Sequential shifting for the V8 available soon

[firkins@eis.net.au (John Firkins)]

While I was chasing a solution of how to control the quad cam motor I'm
putting into a Vanagon, I ended up talking to a local chip tuner. After a
while, the topic changed to Audis & he mentioned that he was sitiing next
to a 92 4.2 V8.  I only know of one in the country & the last I knew it had
been rolled in last years Targa Tasmania.

It turned out to be the same car. It seems the roll over was caused by the
auto dropping a gear mid corner, resulting in a sudden loss of power
followed quickly by all the grunt the 4.2 can muster. End result, 4 wheel
drift onto the shoulder & roll doewn steep bank. Yet another Q fails to
finish the Targa. In the 4 or 5 years that the event has been run, a Q has
been heavily crashed in each. For those who dont know the event, the Targa
isa 3 or 4 day event run on closed public roads around Tasmania (the dot
below mainland Oz). Anyone can enter & you can run any car that'll make it
over the roads. You see a mixture of cars from early Ferraris to current
rally chamionship rides. Fantastic event but one I cant afford (heavy
enterance fee & high probability that I'll stuff the car into a bank!)

The driver loves to race, but suffers a little due to being paraplegic,
hence the auto. So, wishing to avoid a repetition of his last event, he
started looking into modifications for the auto
& ended up  talking Lachlan into it.  The project is well advanced & sounds
interesting. The control will be via an additional joystick & the auto will
shift when you tell it to, not when it feels like it ala current M setting.
Once he has ironed the bugs out, he plans on marketing a finished kit.
I've suggested that he looks at a version using buttons on the steering
wheel, and also another product which gives the same control over the box
via the existing shift lever, ie changing the manual program to what it
should be. Anyone who has any other ideas, send'em to me & I'll pass them
on.

Cheers

John Firkins
Australia

PS Anyone wanting to run the Targa, let me know, I have access to pace
notes from one of Australias top 2 or 3  rally navigators. They wont be
cheap but well worth whatever you have to pay!