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Unrealised
Dreams, Un-used Talent, by Giles Acford
At the age of 15 my brother, Ben, who is 6 years older
than myself, scared the hybies out of me.
While
closing a rally northeast of Adelaide at a place called
Truro, we came into a T-intersection traveling a lot
faster than the corner aloud-safe passage through.
While my short life flashed before my eyes, not to
mention the intersection several times as we spun,
I realized whilst just pulling up short of the embankment
that there was nothing else in life that incorporated
skill and risk like off-road racing.
However,
as most mature people would know life doesn't always
dish-up what one wants just because one wants it.
I
wasn't born into a motor racing family, we as a family
didn't have much money and my parents were against
me doing such a risky thing, (at that point I was
living a dangerous enough life just being a wild teenager),
even if they had the money .In life we need to explore
and find the things (other than motor sport) which
carry meaning, which can distract and make the journey
to fulfill ones true talents and goals, long and hard.
My
life has taken many twists and turns and suffice to
say at the age of 33, it has taken me longer than
even I had imagined.
In
1999 I closed my "going know were" floor
covering business and went back to TAFE and learnt
how to weld.
In
2000 I applied for a welding job that had all the
hallmarks of promise of developing into races cars.
I had started talking to people who were in the car
building industry such as Rob Nell and others and
realized that I would have to go back to school to
learn the carbon fiber and Kevlar ways, which for
me economically, just wasn't possible. I started to
build an HQ Ute from scratch, making my own chassis
that was suited to a ford v8, mid mounted, the purpose
of the car was rally cross or short track (non-circular)
racing.
The
project, to the date where I walked away very disappointed,
had taken three months of after-work and weekends.
The problem that made me walk away was other people
who had set out to undermine me and the guy I was
building with, eventually the problems become so distracting
from the work that was going on day to day the owner
told us we couldn't use the factory for the project
and wed have to find our own place. Nether of us had
the resources to do such a thing. At that time I decided,
that was the only option to take (remove the negative
and do it on my own), and get my own place.
To
cut a long story short by removing the fight I have
with the discriminatory and sexist laws males face
with getting equal time with there own children, which
is a story on its own, I now find myself on the verge
of completing the first three steps.
The
first step being getting my own place, which in itself
posed a large problem lack of money and not wanting
to live in the city forced me to purchase a cheap
country home. I had to rebuild the shedding and wanted
to in general develop the property as I was suffering
from low self esteem (see the paragraph above).
The
second being deciding what car to use and get hold
of that car, many factors had to be wade up in regards
to price and suitability to all future plans, which
at that point looked impossible long way off.
The
third step being, setting the car up to a point where
it can be called a race car, the third being hugely
expensive and because of the current regs and laws
is just about impossible for some one like myself
on my own to succeed at.
The
car I choose is a four wheel drive, as I believe it
is the only competitive drive system and to take a
two wheel drive into a race know days is being beaten
before one even starts the race.
Of
course there is more to this than just selecting a
car, the car had to be used on a day to day basis
until I could get the money to build the project and
even then it had to be done in stages so the car could
be used day to day.
Then
there was the business side of things there had to
be a slight difference to this car to make it stand
out, as I wanted to open my own business welding then
the issue of wait, enter my little business of canopy
manufacture.
The
car I purchased had a sun roof which was all very
well whilst I was driving around normally but didn't
suit a race car, so I had to remove the whole roof,
because I was modifying the car I couldn't just get
another roof and weld it on it wouldn't have been
contusive with the custom back so I had to design
the roof and canopy at the same time. Luckily the
weather held out and the looks I got whilst driving
a car that looked like it had partially been shredded
were amusing. I hadn't seen any cars done like this
(still haven't apart from mine) I am sure its been
done before.
I
have to admit I was waiting for the knockers to say
I couldn't do it etc, as I have been accustom to these
types in the past all to often. I will also admit
that not even I thought it would go as far as it has
to date as quickly as what it has. As I right the
car is having a new power plant installed and a general
rebuild of all components on the car which shall we
say are now out dated or just well used and not conducive
with racing.
I
was surprised with the body strength and road stability
after I had installed the roll over protection and
roof supports. I've had to compromise the car by putting
a gas system in it as I travel in and out of Melbourne
quiet a lot, now I look at the car and say "so
close yet so far", the best I can hope for is
o compete in club events and even then the risk to
the car has to be first as I cant afford to replace
anything let alone anything major.
The
way I am looking at it has to be that it's a glorified
tow vehicle and maybe somebody someday will give me
the chance to race at the levels that I know I can
race at, the top.
Which
brings me to this letter, as much as I desire to race
at a professional level I don't have the contacts
and money to get there.
I
now have two properties, a car that I built but cant
use for really anything but work and 4wdriving, a
fledgling canopy business and no racecar, which was
what all this was done for, and the borrowing capacity
has been exhausted.
As
I have been concentrating on my project I haven't
made the contacts to put together a team and although
I have businesses that would be interested in sponsoring
me, racing which is of-course the main aim is, is
still alluding me.
I
guess the aim of airing my project to date is to appeal
to the people who can make the difference and be willing
to try me out, one of the benefits with taking me
on is my ability to learn, not to mention my absolute
desire to win, knowing myself as I do I would say
I wont disappoint the right team with the right support
and sponsors.
If
in any way you can offer me a legitimate drive then
by all means contact me through Greg Tingle whom is
acting as my manager.
*Attention
Media and Sponsors. Contact: Greg Tingle on 0409 045
200 or greg@mediaman.com.au
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