Drive report: Targa 805 2020

"RallyWrench" (rndlitebmw)
03/03/2020 at 21:00 • Filed to: targa 805, drive report

Drove some , b roke some . This is the story of the 2020 running of the Targa 805.

Story of my life

After a fun inaugural northern event last year, our motley crew once again assembled for the second annual one-day Targa 805 , this year starting in foggy Cambria, California. I with my beater 911, CaptDale with his C4 , and other varied c ars & crews from north, south and east came together for a fun day of bombing the roads of San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara Counties en route to Jalama, a route of about 200 miles.

Assembling at the start in Cambria. Donuts and breakfast burritos.

The other side of the grid, featuring CaptDale, the Sportscaradventures crew, and my new dream car Alfetta

MMM DONUTS

After leaving Cambria, we tested our cars and dental work on Santa Rosa Creek road, one of the best worst pieces of pavement in the state. We all made it, so with confidence overflowing we continued on to the village of Harmony for a brief stop and regroup.

The famed Sportscaradventures MGB crew. They drive the nuts off their cars.

After this it was through Cayucos and Morro Bay State Park en route to San Luis Obispo for a gas stop before heading out to Lopez Lake near Arroyo Grande and another regroup on Hi Mountain Road, which I blew right past.

I want this car

Yup, still want it. Also the guy on the Triumph gets the Iron Butt award.

V8Z is beasty

After this stop, the mechanicals began. DUN DUN DUN.... Leaving the lake, the 122 wagon lost brakes (there is very little Volvo left under its skin), ending up on an embankment following a great save from its surprisingly calm driver. The next to fall , near Los Alamos, was your humble author. Below , DISASTER!

The fleet quickly came to my rescue

Really, it wasn’t that bad. Just as I turned onto CA-135, I lost power. Fortunately it was a slight downhill and there was a large turnoff where I coasted to a stop . I figured out quickly that the fuel pump was dead, but lacked the necessary jack or stands to access it. The pump is between the front wheels, under the tank on the bottom of the car. Fortunately, a bunch of the crew wasn’t far behind and a multinational effort was mounted to get me under the car. From Sweden and ‘Merica came spare wheels to set mine on , and from Her Majesty’s faithful subjects came the floorjack and 2x4 from Bob’s boot. The owner of the black Alfetta rummaged for a spare pump and helped me out on the key. Once under the car, I was able to jog the pump back into life and get the car running , at which point I decided not to press my luck and turned for home with the lovely violet 911SC as wingman to ensure I wasn’t stranded out of service. This meant I would miss the rest of the route to Jalama and its famed burger, and also the last mechanical issue of the day, when the Caterham suffered a mysterious 4000RPM idle that no amount of carburetor or throttle dickering would remedy. It was driven home to LA like that, after a marathon week since its purchase in the Bay Area. Old cars force us to think on the fly and be prepared, and the self-sufficiency and commitment of a good group like this is one of my favorite things about these runs. No one’s getting left behind.

I’ve been friends with the guy who owns this since we were about 5. He’s had it since we were in high school. It was a 200ci/automatic with faded paint as his first car back in the 90's, and we both cut our teeth on it back then. Now it’s a 5.0/manual with over 400k miles on the clock.

Udderly beautiful CS

This car was just bought the previous weekend from a friend of mine in the Bay Area, resurrected after sitting 15 years and driven to LA, then driven back up to SLO for the rally. This is what it’s all about.

CaptDale & Co looking fly over here

Stop in Guadalupe. Good food across the street.

Regroup near Lopez Lake

Jalama

The Jensen wasn’t on the rally, and that’s not my car next to it because I was limping home by this point, but both CaptDale and I thought the Jensen was too cool not to share.

This is Bob, the bastard MGB, built up from parts by the Sportscaradventures gang and run hard ever since.

The finish at Jalama. I’m told it’s nice. I was not there, having bravely turned my tail and fled when danger reared its ugly head.

Traffic was a bummer in places, but the open roads made it worthwhile. Still a fun day, despite the early ending for me. The beer was well earned, in any case . Now to get some more work done on the car and find room for a floorjack & stands in the frunk as we look forward to a run in the eastern Sierra this fall. Get out and drive, and let’s hear about it !

Thanks to CaptDale for the extra pictures

DISCUSSION (26)

415s30 W123TSXWaggoIIIIIIo ( •_•))°) > RallyWrench
03/03/2020 at 21:12

My dad has a 78 SC, white too. He bought it t he year I was born. That Volvo is awesome.

Cash Rewards > RallyWrench
03/03/2020 at 21:42

This is awesome!

slipperysallylikespenguins > RallyWrench
03/03/2020 at 21:56

Awesome write up. I grew up around old cars so my dad and older brother always had a full tub of fluids and spare parts. I always thought it was weird until I got a classic of my own.

shop-teacher > RallyWrench
03/03/2020 at 23:09

That is a fabulous gathering of vehicles!

MiniGTI - now with XJ6 > RallyWrench
03/03/2020 at 23:17

That model Alfa always looks like a Saab to me at first glance, especially in the first pic where it’s partly obscured.

