ZUKIWORLD Online | Suzuki 4x4 Editorial and Forum
ZUKIWORLD Discussion Forum => Adventure (Let's GO WHEELING!) => Topic started by: Andres_Kike_Lopez on April 26, 2007, 03:22:20 PM
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Hi guys, this is a great zook news
Here goes the press release
The highest altitude World’s Record by car was just beaten
Last Saturday, two Chilean people beat the “Driving to the highest altitude by car� world record on the slopes of the Ojos del Salado volcano, in the Atacama desert, Chile.
Gonzalo Bravo, the driver and his spotter, Eduardo Canales, reached the 21.942 ft on their tiny Suzuki Samurai.
The Record
The new record of 21.942 ft is actually in the process to be corroborated by “The Guinness World Records ®�.
The Car
The rig that they ride was a 1986´s Suzuki Samurai, which was heavily modified by Gonzalo, adding stronger axles, lower gear ratios, air lockers, bigger tires and an engine Supercharger.
Third try
This record was reached on the 3rd try.
The first try was on Jan 01st 2007 when a sudden and pretty strong snow storm make impossible to attempt any reasonable height. The second try was a month ago that finished when the car got on fire at 20.731ft due to a fail on a hydraulic reservoir that was melted due to high exhaust temperatures.
Both tries was on the same volcano that is in the Chile-Argentina border.
Terrain difficulties
Besides the amazing height and lack of oxygen, the most difficult thing was the variety of terrains that one have to drive trough it in the volcano; steep climbs, huge rocks, snow, glaciers and deep sand, all this even together.
“The most difficult section was to cross a half a mile on the main glacier at 21.000ft, basically because the huge holes on the ice was covered by the young snow that fall that Monday and makes impossible to prevent how the terrain really was underneath. This force me to a non-mistake driving, because we cannot stops our run under any circumstance, because we was absolutely alone up there� said Gonzalo Bravo
Before leaving
This is the result of almost a year of preparation and planning.
The track was analyzed trough maps, satellite pictures, cartography, and many conversations with people that was there and knew the volcano by previous car and climbing expeditions.
The rig was tested on the same Andes Mountain’s chain, but lower and closer to Santiago, the capital.
The other thing was the personal training of the people that must be prepared for the huge effort that have to chase at that altitude.
Budjet
This was a pretty low budget expedition, where Gonzalo got the resources basically from some Companies that trusted on the project, several friends and relatives and his own money.
With this budget, the expedition was developed without any additional support and where only two guys alone in the middle of the Andes have to beat the mountain by themselves.
As a reference only, the previous expedition was developed by 20 people and 7 brand new cars, and the first Guinness record done by VW had a cost of around € 500.000.-
Previous record
The previous three Guinness World Records was done by Germans, and on the same volcano with a budget several times bigger than this Chilean expedition. The last expedition leaded by Mathias Jeschke place a record of 21.804ft.-
(http://img159.imageshack.us/img159/6007/cumbre36xa4.jpg) (http://imageshack.us)
(http://img406.imageshack.us/img406/7231/cumbre37xy0.jpg) (http://imageshack.us)
(http://img174.imageshack.us/img174/4715/descensoojosdelsaladooz4.jpg) (http://imageshack.us)
Check Point... hehe
(http://img118.imageshack.us/img118/4982/recordarrowju0.jpg) (http://imageshack.us)
(http://img481.imageshack.us/img481/781/antiguorecwebuk7.jpg) (http://imageshack.us)
The Engine, a supercharged Suzuki G-16B
(http://i121.photobucket.com/albums/o205/dinajer/413.jpg)
(http://i121.photobucket.com/albums/o205/dinajer/413-1.jpg)
A little movie
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0_Mv1G8G0Vk
Cograts Gonzalo
Andres "kike" Lopez
Santiago, Chile
KPTM 4x4
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At first, I thought it was just a Sammie owner that took a wrong turn. ;D
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This is a GREAT story! I don't mean to be too nit-picky but the one picture of them coming down the hill shows them following a two track trail put down by someone? Sort of a sand hill climbing style loop. Was the altitude record broken by just driving right above that or were there multiple attempts?
Anyone know?
No matter what, it's still really neat-O.
-Eric
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That is awesome.
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From what I understand, that picture of the Sammy downslope, on the two-track is actually relatively low altitude, and the records attempts take them much much higher... (where there is no one around to take a photo from a distance)
What an incredible story...
I would sure like to have the engine.. bet it can be set up to make BIG power where there is actually oxygen available... ;)
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[insert drool here]
Anyone know what supercharger that is? Looks really clean in that engine bay.
