By Trevor Jackson
AS the Legend of the Lakes hill climb kicks into gear today, there are plenty of interesting competitors looking to break their own record up the iconic Valley Lakes course, along with the chance at the outright win.
While reigning Legend Dan Day appears to have a stern grip on the overall fastest time, he will certainly have challengers lining up thick and fast.
But apart from the outright win, the majority of the field will look to break their own record or even claim a class victory.
One crowd favourite will turn up this year with a new build, simply designed to go fast up the hill.
Mick Argoon has certainly been an entertaining part of the event since its inception and this year brings a new spin on his regular Holden Commodore.
Based on a 1984 model, the car has undergone a seven-year build, with running gear which is sure to please the most ardent motorsport fan.
The car now sits on a tube frame, with aluminium floors, panels and fibreglass outer panels.
It runs a six-litre LS, through a trans axle and six-speed sequential gearbox.
Also based loosely around a Corvette, the car runs left hand drive, which Argoon said was for a reason.
He has certainly put plenty of hours into the design and while the build was a long process overall, it appears to have paid dividends.
“It was meant to be quick, put it back on the road, that’ll work, wheel base is good, we can make the rest work, but it didn’t work out that way,” Argoon said.
“The basic upgrades we have done were because the Corvette gear is just not strong enough.
“It originally started out with a C6 Corvette and the engine, trans tube, gearbox and driveline was grafted into the car.
A lot of research and development went into the car before it was built.
“All the frame was CAD drawn, all the suspension points and that kind of thing were factored into how the car needed to built.
“Left hand drive was convenient because the weight is over the torque side of the car.
“We spent a long time speaking about it … it just got a bit out of hand.”
When asked if he was happy with the result, Argoon’s response was a simple “no”.
“I am lacking a lot of mechanical grip,” he said.
“It is just R&D, time in the car.
“We have had one track day, one hill climb and a couple of practice runs.
“I just haven’t had enough time in the car yet.”
The engine itself comes from the stable of former Legend winner Kevin Mackrell and Argoon said it “pretty angry”.
“It makes healthy horsepower,” he said.
“Somewhere between 600 and 700 horsepower.”
That may sound like a lot of horsepower, but Argoon said the LS engine was far nicer to operate, producing and maintaining power cheaper than a cast-iron 308 Holden V8.
With that boost in power and the extra development comes better brakes and better suspension, which Argoon hopes will equate to a faster time.
Those hoping to see some of Argoon’s trademark flamboyance may not have to wait long.
“It is just a matter of time,” he said.
“I know the drive – the drive is easy.
“But you don’t know how it will react to the corners, the bumps, so we will go steady.
“I am not looking to break a record, basically I am looking to break my own record.
“I just want to go faster.”
On the point of the course record, Argoon was quite philosophical.
“This is just pure adrenaline and you are only here to beat yourself,” he said.
“You need to be doing it for a long time or be well positioned to break a record.
“If you are not doing it for fun, go and play golf.”