AestheticsInMotion > RallyWrench
03/03/2020 at 23:41

Great read. I don't think I have the stones to do that with a vehicle of questionable reliability anymore, but it sure does sound fun

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > RallyWrench
03/04/2020 at 01:19

Got any room for more in the sierra drive in the fall? My Miata seems far too reliable for this group but it would certainly be fun if my “ modern” car could be allowed lol.

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > RallyWrench
03/04/2020 at 11:06

Such a great crew. Glad you got her back up and running!

We have a backroadtrip on the calendar for next month. =)

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > 415s30 W123TSXWaggoIIIIIIo ( •_•))°)
03/04/2020 at 11:08

Your mom let him buy a 911 the year you were born? This is good wife-ing.

My dad had to sell his 356 B Super 90 once my older brothers came around...

RallyWrench > 415s30 W123TSXWaggoIIIIIIo ( •_•))°)
03/04/2020 at 12:00

Very nice! How many miles has he racked up? So cool that he still has it, they’re wonderful cars.

RallyWrench > slipperysallylikespenguins
03/04/2020 at 12:08

I can’t travel with less than a full set of tools, fluids, belts, MacGyver materials and a manual at the very least. It always surprises me when people run with nothing but a AAA card.

RallyWrench > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)
03/04/2020 at 12:11

We should! There’s a couple other Miatas that run with us, all fun machines are welcome. We usually cap around 20 cars just for easier logistics.

RallyWrench > AestheticsInMotion
03/04/2020 at 12:20

They’re only of questionable reliability after they break, they run great until then ;) The breakdowns build character, and those who stop to help and get dirty with you become friends.

RallyWrench > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com
03/04/2020 at 12:23

Thanks! Me too. Still constantly worried that something seriously unaffordable will break, but I’ll take a fuel pump failure over something bigger.

Get out and drive!! That monster Valkyrie Run to Luft 7 is being planned and I want to do it so, so badly! Even before it was announced I was just thinking about a banzai run east and back, which would of course involve a stop to have a beer with you :) I can’t do that trip though. B etween gas, lodging (although I could dirtbag camp...), and 1930s levels of vacation time, I don’t see a way to do it. Sigh...

RallyWrench > shop-teacher
03/04/2020 at 12:24

Always a solid crew, with familiar faces and new friends alike! Really fun to run with these folks, I’m thankful for the chance!

RallyWrench > MiniGTI - now with XJ6
03/04/2020 at 12:25

It does a bit, doesn’t it? E specially with the bumper delete, it’s got a very Saab 99-900 vibe .

MiniGTI - now with XJ6 > RallyWrench
03/04/2020 at 12:36

Always catches my eye; my parents had a 4-door 99 when I was little. I think those must have been fairly rare.

RallyWrench > MiniGTI - now with XJ6
03/04/2020 at 12:44

I do love old Saabs, they’re fun cars.

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > RallyWrench
03/04/2020 at 13:33

Sounds good, lemme know the details so that I can get on the list early then and not miss the cutoff. I will gladly be a willing participant in roadside maintenance, always the best part of a group drive.

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > RallyWrench
03/04/2020 at 13:40

One day, my friend. One day.

shop-teacher > RallyWrench
03/04/2020 at 13:53

It’s great to see wonderful cars like that, being driven as they should be.

functionoverfashion > RallyWrench
03/04/2020 at 14:14

Harmless breakdowns definitely build character. I had a very close call with my 1972 Ford F-100 with a brake failure, but managed to keep from hitting anyone or anything (aside from a roadside reflector) and rolled into a grassy area to stop it. It was reasonably terrifying at the time, but instincts definitely kept me from getting into a major accident.

Glad you were able to nurse it home. For sure I keep more spare tools and parts in my ‘61 Ford than I do in my daily driver, but even then I keep a few things.

RallyWrench > functionoverfashion
03/04/2020 at 16:12

I’ve never lost brakes, fortunately. That must be terrifying, especially in the truck! Glad you hauled it down safely, always good to scan for pullouts ahead, just in case.

The spares kit keeps growing, I’ve long carried tools, fluids, and limited brake and ignition parts but hadn’t sprung for a pump yet. Gotta do it now! Need to find space for a real jack and some 2x4s too.

415s30 W123TSXWaggoIIIIIIo ( •_•))°) > RallyWrench
03/04/2020 at 21:30

I would have to check, he drove it a lot in the 80's, to work etc..

CaptDale - is secretly British > RallyWrench
03/06/2020 at 13:16

Glad to share my pictures! Should have emailed them to you, damn text compression. Oh well.

Yeah I forgot to tell you I did have a mechanical issue. The vibrations from all these.... artistically paved roads made the screws holding the wheel to the hub start to back out. Thankfully this was only noticeable on the last stretch and constant hand tightening got us to the finish where the once the Seven arrived so did some allen keys. Once back in SLO, Sen’s blue locktite made sure they aren’t coming back out on their on volition.

Have any idea when the next one is going to be? xD

Cruiser > RallyWrench
03/11/2020 at 14:40

Nice write up Tucker! It was a blast, glad I got to make it on this one again.