What car for the Cannonball run?
Discussion
TheEnd said:
My point exactly!
We have never had a any celebrities on the Cannonball Run Europe, pretty much everyone on the runs we have organised have been 'nice', genuine, regular people. Ok, so they've got a few grand to spend on a weeks motoring holiday but that doesn't make you a tw
at does it? 
We've had quite a few honeymooning couples, a binman, an asian family of 4, a guy paralysed from the waist down after a rugby accident when he was 16,an American ex-servicemen in a 250,000 miler Vauxhall, in-fact I'd say that we have more 'normal' people these days than ever. As I said : Its hard to shake off the reputation and a lot of people have pre-conceived ideas about our event, have a look at the website before deciding.
Edited by Lordbenny on Monday 9th April 19:49
hairykrishna said:
Depends which 'cannonball' you're talking about when the question about who they let in, how much it costs etc comes up. Cannonball Europe, Gumball 3000 Bullrun etc. None of them bear any resemblance to the original although some of them might be fun in their own way.
The point of the original was to drive from New York to LA as fast as possible. None of the partying in 5* hotels, celebs or branding. If I remember the book correctly the entrance fee was a ~$200, so ~$1000 today, donation to a charity.
The original was as in direct protest to the pending 55mph limits being set in the US. Most if not nearly all of the original entrants came from some form or another of motorracing and were all seasoned drivers. The point of the original was to drive from New York to LA as fast as possible. None of the partying in 5* hotels, celebs or branding. If I remember the book correctly the entrance fee was a ~$200, so ~$1000 today, donation to a charity.
One of the main reasons Brock Yates stopped the events was he was inexperienced yet wealthy people trying to join in supercars and he knew it wouldn't end well so stopped it.
The infamous black Lambo in the Burt Reynolds Cannonball movie was actually meant to be used in the real Cannonball but Yates stopped the events as the drivers lack of experience scared the hell out of him.
The Cannonball Europe ownership has changed hands since I did it so no ideas what/who/how the events are run now, but when I did it everyone on it were just 'normal' petrolheads, yes there were some loonies and then some proper loonies, but that's what this sort of event is all about.
williamp said:
The problem is too many of us remember the tv programme from a few years ago which showed them all as either z list celebs "invited" to participate or tossers for whom money was no concern- either theirs, or ours. Few people want to be assocated with these people, myself included
Seems like you're thinking of the Gumball and not the Cannonball, please dont get the two confused! Can only ever be this :
http://www.cannonballcountach.com/Home_Page.html
http://www.cannonballcountach.com/Home_Page.html
Edited by Lordbenny on Monday 9th April 20:48
Lordbenny said:
We have never had a any celebrities on the Cannonball Run Europe, pretty much everyone on the runs we have organised have been 'nice', genuine, regular people. Ok, so they've got a few grand to spend on a weeks motoring holiday but that doesn't make you a twat does it?
In that case, it really does seem worlds apart from the others, which are a little "elitist", or at least that is the image they tend to give out.at does it? I might give it a shot one day, providing I don't get too famous!
Special K said:
Or how about a 911 GT2 with a larger tank fitted ? Oh hang on a min........
http://pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&f...
Not seen that thread before! Thanks for posting - read every word of it up untilhttp://pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&f...
about page 20 where it started to tail off a bit - the videos on there are incredible!
Problem is that probably 50% of the cars on the road can do these events faster than you dare drive them.
In the old days 120mph was fast and there weren't any speed cameras nor were you likely to end up with a ban / prison sentence.
I'd suggest in order to make them fun Pre 1975 cars only.
In the old days 120mph was fast and there weren't any speed cameras nor were you likely to end up with a ban / prison sentence.
I'd suggest in order to make them fun Pre 1975 cars only.
Most of the cars on the original cannonball fell into that category though. All of the serious contenders were in stuff that would cruise at 150 all day long. Yates and Gurney in the Ferrari Daytona; "At no time did we exceed 175 mph.".
I think the only big change is in reliability.
The ban/arrest chances have rocketed though as you say.
I think the only big change is in reliability.
The ban/arrest chances have rocketed though as you say.
hairykrishna said:
Most of the cars on the original cannonball fell into that category though. All of the serious contenders were in stuff that would cruise at 150 all day long. Yates and Gurney in the Ferrari Daytona; "At no time did we exceed 175 mph.".
I think the only big change is in reliability.
Whilst the entrants cars could - they were the exceptions on the road.I think the only big change is in reliability.
My point was that these days most cars could do it and stand a chance of winning - which has made it a bit dull.
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