Wilderness Wear is proud sponsor of a 32 year-old E Type Jaguar and a 1974 model Alfa Romeo GTV. Both cars have competed in and successfully finished the Targa Tasmania Rally during the last five years. The team is headed by Wilderness Wear owner and Managing Director, Phil Endersbee, and driven / navigated by close friend and fellow car enthusiast, Dirk Wheaton – both whom are highly competitive.

Phil bought the V12 ‘E’ Type some 10 years ago and, like most Jag owners, spent the next five years under the bonnet getting it purrrfect! After a couple of Targas in the Tour category they decided full on racing was the go.

After two years of looking they got they found an Alfa Romeo GTV 2 litre (1974 vintage) they then gutted and set up for tarmac rallying. The move to the Alfa has really pushed the boys and lifted them up to a level to compete against the likes of Jim Richards et al.

In 2007 the boys won their Class and Category. In 2008 they were there but blew an oil filter and had electric problems on the last day. The car still finished but was out on time in one of the 25 stages.

They say 2009 will be their year with a podium finish in the Early Classic Division! They do concede that the Porsche 911 RSs will be hard to ‘toss’, but one never gives up hope. Through six days of driving and across 25 different race stages, plenty can (and does) go wrong.

So after a disappointing 15th place in their class, the Alfa Romeo will be back in Tasmania in 2009 to compete in the Targa Rally, backed again by Wilderness Wear and a number of our suppliers of yarn and fabrics, with hopes of a podium finish.

Clothing used: 
Nomex socks, balaclava’s, thermals when racing.
(Also ‘Flame bloc’ socks.) 
Microlite shirts, pants and jackets between race stages.