Discussion
Just got back!! Fantastic. My first time.
Highlights include:
The thrash down through France in the MG
Topping 130 top down (wasn’t me officer)
Over taking the Gendarmerie on the Mulsanne straight (oh shit…) - got it on video too!
Multiple BBQ’s and beers at Houx
Meeting the TVR drivers in Houx
The drivers parade
Loved it! Going again.
Rog
Highlights include:
The thrash down through France in the MG
Topping 130 top down (wasn’t me officer)
Over taking the Gendarmerie on the Mulsanne straight (oh shit…) - got it on video too!
Multiple BBQ’s and beers at Houx
Meeting the TVR drivers in Houx
The drivers parade
Loved it! Going again.
Rog
Also back safely... awesome week-end... however, the police have gone OTT, they are absolutely going to try to kill off speeding in France.... and I can confirm that it is not an urban myth that they take your licence away for relatively minor speeding offences... not me, but one of our group was relieved of his (english) licence for 130kph in a 90 area. Also lots of random stopping for breath checks. Have been going for quite a few years and this was the strictest I've seen the police. At every petrol station on the way home there were stories of big fines and confiscated licences. Luckily we got all the "big" speeds doen on the Thursday drive down!!!
what a great weekend - only a few minor incidents (996 C4S tapping a local in a village on the way down, broken clutch on a Tuscan, 90 Euro speeding fine for the 360), but an amazing weekend of big speed, big beers, and even bigger doughnuts from the biggest lad there!! Miles, you are a legend, hope the clutch on the T350 lasted the trip to Yorkshire!
...and for anyone who missed the nightly TVR doughnut display in Garage Vert, its all on film and will be posted up somewhere soon (as soon as HT the cameraman recovers his composure and removes the chips of rubber from the lens and his teeth.........)
cheers guys - top weekend all
Sean
...and for anyone who missed the nightly TVR doughnut display in Garage Vert, its all on film and will be posted up somewhere soon (as soon as HT the cameraman recovers his composure and removes the chips of rubber from the lens and his teeth.........)
cheers guys - top weekend all
Sean
That was an absolutely amazing weekend. If you didn't go, you've got no excuse for not going next year! Reserve now!
Highlights for me?
-First time I'd seen a Pagoni Zonda on the street before
-A circa 1970 Oldsmobile Cutlass left THE largest cloud of tire smoke seen all weekend between Maison Blanche and Bleu. I don't know HOW the guy drove away afterward... he can't have any tire left!!!
-Watching two red Porsche 911's line up next to each other for a drag race in the same spot, despite oncoming traffic in the second lane! As the guy next to me said "hmm, never seen that before!"
-Watching a GT40 and a ? try to take the S's two-wide, and the GT40 spinning out into the gravel during the Legends Race
-Being allowed to wander through the paddocks of the Legends Cars area, and smell, breathe, and feel *the* cars that make up the history of Le Mans.
-Sitting outside at a bar in Arnage at 8pm in shorts, it isn't raining, the weather is fantastic, and the parade of cars just doesn't stop.
The only downside? I broke my Pantera a couple of weeks before the event so I couldn't bring it. It'll be there next year though!
Highlights for me?
-First time I'd seen a Pagoni Zonda on the street before
-A circa 1970 Oldsmobile Cutlass left THE largest cloud of tire smoke seen all weekend between Maison Blanche and Bleu. I don't know HOW the guy drove away afterward... he can't have any tire left!!!
-Watching two red Porsche 911's line up next to each other for a drag race in the same spot, despite oncoming traffic in the second lane! As the guy next to me said "hmm, never seen that before!"
-Watching a GT40 and a ? try to take the S's two-wide, and the GT40 spinning out into the gravel during the Legends Race
-Being allowed to wander through the paddocks of the Legends Cars area, and smell, breathe, and feel *the* cars that make up the history of Le Mans.
-Sitting outside at a bar in Arnage at 8pm in shorts, it isn't raining, the weather is fantastic, and the parade of cars just doesn't stop.
The only downside? I broke my Pantera a couple of weeks before the event so I couldn't bring it. It'll be there next year though!
Yes, what a great weekend... sun, beer, BBQ, engine noise, loads of friendly people around... I'm a happy man 
. Sorry for the TVR chaps but don't let your head hang down, it was still a great effort 
. No doubt that I'll be there next year and so will they 
. It's just another 353 days to go. 
