Unlimited Desert Racer
John
But he's never lost the passion for making his own creation from the existing models of big-name brands. And that ideal continues with a watch I got to spend some time with recently: The Chopard Mille Miglia Bamford Desert Racer. This watch is based on the known Mille Miglia GTS Power Control model but features Bamford's touches. And like with all of his customizations, this one has a personal angle as he worked directly with Chopard's Co-President, Karl-Friedrich Scheufele.
The result is a watch with a certain stealthy attitude evocative of the desert from which it takes its inspiration via the black and orange color palette. What makes this one particularly interesting is that it isn't just an idea but a watch that Bamford put to the test once it was complete. He brought it aboard a Meyers Manx buggy at the last edition of the National Off Road Racing Association, and the watch lived to tell the tale.
I didn't experience that exact watch, and I hope George keeps that one for himself. No, I had one of the very limited 50 total examples that will be made globally. It came in an on-brand pelican-style case, also in black and orange. Lifting the watch from the box, the lightness became apparent, given that it's made from bead-blasted grade-2 titanium.
When it comes to the Mille Miglia watches, I am used to seeing a vintage aesthetic and a chronograph, both of which are not here. Instead, this time-and-date model with its automotive-inspired bezel in the rugged Bamford styling gives off a wholly modern look that grew on me during my time with it.
This watch is all about textures and stealth legibility. We touched on the bead-blasted case, but there's also a matte-textured dial with massive 12 and six applied numerals, which take the lion's share of visual attention. And that's a good thing because it makes it so the power reserve indication and date display blend into the background. Now, that doesn't mean the date is hard to see. It's just there when you need it.
Orange accents are aplenty on this one, from the bezel text to the power reserve to the small hash marks on the seconds hand. The case diameter is a scary-on-paper 43mm, but once I (with about a 6.5 in. wrist) got the hybrid strap sized correctly, I found the flat case to wear very well. It is possible (in fact, likely) that the all-black titanium case coloring lends itself to the watch appearing smaller than it really is.
Inside, this one beats the chronometer-certified Chopard 01.08-C caliber with a 4Hz beat rate and 60 hours of power reserve. It is visible through an exhibition caseback. This is one of the most underrated points when it comes to Chopard, an independent, family-owned brand that puts one hell of a movement into its watches.
Chopard Mille Miglia GTS Power Control Bamford Desert Racer, 43mm ultra-light bead-blasted grade-2 titanium case. Black, matte-textured dial with orange accents. 100m of water resistance. Chopard 01.08-C automatic caliber with 4Hz beat rate and 60 hours of power reserve. Hybrid strap and deployant buckle. Limited to 50 pieces. Price: $10,400.
Surf Camp is the outdoor-focused concept from Badovinus on the rooftop of the former Magnolia Petroleum Co. building at 2130 Commerce St. that's also home to two Badovinus restaurants, Brass Ram and National Anthem.
According to a subscription-only story in the Dallas Morning News, Desert Racer's final day was March 17, fitting since it's Greenville Avenue's favorite holiday, although you'd think they could've hung on through spring patio season.
The inspiration for Desert Racer came from the Baja 1000, the rogue desert racing event held on Mexico's Baja California peninsula since 1967. A "desert racer" is a rough-and-ready off-road vehicle. This fit in with Badovinus' fondness for automotive elements in his restaurants such as Town Hearth in the Design District, which incorporates a 1961 MG and a Ducati sport bike as part of its decor.
Desert Racer opened at 1520 Greenville Ave. in 2019, taking over over basically an entire block, including a vintage storefront once home to blues bar Muddy Waters, as well as an adjacent Mexican restaurant La Jaivita (and prior to that, a Sammy's Drive-in), a space that became the outdoor patio. The location was originally redone at great expense by Austin-based gastropub Haymaker, which opened there in 2016 but lasted barely a year.
Desert Racer's Mexican-themed menu had tacos, nachos, quesadillas, queso, and tots, with cocktails on tap and ample happy hours. It was casual and cheap, which should have been a slam-dunk. However, it was on a section of Greenville Avenue that's south of Ross Avenue, outside the main Lower-Greenville Avenue crawl, a locatoin that has proven repeatedly to be a challenge.
