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[Healeys] TargaNewfoundland 2009-AHX 12: Day 1

To: healeys@autox.team.net, michaelsalter@rogers.com, Awgertoo@aol.com,
Subject: [Healeys] TargaNewfoundland 2009-AHX 12: Day 1
From: awgertoo@aol.com
Date: Mon, 14 Sep 2009 09:42:31 -0400
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
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