GT 40
Author
Discussion

m60ddy

Original Poster:

631 posts

241 months

Thursday 16th June 2011
quotequote all
Whilst dreaming about buying a gt40, looking at the continuation web site and thinking how good it would be to take one to Le Mans, I suddenly thought they must be a nightmare to drive in France. No windows to speak off and the fact you have to open the doors fully to get in and out, how do you pay at the toll booths? The entrances are just wide enough for the cars and the ferry ports are the same? current owners must have good passengers who will get out before the toll, pay, run through then jump in the other side??

Nothing like having time on your hands to dream about petty things like this, one day it may actually be a problem for me!!!!!

jonby

5,367 posts

186 months

Thursday 16th June 2011
quotequote all
easy - get a toll tag from Sanef !

Chris71

21,549 posts

271 months

Thursday 16th June 2011
quotequote all
I reckon you'd just about clear the right hand kerb at the toll both. Then you'd just have to run round while all the other cars tutted at you like every other solo driver in a RHD car. smile

Gibo993

966 posts

294 months

Thursday 16th June 2011
quotequote all
Well funny you should say that!!
After 20 years of wanting a GT40 more than my children (joke) I realised the dream about six weeks ago, after selling my E60 M5 I bought a very well used GT40 KVA with some very good engineering. I spent the last 5 weeks getting the car through its MOT and getting everything working, staying up till well past midnight most nights.
well last wednesday after only driving the car a few miles to the MOT station and back we set off for Le Mans, WOW! what a trip, the attention the car got and the great comments from just about everyone we met, made all the late nights worth it, special thanks to the frenchmen who fell of his bike while shouting Steve Mqueen Steve Mqueen (He needs to watch the film again), to the guy who jumped out in front of me in Arnage when my brakes had just failed and I nearly squashed him flat, he got a photo a bit closer than he wanted. As for the Toll booths its was funny, my passenger was a pretty big bloke (very big) and watching him trying to squeeze himself out to pay the bemused attendant was very funny and our support van had to stop and watch the antics at every toll booth.
But overall it was such an amazing experience, even had a french policeman put down his speed gun and wave at us on the track from Arnage corner to Porsche curves. we lost reverse gear coming into the PH meet on friday, the brakes failed, it had to stop at every petrol station it past to re fuel, it scraped its way on and off every ferry, but we had such a good time I can not wait until next year!! realise your dream join the GT40 Enthusiast's club go and talk to the amazing guys who know everything about GT40's even if you don't have a car they are so welcoming.

Come on next year hurry up!!

Irish

3,991 posts

268 months

Thursday 16th June 2011
quotequote all
Gibo993 said:
Well funny you should say that!!
After 20 years of wanting a GT40 more than my children (joke) I realised the dream about six weeks ago, after selling my E60 M5 I bought a very well used GT40 KVA with some very good engineering. I spent the last 5 weeks getting the car through its MOT and getting everything working, staying up till well past midnight most nights.
well last wednesday after only driving the car a few miles to the MOT station and back we set off for Le Mans, WOW! what a trip, the attention the car got and the great comments from just about everyone we met, made all the late nights worth it, special thanks to the frenchmen who fell of his bike while shouting Steve Mqueen Steve Mqueen (He needs to watch the film again), to the guy who jumped out in front of me in Arnage when my brakes had just failed and I nearly squashed him flat, he got a photo a bit closer than he wanted. As for the Toll booths its was funny, my passenger was a pretty big bloke (very big) and watching him trying to squeeze himself out to pay the bemused attendant was very funny and our support van had to stop and watch the antics at every toll booth.
But overall it was such an amazing experience, even had a french policeman put down his speed gun and wave at us on the track from Arnage corner to Porsche curves. we lost reverse gear coming into the PH meet on friday, the brakes failed, it had to stop at every petrol station it past to re fuel, it scraped its way on and off every ferry, but we had such a good time I can not wait until next year!! realise your dream join the GT40 Enthusiast's club go and talk to the amazing guys who know everything about GT40's even if you don't have a car they are so welcoming.

Come on next year hurry up!!
Inspirational. Pictures please. The GT40 and Cobras always float my boat at Le Mans.