Highlight's for me ? Too many to list. The list of things I missed is shorter:
o Missed the JK concert on saturday night
o Didn't make it to the shampoo bar on saturday night
o Had to leave before the finish
I will do better next year, promissed.
>> Edited by hansgerd on Monday 16th June 14:31
. Sorry for the TVR chaps but don't let your head hang down, it was still a great effort . No doubt that I'll be there next year and so will they . It's just another 353 days to go. Highlight's for me ? Too many to list. The list of things I missed is shorter:
o Missed the JK concert on saturday night
o Didn't make it to the shampoo bar on saturday night
o Had to leave before the finish
I will do better next year, promissed
. >> Edited by hansgerd on Monday 16th June 14:31
Tony_996hasgone said: Also back safely... awesome week-end... however, the police have gone OTT, they are absolutely going to try to kill off speeding in France.... and I can confirm that it is not an urban myth that they take your licence away for relatively minor speeding offences... not me, but one of our group was relieved of his (english) licence for 130kph in a 90 area. Also lots of random stopping for breath checks. Have been going for quite a few years and this was the strictest I've seen the police. At every petrol station on the way home there were stories of big fines and confiscated licences. Luckily we got all the "big" speeds doen on the Thursday drive down!!!
Was stopped on the way down for 'entusiastic overtaking' with another Griffith. Both of us let off. The manouvre was not necessarilly dangerous, just a little quicker han most cars would manage and it was enough to highlight our presence. But we were ticked off and sent on our way ... top bloke really.
We did see 1 random breathe test going on, but they were only stopping French car's .... this was on the way back from Arnage on Saturday night.
Apart from that, bearing in mind I have not been before, all of us in the group thought the Policing only reflected the size and nature of the event and without it could a little 'out of hand' for enthusiasm.
We did Houx to Tunnel in 4.5 hrs on the way home and had no trouble from Gendarmes at all.
Fantastic weekend. Am officilly addicted.
They also turned up at houx on Sunday night with two cars being a tad mad in the region, just ignored them and drove off. I got back 2 hrs ago.
My highlights are:
The Friday parade;
Seeing a Koingnesigg (sp??);
the race itself;
Touching 130 mph more then once in the 944S;
After the race, managing to get behind the pits...
...and then seeing all 3 third place Audi drivers, and getting pictures with all of them (sorry JJ for calling you Mika...)
...and the three 2nd place Bentley drivers including Johnny Herbert...;
...and all three 1st place bentley boys!!!
Yeah baby!
And then being overtaken by a Vanquish doing 120 mph+; followed by 2 Ferraris, a Noble and two TVR...;
Getting to Arnarge corner for nighttime;
Going to the Jamoraquai concert;
Fantastic. It was my Dad's first time, and he was overwhelmed.
My bigg3est dissappointment was seeing Vanina Ickx in her trailer, but she wanted to get changed so she didnt want to pose for a picture with me...
...and she didnt want to have dinner soemtime...
...or get married to me anytime soon...
Oh well. Cant wait for next year!
My highlights are:
The Friday parade;
Seeing a Koingnesigg (sp??);
the race itself;
Touching 130 mph more then once in the 944S;
After the race, managing to get behind the pits...
...and then seeing all 3 third place Audi drivers, and getting pictures with all of them (sorry JJ for calling you Mika...)
...and the three 2nd place Bentley drivers including Johnny Herbert...;
...and all three 1st place bentley boys!!!
Yeah baby!
And then being overtaken by a Vanquish doing 120 mph+; followed by 2 Ferraris, a Noble and two TVR...;
Getting to Arnarge corner for nighttime;
Going to the Jamoraquai concert;
Fantastic. It was my Dad's first time, and he was overwhelmed.
My bigg3est dissappointment was seeing Vanina Ickx in her trailer, but she wanted to get changed so she didnt want to pose for a picture with me...
...and she didnt want to have dinner soemtime...
...or get married to me anytime soon...
Oh well. Cant wait for next year!
Highlight :
- Kids on the roundabout South of Rouen with a big home made cardboard sign saying :
A C C E L E R A T E
please
I love the French attitude to sports cars, so much nicer than the bitterness and jealousy you get over here.
p.s. unfortunately for the kids there was a pig wagon at that roundabout so I doubt many people obliged!
DanH said:
Highlight :
- Kids on the roundabout South of Rouen with a big home made cardboard sign saying :
A C C E L E R A T E
please
I love the French attitude to sports cars, so much nicer than the bitterness and jealousy you get over here.
p.s. unfortunately for the kids there was a pig wagon at that roundabout so I doubt many people obliged!
