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Doctor Update
and Sport & Rally Catalog
posted july 9
Yesterday I went to my doctor for another checkup and he's given me
the OK to ditch my hinged boot thingy. I came home and put a regular
old shoe on my left foot! Once I finish with the weight bearing part
of my therapy (only up to 80lbs now) I can ditch the crutches too.
I can see the light at the end of the tunnel!
Here's the complete late 70's Sport & Rally
Catalog. Wouldn't it be cool to have those parts available for
the current cars...
Mawaige is wot
bwings us togethaw
posted july 8
I could almost see Peter Cook (as the archbishop from 'A Princess
Bride') presiding over this one. Nick Jacob and Laura Briggs snuck
off last weekend and tied the knot. While I'm a little upset about
not being invited to the wedding I take solace in the fact that I
still have to take the groom out and get him falling down drunk! I'm
sure Laura will forgive me, especially if I let her a) come
and b) bring a digital camera. On second thought maybe she
won't forgive me; I did introduce the 2 of them.
Congratualtions you 2! May you have years of
happiness together!
X-rays for your
pleasure
posted july 7
Finally got around to scanning the X-rays and putting them up. Correct
me if I'm wrong but that looks like a bunch of Torx screws. As in
go down to the hardware store and buy a gross of them torx screws.
I hope they used loctite! Anyway, here they are:
A couple of people have asked; all that metal stays in forever (I
hope!). Airports should be pretty fun now :)
Oh and it looks like Charlie Paulsen is actually making noises about
getting in the silly seat again. Now I know he's crazy!
And it was suggested that i put some better pictures of Jillian
up before she kicks my ass...
Site updates
and possible Return to Racing
posted july 3
I've added a 'road cars' section of the site
that showcases some of the current and past cars I've owned. I will
be posting more as soon as i get around to taking photos of the winter
beater and my 9000t. I've also added some new pages and updated some
old ones in the 'projects' section. There
will be more to come. This site was originally intended to be just
a showcase for team saabworks but it has become a bit of a personal
site for myself as well.
Team Saabworks right now consists of James Fox (me, the driver) and
Nick Jacob as Crew Cheif Extraordinaire. Since Ethan Maass left we
have had a number of step-in co-drivers but no one permanent yet.
We are in the process of getting Team Saabworks back up to racing
status and have even tentatively set our
return event: Rally of the Tall Pines in November. Be on the lookout
for a big announcement regarding that.
Physical Therapy is going quite well, at least I think so. I can put
80lbs. of weight on my leg and am in the process of gaining joint
mobility and muscle strength back. I go back to the doctor for another
check-up and evaluation in a week.
Unfortunately I cannot post photos of the wreck at this time; I have
been asked not to. If this changes I will let you know.
Recovery Progressing
Well
posted june 14
Nearly 2 months have passed since the crash at Rally New York and
things are progressing rather well, all things considered. I have
just been told that I will require no more additional surgery and
as an added bonus my cast was removed 2 days ago! I will begin physical
therapy in a few days. I look forward to being able to walk again.
I would like to offer a thanks to everyone that has supported me with
their kindness and words of encouragement. It would have been a very
dark 2 months without all my friends who were there for me! I will
be posting my x-rays for wow factor and some photos of the car to
show how the safety equipment performed, hopefully in the next few
days.
Surgery Finished,
Healing Begins
posted may 8
The surgery went very well, i'm back at home enjoying percocet. Only
an overnight stay this time, the surgery was early friday morning
and i was sent home saturday afternoon! I go back to the doctor to
get my permanent cast in a week or 2 and then it's all uphill from
there. I ended up getting a 4" plate and 6 screws on my fibula
and 2 long screws in my tibia. There is a slight chance I'll need
additional surgery, I'll find out on june 7th. It's my birthday on
May 18th so no more surgery would be a nice belated present! My friends
Nick and Laura are taking me to the import/kit car show at Carlisle
PA in a few weeks and at the end of the month my girlfriend Jillian
is going to take me to Vermont for a week. It's going to feel great
to get out of my apartment!
Disaster for
Team Saabworks
posted april 25
What started out as a real positive run for Team Saabworks ended abruptly
on SS 8. While negotiating a fast right into left combination the
Saabworks car left the road at approx. 90 miles an hour and smashed
into 2 trees. The stage was shut down as medical teams responded.