Irish

3,991 posts

268 months

Thursday 16th June 2011
quotequote all
Knocks the sock off a 911 any day:

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/2690569.htm


m60ddy

Original Poster:

631 posts

241 months

Thursday 16th June 2011
quotequote all
Gibo993 said:
Well funny you should say that!!
After 20 years of wanting a GT40 more than my children (joke) I realised the dream about six weeks ago, after selling my E60 M5 I bought a very well used GT40 KVA with some very good engineering. I spent the last 5 weeks getting the car through its MOT and getting everything working, staying up till well past midnight most nights.
well last wednesday after only driving the car a few miles to the MOT station and back we set off for Le Mans, WOW! what a trip, the attention the car got and the great comments from just about everyone we met, made all the late nights worth it, special thanks to the frenchmen who fell of his bike while shouting Steve Mqueen Steve Mqueen (He needs to watch the film again), to the guy who jumped out in front of me in Arnage when my brakes had just failed and I nearly squashed him flat, he got a photo a bit closer than he wanted. As for the Toll booths its was funny, my passenger was a pretty big bloke (very big) and watching him trying to squeeze himself out to pay the bemused attendant was very funny and our support van had to stop and watch the antics at every toll booth.
But overall it was such an amazing experience, even had a french policeman put down his speed gun and wave at us on the track from Arnage corner to Porsche curves. we lost reverse gear coming into the PH meet on friday, the brakes failed, it had to stop at every petrol station it past to re fuel, it scraped its way on and off every ferry, but we had such a good time I can not wait until next year!! realise your dream join the GT40 Enthusiast's club go and talk to the amazing guys who know everything about GT40's even if you don't have a car they are so welcoming.

Come on next year hurry up!!
Fantastic, well apart form the loss of brakes and reverse gear!

This is exactly the type of response I was after. Would love to see some pics of your car and talk to a few people about which cars are worth looking at and, if any, which ones to avoid!!!

Getting one for next year is a world away for me, I'm just at the start of my 20 years of dreaming as my kids have already arrived!! The Capri will probably be the mode of transport to the classics next year, May be see you there.

You never know though, the six magic numbers may come good one day???

Irish that is just subbing salt in the wound!!!!

GG33

1,224 posts

230 months

Thursday 16th June 2011
quotequote all
You MUST get a transponder for the Telepeage. Just stick it in the windscreen and sail quickly through the reserved booths on the autoroute. It simply deducts the correct amount from your bank account or credit card. Wouldn't be without it...

Gibo993

966 posts

294 months

Thursday 16th June 2011
quotequote all


Before the off!!



Made it!





Camp Chef finds a handy table!!




Ferry home!!

Shnozz

30,628 posts

300 months

Thursday 16th June 2011
quotequote all
We were behind you in an orange Exige queueing for the peage on Monday morning. Your car looked immense.

Dyl

1,303 posts

239 months

Thursday 16th June 2011
quotequote all
Were you driving back from Dover on Monday afternoon? A brilliant looking GT40 overtook us on the M20 IIRC, would have been just before 5pm I think.

Even if not you, still an awesome car you have there, was amazed at just how low it was! Your eye level is below the height of lorry tyres, must have a fantastic sensation of speed.

The Leaper

5,666 posts

235 months

Thursday 16th June 2011
quotequote all
GG33, and others,

If you get the toll transponder direct from Sanef UK then you pay for everything by direct debit, not by plastic.

Got mine just it time for LM 2011...what a great thing to have for about the near on 20 tolls we went through over last weekend. No waiting whatsoever. Now it's in my son's car ready for his trip to France next month.

R

The Leaper

5,666 posts

235 months

Thursday 16th June 2011
quotequote all
GG33, and others,

If you get the toll transponder direct from Sanef UK then you pay for everything by direct debit, not by plastic.

Got mine just it time for LM 2011...what a great thing to have for about the near on 20 tolls we went through over last weekend. No waiting whatsoever. Now it's in my son's car ready for his trip to France next month.

R

Gibo993

966 posts

294 months

Thursday 16th June 2011
quotequote all
Must get one of these, travel throught France quite a bit and never really thought about them , but with all the difficulty in my car this year it would be a breeze, thanks for links.

m60ddy

Original Poster:

631 posts

241 months

Thursday 16th June 2011
quotequote all
Hmm Very nice, funnily it was a white one I was drooling over the other night only it had a red stripe.

Getting in and out at the in the ferry looked interesting, all a bit tight !!!

I had heard about the transponders but never known where to get them from. Is there a subscription you need to pay or an annual fee? can you get one and just it once a year and put it in the draw ready for the next and so on??

ccr32

1,983 posts

247 months

Thursday 16th June 2011
quotequote all
Bearing in mind it's only 40 inches tall, would it not fit under a toll booth barrier?

wink

Gibo993

966 posts

294 months

Thursday 16th June 2011
quotequote all
I have just bought one!! Google Sanef UK and they have a UK site and can pay by direct debit. can't wait to tell my passenger, he hated going through the tolls, if only I had thought of this a week or two ago !!