Spa Classic Trip in a 3.2
Discussion
Hi all,
Have had a go writing up my musings on last months trip to Spa for the Classic.
Hopefully some may find it interesting and mildly amusing.
Spa Classic May 2014 in a Carrera 3.2
Never been to Spa.
Tried in the ‘80’s and got as far as Dover in the coach and was stopped from going onto the ferry due to a heat wave in Belgium and the F1 cars, at that time, being 1000 bhp turbo’s, ripping up the tarmac and cancelling the race !
So after 20 odd years decided to finally go, but to the Classic not the GP and take the 911 plus son, who is thankfully up to speed with the car, plus camping gear. Surprising how much you can fit into sa 3.2; tent, table, 2 chairs, 2 sleeping bags, cooking gear, spare clothes, coats, boots and food ( no beer ! )
Had car serviced before the trip and managed to get together all the stuff required for a continental jaunt. Packed everything in, on a bright and dry Thursday morning for the wonderful trip across the Pennines from Cheshire to Hull.
P & O ferry to Zeebrugge wasn’t bad, punctual, good beer, good cabin and no waves!
Getting out of the port was a bit of problem due to closed roads, but were soon on the way down to Ypres. We wanted to tie in a trip to see the Salient, it being a hundred years since the start of WW1 and also my grandfather was out there in 1917.
Went to Tyne Cot cemetery first, very moving, just row upon row of Portland tombstones, the young age of the soldiers, how immaculate it was and so quiet. And seemingly in the middle of a field, hard to imagine the actual battlefield, as the cemetery has German blockhouses within the boundary.
Did feel a bit awkward being at a commonwealth memorial in an iconic German car.
Further on we went to Zonnebeke, which had a very good museum about the fighting which went on around the area. Complete with replica dugouts and trenches to walk through. Very realistic, gave a grim but good taste of the troglodyte life in the front line.
Ended up in Ypres town centre by the Cloth Hall, terrific building, which was rebuilt completely after the war. Walked up a narrow street to the Menin Gate memorial. Always thought it was removed from the centre, but so close. Wonderful structure, very cathedral like in the centre, even though a road went through it. 35,000 names of soldiers who vanished on the battlefield, carved into it on nearly every vertical surface. Again very moving, as I found 15 surnames the same as mine.
Also had a walk down the south east part of the city on top of the medieval walls, overlooking a small canal, which led down a small cemetery containing soldiers from the Cheshires. Again so well kept and a beautiful resting place.
Finally got on the motorway to Spa, great roads, well built and maintained,but Belgian driving standards left a bit to be desired; tail gating, sudden lane changes and what speed limit ?, but at least the camions kept to one side.
After a 3 hour drive, car went well keeping up with the traffic, or was trying to, 80 mph cruising and that was slow! Managed to find Eau Rouge campsite, after some interesting navigation. It was very good with heated showers, café, good toilet blocks and loads of tent space. After a very trying 45 minutes managed to put up the flippin’ tent (4 man - midgets, and didn’t try to erect it before we left. Mistake! ).
Finally installed, we decided to go to the circuit for evening practice. Not easy to find the paddock entrance (or put it down to dopey navigating,) but once in, found designated area with tour company. Again with some difficulty. Thank goodness for my son’s good French.
Amazing paddock, mostly out of concrete platforms, on three levels with some fantastic cars all lined up in temporary garages, all open to view, rows of 1960, 70 and 80’s 911’s and 935’s plus 635 Beemers, 2 litre and 5 litre sports prototypes. Not to mention a host of 1960’s Italian exotica and a very good line up of Group C cars.
Managed to get to the restaurant overlooking the start straight and for 2 hours watched the night time practice. Very good but got chilly, then had to find way out of the place, again not easy.
Camping. What can I say, not for me! Cold, cramped, no sleep, etc. but thank goodness for instant porridge pots at 6.30 am.
Into circuit early doors in designated area ready for a track tour for 25 minutes.
Very eclectic group of classics lined up in the new pits lane then off following the course car down to Eau Rouge; was then being passed by TVRs and so the foot went to the floor.
Great flowing corners, fantastic track. Best part was rushing down the hill past the old pits and accelerating up one of the most famous bits of track worldwide. Wow! The car went great and after 2 laps got into the swing of the circuit and overtook quite a few TR’s, MG’s. Managed 5 fantastic laps, Oulton Park will never be the same after this. Recommend to anyone with petrol in their veins.
Somewhat spoilt by some stupid and aggressive driving by 2 locals in M beemers, don’t know what they were doing on the track, carving a lot of slower cars up. Luckily no one was damaged or hurt. The marshalls were not interested at all in black flagging this idiotic behaviour.
Parked up in the paddock for the rest of the day and enjoyed access to all areas, especially the tour company’s rooms above the old pits, with free tea and coffee all day. Great views of the older sports cars doing driver changes and bit of frantic repair work especially on a 275 Ferrari.
Great racing all day with good organisation, walked up the hill at Eau Rouge, steeper than you think.
Small bar at the top, great place for a beer, bratwurst and a rest!
