatic. Climbing aboard reminds you how short-wheelbased and compact these original Broncs are, especially when compared to the F-150 derived models that followed post-1977. The engine fires with no more drama than any late-60s Windsor equipped Mustang or Cougar. At idle, it burbles softly through its dual-glasspack exhaust system. Select Drive, and you’re away; we also suggest leaving your biggest Western or work boots at home to drive a Baja, as Stroppe adjusted the brake and throttle pedals closer together – not uncommon for racers that often left-foot brake -- so today on the street, bigfoots could hit both at the same time, yielding a possibly unintended result.
Otherwise, it’s absolutely easy and fun to drive. The hearty V-8 has more than enough punch to move the Baja smartly away from the lights or while on the move. Location, time and conditions didn’t allow us any off-roading, but we’ve no reason to doubt the truck’s prowess on the dirt; there’s plenty of suspension travel, and the short wheelbase aids maneuverability; the on-road ride is also quite comfy. The steering a bit lacking in feel, but otherwise this little Bronco is a joy to motor. It’s no surprise at all why Bajas are so highly sought-after and have become pricey (the very best can cost $100K).
This one’s history offers an extra, if somewhat unexpected, twist. It is the first vehicle to have raced the Baja 500 towing a travel trailer. Indiana-based Caravans International was launching its Sprite line of camper trailers, and felt that running one in the Mexican Off Road Race would be an interesting challenge and a whimsical PR play -- so they did. SoCal off-road racing vet Carl Jackson drove this very Stroppe Baja Bronco, with a Caravans International Sprite travel trailer attached via a standard Class II hitch, in the 1971 Baja 500. They didn’t win but they did finish, and if you know anything about Baja racing, just finishing is a victory of sorts.
Baja Broncos, produced by Stroppe from 1971-75 weren’t specially serialized so verifying the authenticity of any example can be challenging, plus the company’s invoicing records of each job are long MIA. Experts like Norton can spot a marginally done clone a mile off, as there are numerous small tells.