[Healeys] TargaNewfoundland 2009-AHX 12: Day 1

[awgertoo at aol.com]

As some of you will?remember from my posts to this list?and a couple of?feature articles in both "Healey Marque" and "Austin-Healey" Magazines,?Michael Salter and I?competed in?Blaire Harber's pre-production Healey 100 "AHX 12"?in the 2007 and 2008 challenging "Targa Newfoundland", a ten-day/several-thousand mile long?European-style rallye run over the challenging roads of Eastern Newfoundland.?



"12" was?purpose-built?to compete in and win this grueling event.?Those of you who attended Conclave this past summer in Kingston, ONT?and took the opportunity to attend our tech session certainly learned just how special a car is 12.? The engine is destroked to about 2.5 liters in order to take advantage of greater time allowances, the strengthened crank is?out of an?Austin?diesel cab, all engine internals are first-rate w/Weber carbs and?a modified and redundant ignition system.??Body panels are AL with disc brakes all around.? The transmission is a Toyota 5-speed pushed through a diaphragm clutch and sports a 3.5 final drive with a custom locking differential.? The car is a screamer and a blast to drive.



Due to the high rates of speed?and the appalling nature of the roads in the closed "Targa" sections, ground clearance is always THE issue?and both front and rear suspensions have been designed to maximize road-holding and yet deal with the numerous hard landings after the inevitable airborne sessions?resulting from?the compressions, jumps,?wheel-eating potholes?and generally shitty roads, all part of the fun!? Not much between the rear wheels would look familiar to most of us, with four trailing?arms and a watts-type link to locate the axle plus big coilovers to control vertical travel.? The frame has been rebuilt to allow for additional vertical movement--still?bottoming?out a few times a day?is the norm rather than the exception.



In both efforts we won several awards, including first in class each year, and last year finished 7th overall, having stood in first place briefly.? This year we were back to?win--PERIOD--and the 2009 effort began about a week after 2008's finished.? Michael was again to drive and I to navigate, and we both felt that we had become an effective and competitive team.? Our plan was to meet in Montreal last week and we would drive out Nova Scotia and catch the Ferry into Argentia, then drive into St. Johns NF Saturday and get set for the prelude yesterday and start today.? But things were not to be:



A month or so ago I began experiencing serious GI problems which were diagnosed as "C. Diff" and I was prescribed a course of the antibiotic--Flagyl--which usually provides effective treatment.? After a second course of Flagyl?and then resort to another antiotic--?Vancomycin--I was still not getting any better and in fact had a few nights in the hospital simply to deal with the symptoms which are both unpleasant and painful.? And so a few weeks ago I told Michael that I thought he should?try to find?another navigator as I could not predict where I would be medically when it came time to ship out.? This was a tough call for both of us but I am glad we made it as Michael was able to fiind a local, experienced navigator to fill the seat and I am?now hospitalized with a still-undetermined diagnosis.? However I am in touch with Michael and other personnel and will attempt to give periodic reports on 12's progress as I learn of things.



So we'll begin with this report--Day 1--which covers yesterday's (Sunday's) events, the "Prelude" day?which is not scored but is run under full Targa conditions,?and?gives all?teams a chance to zero out their mechanical odometers, get?into a pattern of communications, and sort the cars out for any final issues, etc.? Apparently an issue DID present itself and at the start of one of the final Targa sections the differential came apart.? I only had one brief phone call with Michael last night and they were just getting into things, but he has plenty of spares and skills with him and felt confident that they would be able to pull things together in time for today's official?start. I'll file further reports as I am able.



Best--Michael Oritt