Le Mans Classic 2008 11-12-13th July 2008

[KB]

Hello Roy,

There are several Ford GTs planning to make the crossing from the U.S. to attend this event. Any suggestions you might have for us would be very much appreciated. I've not been to Le Mans previously.

Many thanks,

Kelvin Bloom

[Tony Hunt]

Kevin,
Ford GTs are very welcome in the Enthusiasts Club enclosure, and the Club atmosphere at the Le Mans Classic is terrific. We normally get up to 40 GT40s, and we had 57, including originals and GTs, on the grid for the Ford parade last year.
If you are going to the trouble and expense of bringing your cars across, the Club is the place to come to feel at home.
You will have to be members though, but at 30 GB pounds for the whole of 2008, that's a very small price to pay.

[David Morton]

Hi Kelvin,
How long will you be over in Europe ? Don't forget the 24h du Le Mans is in June as well.
Dave M

[KB]

Aloha Tony & Dave,

Many thanks for your reply and making us feel so very welcome. There may be 5 - 10 U.S. FGTs flying into Heathrow/Gatwick and we'll then join up with our UK brethren to make the crossing to the Classic. We'll probably be on the Continent for about 10 days or so. Thanks for the reminder about the 24 du Le Mans in June but many of us are still working stiffs and can only goof off for so long.

Your most kind offer to become a member is much appreciated and I'll discuss with the group. I, for one, will feel very privileged to join your Club and be alongside you at the Classic. Having an opportunity to be on the grid with so many GT40s and other GTs and motoring in the Ford Parade will be a once in a lifetime event for most of us.

Making this all the more special, of course, is the 40th anniversary of 1075's win back on 29-9-68. My Gulf livery car and I will feel right at home.

Cheers,

Kelvin

Originally Posted by David Morton

Hi Kelvin,
How long will you be over in Europe ? Don't forget the 24h du Le Mans is in June as well.
Dave M

Originally Posted by huntsen

Kevin,
Ford GTs are very welcome in the Enthusiasts Club enclosure, and the Club atmosphere at the Le Mans Classic is terrific. We normally get up to 40 GT40s, and we had 57, including originals and GTs, on the grid for the Ford parade last year.
If you are going to the trouble and expense of bringing your cars across, the Club is the place to come to feel at home.
You will have to be members though, but at 30 GB pounds for the whole of 2008, that's a very small price to pay.

[steveirl]

Roy
I have just joined the club as I am a GT40 enthusiast and learning at the moment with a view to becoming an owner, and received my first magazine and Lemans booking forms last week, what a great read.
I am going to the classic and travel there to meet and stay with the DeTomaso Drivers Club UK in my Pantera. Most of the club members have been going to LeMans annually for the last 15 years and now just pass the time there relaxing, maybe only visiting the circuit one day in the week we spend there. I was at the Classic in 06 and managed to get into the paddock area as one of our members was bring some spares over to Patrick Hals who was competing in a Grp4 Pantera. However when I got split from our group I was not allowed back in.
This year I am going to get organised, and book paddock passes in advance. I would love to get a track lap too in the Pantera, If I book with the Enthusiasts Club I realise I will not be able to park in the Club enclosure, but will I get a track lap, or do I need to book that myself with the ACO?? I think time is of the essence here, some advice would be appreciated.
Thanks a mill
Steve

[David Morton]

Kelvin,
Wow - what a buzz.
I think you may have to endure the Channel Tunnel at least once each way and drive both through the centre of London followed by the centre of Paris. If any of you guys are interested as well, there is a whole load of Allied (both American, British, and Colonial) history along the north (Normandy) coast of France and loads of associated cemeteries in so many towns from Ostend to Cherbourg.
Given some idea of timings and numbers it could be possible to try and get Motors TV interested in your visit. John Hindhaugh, one of the voices of Radio Le Mans during 24 hr du Le Mans will be appraised of your plans as and when you promulgate them.
I promise nothing though I will try.

[David Briggs]

Hi Roy, I would love to come over in July.
Kelvin, how are you shipping your cars? Where are they flying out of here in US?
Is there room for one more?
Dave

[KB]

Dave M, thank you for your continued good advice and we are, in fact, discussing touring along the north coast of France and other areas.

Dave B, our plans are are still baking but at present Cosdel is the lead transport company which appears to provide us flexibility of flying out of multiple US cities.

Kelvin

[Tony Hunt]

Originally Posted by AlohaGT

Aloha Tony & Dave,

Many thanks for your reply and making us feel so very welcome. There may be 5 - 10 U.S. FGTs flying into Heathrow/Gatwick and we'll then join up with our UK brethren to make the crossing to the Classic. We'll probably be on the Continent for about 10 days or so. Thanks for the reminder about the 24 du Le Mans in June but many of us are still working stiffs and can only goof off for so long.

Your most kind offer to become a member is much appreciated and I'll discuss with the group. I, for one, will feel very privileged to join your Club and be alongside you at the Classic. Having an opportunity to be on the grid with so many GT40s and other GTs and motoring in the Ford Parade will be a once in a lifetime event for most of us.

Making this all the more special, of course, is the 40th anniversary of 1075's win back on 29-9-68. My Gulf livery car and I will feel right at home.

