Discussion
Le Mans 2004 is nearly upon us and personally i can't wait. For me the whole event is a brilliant time, the drive down there the parade on friday the atmosphere and of course the champagne tent 
Just wanted to hear about other peoples le mans experiance, and what they look forward to...
p.s. The race is pretty good too !
Just wanted to hear about other peoples le mans experiance, and what they look forward to...
p.s. The race is pretty good too !
well, all of it.
the drive down on thursday is a must, absolutly thrilling seeing the machinery, from classics (my fav) to the high performance machines..
and the friday tour of the circuit...hmmm, if only there weren't so many other cars about....down the mulsanne, hard breaking, gears, right hand...
and saturday night...many bubbles....what race?
the drive down on thursday is a must, absolutly thrilling seeing the machinery, from classics (my fav) to the high performance machines..
and the friday tour of the circuit...hmmm, if only there weren't so many other cars about....down the mulsanne, hard breaking, gears, right hand...
and saturday night...many bubbles....what race?
www.clubdessus.com/morelm/lmo3.html
this was last year, you won't know any of us and it takes a while to download all the pics but this is 24 hours in chronological order from start to finish via keef throwing in the bus on the way down, the shampoo tent, the chinese on mulsanne, night time at arnage, morning at arnage with beer breakfast, back to the village and so forth.
We took a coach this year so unfortunately no campsite japes, but it gives an idea of our 24 hours.
this was last year, you won't know any of us and it takes a while to download all the pics but this is 24 hours in chronological order from start to finish via keef throwing in the bus on the way down, the shampoo tent, the chinese on mulsanne, night time at arnage, morning at arnage with beer breakfast, back to the village and so forth.
We took a coach this year so unfortunately no campsite japes, but it gives an idea of our 24 hours.
The track drive is essential, i was done for speeding by the police last year. Coming off the round about by the mulsane straight i booted it leaving the back off the car fish tailing for 50 metres and then sirens...... luckily he was a porsche fan and let me off, they tend to be more relaxed over the weekend..... except for the sunday drive home to catch the train/ferry !!
will have to get another paddling pool after we destroyed our one last year......see you there for a few 
Me too! The 993 is waking from its hibernation and having spent a very happy hour or two with some zymol polish, Le Mans 2004 has well and truly appeared on the radar. Hotels booked months ago in Alencon (sorry), Thursday tunnel and back on the Monday, can’t wait and it will be the sixteenth on the spin too.
Last year myself and another PH regular did manage to run both of our respective Nazi engine slot cars flat out north of Rouen touching a little over 170mph on the dial and were feeling on top of the world until we got put into the weeds by a Diablo SV and particularly hard charging Zonda, where else are you going to have that happen? Gumball 3000 pah!
Must have another trawl through the classifieds for that all elusive good condition and reasonably priced Turbo 4, hands off ‘Clapham993’ me first
Last year myself and another PH regular did manage to run both of our respective Nazi engine slot cars flat out north of Rouen touching a little over 170mph on the dial and were feeling on top of the world until we got put into the weeds by a Diablo SV and particularly hard charging Zonda, where else are you going to have that happen? Gumball 3000 pah!
Must have another trawl through the classifieds for that all elusive good condition and reasonably priced Turbo 4, hands off ‘Clapham993’ me first
Pure class! Great to see the car being driven like it was built for 
The run down in 2003 was the best I have ever had (in 6 years of going). Me and my mate Jeff went in our EVO's.. him in a EVO 6 tommi mak and me in my EVO 6 RS Sprint.
Our Boat got into Le Harve at 6am and the old woman from the truckers cafe was out in the ferry terminal giving out flyers.. grab a couple and head for brekkie.. top nosh and fully refuelled for the journey down we decide to recreate Getaway in Stockholm in Le Harve city centre..
The locals didn't look to impressed at being roused from there beds by 2 evo's running circa 400bhp screaming around with very loud exhausts(blitz Nur Specs)and running anti lag !!!
Generally had a good run down at some silly speeds but didn't really see any exotica to play with.. which was a shame as we saw the wrong side of 160mph rather a lot..
laters..
Rich.
Our Boat got into Le Harve at 6am and the old woman from the truckers cafe was out in the ferry terminal giving out flyers.. grab a couple and head for brekkie.. top nosh and fully refuelled for the journey down we decide to recreate Getaway in Stockholm in Le Harve city centre..
The locals didn't look to impressed at being roused from there beds by 2 evo's running circa 400bhp screaming around with very loud exhausts(blitz Nur Specs)and running anti lag !!! Generally had a good run down at some silly speeds but didn't really see any exotica to play with.. which was a shame as we saw the wrong side of 160mph rather a lot..
laters..
