TEXT BY: CHRIS HUNTER PHOTOS: JOHN Ryan HEBERT / CHRIS STAHL / CHRIS HUNT / Ben Van Horn
ne year ago, Sean Barber found himself 300 feet down a canyon, 60 miles from the finish line of the NORRA® Mexican 1000 race. It was not where he wanted to be. His 1976 Scout Terra™ was smashed up beyond recognition—but he was alive, and so was his son and co-driver, Owen.
At that point, most folks would stick the helmet in a closet and call it quits. But Sean is made of sterner stuff. He’s heading back to the Baja Peninsula, and on Saturday, April 26th, 2025, he’ll be at the start line in Ensenada, waiting for the flag to drop.
“I don’t know how I’ll feel this year,” Sean admits. “But I promise you, I will not allow myself to be distracted or take any portion of the course for granted. Last year, I let my focus lapse for literally five seconds, and we almost didn’t come home.”
“I wouldn't want anyone else in the seat beside me.”
Sometimes it pays to stick to what you know, so Sean is racing his Terra again. The Race Terra has been rebuilt and upgraded and once again, it’ll run in the Legends 4×4 class. “It’s a great class with good competitors and cool rigs,” says Sean.
“We loved how the Terra performed, and it was tried and true and saved our lives. We wanted to carry that same spirit into the new Scout race truck.”
This year’s Race Terra 2.0 is the latest in a long lineage that goes back to the original, factory-sponsored race trucks. And once again, Scout Motors is providing support, knowledge, and camaraderie.
Sean’s inspiration comes from former factory Scout racers such as Sherman Balch, Jimmy Jones, and Frank Howarth, plus privateers Jerry Boone and Russ Kirkpatrick.
“I took particular inspiration from Byron Rexwinkle, the talented builder behind the Sherman Balch race trucks,” Sean explains. “I own Sherman’s last Scout race truck—I studied it closely and replicated as much of the design and techniques as I could.”
Sean describes the rebuild as “a heavy team lift.” He’s especially grateful for the generosity of Jeff at the IH Parts America® store, who donated a new body and frame, and even a spare engine.
The busted roll cage has been rebuilt by Safari Technologies in California, with chromoly tubing in the mix for weight savings, plus anti-intrusion bars to protect the occupants better.
On the performance side, Sean has increased the compression ratio on the 196ci engine and installed a camshaft with a custom grind—which should add an extra 20 horsepower, or more.
He’s also replicated an early trick the factory race trucks used: a single-speed all-aluminum TC-143 transfer case. “No more low range, but we save 37 pounds,” Sean notes. “We also switched the close-ratio transmission to a wide-ratio T-19 four-speed.”
The new Borg-Warner ‘box will harness the higher RPM capacity of the new engine better and compensate for the loss of the low-range transfer case.
The suspension moves up a level too. Sean has installed two-inch single shocks from Radflo®, made in Southern California. “The dual shocks were great, but we were able to save over 50 pounds by going to single shocks,” he explains. “We’ll see if this was the right call!”
It’s a philosophy that was espoused by Lotus Cars founder Colin Chapman, who famously said, “Simplify, then add lightness.” The mission to save weight even extends to the bodywork: the Anything Scout crew have removed the Terra top and windshield frame for this year’s race. That saves another 50 pounds or so and radically changes the look of the truck.
“Trying to save weight while maintaining safety is the key,” Sean says. “After adding more power, we feel this Scout [racer] will be the best yet. Scout trucks were—and are—tough, well-built, and simple machines. We wanted to honor that heritage and pedigree.”
To get the best possible graphics package and livery, Sean has partnered with the Scout Motors design team. “We’re changing the color,” he says. “We wanted something vintage in style, that would also ‘pop’ against the Baja desert terrain.”
To add some style to the vintage racer, Sean and the Scout Motors design team partnered up to work on the color and graphics. The truck is finished in a Terra Cotta burnt orange that pops in the desert landscape and is also inspired by the new Traveler™ SUV’s color. “We pulled inspiration from Scout [vehicle]’s racing history,” says Ray Ng, Director of Brand Experience Design for Scout Motors. “We then blended it with NORRA flavor to create a modern look for the race.”
As all Baja veterans know, you need more than just a tough truck to succeed: you also need an experienced team behind you. That’s why many of Sean’s crew are regulars.
California-based Chris Hunt returns to look after logistics, photography, and right-hand man duties. “He’s endlessly competent, and I’d be lost—figuratively and literally—without him.”
Hard-working mechanics Dan Hayes and Ryan “Larry” Jeppesen have also been in the trenches with Sean in the past. “They are knowledgeable, thorough, and gritty, and willing to work hard and late!”
Another familiar face will be creative director Ben VanHorn from New Legend 4×4, the sister company of Anything Scout. One of his jobs is to ensure the action is captured for posterity. To do so he’s joined by fellow Baja newbie and videographer, Eric Reding, who has mastered the craft of capturing stories quickly unfolding on, and off, the road.
The youngest member of the team is Owen, Sean’s 19-year-old son, who returns as a co-driver. “I wouldn’t want anyone else in the seat beside me,” says Sean. And before you ask, Sean’s wife Heather is okay with that. “For over 30 years she has been my biggest supporter, and she believes in Owen and me always!”
Despite having survived a gnarly crash last year, Sean’s own self-belief remains intact. “I know that we are going to have to push ourselves to the limit. This race is long and fatiguing.
“We are hot, then cold, and breathe in copious amounts of dust. My body will ache, and my head will hurt from the violent shaking. But it’s also the most fun and glorious thing I’ve ever experienced.”
Right now, Sean and Owen are testing the Race Terra, and from what we’ve seen, it’s looking good. The next job is to begin the 1,800-mile journey from Idaho to Baja California.
“Building and driving a 50-year-old vehicle as fast as possible with my son and friends through amazing terrain is life-changing and truly epic,” says Sean. “It’s a privilege and something I am forever grateful for.
“Viva la Baja!”
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Scout, Terra, and Traveler are registered trademarks and trademarks of Scout Motors Inc. All the other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
