Rallye des Jonquilles 2014

[benjj]

Good man. Have just emailed you with more details.

[Madscanner]

I've seen a few references to this event in the past, but usually only a few days before the off, and then duly forgot about it until the next year, and so on...

I'd be interested in doing this event as an alternative to Laon (did Laon 3 times in a row, but found that it had grown too big for my liking), but my option car is my '88 Pontiac Fiero Formula - any idea if it is likely to meet the "different or unusual" criteria?

This is the car.

Edited by Madscanner on Wednesday 13th November 17:51

[moribund]

I've no idea if it's acceptable, but I think it's interesting - had to go to Google as I'd never heard of them before. As an American attempt at a half-Lotus/half-MR2 it seems pretty much unique?

[Madscanner]

moribund said:

I've no idea if it's acceptable, but I think it's interesting - had to go to Google as I'd never heard of them before. As an American attempt at a half-Lotus/half-MR2 it seems pretty much unique?

Thanks - its fairly uncommon (although there are over 250 of them in the UK)and was, in its time, a reasonable stab at something a bit sportier for the North American domestic market. It was let down by bad dealer/manufacturer attitude, some lack of development, far too much over-engineering of the the chassis (its a heavy car, for its size, as a result) and there's a good reason for owners upgrading the brakes and converting to a Northstar engine

[benjj]

Just found the 2012 roadbook while clearing out a drawer in the office.







Dead easy to navigate even for a first timer. All in KM though so worth a quick bit of work for any navs with a pen and calculator to quickly convert them all to miles if that's what your tacho uses.

Not sure on the Fiero, cool car though. Perhaps just blagging it as an 84 model and assuming all will be fine!

[anonymous-user]

Ahh.....I remember Quelmes. That's the noise Mrs CK made as she threw up having tried to read/navigate/be a passenger/recover from getting soizzled the night before.

[Junglehop]

I should really get off my arse and do this. looks like fun;

Benjj - 1981 Porsche 944
Johnfm - 1967 Lotus Elan +2
Sunbeam Alpine - 1990 Alfa Spider
early_911 - 2005 Boxster (sorry), or perhaps a 1993 VW Corrado VR6?
DaveEssex - 1956 Jaguar XK140SE Fixed Head Coupe.
LordBretSinclair - 1964 MGB Works Rep.
moribund - 2000 Lotus Elise S1
Junglehop - 1981 Lotus Esprit Turbo

[Maulden7]

Any update on the date etc?

Very much hoping to do this event in my 65 S2 Elan with a mate navigating.

Dave M.

[V8 FOU]

Oh yes. Put us down for this!
Benjj - 1981 Porsche 944
Johnfm - 1967 Lotus Elan +2
Sunbeam Alpine - 1990 Alfa Spider
early_911 - 2005 Boxster (sorry), or perhaps a 1993 VW Corrado VR6?
DaveEssex - 1956 Jaguar XK140SE Fixed Head Coupe.
LordBretSinclair - 1964 MGB Works Rep.
moribund - 2000 Lotus Elise S1
Junglehop - 1981 Lotus Esprit Turbo
V8FOU - MG Widget or Lotus Europa TC

[benjj]

I spoke to Bruno on email the other day, he has a meeting with the Arras mayor soon, end of this week I think.

Once that's squared away he'll confirm dates etc and we can get booked on.

I'm away rallying that following week on LeJog but back Dec 12 ish and will hope we're all good to go by then.

We'll also need to consider a decent crossing for as many people as want to meet up on the UK side on the Saturday lunchtime.

[Rochester TVR]

Just read this thread and it sounds like a great day out. Count me in.


Benjj - 1981 Porsche 944
Johnfm - 1967 Lotus Elan +2
Sunbeam Alpine - 1990 Alfa Spider
early_911 - 2005 Boxster (sorry), or perhaps a 1993 VW Corrado VR6?
DaveEssex - 1956 Jaguar XK140SE Fixed Head Coupe.
LordBretSinclair - 1964 MGB Works Rep.
moribund - 2000 Lotus Elise S1
Junglehop - 1981 Lotus Esprit Turbo
V8FOU - MG Widget or Lotus Europa TC
Rochester TVR - 1998 TVR Cerbera 4.5

Edited to add: Benjj I'm hoping that the Cerbera is an ok car to use? It's very loud and spits flames for fun

Edited by Rochester TVR on Sunday 24th November 21:05

[Madscanner]

Benji - PM to you.

Edited by Madscanner on Monday 25th November 13:56

[benjj]

Re the Cerb - tricky one.

When I spoke with Bruno the other week he was pretty keen to keep the entry list as 'classic' as possible and asked me to limit the newer cars in our group coming over.

He'll get some serious heat from local French dudes I reckon if the list is filled up with foreign modern metal!

I can certainly ask but I suspect that the answer will almost certainly be, "I'd rather you didn't".

[moribund]

Thanks for the updates Ben. That gives me a set deadline to sell this to my other half and/or find a co-driver.

I'm steeled for being bounced off the list in any case - my car is too new and I think the copious Lotus entries of the past seem to be a) French and b) packed into a corner where they won't be noticed.

What it does show is that there is a pent-up demand for this kind of event for more modern sportcars. Fancy organising one?

[benjj]

You won't be bumped chum, unless you want to be

I may be able to supply some navigators in the form of Mission Motorsport beneficiaries - will have more on that shortly.

I'll be defo running with a MM nav.

[Madscanner]

I've now emailed Bruno to ask if he'll accept my Fiero.

I take Benji's point re "too many non-classics from the UK" but it would be nice to take something comparatively rare over. I've never seen another one in France, and have constantly to field questions about it when I stop for fuel or food, or just to park up (even to the extent of being stopped by the plod, just to have a look and talk cars...)

[benjj]

I don't want to become some kind of ahole about all this but am just relaying what Bruno said in his email to me recently.

Personally both the Fiero and Tiv would be right up my street, I'd love the PH entry to arrive in a mass of noise and rubber

[Rochester TVR]

OK
2005 Porsche Boxster
2000 Lotus Elise


NOT OK
1998 TVR Cerbera
1988 Pontiac Fiero



Edit: No offence to the Porsche / Lotus owners. Previous years photos and videos show that there was quite alot of modern Porsches and Lotus's.

Edited by Rochester TVR on Monday 25th November 14:35

[benjj]

If you read the posts above you'll see what happened.

Yes, other years have been open to a lot of modern stuff, now the organisers seem to be steering it back towards its roots - a classic rally.

Anyway, I'm just the messsenger. If this starts causing me grief I'll quite happily fk off the organising a PH wide entry and just do it with my friends and Mission Motorsport.

Rant ends.

From here on in anyone in a modern (read post '80) car can contact me and I'll pass on the organiser's email so you can discuss it with them directly.

[Madscanner]

benjj said:

I don't want to become some kind of ahole about all this but am just relaying what Bruno said in his email to me recently.

Personally both the Fiero and Tiv would be right up my street, I'd love the PH entry to arrive in a mass of noise and rubber

Apologies Ben - I should more clearly stated that the view was not yours - I'm sure we all appreciate your position, in the middle between us and Bruno.