What to do B4 LeMan 2004..??
Discussion
Going to LM for the first time this year and obviously taking the 'S'...
I know its not a massive distance from the South of England but, I was wondering whether I should get the car checked over before.?
David Batty has recently completed a full service, MOT etc so there is nothing drastic which requires doing. I will sort the basic service things myself - oil etc...
The car seems to be running fine to the best of my knowledge and experience, however I am toying with the idea of getting to a R/Road before LM to check the ECU, mapping, curves etc and ensure the car will be purring when we go...!!! I'm not sure if I want to go the whole hog of chipping...
When I spoke to David he said he is particularly busy prior to LM as everybody wnats to ensure a safe and reliable weekend..
A couple of questions then....
What is the norm from you guys.?
Has anybody just been on R/Road for a system check/adjust.?? Costs.??
Can anyone recommend somewhere local to Hants or S/East.???
I know its not a massive distance from the South of England but, I was wondering whether I should get the car checked over before.?
David Batty has recently completed a full service, MOT etc so there is nothing drastic which requires doing. I will sort the basic service things myself - oil etc...
The car seems to be running fine to the best of my knowledge and experience, however I am toying with the idea of getting to a R/Road before LM to check the ECU, mapping, curves etc and ensure the car will be purring when we go...!!! I'm not sure if I want to go the whole hog of chipping...
When I spoke to David he said he is particularly busy prior to LM as everybody wnats to ensure a safe and reliable weekend..
A couple of questions then....
What is the norm from you guys.?
Has anybody just been on R/Road for a system check/adjust.?? Costs.??
Can anyone recommend somewhere local to Hants or S/East.???
i took the S to LM last year. Took the view that it was only about 3 hours drive so the equivilent for me to go to, say, Daventry golf club 
Didnt bother with european breakdown cover. loaded up with some tools, a spare throttle cable, left in spare wheel and carried tyreweld too, spare bulbs, warning triangle, first aid kit, various spanners, socket set, screwdrivers etc, all lobbed underneath the front seats. Behind the passenger seat we had a disposable BBQ, in the boot, the roof, sleeping bags, tent, gas stove, 2 inflatable mattresses and clothes for the weekend. Oh, and my 7 iron to keep my hand in...
its not really a long journey but the heat can make TVR's struggle, worth ensuring you carry water and preferably a 2 litre bottle of coolant.
If the car needs a service then no probs, but personally its in top nick and unlikely to cause you problems. He says. Please dont brake down now Dave!
Seriously though, the amount of Brit sports car enthusiasts passing that would help in the case of a breakdown is also worth having in the back of your mind. We stopped to help a stricken chim last year with the accelerator snap syndrome.
Didnt bother with european breakdown cover. loaded up with some tools, a spare throttle cable, left in spare wheel and carried tyreweld too, spare bulbs, warning triangle, first aid kit, various spanners, socket set, screwdrivers etc, all lobbed underneath the front seats. Behind the passenger seat we had a disposable BBQ, in the boot, the roof, sleeping bags, tent, gas stove, 2 inflatable mattresses and clothes for the weekend. Oh, and my 7 iron to keep my hand in...
its not really a long journey but the heat can make TVR's struggle, worth ensuring you carry water and preferably a 2 litre bottle of coolant.
If the car needs a service then no probs, but personally its in top nick and unlikely to cause you problems. He says. Please dont brake down now Dave!
Seriously though, the amount of Brit sports car enthusiasts passing that would help in the case of a breakdown is also worth having in the back of your mind. We stopped to help a stricken chim last year with the accelerator snap syndrome.
If its just been serviced, I wouldn't worry too much. As you say its not all that far really - if you was travelling the same distance in Britain would you be worried? I would suggest having European breakdown though, its great to think if the worst did come to the worst that you and your car would be taken care of. You should still stock up on a few bits though.
My advice to you is just go and have fun, LM is one of the best experiences of my life (thus far). Live for the moment!!!
Roy.
My advice to you is just go and have fun, LM is one of the best experiences of my life (thus far). Live for the moment!!!
Roy.
Nothing like arriving to the roar of qualifying with your neck scorched from a fantastic day of open-top driving 
Take plenty of water both for yourself (I had to go without while my passenger drank beer) and the car as I found mine got really hot especially when stuck in a jam before the closed tunnel in Rouen. We struggled to keep the needle from touching the red
for almost an hour It took some serious speed air cooling after that to keep in happy.
I'll be prepared this year with even more cooling modifications and a filling of water wetter.
If you've in the RAC they offer cheap european cover for older cars (around £30 I think), rather than the AA's outrageous £80ish.
