French petrol heads at LM (or anywhere)

French petrol heads at LM (or anywhere)

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crb1

Original Poster:

922 posts

249 months

Wednesday 7th July 2004
quotequote all
Steady now.
Was at Le Mans and again in France last week. Where are the French sports car owners? Are there any?
Or are the Brits the last RACE carrying on this NOBLE tradition?

Mrs_T

1,533 posts

256 months

Wednesday 7th July 2004
quotequote all
On our way down to Le Mans pre qual we had to stop as one of the leads was loose on the Chim. We had the bonnet up and a chap came across the road to offer some help. He was French and in his best English said that he owned a Tuscan and his mate had a Chim and here was the number of his mechanic if we needed further help.
Top bloke.
Karen

N17 TVR

2,937 posts

278 months

Thursday 8th July 2004
quotequote all
There was also a French guy on his own from Paris parked up on the track leading from Houx towards Dunlop with a red TVR (Wedge).

DustyC

12,820 posts

261 months

Thursday 8th July 2004
quotequote all
Mrs_T said:
On our way down to Le Mans pre qual we had to stop as one of the leads was loose on the Chim. We had the bonnet up and a chap came across the road to offer some help. He was French and in his best English said that he owned a Tuscan and his mate had a Chim and here was the number of his mechanic if we needed further help.
Top bloke.
Karen


Brilliant! What were the chances of that.

Marki

15,763 posts

277 months

Thursday 8th July 2004
quotequote all
DustyC said:



Brilliant! What were the chances of that.



Chances of what , a Tiv going mong

DustyC

12,820 posts

261 months

Thursday 8th July 2004
quotequote all
Chances of breaking down in France and a French TVR coming over with details of a French TVR mechanic!

Do you still have the mechanics number? Can you forward it to me if you do please. Thanks.

Mrs_T

1,533 posts

256 months

Thursday 8th July 2004
quotequote all
I'll talk to Linda, she spoke to the guy so I'll see if she still has the details. By the way, this was the first thing that had happened to our little gem in three years and it was just a loose lead. You can hardly call that unreliable!.

Karen

Le TVR

3,097 posts

258 months

Thursday 8th July 2004
quotequote all
crb1 said:
Where are the French sports car owners?


Business trip to Sophia

Next year a different story I hope.

vetteheadracer

8,271 posts

260 months

Thursday 8th July 2004
quotequote all
checkout

www.corvetteclubfrance.com/

goto "Galarie Souvenirs"
then "2004"
then "24 heures du Mans"

The French Corvette Club usually have 20 plus cars there and this year the Dutch had about 20 cars, there were a couple from Sweden, some from Germany and Switzerland and of course about 20 Brit Corvettes.

reliant_fr

188 posts

291 months

Thursday 8th July 2004
quotequote all
N17 TVR said:
There was also a French guy on his own from Paris parked up on the track leading from Houx towards Dunlop with a red TVR (Wedge).


Huummm ! I think you speak about me !

I was the only one French TVR owner with my car, I meet 2 others but with their every day cars ! what a pity, we lost our driving passion! The sportscars in Paris run just between parking and VIP restaurant!


N17 TVR

2,937 posts

278 months

Thursday 8th July 2004
quotequote all
Hi François - that certainly looks like the car !

A few of us came over to say hello to you on our way up to the race.

I was sorry to see that your car also was 'written on' just like some of our TVR's.

reliant_fr

188 posts

291 months

Thursday 8th July 2004
quotequote all
Thanks to you and to all of them who say me hello. everybody was very pleasant and patient because my poor English, and never mind for "written on"

N17 TVR

2,937 posts

278 months

Friday 9th July 2004
quotequote all
It was nice to meet you Francois, and your car was tres bon !

See you next year !

Thom

1,720 posts

254 months

Friday 9th July 2004
quotequote all
reliant_fr said:
I meet 2 others but with their every day cars !


Typical french.
It's the same among other french circles of "classic car" owners I know of. I think people are afraid to use their cars, afraid of "being seen" in cars that don't belong to the Eurobox norm.

DustyC

12,820 posts

261 months

Friday 9th July 2004
quotequote all
I think its more of a case of how difficult french law makes it to own a classic car.

Thom

1,720 posts

254 months

Friday 9th July 2004
quotequote all
DustyC said:
I think its more of a case of how difficult french law makes it to own a classic car.

While true that some exotic British sports cars cannot be homologated there is however a good number of enthusiasts running their classics on a regular basis, although certainly not as much as you'd expect from a British point of view, I'd say.

crb1

Original Poster:

922 posts

249 months

Tuesday 13th July 2004
quotequote all
Adam,
Your reference to the law in France on the ownership of Sports cars, can you elaborate?
My initial comment came about because, in 3 years of Le Mans, I have seen so few locals (French) doing what we Brits do down at Le Mans, ie. get the car out and get noticed. Friday at Indianapolis was just amazing and presumably spontaneous. The Alpines in the Le Mans pageant we superb, but I didn't see them on the road. Where were they? Its almost as if, in France, people are reluctant to bring out their pride and joy.
So I say to everyone, bring out your beauty in 2005.
See you there.
Chris.

DustyC

12,820 posts

261 months

Wednesday 14th July 2004
quotequote all
I read it somewhere on these threads that there are mileage and taxation/MOT type limitations to classic cars. I thought it may be the same for imported sports cars.

Since the French have a law against the tuning of engines then it wouldnt surprise me if what I read was true. It certainly looks that way.

Thom

1,720 posts

254 months

Wednesday 14th July 2004
quotequote all
DustyC said:
I read it somewhere on these threads that there are mileage and taxation/MOT type limitations to classic cars.


It mainly depends on the insurance chosen, less on the car itself.

srebbe64

13,021 posts

244 months

Wednesday 14th July 2004
quotequote all
Did you not know that it's a French tradition. Since 1939 all French vehicles have (known as 'surrender wagons') have 5 reverse gears and 1 forward gear. Not conducive to sports cars!