The co-driver was ambulanced to Catskill Regional Hospital where he
was treated and released. The co-driver suffered from bruises and
a thoroughly rung bell. I was airlifted to Westchester Medical Center
in Valhalla, NY. I suffered from a complex break of the left ankle,
bruised ribs, a partially collapsed lung and a thoroughly rung bell.
I was kept in hospital for several days to monitor the lung, which
had self healed and hopefully requires no surgery. I go back in on
monday to assess the ankle and schedule the operation. Unfortunately
the ankle break is severe enough to require pins and possibly plates.
I'm looking forward to being able to set off metal detectors. It will
take several months for me to recuperate
The car is a complete write-off. Every safety system performed as
designed but the damage is too severe. Initial inspection reveals
some simple salvage items:
-the rally computer
-intercom system
-steering wheel perhaps
-auxiliary gauges
-rims and tyres
-hopefully the engine survived
From talking to several people that were on scene as well as my co-driver
(none of us actually remember the crash) and viewing photos of the
crash site taken by friends a few days ago (thanks D and A) it looks
like the speed and the presence of large amounts of debris on top
of the tarmac (kicked up by rally cars cutting the first corner) caused
us to lose traction at the rear tyres. after what looks like several
attempts to control the rear end we apparently skipped off the right
side of the road backwards. Neither myself nor my co-driver feels
that this accident was caused by mechanical breakdown, driver error
or especially extenuating circumstances. Rather we feel that this
is one of those unforeseeable incidents more commonly known as 'accidents'.
We are both aware that these will happen in a racing situation from
time to time...
When i receive clearance to do so I will post the photos of the car
so we can all see how the safety devices performed and make improvements
to our cars.
Thank you all for writing with words of encouragement and support.
Rally New York
Information for friends and Saab nuts
posted april 11
Rumour has it that a number of Saab faithful and personal friends
are planning on attending. I hope we can provide a good show and be
there at the finish line for everyone! A reminder to you people planning
on attending, you should download
the spectator guide and remember that everything else is centrally
located at Mr. Willy's Restaurant in Monticello. Keep in mind that
this is not a 'grandstand' event- you will be moving around during
the day via your own car and your own feet. Please dress accordingly
and think about bringing picnic type foods and rain gear (just in
case). Our van will be parked at the service area (which is located
at Mr. Willy's Restaurant) all day with a 10x10 awning and a huge
SAAB flag. Feel free to stop by and say hi!
Check
the weather in Monticello
Directions To Mr.
Willy's Restaurant:
Take NY Route 17 to Exit 105A (Rt. 42 South).
At Broadway (second light), turn right and go through four stoplights.
At fifth light (yellow flasher), turn left with Route 42 South (follow
sign).
Go 2 miles; Mr. Willy's is on the right.
Team Saabworks
prepares to compete in Rally New York
posted april 9
We've spent much of this past week prepping the car for the upcoming
event. Rally
New York is taking place on April 17th. Things we've had to do
to the car include:
-new co-drivers seat, a Corbeau
Forza
-new 6
point harnesses for both driver and co-driver
-install catalytic converter (sucks)
-some wiring misc. wiring (it never ends!)
-reinforce the skid plate mounting again and again and again...
-align the car (after Rally
Tall Pines the car had a *bit* of toe-out)
-new co-drivers name on side windows
-oil change, coolant change, brake fluid flush
-replace damaged mudflaps on front wheelwells
-replace broken fuel level sender
-mount up some more tyres
-buy 35 gallons of race
gas at $5.25/gal, damn!
Hopefully we haven't forgotten anything! The crew chief will be working
on the tow vehicle, a 1993 Ford E-350 (aka the white whale) this coming
week and friday morning we tow up to Monticello NY.
Friday morning I also get to meet my new co-driver for the first time.
Charlie Paulsen will be sitting in the silly seat for this event and
if it works out well he's expressed interest in finishing out the
season together. That would be great- finding a willing co-driver
for every event is very hard; it adds one more thing to do and because
you never have a chance to truly become a team with a one-time co-driver
you suffer from a competition point of view.
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