Rich.
that's Le Mans!!! ...rumour has it that the Zonda needed a front end respray and three new headlights after Le Mans 2003!
I spent a good couple of hours in a break down yard right at the top of the N138 in 2001 when his mates Diablo suffered a blown dif together with ‘Clapham993’s’ dead Turbo R. He was driving a Turbo 4 that year as I recall, seems he’s had a good few bits of real exotica as we had a chat about his 220, we guessed he was talking Jag not Rover.
Thinking about the dead Turbo R, it did provide a good bit of comedy as it expired in the car park of the rather nice restaurant at the top of the N138. The breakdown truck arrived and tried to winch Crew’s finest and tipped the bloody thing onto its rear wheels. 2.5 tons of British beef versus a Renault 5 van………………
Further musings about the great race today and I recalled my first brush with the French ‘OB’ back in 1989. Having gone in my then ‘dogs twitcher’ Celica GT4, it took only half an hour to suffer my first brush with the law. Enraged at all these dastardly French flashing their lights at me coming the other way all were given the Agincourt salute, then it dawned, a roadblock! With the Police looking for their early Christmas bonus and several rather nervous looking British motorists I was separated from £100 for a very respectable 125 in a 60.
I spent a good couple of hours in a break down yard right at the top of the N138 in 2001 when his mates Diablo suffered a blown dif together with ‘Clapham993’s’ dead Turbo R. He was driving a Turbo 4 that year as I recall, seems he’s had a good few bits of real exotica as we had a chat about his 220, we guessed he was talking Jag not Rover.
Thinking about the dead Turbo R, it did provide a good bit of comedy as it expired in the car park of the rather nice restaurant at the top of the N138. The breakdown truck arrived and tried to winch Crew’s finest and tipped the bloody thing onto its rear wheels. 2.5 tons of British beef versus a Renault 5 van………………
Further musings about the great race today and I recalled my first brush with the French ‘OB’ back in 1989. Having gone in my then ‘dogs twitcher’ Celica GT4, it took only half an hour to suffer my first brush with the law. Enraged at all these dastardly French flashing their lights at me coming the other way all were given the Agincourt salute, then it dawned, a roadblock! With the Police looking for their early Christmas bonus and several rather nervous looking British motorists I was separated from £100 for a very respectable 125 in a 60.
Yep the race down and back is fun, er I mean drive my trips and photos here www.e4lution.com
going down with a load of people from www.s2ki.com this year, should be great
going down with a load of people from www.s2ki.com this year, should be great
Hi all,
I'm doing the trip down again to le Mans this year, second time running - blew an inlet manifold gasket last year so hope we fare better in 2004!
Highlight has to be Friday track test, Zonda, Diablo x 3, plus everything else, and the drivers parade in town - another Zonda, Enzo, Koenisegg, Spyker etc etc.
I'm staying in a small camp site about 3 miles from the village.
See you all on the Friday then!
Bill
I'm doing the trip down again to le Mans this year, second time running - blew an inlet manifold gasket last year so hope we fare better in 2004!
Highlight has to be Friday track test, Zonda, Diablo x 3, plus everything else, and the drivers parade in town - another Zonda, Enzo, Koenisegg, Spyker etc etc.
I'm staying in a small camp site about 3 miles from the village.
See you all on the Friday then!
Bill
went down friday in '02 and wednesday in '03, going to try thursday this year...
the first year was far better for "late" exotica shooting past our 'mini-convoy' (MGB & Audi A4!) including 15x RX7's and various German saloons testing their limiters...
last year was not so good as we were quite early, indeed we were on the boat with a 996 GT3 and 964 RS (i think) and we beat them to the same campsite by a whole day as they obviously took the scenic route!!!
on the way back last year i blew my cylinder head about 90km south of calais, which made an interesting trip home as i still had to get from dover to bedfordshire!!!
even though our convoy may be down from 3 to 1 this year i still can't contemplate missing the event of the summer!!!
the first year was far better for "late" exotica shooting past our 'mini-convoy' (MGB & Audi A4!) including 15x RX7's and various German saloons testing their limiters...
last year was not so good as we were quite early, indeed we were on the boat with a 996 GT3 and 964 RS (i think) and we beat them to the same campsite by a whole day as they obviously took the scenic route!!!
on the way back last year i blew my cylinder head about 90km south of calais, which made an interesting trip home as i still had to get from dover to bedfordshire!!!
even though our convoy may be down from 3 to 1 this year i still can't contemplate missing the event of the summer!!!
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