Le Man your favorite memory
Discussion
ellroy said:
The best bit for me is the very close freinds I've made becaouse of the race.
...and thanks to the French Family whose garden is on the Mulsanne Straight whose dog found Shirley living under a bush for the weekend, and welcomed him to their family meal on their lawn each year from then on. What a bloke, they must have had no sense of smell and probably found all sorts of things missing afterwards....first year, 1979 falling asleep on the grassy bank (there were such things back then!) on the hill down from the Dunlop Bridge before the esses(there were proper esses back then). Woke up in a thunderstorm, mates having abandoned me, in a soaking sleeping bag but the sight of 935's flaming out in the dark (there were no floodlights back then) with lightening above has stayed with me forever. Still my favourite race car ever.
Highlights
First Le Mans in 2008... for a brief 10 minutes all the Danish cars were leading all the classes and they were all in the cars at the same time..
Aston hospitality in 2010
2014 When I slumped to my knees when the Aston #95 stopped on pit exit with 1 hour to go whilst leading... and it fired up and won... Kristian Poulsen's speech.. we were all wiping a tear... must have been the dust getting into our eyes...
Lowest point - 2013 early evening - don't want to ever feel like that again
First Le Mans in 2008... for a brief 10 minutes all the Danish cars were leading all the classes and they were all in the cars at the same time..
Aston hospitality in 2010
2014 When I slumped to my knees when the Aston #95 stopped on pit exit with 1 hour to go whilst leading... and it fired up and won... Kristian Poulsen's speech.. we were all wiping a tear... must have been the dust getting into our eyes...
Lowest point - 2013 early evening - don't want to ever feel like that again
Just Remembered another Top moment 
Le mans 2001 Drove my mates Dodge Viper RT/10 into Le mans for the Drivers Parade, as we approached the main square where the cars started off on the podium we were wondering where we were going to park? All of a sudden a Gendarme stepped out into the road in front of us and halted the traffic, he then parted the steel barriers and directed up to park right next to the podium! Brilliant
We were nothing to do with the Supercar parade, he just gave us free parking. The crowd loved it and we drew some attention from the restaurant opposite We managed to get a table in the upper part of the restaurant overlooking the podium and then found some of the Corvette and Cadillac boys up there with another nice chap called John Tabe who was head of Goodyear tyres racing division!
Later that same weekend we found ourselves in the Playstation Viper hospitality, we had viper jackets on and Viper car keys in our hands, we had a great afternoon drinking Redbull and eating sandwiches all free. After a couple of hours someone came over and asked us who we were? Needless to say we were politely asked to leave
Le mans 2001 Drove my mates Dodge Viper RT/10 into Le mans for the Drivers Parade, as we approached the main square where the cars started off on the podium we were wondering where we were going to park? All of a sudden a Gendarme stepped out into the road in front of us and halted the traffic, he then parted the steel barriers and directed up to park right next to the podium! Brilliant
We were nothing to do with the Supercar parade, he just gave us free parking. The crowd loved it and we drew some attention from the restaurant opposite We managed to get a table in the upper part of the restaurant overlooking the podium and then found some of the Corvette and Cadillac boys up there with another nice chap called John Tabe who was head of Goodyear tyres racing division!Later that same weekend we found ourselves in the Playstation Viper hospitality, we had viper jackets on and Viper car keys in our hands, we had a great afternoon drinking Redbull and eating sandwiches all free. After a couple of hours someone came over and asked us who we were? Needless to say we were politely asked to leave
This thread just keep bringing back memories. Each year we made up pit passes from the Autosport Magazine front page title, reduced in size and laminated into a pass on a string. Got into the pits every time, spent 2+ hours in the Chamberlain Engineering garage during the race discreetly taking photos. Click, put camera down, click etc. Unfortunately the camera was on time delay so every photo was of my feet and the yellow lining not a single car. The passes got us into the hospitality suites above the garages.
Photographers passes worked too along with tripod and big lens props - We watched the whole Saturday afternoon leaning against the low wall opposite the pits being hit by balls of tyre rubber from the cars until about 7pm when we were rumbled and frog marched out but bloody hell it was worth it!
Photographers passes worked too along with tripod and big lens props - We watched the whole Saturday afternoon leaning against the low wall opposite the pits being hit by balls of tyre rubber from the cars until about 7pm when we were rumbled and frog marched out but bloody hell it was worth it!
V6Pushfit said:
Getting chucked out of two drivers parades by the daft organiser chappie on a push bike and being sworn at in french.
Getting arrested for having a jolly jape getting into the Le Mans swimming pool at 1am.
Nicking the ford starter motor the next day from a french car we had seen parked at said pool that night. Ours had gone kaput.
Getting onto the closed track every year on the Friday night and driving through the pits in our own cars.
Finding a woodyard with no gate lock for camp fire fuel 5 years running
Painting 'Bertha Boys' on the track so it came up on the helicopter TV footage every lap
And so much other stuff that I cant divulge
And thanks to Spadge, Wozza, Shirley, Mr McC, Big Ray and the lads for 14 years of carnage.
