SCORE Journal - The Official Publication of SCORE Off-Road Racing
Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/1119475
Race Inspired UTV This Polaris RZR XP 1000 Turbo was custom built to the same level as a SCORE Class 1 buggy By Dan Sanchez Photography Courtesy of Jimco One of the best things about off-road racing is that it inspires fans to customize their vehicles with some of the same components used on vehicles raced in SCORE. Wide fenders, long-travel suspensions, roll cages, and a hardcore set of wheels and tires look great on a truck, but most street vehicles like these have to compromise their abilities in order to be driven on the street. It’s not the same for UTV owners who can literally outfit their vehicles with the exact same components that racing vehicles use. Most of us can take a new UTV and bolt on an aftermarket long-arm suspension, racing shocks and LED lights, but for some actual racers and hardcore fans, bolting on components is not enough. Building a hardcore UTV that’s capable of being on the starting line at the SCORE Baja 500, requires a complete ground-up build. To drive the idea home, Jimco built a Polaris RZR XP 1000 Turbo for a customer who wanted the vehicle built with the same detail and quality as a Class 1 race car. According to Jimco owner and CEO Robbie Pierce, this custom UTV build is not something they normally do, but if a customer has the means to build a vehicle at this level, they’ll accommodate. The vehicle started out as a 2017 model from which Jimco built a new roll-cage with an aluminum roof. They also built a windshield frame out of carbon fiber and inserted glass that is D.O.T safety approved. The Polaris could be ordered from the factory with aluminum doors, but Jimco added lighter carbon fiber doors to this four-seater, ensuring weight wouldn’t become an issue with the added passengers. Interior safety is paramount, so a set of Mastercraft S2 seats were added front and rear, along with Mastercraft two-inch seat harnesses. The rest of the interior such as the dash and instruments remained Polaris OE items, but the steering wheel was upgraded to an MPI wheel and hub, and a PCI radio and intercom system were added for communication. The factory ProStar Turbo four-stroke engine was untouched, but a Trinity Stage 5 exhaust was added. Jimco also kept the factory On-Demand AWD transmission and the Polaris’s factory skid plates but added their own custom front bumper and rear spare tire mount. Because the suspension is one of the most important parts of a Baja style UTV, Jimco fabricated its own control arms that utilize a set of Fox coil over, internal bypass shocks. A set of Walker Evans sway bar links are used, along with the company’s wheels that are mounted to a set of 30-inch diameter BFGoodrich Tires. No UTV is without its share of proper lighting, so Jimco added a set of Baja Designs Pro headlights and taillights, with a 30-inch LED light bar onto the custom made roof rack. While it’s not likely this UTV will see any serious racing, it is well equipped for pre-running and providing the excitement and maximum capabilities that money can buy. For the serious off-road enthusiasts willing to have one custom built like this, it’s well worth it. SPECS Vehicle: 2017 Polaris RZR XP 1000 Turbo Chassis: Jimco custom, roll cage, carbon fiber doors, roof rack, carbon fiber window frame, spare tire carrier Interior: Mastercraft Safety S2 seats, Mastercraft harnesses, MPI steering wheel, PCI Race Radio/intercom Engine: Polaris ProStart Turbo H.O, DOHC Twin-Cylinder Turbocharged Exhaust: Trinity Stage 5 Drivetrain: Factory, AWD Suspension: Jimco custom trailing arm, Fox coil-over shocks, Walker Evans sway bar end links Wheels: Walker Evans Tires: 30-inch BFGoodrich Tires Lighting: Baja Designs head and tail lights, 30” LED Light Bar