I should have mentioned we also had the obligatory electrical problems
Firstly, the day before the event we had to make a new subloom for the
headlights/front indicators since the existing one was incredibly bodged
by PO Daren Stone. Then during the event (when we were 3 minutes
from being flagged off on a special stage) all the electrics died (electric
fuel pump, ignition, VDO trip computer) and we managed to fix it with
just enough time to strap in and helmet up! This was a damn crimp
connector (Daren's again!) that took power from the battery
to the ignition switch. So we stripped it and tied it onto the terminal!!!
All good fun (not!). Naturally the power lead is now soldered and I've
started hunting
down all those unsoldered crimp connectors...
Mike
-----Original Message-----
From: Mike Gigante <mikeg@vicnet.net.au>
To: team-thicko@autox.team.net <team-thicko@autox.team.net>
Cc: spridgets@autox.team.net <spridgets@autox.team.net>
Date: Thursday, February 19, 1998 10:09 AM
Subject: Back from Rally with John Sprinzel
>Hi Guys. I just got back from Tasmania where I competed in the
>Rally of Tasmania/Heritage Rally. I was in the bugeye ("redcar").
>This was a bitumen "special stage" rally with Tulip diagrams,
>overnight impound and the lot. It was a first for a circuit racer like me.
>I had done the 3 Peaks Rally in '96 but that was a navigation rally
>not a drivers rally. This was 3 days of full on driving on closed road
>stages.
>
>John Sprinzel of "Spritely Years", Speedwell and Donald Healey
>Motors fame also competed in a bugeye. There were 11 sprites,
>2 midgets (and 1 lone MGB Ha!). Of the 11 sprites, 8 were bugeyes.
>There also was a lone 100-4.
>
>John Sprinzel is a wonderful fellow and it was a joy and privilege to
>be in the same event. He was not really driving hard (he certainly has
>nothing to prove). I enjoyed talking to him and I picked up a few hints
>(like it is a must to use pace notes next time!)
>
>A new team was created just for me - Just in Time Racing - team motto
>is "It will be OK in the end". Let me just say we did (finally) get the car
>finished just in time for scrutineering and miraculously we did finish the
>event. I did cop a lot of flack for it though. We had brake problems
>throughout the event (my wonderful carbon/Kevlar pads ate the brembo
>rotors so badly during the course recon that we had to start the event
>on virgin standard road pads. We wore them out after less than half
>the event and had to re-install the C/K pads on the side of the
>road. We were checking the rotors after every special stage! I was using
>handbrake only on transport stages! At one stage the brakes jammed on
>(a stone in the pedal box) and I couldn't do more than 2nd gear under full
>noise - we though that would be the end of us.
>
>I was chasing a deficit of 2 or minutes at the start of the last day and
>realistically didn't think I could do it. That wasn't stopping me trying
>though!
>
>Suprise surprise at the presentation dinner I was announced class winner by
>40 secs. The 2nd place guy was a very experienced and successful bugeye
>rally driver and he was not happy!! He lodged a protest over what turned
out
>to be
>a timing error on one special stage and it turns out we failed to nail him
>by
>just 8 secs. I was catching him hand over fist - one one special stage
>(Hellyer
>Gorge reverse I took 30 secs out of his lead! (9:25 vs 9:55). Oh well. I
had
>fun
>trying.
>
>I also cooked redcar's motor so by the 2nd day we were burning 4 litres/day
>of
>Mobil 1. We definately lost top end and redcar's motor will need a good
>check
>and freshen up before she competes again.
>
>This friday night we have a 40th anniversary of the sprite dinner with John
>Sprinzel
>talking a bout the cars we love most. It will be fun too!
>
>cheers, Mike
>
>
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