You make me so proud to be a Brit at Le Mans...Getting arrested for having a jolly jape getting into the Le Mans swimming pool at 1am.
Nicking the ford starter motor the next day from a french car we had seen parked at said pool that night. Ours had gone kaput.
Getting onto the closed track every year on the Friday night and driving through the pits in our own cars.
Finding a woodyard with no gate lock for camp fire fuel 5 years running
Painting 'Bertha Boys' on the track so it came up on the helicopter TV footage every lap
And so much other stuff that I cant divulge
And thanks to Spadge, Wozza, Shirley, Mr McC, Big Ray and the lads for 14 years of carnage.
Edited by Le_Mans on Tuesday 8th December 16:09
Le_Mans said:
You make me so proud to be a Brit at Le Mans...
Anytime, certainly beat going down with with a bunch of wooses in Jap cars thinking they were the nuts! It all came about because we were there in 1988 & 1989 when Jaguar won and sort of went downhill (or uphill) from then. Edited by Le_Mans on Tuesday 8th December 16:09
Hard to pick one.
First year was 1979 and is full of memories :
Paul Newman nearly winning
Dome team desperately trying to get their car home and their passion (not at all Japanese!)
Derek Bell's Mirage trying to get going again in the latter stages.
The rain!!!!
Second year was mainly the rain and swearing I'd never go again... I went every year until 2009 and a few after that!
Possibly THE highlight, though, was standing under the rostrum singing the British national anthem in 1988 and the sight of French people by the roadside waving Union Jacks at every British car that passed on the way back to the Channel!
M
First year was 1979 and is full of memories :
Paul Newman nearly winning
Dome team desperately trying to get their car home and their passion (not at all Japanese!)
Derek Bell's Mirage trying to get going again in the latter stages.
The rain!!!!
Second year was mainly the rain and swearing I'd never go again... I went every year until 2009 and a few after that!
Possibly THE highlight, though, was standing under the rostrum singing the British national anthem in 1988 and the sight of French people by the roadside waving Union Jacks at every British car that passed on the way back to the Channel!
M
hilly10 said:
My best year was 2003 Bentley boys winning, the weather friends and the general craic. What a year
Yep, that was a good year ......Apart from my Cobra shredding the 5th gear at 90mph 30 miles outside Le mans 
Brown pants moment as I was spinning around on the black stuff! Luckily I missed the amco and did not hit anything else! It was then I found out my insurance recovery was Void!So car recovered off motorway $$$$$$
Overnight storage....$$$$$$$$$$$$
Taxi to Le mans......$$$$$$$$$$
Next day..Hire car (one way, Le mans to cherbourg) $$$$$$$$$$
Tow Rope...$$
Towed Cobra from Le mans to Cherbourg (with Hire car)! an interesting drive!
Only to find Brittany Ferries do not allow broken down cars onto the Seacat. Had to wait another 6 hours for the Ferry
2003....Remember it well!
Edited by fatboy18 on Monday 14th December 21:46
Who remembers the JK concert? that was brilliant (what I remember of it)!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zwcR7_nEgrs 2003
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zwcR7_nEgrs 2003
Edited by fatboy18 on Tuesday 15th December 08:04
fatboy18 said:
Yep, that was a good year ......Apart from my Cobra shredding the 5th gear at 90mph 30 miles outside Le mans Brown pants moment as I was spinning around on the black stuff! Luckily I missed the amco and did not hit anything else! It was then I found out my insurance recovery was Void!
So car recovered off motorway $$$$$$
Overnight storage....$$$$$$$$$$$$
Taxi to Le mans......$$$$$$$$$$
Next day..Hire car (one way, Le mans to cherbourg) $$$$$$$$$$
Tow Rope...$$
Towed Cobra from Le mans to Cherbourg (with Hire car)! an interesting drive!
Only to find Brittany Ferries do not allow broken down cars onto the Seacat. Had to wait another 6 hours for the Ferry
2003....Remember it well!
Same here in 1988. Clutch disintegrated in an Astra SRi (the dogs nuts back then) doing silly things round the old abandoned karting track in Garage Vert. Massive tow truck charge Le Mans to Caen and spent the night in Mother Hubbards shoe in a kids playground by the beach. Got onto the ferry though. No insurance and it came to £750 overall which was a nightmare at the time. ......Apart from my Cobra shredding the 5th gear at 90mph 30 miles outside Le mans Brown pants moment as I was spinning around on the black stuff! Luckily I missed the amco and did not hit anything else! It was then I found out my insurance recovery was Void!So car recovered off motorway $$$$$$
Overnight storage....$$$$$$$$$$$$
Taxi to Le mans......$$$$$$$$$$
Next day..Hire car (one way, Le mans to cherbourg) $$$$$$$$$$
Tow Rope...$$
Towed Cobra from Le mans to Cherbourg (with Hire car)! an interesting drive!
Only to find Brittany Ferries do not allow broken down cars onto the Seacat. Had to wait another 6 hours for the Ferry
2003....Remember it well!