Its Quest for Texas Best competition is now in its 11th year of engaging small businesses to find the best of their products, in return for $70,000 in cash prizes and the overall winner will be stocked in H-E-B stores.
For the 2024 competition, a release says, H-E-B received more than 16 hours of video from 470 entrepreneurs. Although submissions came in from more than 118 cities, the finalists come from just six places, with Dallas and Austin taking multiple spots. Ultimately, four products will win tiered prizes.
With long-travel KING Shocks, steel skid plates, durable 35" BFGoodrich Tires up front, 37" tires in the rear, and a Subaru Boxer Engine, the Crosstrek Desert Racer is built to take any punishment the off-road desert terrain can dish out.
Driven by Dustin Grabowski and Co-Driven by Cody Woodruff of Grabowski Brothers Racing. The team has secured several wins with there biggest highlight being a 1st in Class Win at Vegas to Reno, the longest off-road race in the United States, and a Class victory at the 2019 Baja 500.
If you are in search of an off-road vehicle that will take you to places, the Subaru Motorsports USA - Crosstrek Desert Racer is the answer. Built to tackle extreme terrains, this high-performance vehicle is perfect for adventure lovers who crave for adrenaline rush.
Equipped with a 2.5-liter Boxer engine that delivers 300 horsepower and 280 lb-ft of torque, this desert racer can breeze through any terrain. Its suspension is designed to handle jumps, bumps and rough roads ensuring a smooth ride even in the most challenging terrain.
The Crosstrek Desert Racer is built with a lightweight body that enhances its speed and agility. Its strong and durable frame ensures it can withstand the toughest challenges that come its way. With its sleek design, the Crosstrek Desert Racer looks like a beast on the road.
In addition to its performance capabilities, the Crosstrek Desert Racer is equipped with advanced safety features such as roll cage, fire suppression system, and racing seats with harnesses to keep you secure and protected even when the going gets tough.
To sum it up, the Subaru Motorsports USA - Crosstrek Desert Racer is the ultimate choice for adrenaline junkies who love to explore the outdoors and take on the toughest challenges. With its impeccable performance, safety features, and stunning design, this vehicle takes off-roading to a whole new level.
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Precision-modeled after a full-scale unlimited desert race truck, the rugged Pro Scale body is securely mounted to the frame. The open window design showcases the intricate tube frame chassis and detailed interior cockpit. Choose either the Fox or RIGID body style to light up the desert with vibrant color!
The rugged tube frame chassis is fully-functional and an integral part of the overall unlimited desert race chassis design. The tube frame chassis provides rigid support for shocks, bumpers, and suspension. The design is engineered to help absorb and distribute impacts for the rock-solid durability that is required in the desert.
Realistic chassis side plates (tin work) mount directly to the roll cage for true Pro Scale realism. Functionally, they add structural rigidity and help keep debris out of the cockpit. Remove the body and the desert race chassis looks even more amazing and realistic.
From bumper to bumper, beautiful precision-molded details continue the Pro Scale theme. The replica brake calipers and discs, floor jack with handle, batteries, fans, oil cans, fire extinguishers, and shock reservoirs provide the perfect scale touches.
Like a true desert race truck chassis, two spare wheels and tires are mounted on the rear frame. Identical to the other four, each is fully functional and ready to mount. The spare driveshaft mounted to the frame is not just for looks. It is a functional spare for installation on the truck if needed.
The inverted tub chassis makes service and maintenance easy. Replace batteries without removing the body or drop the entire motor and transmission assembly as a single unit. This innovative design also concentrates weight as low as possible to lower the overall center of gravity (CG) of the truck for superior handling and performance.
Integral to the inverted tub chassis, tough skid plates keep out debris and protect vital vehicle components. The two-piece design includes a separate door for the battery compartment that snaps in and out of position in just seconds.
The versatile battery compartment accommodates single 4s LiPo packs or dual 2s or 3s LiPo packs. A rugged battery strap locks into place to hold even the largest batteries securely. The strap attaches firmly to the frame so there are no clips to lose. View the full list of compatible batteries here.
The one-piece body attaches securely to the functional tube frame chassis in multiple locations for long-lasting durability and scale realism. With no body clips to pop off, this armor-tough body allows easy access to the electronic speed control and showcases the highly detailed suspension, cockpit, and tube frame chassis.
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