Le Mans Classic Club Event

[Tony Hunt]

They have just started to arrive here. Sat on the terrace at the bottom of the A28 and watched them burping and snarling as they arrived from Alencon.
In 3 weeks, we'll be back really to give them something to look at!

[Fred/Belgium]

Is someone is interested, I booked sleep accomodation for 2 and tralier/car can be left in park at arround 7km from circuit.
Booked for 2 days at 120 Euro per day but I cannot make it so if any interest,send me an email.

RGds
Fred

[Tony Hunt]

Fred,
A Paris-plated Gulf GT40 was at the Classic British Welcome at St Saturnin on Friday, but pushed off before I could talk to the driver. Was it you Fred?
If not, anyone have an idea who it might have been?

[Fred/Belgium]

No,it was not me, and my sister travelled arround this place and called me as she tought it was me....
Fred

[IAN UK]

Hi Paolo
I have managed to get you a camping pass for Masion Blanche, for you and
your friends.
If you contact me by private e-mail I will give you all the details.
regards
Ian

[Chris Melia]

hi Guys

We are looking for four tickets for the Classic, I know this is late but we did not think that we would be going as it coincided with the Goodwood Festival of Speed. (We have been involved in the preparation of a GT40 on behalf of Ford, for the Festival.)

After looking at the logistics we decided to go to Goodwood on Friday then take the overnight ferry and do the classic on Saturday and Sunday.
Any help would be appreciated

Regards

Chris Melia.
www.melchrismelia@aol,com
Membership No 40.

[allanfeldman]

Everybody good luck and have a great time at the Classic. Thanks to Roy for organising. The only concilation I have is that Dan Gurney, Jackie Oliver and Jackie Ickx will be at the Goodwood Festival of Speed. So another lugging of heavy books is needed to get their autographs.
Regards Allan

[roy snook]

Hi to all going to the Classic with the Club, this time next week we'll all be there in the thick of it. The following members can collect their tickets from me when they arrive during the week. Jan Eckert, Reihard Hosch, Bo Paulson, Marcus Puschke, Brian Stewart, Dick Townsend and Emiel De Weerdt. I will be located in the Maison Blanche Camping Area. I look forward to meeting you all out there and hope you have a great time. Don't forget the club BBQ in the Maison Blanche campsite on saturday eve, should be a hoot!, bring a folding chair with you please!

[David Morton]

Enjoy the event Guys. Sorry I cannot be there.
Forecast is generally good with a bit of shower activity towards the end of the week, but if its anything like the 24h the showers were evaporating and
hardly did anything. I'll try and do a better update mid week
Some mobile laser speed detector points around Le Mans and a caution about alcohol levels -
I was breathalized (totally negative) during the 24h but the plod spoke excellent English.
I asked what the limit was in France and his reply was "If we detect ANY alcohol at all, we then do a blood test and if that fails, the (your) car is impounded, the person is prosecuted either in France or England (I was under the impression that hadn't come in yet), and the person has to make their own arrangements for returning to England" It was a large operation with about 10 police and they had three car drivers and one motorcyclist all being taken away for blood testing. All on GB plates so please, please be careful.

[David Morton]

1st. Heads up on the weather is the temperatures early in the week.
Until at least Thursday morning and maybe longer, the ambient temperatures(Ta) will be extremely high (30c + above) and the consequential surface temperatures (Tc) will be in the regions of plus 50 to 55c. Most, if not all 40s use a radiator very close to the surface so cooling both engines (and the cabins) is going to be a problem for everybody travelling on these days unless you go late at night. The Tc will still be high until at least 2300hrs then decaying back, almost, to the Ta value by 0500hrs and the Ta should be then back in the low 20c's. With these sort of temperatures prevailing and not being that far from the sea, its a two prong problem and the second problem will be instability late afternoon and into the night manifesting itself with Cumulonimbus build ups and consequential rain showers. If this happens the Tc will obviously cool almost to the ambient but then watch out for forward visiblity - both early morning mist and windsceens.
ps - the 'sweet spot' for the surface conditions (best Ta and Tc ) will be from 0600 to 0800hrs - but thats also the French workers commuter time.

[Tony Hunt]

Unfortunately, most of us are stuck with a pre-booked travel date. At least things won't be too bad as long as we keep moving. Try to avoid Rouen during the rush hour, for example.
Both Quickcast and Weather City are giving similar longer range forecasts - highs of 33C on Tuesday, 22C on Wednesday, 24C, 23C and 22C on Thursday, Friday and Saturday.
The worst day for thunderstorms appears to be Monday, with a risk of thunderstorms and showers from Wednesday onwards.
Not setting up a competing forecasting service to Racemet!

