Interesting track day!
Discussion
Three months back I received an invitation from a club north of here at Caen, loosely in english called the Historic Sports Car Club of Caen. They were running a track day, knew of my D types, and asked me would I like to take part. A nano second passed as I read the letter and a further nano second before my reply hit the post with my cheque.
Last Sunday, heavy drizzle, I set out for the Bugatti circuit wearing helmet and waterproofs and on arriving was convinced I must have mixed up my dates, so went to the reception where they said, no, I hadn't made a mistake and here were the cars in my group.
It made a very interesting list of "historic" cars against which my replica 53 year old car was pitted:-
11 Porsche 911's
2 Venturis
3 BMW M5's
2 Audi RS4's
3 Renault Clio V6's
1 Ferrari Modena
1 Lamborghini Diablo
2 Nissan 350Z's
1 Corvette C5
Many of the cars had arrived on trailers with up to 12 wheels - slicks, intermediates and wets. As you can gather, I exploded - politely - demanded my money back and went home. It isn't my driving (well it is) but if say an RS4 overtakes in the wet and then brakes I have nowhere to go except to modify both cars.
In the afternoon my phone rang and I was asked to go back and do some laps because it was by now sunny. I refused of course, but they finally admitted that they had informed the press and had egg over their faces because I wasn't there. Not me you understand, but a car that is mythical here in the Sarthe. Relenting, I said OK, if they closed the track to let me do a few laps without all the other modern cars since it was too dangerous, but they once again refused so the egg stayed well and truly glued to their faces.
So the moral is, if in France and invited to do a track day, ask first. I already knew that here a "classic" car is over 20 years old (for example the Historic Rally of Le Mans is next weekend and cars from 1987 backwards are admitted to get the numbers up), but since this is a regularity rally I'm not too bothered.
Still haven't of course got my cheque and probably never will. You pay to learn...........
Last Sunday, heavy drizzle, I set out for the Bugatti circuit wearing helmet and waterproofs and on arriving was convinced I must have mixed up my dates, so went to the reception where they said, no, I hadn't made a mistake and here were the cars in my group.
It made a very interesting list of "historic" cars against which my replica 53 year old car was pitted:-
11 Porsche 911's
2 Venturis
3 BMW M5's
2 Audi RS4's
3 Renault Clio V6's
1 Ferrari Modena
1 Lamborghini Diablo
2 Nissan 350Z's
1 Corvette C5
Many of the cars had arrived on trailers with up to 12 wheels - slicks, intermediates and wets. As you can gather, I exploded - politely - demanded my money back and went home. It isn't my driving (well it is) but if say an RS4 overtakes in the wet and then brakes I have nowhere to go except to modify both cars.
In the afternoon my phone rang and I was asked to go back and do some laps because it was by now sunny. I refused of course, but they finally admitted that they had informed the press and had egg over their faces because I wasn't there. Not me you understand, but a car that is mythical here in the Sarthe. Relenting, I said OK, if they closed the track to let me do a few laps without all the other modern cars since it was too dangerous, but they once again refused so the egg stayed well and truly glued to their faces.
So the moral is, if in France and invited to do a track day, ask first. I already knew that here a "classic" car is over 20 years old (for example the Historic Rally of Le Mans is next weekend and cars from 1987 backwards are admitted to get the numbers up), but since this is a regularity rally I'm not too bothered.
Still haven't of course got my cheque and probably never will. You pay to learn...........
But you did make the right decision. The thought of putting my E-Type on track with anything modern makes me come out in a cold sweat.
It's still a pretty quick car (even by todays standards) but it does have vintage handling and the brakes..... yes those brakes don't do a lot. You do stop eventually but it's not like a modern car with servo'd brakes.
I wouldn't even take the E-Type on track behind my competetion midget - it would be plain dangerous.
It's a shame for you that you didn't get your drive but I guess it is lesson learnt for next time.
PS I've just looked at your profile pic - great bit of kit that is. (They are the reason I got into cars in the first place - those lines - the ultimate.) Is that the longnose?
Out of interest is it high maintenance?
It's still a pretty quick car (even by todays standards) but it does have vintage handling and the brakes..... yes those brakes don't do a lot. You do stop eventually but it's not like a modern car with servo'd brakes.
I wouldn't even take the E-Type on track behind my competetion midget - it would be plain dangerous.
It's a shame for you that you didn't get your drive but I guess it is lesson learnt for next time.
PS I've just looked at your profile pic - great bit of kit that is. (They are the reason I got into cars in the first place - those lines - the ultimate.) Is that the longnose?
Out of interest is it high maintenance?
Both my D types are Lynx so based on E type mechanics, and really as such are low maintenance. Both are riveted aluminium monocoques like the originals but without the hassle of the very special (and dear ) original parts so servicing is really the same cost as an E type although the fuel consumption is not quite the same thing! Also they are IRS with a cut down E type rear end so the handling and ride are both considerably better than the original. Jaguar once did try IRS in a D type but considered that for Le Mans, for which the cars were built, it wasn't worth it. The car on my profile is the 1954 short nose replica but here is a photo of the other - a replica of the 1957 winning car in long nose. By lengthening the nose by 9 ins. they gained 15mph on the Hunaudieres straight it seems, to a maximum of 192mph recorded in 1955. Incredible when you think of it. My green short nose is now much modified and - on paper at least - capable of over 200mph but I would never like to try it since the aerodynamics weren't built for that. The car has 50bhp now more than the works cars at the time and 50% more torque. The blue Ecurie Ecosse car has 300bhp with a fully balanced engine and is smooth but nothing like the brute the short nose is - 275 lb/ft of torque instead of 420 in the short nose.
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