LOL we saw that, and of course we did
with alot of noise. They all had thier eyes fixed on us until we couldnt see thier faces anymore. The drive there and back makes Lemans worth it, factor in the 48hour party and 24hour race and its impossible to think of a better weekend. Loved it! >> Edited by BCA on Monday 16th June 23:39
couldn't agree more - 4.5 hours back to le tunnel, and only one minor close call with monsieur gendarme et radar on the autoroute near boulogne at the end of a tunnel. he waved at me in a "interested yet concerned" fashion... and i kept going as was overtaking others. swiftly off at the next exit about 1k down the road for a detour... say no more! fortunately for me no bike cops waiting with him.
lets see, BBQs, plenty of beers and flaming sambucas with our neighbours until 5am, the guys opposite projecting dvd porn onto someone elses white tent ("it's not ours, we're just along for the ride!"), checking the cars on friday around indianapolis curves before the road was shut (crazy Gemballa GTR600!) to name but a few moments. saw a few pistonhead motors ('B GT V8, tuscans, cavalier
, and a mitsu double cab!.
roll on next year!
lets see, BBQs, plenty of beers and flaming sambucas with our neighbours until 5am, the guys opposite projecting dvd porn onto someone elses white tent ("it's not ours, we're just along for the ride!"), checking the cars on friday around indianapolis curves before the road was shut (crazy Gemballa GTR600!) to name but a few moments. saw a few pistonhead motors ('B GT V8, tuscans, cavalier
, and a mitsu double cab!. roll on next year!
littlegearl said:
toyracer said: cavalier
i take my bow...
it appears alot more people saw me than i saw them, my car was causing quite a stir all weekend...
i apologise to our "neighbours" in the campsite, we were up to about 4am drunkadly discussing which was better a '78 cav or '03 mondeo!!!
AND???
Which was better???? Come on, we need to know...
We came back Tuesday, in my little black elise MK2, touched 120 a couple of times, only police was a mobile unit almost at Calais, maybe its better to drive back a day later. Highlights saw a Zonda, and my girlfriend raced a orange murcilego!, and the french in general semed to love us being there. Heres to next year, and taking 2 1/2 weeks off work and doing Monaco as well!!
DanH said:
Highlight :
- Kids on the roundabout South of Rouen with a big home made cardboard sign saying :
A C C E L E R A T E
please
I love the French attitude to sports cars, so much nicer than the bitterness and jealousy you get over here.
That was what I thought, until my mate in an E46 in our convoy had his car key'd on the Sunday night in Paris. We got a hotel just outside Paris for the Sunday, left the cars in a carpark, and came back to them on Monday morning to find his wipers up and two long key marks down the drivers-side door.
Still, he owns a bodyshop so plans to do something silly to it (although he's really tempted by a T350 since getting back from his first time at Le Mans). Still all had a great time as well, and he said he won't miss it for the world next year!
-andy-
Interesting posts!!
I took a convoy of mates in 14 GTOs to Le Mans this year!! We all headed down on Friday morning 7am ferry!! My third time to Le Mans ... last 2 times in the Esprit V8.
Anyway, the stories of licence confiscations are true, as we were in a convoy of six cars cruising back, the guy in the lead got clocked at 175mph on the way to Alencon ... nasty!! Luckily for the rest of us they could only prove his speed, as we were all heading up to overtake him from behind. His girlfriend had to drive the rest of the way home cos the gendarme swiped his licence. The gang pulled together and paid the 750euros fine!!
I'm booked on the Cannonball Run 2004 in Oct next year, cos I figure that's gotta be the next step!!
Laters
Andre
I took a convoy of mates in 14 GTOs to Le Mans this year!! We all headed down on Friday morning 7am ferry!! My third time to Le Mans ... last 2 times in the Esprit V8.
Anyway, the stories of licence confiscations are true, as we were in a convoy of six cars cruising back, the guy in the lead got clocked at 175mph on the way to Alencon ... nasty!! Luckily for the rest of us they could only prove his speed, as we were all heading up to overtake him from behind. His girlfriend had to drive the rest of the way home cos the gendarme swiped his licence. The gang pulled together and paid the 750euros fine!!
I'm booked on the Cannonball Run 2004 in Oct next year, cos I figure that's gotta be the next step!!
Laters
Andre
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