1968 Burro Buggies

Steve Heckert recently sent us these photos of his three 1968 Burro Buggies.  Notes from Steve about each one is below with the photos.  Steve is also searching for info and location of the SS Burro Buggy – Read about it here.

1968 Burro Buggy

#1 Burro was Tiny Thompsons personal Burro. It was raced by Tiny, Les Choat, Chuck Andrade, Gary Weers and Don Richards. 1600 single port with Zenith and original Four Tuned exhaust, bus reduction box trans with alpine gears, link pin front end. Original hand painted lettering is still on the Burro. See race results sheet.

#8 Burro is a Les Choat built Burro. Driven by Les, Andy D and Don Richards. 1835cc duel port with Zenith, 1968 IRS Bus trans, ball joint front end and Manx exhaust. I ran this Burro in the 2010 NORRA 1000, 6th in vintage class.

#77 Burro. A one of a kind. This was Bob Sinclair’s Volvo B 18 powered Burro. Bob was the president of Volvo Cars back in the 60s and 70s. He later became the president and CEO of SAAB Cars of N America and Canada. Raced by Bob Sinclair , Bob Anderson, Tiny Thompson, Les Choat and Bob Thomas of the LA Times. Volvo B18 motor, VW Bus reduction box trans and ball joint front end. This Burro is in Harrah’s Auto Museum in Reno. Bob and the Burro was pictured and wrote about a lot after the 1968 Mexican 1000 because they rolled the Burro 60 miles from La Paz and sheared off the left spindle. They up righted the buggy and drove the last 60 miles on three wheels and still ended up 4th in class and 21st OA!

1968 Burro Buggy 1968 Burro Buggy 1968 Burro Buggy 1968 Burro Buggy 1968 Burro Buggy 1968 Burro Buggy 1968 Burro Buggy 1968 Burro Buggy 1968 Burro Buggy 1968 Burro Buggy 1968 Burro Buggy 1968 Burro Buggy
21 comments… add one
  • Donn Andrade May 30, 2014 @ 18:36

    My DAD is Chuck Andrade i Would Love to Buy Number Burro FOR him Please call AT 949-936-1702 DONN Andrade it would be great for him for his birthday it would blow him away…. i will pay cash………please call me

    • steve heckert Jun 5, 2014 @ 21:41

      Donn, I know your dad. I tried calling your number but it does not go through. call me at 916 872-5324. I have my feelers out for a Burro.

      Steve

      • mike roy Jul 26, 2014 @ 12:45

        hope its not my dads cause I would sure like to get it back for myself and maby even restore it. tried to call Roberta about it but never called me back. she lives in Idaho as do I. wonder where in Idaho she lives?

        • mike roy Jul 26, 2014 @ 12:48

          why is there not somebody still making them. would like to see a fresh built one huh?

      • Devon Nov 12, 2022 @ 19:48

        Steve,

        Don Andrade got his number wrong its 949 836 1702. This is his son Devon Andrade.

    • steve heckert Jun 21, 2015 @ 16:23

      Donn, I may sell the Burro that your dad raced. Not 100% sure at this point.

  • mike roy Jul 6, 2014 @ 14:18

    do any of you remember my dad William(bill) roy? he ran with the orange county burros club. the front of his buggy had a whale on it called himself moby bill. I think Crawford engineering helped him with it.

    • Donn Andrade Jul 11, 2014 @ 18:51

      my dad surf with your dad and your mom merna was a nurise and meet tiny that make burros

      • mike roy Jul 26, 2014 @ 12:42

        i tried to get in touch with Roberta to see if I could buy back my dads buggy if she ever wants to sell it. she hasn’t ever called back. I really screwed up not getting it from my dad. why is there not somebody still making them. a modern day burro would be awesome.

        • steve heckert Jun 21, 2015 @ 16:21

          Hi Mike, Did you make contact with Roberta? I have a couple pics of your dad standing by the Burro.

    • steve heckert Jul 16, 2014 @ 21:23

      Mike, I remember that Roberta Thompson bought your dads a few years back. I think I have a couple pics of the Burro.

  • steve Jul 14, 2014 @ 18:33

    Mike, please email me at burro8@wavecable.com. I have some pictures og your dads Burro that Roberta Thompson has.

    Steve

    • Donn Jun 22, 2015 @ 14:19

      ok Steve let me know when my DAD said you guys talked a month ago please let him know we talked thanks

  • Chuck Luettgerodt Nov 22, 2017 @ 16:20

    My name is Chuck Luettgerodt. I used to work for Jerry Wood, who used to work with Les at the Salvage yard in Compton. Jerry built all of the transaxles and engines in those days for Les and hundreds of other racers and daily drivers. Jerry isn’t doing well health wise, and I’m trying to find out any information on Les. The last we heard, he and his wife divorced and Les moved to Mexico. Jerry and I haven’t heard anything since. We can’t even locate Ed, his son. Any information would be appreciated.
    Thanks, Chuck Luettgerodt.

    • Curtis Guise Nov 28, 2017 @ 7:23

      Chuck, I sent you an email with Steve’s info. Maybe he knows of them.

  • Larry Courter May 18, 2019 @ 13:41

    1970 Burro with Ford V4 Industrial Engine for sale. Costa Mesa, CA. One owner, I bought frame and engine from Tiny.

    • Curtis Guise May 23, 2019 @ 9:35

      Larry we have a classifieds section that you can post the Burro for sale in also.

    • Charles Griffin Dec 4, 2019 @ 13:08

      Burro buggy for sale . Completely original,1865 dual port,alpine gears, four seater. Sitting for a while, rubber items will need replacing.. 4500.00

  • Charles Griffin Dec 2, 2019 @ 17:41

    Original burro for sale , been sitting a while, needs refreshing.. bill of sale only. I’ve had it for twenty years..

  • Dean Christensen Jan 8, 2023 @ 18:24

    I know I,m late to the party but I just found this thread. My dad was Ron Christensen, he passed away a few years ago. He drove with Les in 1969 as shown on your list of races. I remeber as a kid playing in Les’s salvage yard while my dad and Les worked. I also have some pictures of them racing. I too would like to own one of the original cars. I also remeber my dad building his own Burro right in our garage. He bolted the tubing bender in the middle of our driveway. The whole car was 1 inch square tubing and stick welded. Those were the days!

    Great effort to bring back the history. Also thank you for posting these pictures.

Leave a Reply to steve heckertCancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *