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Owner: Theo Smit
Tiger MkI1A
VIN: B382002705
Location: Calgary, Alberta, Canada

Theo is an electrical engineer ( “Senior Software Engineer , that's what my business card says, anyway“) with 10 years' experience in the design of digital telecommunications systems. Theo started driving in local autocross competitions in 1984, and competed in the provincial championship series in 1986 and 1987, taking home third and first-in-class respectively, driving a Honda Civic. 1987 also saw the opening of Calgary's Race City Speedway, and Theo prepared a '72 Toyota Corolla for the local club racing class, which netted a third-place trophy in 1989, and after making a lot of changes for the '91 season, a GT4 track record that still stands.

Unfortunately the car was heavily damaged due to a suspension failure and subsequent contact with a concrete barrier, and Theo started construction of a GT3 tube chassis based on the GT4 Corolla's drivetrain and suspension.He also raced mountain bikes in 1997 and 1998, and has been a Tiger owner since 1998. His motto: "Less is more!"

The following years the racing tapered off due to the demands of work and car construction, but one of the highlights of that time was the annual Race City driving school, where local race drivers were recruited as instructors. At the '93 school, Edmonton Tiger owner Ad Dionisio brought his car down for the weekend, and Theo was assigned to be his instructor. Theo was hooked from the first turn of the ignition key, being surprised by the car's handling on the track, and exhilarated by the straightaway performance. Ad went on to become one of the favorite local vintage drivers, and Theo started looking for Tigers. It wasn't until 1998 that things came together, and now his time is spent in and under the red Mk1A. The Tiger has seen a few laps of Race City, but it's not quite ready for serious track duty...yet.

Theo has been a strong contributor to the Tiger list, with his electronics and Tiger expertise, and has graciously "donated" some of the images in the site, as well as editing the Electrical Section of Tech Tips section of our TigersUnited site.

Here is Theo, demonstrating his new cooling system design and overflow recovery system design at Yellowstone Park, next to Ole’s Alpine. Please to ignore bilious green vapors, which, we are told, is an artifact of the camera lens.

Theo maintains his own Web presence with Smiths/Jaeger Tach Upgrade and Alternator Conversion Methods being current highlights.

Here is Theo at SUNI III, BIG SKY, MONTANA. The Auto-X was a lot of fun.














As an added bonus, Theo has offered this self-portrait, to allow us to see what he looks like. Please send all comments to his e-mail, below,

Theo Smit










 
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