[David Morton]

Tony,
IMHO If you keep moving in high ambients (Ta) you are courting trouble.
Dave

[Maxiboy]

Well I was ready, got the car sorted out etc, but this evening by passenger (my Brother) had to pull out. 1/2 Brother actually, and it is due to serious health problems with his Mother so I understand his reasoning.

Anyway, that means I do have a spare space. I have a ticket for a ferry crossing (7:30am on 5th Poole - Cherbourg, returning late on 10th ), pass for the circuit/camping @ Maison Blanche/track drive.

If there is anyone out there wanting to join with me for any of this/buy the pass off me etc then please email me (GT40Max@BTInternet.com). I'll happily just drive down with someone who wants the ride & will act as my navigator etc, and sell the pass to someone else if that is the only option. Obviously it would be preferrable if someone offered to pay a decent price for this 'opportunity', but as it may go to waste otherwise I'll accept a discounted price.

I will be offering this through as many outlets as I can, therefore if I get more than 1 person interested (or someone wanting to take the whole package) I reserve the right to choose the one that suits me best.

Cheers anyway,

Max

[Chris Melia]

Hi Guys
with high ambient air temperatures forecast I would recommend travelling at night if you can, I have witnessed these temperatures and GT40's before and even the best behaved cars take on the demons in this kind of heat.

regards

Chris.

If any one gets stuck North of Le Mans on the way down I will be travelling down early Saturday morning. You can get me on 07775880657

[Marcus]

Chris,

you have 2 PMs!

Regards,
Marcus

[David Morton]

Tony,
I looked yesterday and today, and I see little evidence of Thunder storms except in the Cherbourg area this evening (Monday) but I do see ample evidence of weather activity from Wednesday afternoon right through to next week.
Several TLPs (troughs of low pressure) in the area throughout the week
and a weak cold front on Saturday. More importantly, still going for the high Ta's and accompanying Higher Tc's until probably Thursday. If you decide to travel during the day (by keeping moving) you may need to achieve Vne
to achieve sufficient cooling. Even the aircon in my explorer is struggling at the moment.
Prebooked travel ? Wait on the other side - have lunch then dinner - try the "moules poulet" in the restaurant at Le Touqet aeroport (I used to fly there just for lunch ) - then go to a beach - chill out.

Chris Melia's advice is sound.

[Maxiboy]

Ok, further to this, Roy contacted me to let me know he already has a list of people looking for tickets so it should automatically go to the next person on that list (club members first) - fair enough, and useful to rememeber for the future. Sorry to anyone I inadvertently mislead.

Also, it has been pointed out that my camping pass is for my car/tent so unless someone wants to share with me (ladies first ;-) I cannot offer anything on that front.

I still have a spare ferry crossing (too late to cancel I believe, will check tonight), seat for the trip down (though I guess anyone in Cherbourg at that time will already have a ride sorted!), and seat for the track drive.

I'm sure someone will take me up on the latter - again ladies first! Then club members, other pepople I know.... down to anyone Portuguese who stand no chance after Saturday! :-) Might be requested to operate my video camera though (or just hold it & point in roughly the 'right' direction).

Cheers,

Max

[David Morton]

The latest Bracknell charts are now showing inclement weather from tuesday evening over nothern France. By Friday the cold front will start by moving in to NW France and tracking in a South Easterly direction - towards La Sarthe. Saturday shows high pressure building in the English Channel so that at least should be a reasonable day. If you are interested in the charts I use, click on westwind.ch, then under Forecast Models 0-10D click UKMO then UKMO Bracknell then UKMO Bracknell(wz) and select "ALL". Then simply use the animation controls. The TLP's (Troughs) are the bogeys this week and they are just curved heavy lines not connected to anything else. These are basically where the Cumulonimbus activity is forecast to be.
On another page in westwind you can have a look at temperatures under the name Bolam. and select Bolam Difi then T2M AND WIND 10M. The rest is straight forward and good animations will give the forecast temp and wind.
Rocket science made easy.....
One good side of any weather on Tuesday night is that the Ta will be considerably cooler afterwards. I hope.

[Ian Anderson]

First Retirement?

Well the DAX will not be heading for the ferry
Today on way to work (going to get the alignment done at a local garage for the trip) and the drivers side drive shadt CV parted company with the hub unit - looked like some bolts worked lose and a couple are bent / smapped

Would not try some bodge job on this before 700 miles - needs stripped and threads etc tested.

So there is a ticket for laps at Le Mans up for grabs - speak to Roy Snook the organiser or me at the event - will be going down in aircon luxury now!

Ian