Cheers,

Kelvin

Kelvin (apologies for muddling you with our Essex bretheren),
I'm sure the Club could help if you are flying into and out of the UK. The whole performance of meeting up at a ferry terminal and driving down together, spotting other hardware and being waved at by French girls, is part of the Classic experience, though I wouldn't recommend playing with the Paris traffic in a car as low and unable-to-see-out-of as a GT!
The Club has access to the Clubs Enclosure at the Classic, which you can only book through us. If you want to join us, you must be members and you must get your Classic entries in to Roy Snook, on the forms you will receive with your New Members pack, before 14 January, so you have only 2 weeks to get the paperwork sorted.
We are standing by to help.

[KB]

Originally Posted by huntsen

Kelvin (apologies for muddling you with our Essex bretheren),
I'm sure the Club could help if you are flying into and out of the UK. The whole performance of meeting up at a ferry terminal and driving down together, spotting other hardware and being waved at by French girls, is part of the Classic experience, though I wouldn't recommend playing with the Paris traffic in a car as low and unable-to-see-out-of as a GT!
The Club has access to the Clubs Enclosure at the Classic, which you can only book through us. If you want to join us, you must be members and you must get your Classic entries in to Roy Snook, on the forms you will receive with your New Members pack, before 14 January, so you have only 2 weeks to get the paperwork sorted.
We are standing by to help.

Aloha Tony,

We clearly need to get on the stick here. Many thanks again for your most generous and kind invitation.

I'm following up with an email to you.

Incidentally, we had a great and fun-filled Boxing Day party last week. It was enjoyed by all.

Happy New Year!

Kelvin

[Ian Anderson]

Ok another "heads up" for the Classic

Ferry crossings fill up fairly quickly - well any at a decent price anyway.
I did some searching in the last couple of days

Speedferries Dover to Boulogne is cheapest at £60 ish
Fully open Tunnel ticket most expensive at £210 ish
Newhaven Dieppe £160 ish
Portsmouth Caen £135 ish
And numerous others in the middle

Tunnel probably the quickest at about 30 minutes (260 miles to Le Mans)
Speed Ferries next about an hour (243 miles to Le Mans)
Newhaven Dieppe About 4 hours (170 miles to Le Mans)
Portsmouth Caen About 6 hours (106 miles to Le Mans) (I had never done this route and puumped for it this year)

For 2006 the temperature was in mid / high 30 degrees Celsius all day!

And to top it all 14 July - the Monday after the event is Bastille Day a French Public holiday - expect even busier roads!

Routes can be tried here
http://www.theaa.com/travelwatch/pla...jsp?database=E

Ferries and prices here (and numerous other sites)
http://www.directferries.co.uk/france.htm

(Usual dsclaimer as to suitabality of routes etc needing to be checked by the buyer)

Lastly accommodation around the town of Le Mans disappears quickly with an event like this - book early to avoid dissappointment
From the 2004 event I had this link
contact Le Mans Hotel reservation [lemanshotelreservation@wanadoo.fr]

Good luck to all with your bookings etc
See you in July

Happy New Year
Ian

[briany2]

Roy, I'm really behind on paperwork I'm afraid but will get to it v soon. However this is to let you know I will be coming to the Classic this year in my CAV. I missed it in 2006 by a whisker as couldn't quite manage to get the car on the road in time so v keen to get there this year!

Not sure yet how many will be coming in total - probably me plus one other driver with family in tow.

Regards


Brian Yeomans

[dave hensley]

happy new year Roy,
Me to
I have sent you my forms already hope you have them ,Rod Smith who built my car is coming with me to LMC looking forward to it
Dave Hensley

[roy snook]

Hi Briany, Dave,
looking forward to seeing you guys there,-you know its addictive-"compulsive Classic Le Mans attendance disorder" still suffering withdrawal symptoms from 2006! Any of our club members who are intending to go but haven't sent in their forms-I need them ASAP-don't want you to miss out.

[steveirl]

Originally Posted by steveirl

Roy
I have just joined the club as I am a GT40 enthusiast and learning at the moment with a view to becoming an owner, and received my first magazine and Lemans booking forms last week, what a great read.
I am going to the classic and travel there to meet and stay with the DeTomaso Drivers Club UK in my Pantera. Most of the club members have been going to LeMans annually for the last 15 years and now just pass the time there relaxing, maybe only visiting the circuit one day in the week we spend there. I was at the Classic in 06 and managed to get into the paddock area as one of our members was bring some spares over to Patrick Hals who was competing in a Grp4 Pantera. However when I got split from our group I was not allowed back in.
This year I am going to get organised, and book paddock passes in advance. I would love to get a track lap too in the Pantera, If I book with the Enthusiasts Club I realise I will not be able to park in the Club enclosure, but will I get a track lap, or do I need to book that myself with the ACO?? I think time is of the essence here, some advice would be appreciated.
Thanks a mill
Steve

Roy
Posted the above couple of days ago, maybe you missed it, what is your opinion?
regards
Steve

[roy snook]

Hi Steve,
good to hear you will be at the classic, hope to see you there. If you wish to drive the circuit with the club which means that you will have to be parked in the club enclosure prior, it will only be possible if you are in a GT40 or Ford GT, we are unable to cater for other marques. Perhaps you cuold try via the Pantera Club? keep us posted as I know members with other marques would be interested in a solution.
best regards
Roy

[KB]

Ian,

Many thanks for your most informative post.

Kelvin