A LOOK INSIDE THE CHENOWTH LEGACY LODGE

STORY BY: SHAUN OCHSNER PHOTOS BY: MAURICIO RUELAS

He wasn’t planning on opening a five-star resort. It just kind of happened. Lynn Chenowth has had a house just outside of San Felipe for the last 35 years. When a nearby property came up for sale at the right price, Lynn jumped at the opportunity and bought it. He then had to figure out what he was going to do with it. The Chenowth Legacy Lodge was born!

Lynn Chenowth was inducted into the OffRoad Motorsports Hall of Fame in 2019. Lynn created an open wheel buggy that is 46 | DIRTSPORTSWORLD.COM

responsible for many Baja victories. Chenowth buggies were driven by some of the biggest names in off-road in the 70’s and 80’s. He sold 25,000 sand buggy frames that were shipped all around the world. Lynn retired in 2017, selling his company so he could go back to enjoy the fun of off-road racing. The Legacy Lodge and Museum is just the next chapter in his storied life.

The Chenowth Legacy Lodge and museum is located 30 kilometers south of San Felipe in a community known as Rancho Percebu. Lynn calls it an “Oasis in the Desert.” The lodge features 11 rooms in a two-story building. When it is fully finished, there will be a total of 18 rooms. Several have a beachfront view.

There will be plenty to do at the Legacy Lodge. The property spans one and half acres. Lynn plans to have buggy rentals available. You can rent paddleboards and other water toys. There is a pool, restaurant, bar and spa. The well has fresh water to service the entire property. Perhaps one of the most exciting places on the Legacy Lodge property is Lynn’s museum. Fifteen of Lynn’s historic vehicles will be on display including the first Chenowth buggy to win the first NORRA 500. The museum will feature an extensive trophy collection and more than 300 historic photographs collected over the years. Helmets from celebrities like Roger and Rick Mears and Ivan Stewart are on display. Lynn says he had all these cars with no place to put them, so he came up with idea

of a museum. Lynn’s Chenowth Legacy Lodge will be open for business in 2021. Lynn says he is almost ready. As soon as the COVID Pandemic dies down, you will be able to stay at the Lodge. Lynn said he will save a room for us when we are ready to come down and experience the property.

Words and Photos: Shaun Ochsner

Cooling is one of the most important functions on a vehicle. Racing in extreme conditions causes fluids to reach very high temperatures. A radiator is an efficient way to keep those fluids cool. The key is having the correct radiator with the proper design.

Clint Barry at CBR Performance products has been building cooling products for some of the biggest names in off-road racing for years. Cooling products are manufactured in-house at Barry’s Lake Elsinore, California shop. CBR cooling products have been “real world” tested on race vehicles in some of the harshest conditions. Clint relies on the feedback from race teams to make his products better. Many of CBR’s radiators are purpose built for a specific application.

Oil temperatures can reach well over 250 degrees. Depending on the oil product, oil can start breaking down at 275 degrees and cause friction. The design of the CBR oil cooler helps keep the oil at an optimum operating temperature. In an “oil to air” cooler, the engine oil is cooled directly by ambient air passing over the cooler’s fins.

A standard vehicle radiator design can handle pressures of up to 25psi. CBR’s multi chamber extruded tube radiator can handle pressures of up to 100psi. In a normal race application, vehicles typically use up 40psi. CBR wanted to have a higher rating available in higher pressure situations if needed. Some all-wheel drive trophy trucks see fluids at 300 degrees. Higher pressure applications are typically found on road vehicles such as touring cars.

The inline heat exchanger design allows oil to pass through internal turbulators, heat transfers through the tube along with air, cooling the fluid. CBR has units that will plumb into the water line. Water flows through the unit and

and exits. Oil flows through a heat exchanger mounted in the case. The water that surrounds the heat exchanger cools the oil as it comes back out in the line. The heat exchanger is made of a braised stainless material. Some heat exchangers are made out of aluminum, but their service life can be shorter. The braised stainless also allows a greater stack height and the units to be manufactured to a larger size. Weight, efficiency and durability are all considered when manufacturing an inline heat exchanger. Delta is a scientific term that measures difference of temperature at two points. Clint sees a 30-degree difference using the Delta measurement on his inline heat exchangers.

radiator. There are many different designs for Radiator placement is also key to the physics the fins. Higher speed applications require of cooling. Clint wants to know if the radiator more fins per square inch. The denser the fins is going to be placed in a higher airflow or are, the better the heat transfer. The drawback lower airflow location on the vehicle before to this is more air pressure is required. In suggesting one of his products for a build. The contrast, you want fewer fins for a lower speed manufacture of the core is specific to where application. Clint relies on basic physics for the radiator will be placed on the vehicle. his designs. He also asks other questions such Basically, the core is the small metal fins that as what engine is going to be used and where allow coolant vent heat to the air around the is this vehicle primarily going to be raced. 52 | DIRTSPORTSWORLD.COM

Fin height in the radiator is also important. A standard height is 12 millimeters. Some of CBR’s higherend applications, a 6-millimeter fin height is used. This allows 30 percent more tubes to be used. Think big radiator in a smaller package. This also allows for greater heat transfer, thus making the radiator more effective.

For more information on the cooling products CBR offers, visit www.cbr-performance.com DIRTSPORTSWORLD.COM | 53