classic le mans
Discussion
was brilliant. Reckon only 50k people rather than the 250k that the 24hrs gets - what a difference that makes to camping, viewing, travelling, eating, sleeping, showering and yes the toilets. Got up at 7.00 on Friday and by by 7.08 we were doing the first of many fast passes along Mulsanne, Indionapolis, Arnage and up to Porsche curves. What a buzz. Then all weekend there was more racing than the proper 24hr with seconds rather than laps separating the contenders, and no diesels in sight.
My Sport did 700 miles with heat, traffic, gratituous wheel-spins and many many dead-flies. The only bonnet-lifts were for curious bystanders and once topping-up oil & water. Even the a/c proved upto it. The modern cars I travelled with were less reliable - the BMW M3 suffered a seized front brake-caliper, the 911 failed brake-lights, the Impreza Turbo a broken rear shock and faded brakes - all caused/discovered during the fun at Indionapolis. Yet these are robust and very-well engineered cars - pevenge for the previously oil-dropping, water-spraying, 'mobile sauna' at last ! Justification for all those evenings in the garage.
I got 19mpg (on carb'd ZZ4) for the 160 mile 90mph 'economy cruise' down to the ferry. And an average of 17mpg for the complete 650 mile round-trip. Not too bad, if anything illustrates the more perilous nature of a speedy drive across France nowadays. We saw several traps, a few cameras, and just in case you think you got away with it, Gendarmes on the up-ramp to the ferry with a registration list... wince.
I used ~1L of oil and ~1L of water too.
Question - when my brother was driving fast and I was watching track-side, on gear-shifts during hard acceleration I could see a small patch of grey smoke behind the exhausts. Anything to worry about ?
cheers
Roger
My Sport did 700 miles with heat, traffic, gratituous wheel-spins and many many dead-flies. The only bonnet-lifts were for curious bystanders and once topping-up oil & water. Even the a/c proved upto it. The modern cars I travelled with were less reliable - the BMW M3 suffered a seized front brake-caliper, the 911 failed brake-lights, the Impreza Turbo a broken rear shock and faded brakes - all caused/discovered during the fun at Indionapolis. Yet these are robust and very-well engineered cars - pevenge for the previously oil-dropping, water-spraying, 'mobile sauna' at last ! Justification for all those evenings in the garage.
I got 19mpg (on carb'd ZZ4) for the 160 mile 90mph 'economy cruise' down to the ferry. And an average of 17mpg for the complete 650 mile round-trip. Not too bad, if anything illustrates the more perilous nature of a speedy drive across France nowadays. We saw several traps, a few cameras, and just in case you think you got away with it, Gendarmes on the up-ramp to the ferry with a registration list... wince.
I used ~1L of oil and ~1L of water too.
Question - when my brother was driving fast and I was watching track-side, on gear-shifts during hard acceleration I could see a small patch of grey smoke behind the exhausts. Anything to worry about ?
cheers
Roger
This sounds great. Must admit LeMans is a good trip, but I feel getting a bit too busy. (me getting old I guess) This event seems a bit more "up market" if thats the right word?
I did Lemans this year, roads are just fantastic, did 600 miles round trip, used zero oil, zero water, probably got 20 mpg. Only fault was it RAINED and RAINED on the way back to the ferry late sunday (local downpour) and the lights went a bit erratic ... water go in there somewhere. I agree about the dipped lights.... crap! Anyone thought of an upgrade!
I did Lemans this year, roads are just fantastic, did 600 miles round trip, used zero oil, zero water, probably got 20 mpg. Only fault was it RAINED and RAINED on the way back to the ferry late sunday (local downpour) and the lights went a bit erratic ... water go in there somewhere. I agree about the dipped lights.... crap! Anyone thought of an upgrade!
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