Take plenty of water both for yourself (I had to go without while my passenger drank beer) and the car as I found mine got really hot especially when stuck in a jam before the closed tunnel in Rouen. We struggled to keep the needle from touching the red
for almost an hour It took some serious speed air cooling after that to keep in happy. I'll be prepared this year with even more cooling modifications and a filling of water wetter.
If you've in the RAC they offer cheap european cover for older cars (around £30 I think), rather than the AA's outrageous £80ish.
Tripps said:
Take plenty of water both for yourself (I had to go without while my passenger drank beer) and the car as I found mine got really hot especially when stuck in a jam before the closed tunnel in Rouen. We struggled to keep the needle from touching the red
We stupidly decided to go out for more beer a couple of hours before the race. As you can imagine, getting back into the circuit was a nightmare and sat there for 2 hours in traffic and christ knows what temp. Temp gauge went to 105
the boot was full of beer so the roof had to be left on the car. We had to switch on the hot fans to try and cool the engine. Boy that was fun, sat stationary in bloody hot weather with roof on and heaters on full blast. And no showers. Lovely.
Ah joy.
Shnozz said:
We stupidly decided to go out for more beer a couple of hours before the race. As you can imagine, getting back into the circuit was a nightmare and sat there for 2 hours in traffic and christ knows what temp. Temp gauge went to 105
the boot was full of beer so the roof had to be left on the car. We had to switch on the hot fans to try and cool the engine. Boy that was fun, sat stationary in bloody hot weather with roof on and heaters on full blast. And no showers. Lovely.
Ah joy.
In retrospect, probably not the best decision we made. Having said that, we didn't run out of beer.. Sorry about the smelly cheese..
Hear good things about water wetter, and I might invest in a fan override thingy.. Other than that, the S should do pretty well..
Psychobert said:
We stupidly decided to go out for more beer a couple of hours before the race. As you can imagine, getting back into the circuit was a nightmare and sat there for 2 hours in traffic and christ knows what temp. Temp gauge went to 105
the boot was full of beer so the roof had to be left on the car. We had to switch on the hot fans to try and cool the engine. Boy that was fun, sat stationary in bloody hot weather with roof on and heaters on full blast. And no showers. Lovely.
Ah joy.
In retrospect, probably not the best decision we made. Having said that, we didn't run out of beer.. Sorry about the smelly cheese..
Hear good things about water wetter, and I might invest in a fan override thingy.. Other than that, the S should do pretty well..
that cheese stank. still, the red casing for my baby bels melted onto the seat.
heres to 2004 mate! and the videoing might improve
quote of LM from Psychobert in the passenger seat "I think i need to stop driving like such a pussy"
sorry for scaring you buddy! still, that single white line might be broken by 2004
shnozz said:
.......
quote of LM from Psychobert in the passenger seat "I think i need to stop driving like such a pussy"
there's me thinking because it ounded bad it must have been drivne hard, obviously not 
. that shnozz bloke also said:
sorry for scaring you buddy! still, that single white line might be broken by 2004
I'm also assuming you are on about those bloody solid white lines that go on for miles along some of the straightest fastest roads you could possibly imagine, no never crossed one myself either
. Sorted out your crossing yet phil, are in Houx this year
, if so need to talk at some point....... Harry
not looking forward to the holes in the floor mind 
shnozz said:There were a couple a trucks with proper (and clean) toilets this year thank god so no worries on that score, just keep a few euros for the collection boxes.
...not looking forward to the holes in the floor mind
The thought of a continental #2 after a skinful does not appeal
Tripps said:
...not looking forward to the holes in the floor mind
There were a couple a trucks with proper (and clean) toilets this year thank god so no worries on that score, just keep a few euros for the collection boxes.
The thought of a continental #2 after a skinful does not appeal
cheers Tripps. Look forward to seeing you down there this year, not just sticking notes on your car
shnozz said:
that cheese stank. still, the red casing for my baby bels melted onto the seat.
heres to 2004 mate! and the videoing might improve
quote of LM from Psychobert in the passenger seat "I think i need to stop driving like such a pussy"
sorry for scaring you buddy! still, that single white line might be broken by 2004
Hmmm.. Didn't scare me, but I still maintain that your old S would outperform mine anytime..
Was smelly that cheese though..
Tripps said:
cheers Tripps. Look forward to seeing you down there this year, not just sticking notes on your car or dozen.
May even have chilled beer if I end up taking the Cupra-R..... All depends on whether I can stop the S's menopausal hot flushes..
Well if you take the Cupra R I stand no chance of keeping up in my "slow" Chimaera. (private Mungo joke) Cold ones will make you a very popular chap. Not quite sure it would feel the same at Le Mans if I dont drink warm cheap lager though
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