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that is a cool expedition 8)
congrats to the guys who did it :)
and for the record I WANT THAT ENGINE!!!
jason
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Top effort Gentlemen - I mean wholly crap is there anywhere those damn Sammies haven't gone :o
That engine would be a nice addition to my X90 >:D
ZeusZuki 8)
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That's the best engine I have ever seen in a Zuk. :o
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Outstanding achievement ;D ;D
The supercharger is an Eaton? The intercooler says 'Kompressor' so maybe from a Mercedes?
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Here's a few more pictures of the winning Zuk:
http://www.autoblog.com/category/suzuki/
http://www.autoblog.com/photos/chilean-team-sets-altitude-record/
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There's a good story behind that sign in the window on the link above. The sign was put on the mountain by a team from Daimler Chrysler that set a previous record It originally said "Jeep Parking Only All others don't make it up here anyway " Anyway, the Jeep guys had a factory team with support vehicles, two fresh Rubicons and a half million dollar budget to get them up there... Our heroes in the '86 Zuk jacked the sign while they were up there breaking the record...
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Nice, I wish they would of taken a picture of the Zuk running over the sign on their way to the new record.
Zig
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If someone can't believe.... more pics
(http://img235.imageshack.us/img235/7951/ojosdelsaladorecord6680hx0.jpg) (http://imageshack.us)
(http://img293.imageshack.us/img293/5397/ojosdelsaladorecord6651cv1.jpg) (http://imageshack.us)
(http://img366.imageshack.us/img366/3499/record1fz3.jpg) (http://imageshack.us)
(http://img293.imageshack.us/img293/4079/record2lu7.jpg) (http://imageshack.us)
Andres "Kike" Lopez
KPTM 4x4
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That is impressive, but didn't the jeeps make the trip in stock form or not?
Still pretty d|removethispart|@mn funny. :D
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Hey everyone, just wanted to let you know that the official response from Mattias Jeschke, the team leader of Extrem Events who drove the Jeep Unlimited Wranglers up the Ojos in Chile to set the original Altitude World Record, about the Suzuki team and their 'record' will be released in the upcoming issue of JPFreek Adventure Magazine. I suspect that most of you will be interested to see his response. Feel free to check it out next Tuesday at the JPFreek website:
www.jpfreek.com
Once it's released, I'd like to get all of your reaction to his feelings on the Suzuki team so post a message here or shoot me a PM or email at fledwell|removethispart|@jpfreek.com. Happy adventures!
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Sweet. :)
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here's some text for those who don't wanna be known to check out "jpfreak"
With regard to the present situation, we will have to wait and see whether someone, somewhere, in the world, will exceed our new high altitude world record
Catch a clue ... they DID exceed it!!! Whether Guinees accepts it or not, it's been beat!
It's one hell of an accomplishment to get *any* rig that high, but sounds like sour grapes that their "record" is topped by someone else.
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You forgot to post the bit above it. :)
The action of the Chilean team, which was not authorized by teh area and regional adminitration, will certainly not be beneficial for a controlled and safe development o fthe area and resulting tourist industry.
In addition, the chillean team did not follow the rules of the Guiness World Records. They drove without fixed GPS installations and without the necessary official independent observer.
Wow... sour grapes much? :)
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That is impressive, but didn't the jeeps make the trip in stock form or not?
Still pretty d|removethispart|@mn funny. :D
Read the response from Jeep; I mean DaimlerChrysler. They didn't use stock models. They are making a model to commemorate their accomplishment basing it loosely on the two rigs they used.
I can't believe there isn't more outrage. Jeep basically said the Zuk achievement didn't count and their record stands.
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If the "zuki" team's attempt wasn't observed by an independent 3rd party, it isn't worth much...
my $0.02
-Eric
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If the "zuki" team's attempt wasn't observed by an independent 3rd party, it isn't worth much...
my $0.02
-Eric
If they did it once, they can do it again... hopefully this time correctly!!!
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Now is official... :D
Only in a ZUK
(http://img232.imageshack.us/img232/8053/recordaq8.jpg) (http://imageshack.us)
(http://img405.imageshack.us/img405/4066/gwrcertificate205b800x6sx2.jpg) (http://imageshack.us)
Dedicated to Mathias Jeschke...
(http://www.liska.de/bilder/hoehenrekord/gipfelparkplatz.jpg)
suzuki´s parking a few meters ahead ... ;D
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KUDOS! THUMBS UP TO OUR SOUTH AMERICAN BROS!