Edited by fatboy18 on Monday 14th December 21:46
Succeeded in rolling the Silk Cut Cortina there a few years later. That old track clearly had it in for me!
fatboy18 said:
Who remembers the JK concert? that was brilliant (what I remember of it)!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zwcR7_nEgrs 2003
Yea what a star saw him up the smoke few years back in his Aston but he was gone for I could collar him to relive the memory.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zwcR7_nEgrs 2003
Edited by fatboy18 on Tuesday 15th December 08:04
Them were the days nice weather as well if memory serves
fatboy18 said:
Yep, that was a good year ......Apart from my Cobra shredding the 5th gear at 90mph 30 miles outside Le mans Brown pants moment as I was spinning around on the black stuff! Luckily I missed the amco and did not hit anything else! It was then I found out my insurance recovery was Void!
So car recovered off motorway $$$$$$
Overnight storage....$$$$$$$$$$$$
Taxi to Le mans......$$$$$$$$$$
Next day..Hire car (one way, Le mans to cherbourg) $$$$$$$$$$
Tow Rope...$$
Towed Cobra from Le mans to Cherbourg (with Hire car)! an interesting drive!
Only to find Brittany Ferries do not allow broken down cars onto the Seacat. Had to wait another 6 hours for the Ferry
2003....Remember it well!
Wow what a nightmare ......Apart from my Cobra shredding the 5th gear at 90mph 30 miles outside Le mans Brown pants moment as I was spinning around on the black stuff! Luckily I missed the amco and did not hit anything else! It was then I found out my insurance recovery was Void!So car recovered off motorway $$$$$$
Overnight storage....$$$$$$$$$$$$
Taxi to Le mans......$$$$$$$$$$
Next day..Hire car (one way, Le mans to cherbourg) $$$$$$$$$$
Tow Rope...$$
Towed Cobra from Le mans to Cherbourg (with Hire car)! an interesting drive!
Only to find Brittany Ferries do not allow broken down cars onto the Seacat. Had to wait another 6 hours for the Ferry
2003....Remember it well!
Edited by fatboy18 on Monday 14th December 21:46
hilly10 said:
fatboy18 said:
Yep, that was a good year ......Apart from my Cobra shredding the 5th gear at 90mph 30 miles outside Le mans Brown pants moment as I was spinning around on the black stuff! Luckily I missed the amco and did not hit anything else! It was then I found out my insurance recovery was Void!
So car recovered off motorway $$$$$$
Overnight storage....$$$$$$$$$$$$
Taxi to Le mans......$$$$$$$$$$
Next day..Hire car (one way, Le mans to cherbourg) $$$$$$$$$$
Tow Rope...$$
Towed Cobra from Le mans to Cherbourg (with Hire car)! an interesting drive!
Only to find Brittany Ferries do not allow broken down cars onto the Seacat. Had to wait another 6 hours for the Ferry
2003....Remember it well!
Wow what a nightmare ......Apart from my Cobra shredding the 5th gear at 90mph 30 miles outside Le mans Brown pants moment as I was spinning around on the black stuff! Luckily I missed the amco and did not hit anything else! It was then I found out my insurance recovery was Void!So car recovered off motorway $$$$$$
Overnight storage....$$$$$$$$$$$$
Taxi to Le mans......$$$$$$$$$$
Next day..Hire car (one way, Le mans to cherbourg) $$$$$$$$$$
Tow Rope...$$
Towed Cobra from Le mans to Cherbourg (with Hire car)! an interesting drive!
Only to find Brittany Ferries do not allow broken down cars onto the Seacat. Had to wait another 6 hours for the Ferry
2003....Remember it well!
New wiring harness, 4 new twin downdraft carbs, full respray, two new wheels. Mate burnt his arm
After car was rebuilt I sold it!
Great thread....
'Accidentally' knocking an Hawaiian Tropic girl in the head with a bar stool. It really was an accident and beer might have been involved.
Screaming at the TVR's willing them home.
Planting a lovely 11 at Arnage before they stopped all that malarky. Same day, laughing our heads off at the Skyline driver who thought it clever to park on the gravel on the other side of the track....oh!
Eating a roast beef dinner and watching Jenson win the Canadian GP, the look on the poor sod's face who came over to borrow a tin opener to open his 'all day breakfast'.
Keeping a bar open until stupid o'clock on Sunday night opposite Mason Blanche, chap packed up everything except the barrel, pump and chiller.
Watching 'Our Nige' stuff it inside six laps of the start and all the 'told you so's'
All the general banter each year, it's just the ultimate lads week(end).
'Accidentally' knocking an Hawaiian Tropic girl in the head with a bar stool. It really was an accident and beer might have been involved.
Screaming at the TVR's willing them home.
Planting a lovely 11 at Arnage before they stopped all that malarky. Same day, laughing our heads off at the Skyline driver who thought it clever to park on the gravel on the other side of the track....oh!
Eating a roast beef dinner and watching Jenson win the Canadian GP, the look on the poor sod's face who came over to borrow a tin opener to open his 'all day breakfast'.
Keeping a bar open until stupid o'clock on Sunday night opposite Mason Blanche, chap packed up everything except the barrel, pump and chiller.
Watching 'Our Nige' stuff it inside six laps of the start and all the 'told you so's'
All the general banter each year, it's just the ultimate lads week(end).
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