Goodwood Festival of Speed.

[Paul Bearman]

What a great day out!!!
I have been to this event for the past 6 years & it just keeps getting better.
The display of the 3 Le Mans winning cars was a credit to Chris Melia & all those involved. But to also have the 3 original cars assembled in one place at the same time was a sight I will never forget. I also spoke to Lee Holman who gave me the run down on the No2 car. Indeed there seemed to be a GT40 at every turn.
Of course the event is not just about GT40's. There was some extremely rare motor cars including the finely restored Mercedes Streamliner, the 2 Le Mans winning Bentleys & a plethera of vintage F1 cars & a whole lot more.
If there is one event that has to be on your calender it's this one.

[DC]

Paul, absolutely right, it was a great day out. I include a picture of the GT40 1966 Le Man winning 'montage'. They look like toy cars but I can assure you they are lifesize replicas. I'll post a second picture of the spray effect generated on the cars to show the conditions at the finish of 1966.

Seeing so much vintage machinery driven by the likes of Moss, Brabham, John Surtees, jackie Oliver etc is quite amazing. If any of you guys get to the UK, make sure you arrange it for this week in the sporting calendar.

[DC]

Chris Melia, you did a great job!

[IAN UK]

Well done Chris, It was just amazing to stand and watch people gaze in amazment at this structure, and when the spray was switched on with the wipers-on looked fantastic.
I only hope the motoring press give credit to how good the replicas looked.
And to stand next to the three 1966 winning GT40's I thought I had died and gone to heaven!
Also the Enthusiasts club stand was well presented and well atended, well done the commitee and all the unsung helpers who helped organise the stand.
Got to be the one of the best events of 2003. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif[/img] [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif[/img]

[Chris Melia]

Thanks guys for all the positive comments, I am completely blown away with the hole event, can life get any better?
Well, done to all the GT40 Enthusiast Club members for a great club stand, it has put the club well and truly back on its feet. The new club T shirts are a credit to Dick Townsend,Brian Magee and Chris Notley's cars were on display and prepared to a very high standard.
I went to the party on Saturday night and was surrounded by so many famous faces, I met this guy Lee he said that his dad had worked on these cars back in the 60's so I said how about a photo just for a keepsake he said lets do it

Chris

[MK -IV J6]

Chris
I don't know if you or my friend Lee Holman look more like party animals! Congrats on a job well done! I do think you should post this in the original section esp. as I'm monitor of that section. Best and looking forward to seeing you at Pebble. BTW it was a young Lee who ran off and bought the florecent nose paint they used at a local LeMans hardware store.
Way Cool!

[Fred/Belgium]

I was just wondering ,who is the guy next to Chris... [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif[/img] [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif[/img] [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

[Scott]

That is one AWESOME display Chris. One question thou, how were the cars raised and supported to the stand?

Scott.

[Chris Melia]

Hi
This was one of the hairy moments I felt physically sick watching the cars being lifted. I had taken all the fluids out of the cars including the battery and clutch and brake fluid, the cars were lifted by the use of spreader bars front and rear, from these were adjustable strops used to adjust the attitude once in the air.
The car was attached to a subframes by a H frame and baskets under each wheel with a ratchet tie down around each tire. The H frame had four mounting points that attached to the main structure.
On the Sunday before Goodwood they damaged the bodywork on the Gold car whilst lifting it into position, They called me in a panic and asked if I would fly down to fix it, two hours later I was airborne in one of Goodwoods Pipers over London. The repair took 24 hours working late into the Night. By 9 pm Monday the car was in position on the structure.
Regards
Chris

[Bill Bayard]

Chris,

Is that trick photography, or are those cars actually on the roof of a building? [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shocked.gif[/img]
How did you manage to get all three cars smoking their tires
up there, at the same time? [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]
I hope that the trip back to the ground was a little bit less nerve racking!
Great photos!

Bill

[Chris Melia]

Hi Bill
I turned the photo through 90 degrees to get this surreal shot, the smoke is actually water mist from jets placed under each car tire. From the front view it represents the wet finish of the 66 Le Mans, the water overspray was also welcomed by the spectators as it was very hot.

Regards
Chris.

[josvdp]

Bill - if you really were a 'forum addict' you would have seen the pictures in other threads showing the cars hanging off the wall once it had been raised to the vertical !

The smoke was spray and the windscreen wipers pushed it aside to give a very welcome cooling water mist on the ground

See above - Chris & I posted simultaneously - fab achievement Chris

[dave harris]

To Chris and everyone else involved with this display - - I have been to numerous "upscale" racing events here in the US and I can say that I've never seen such an awesome display! I will be attending the Monteray Historics and doubt if there will ever be anything to match what you've done! congratulations on a true "above and beyond" achievement!

[DC]

Ian (PERRYS), yours is a great photo and thought you were only a p*** artist! The balance of foreground and background is terrific - but then I am an engineer so what do I know about art [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

[Paul Thompson 'Hooligan']

Hi all -
Just superb! and here are a few of the real deal in motion!





bit too quick to catch that one!





Timeless!! - each and every one! [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif[/img]

[Simon Kelly]

I have just bought Autosport 17th July issue on Chris Melias reccommendation. There is a fantastic article on the Festival starting on page 64 with a brilliant "lead-picture" of the sculpture. Definately worth a look.

These must be the most photo'ed GT40 replicas in the world, 158,000 people attended Goodwood over the weekend, they all had cameras!!

As I own the Gold car, I am collating as many images of the sculpture as possible. If you have any photos, I would appreciate you e-mailing them to me, if you don't mind sharing them!

THANK YOU!!!

simon@insight-promotions.com <font color="red"> </font>

[Gary Gibbs]

I assume the 1966 replica owners will now keep their cars with this look, or are you going to change it back to Mk I, etc.

[Simon Kelly]

I will definately be keeping the gold car gold! It must be one of the most famous replicas in the world now! [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

[Chris Melia]

Hi Guys
set the video for 12.30pm ITV Sports just before the British GP, to record The Goodwood Festival of speed.
I also bumped into an American film crew from the Speed channel at Goodwood so I guess our USA members will get to see the festival as well very soon.

Regards
Chris.
PS When they dropped the three cars back to me this week they had P1075 on the transporter along with the shelby GT I wish I could of got a photo of all the cars parked outside my house.

[Maxiboy]

Thanks for the tip there Chris, just managed to catch &amp; tape most of it, most importantly the bit on the 40s.

Cheers, Max