Super view down the hill, with the cars rushing down past the old pits and up over the brow and onto the straight with a blast of noise, especially the turbo 935’s.
Stayed on until 9.30 and called it a night, back to the camp site for an alcohol induced better night’s sleep.
Early wake up again after another cold night. Thank goodness for a fab warm shower. Packed everything away, or tried, how on earth to get the rotten tent back inside the bag. In the end just stuffed it in the boot and hoped for the best.
Went to circuit again into the paddock, knew the way by now, and again a hot sunny day with 3 early races to watch. Off at midday, but quite a job to get out as there were more people in the paddock than out around the circuit. It was bit difficult not running anyone over.
Good drive back to ferry with a small detour to Bruges centre, wanted to stop but parking was a no-no. Cobbled streets really tested the build quality of a 26 year old car, but all was good.
Again a good ferry crossing and straight out into a Hull traffic jam, welcome back!
M62 uneventful and back to the Wirral in 3 hours, having done 850 miles with no car problems at all, apart from usual old 911 lack of ventilation, but was able to have sunroof open most of the time.
Am thinking of next year’s trip to the ‘Old Timer’ event at the ‘Ring in August, but not camping!
Have had a go writing up my musings on last months trip to Spa for the Classic.
Hopefully some may find it interesting and mildly amusing.
Spa Classic May 2014 in a Carrera 3.2
Never been to Spa.
Tried in the ‘80’s and got as far as Dover in the coach and was stopped from going onto the ferry due to a heat wave in Belgium and the F1 cars, at that time, being 1000 bhp turbo’s, ripping up the tarmac and cancelling the race !
So after 20 odd years decided to finally go, but to the Classic not the GP and take the 911 plus son, who is thankfully up to speed with the car, plus camping gear. Surprising how much you can fit into sa 3.2; tent, table, 2 chairs, 2 sleeping bags, cooking gear, spare clothes, coats, boots and food ( no beer ! )
Had car serviced before the trip and managed to get together all the stuff required for a continental jaunt. Packed everything in, on a bright and dry Thursday morning for the wonderful trip across the Pennines from Cheshire to Hull.
P & O ferry to Zeebrugge wasn’t bad, punctual, good beer, good cabin and no waves!
Getting out of the port was a bit of problem due to closed roads, but were soon on the way down to Ypres. We wanted to tie in a trip to see the Salient, it being a hundred years since the start of WW1 and also my grandfather was out there in 1917.
Went to Tyne Cot cemetery first, very moving, just row upon row of Portland tombstones, the young age of the soldiers, how immaculate it was and so quiet. And seemingly in the middle of a field, hard to imagine the actual battlefield, as the cemetery has German blockhouses within the boundary.
Did feel a bit awkward being at a commonwealth memorial in an iconic German car.
Further on we went to Zonnebeke, which had a very good museum about the fighting which went on around the area. Complete with replica dugouts and trenches to walk through. Very realistic, gave a grim but good taste of the troglodyte life in the front line.
Ended up in Ypres town centre by the Cloth Hall, terrific building, which was rebuilt completely after the war. Walked up a narrow street to the Menin Gate memorial. Always thought it was removed from the centre, but so close. Wonderful structure, very cathedral like in the centre, even though a road went through it. 35,000 names of soldiers who vanished on the battlefield, carved into it on nearly every vertical surface. Again very moving, as I found 15 surnames the same as mine.
Also had a walk down the south east part of the city on top of the medieval walls, overlooking a small canal, which led down a small cemetery containing soldiers from the Cheshires. Again so well kept and a beautiful resting place.
Finally got on the motorway to Spa, great roads, well built and maintained,but Belgian driving standards left a bit to be desired; tail gating, sudden lane changes and what speed limit ?, but at least the camions kept to one side.
After a 3 hour drive, car went well keeping up with the traffic, or was trying to, 80 mph cruising and that was slow! Managed to find Eau Rouge campsite, after some interesting navigation. It was very good with heated showers, café, good toilet blocks and loads of tent space. After a very trying 45 minutes managed to put up the flippin’ tent (4 man - midgets, and didn’t try to erect it before we left. Mistake! ).
Finally installed, we decided to go to the circuit for evening practice. Not easy to find the paddock entrance (or put it down to dopey navigating,) but once in, found designated area with tour company. Again with some difficulty. Thank goodness for my son’s good French.
Amazing paddock, mostly out of concrete platforms, on three levels with some fantastic cars all lined up in temporary garages, all open to view, rows of 1960, 70 and 80’s 911’s and 935’s plus 635 Beemers, 2 litre and 5 litre sports prototypes. Not to mention a host of 1960’s Italian exotica and a very good line up of Group C cars.
Managed to get to the restaurant overlooking the start straight and for 2 hours watched the night time practice. Very good but got chilly, then had to find way out of the place, again not easy.
Camping. What can I say, not for me! Cold, cramped, no sleep, etc. but thank goodness for instant porridge pots at 6.30 am.
Into circuit early doors in designated area ready for a track tour for 25 minutes.
Very eclectic group of classics lined up in the new pits lane then off following the course car down to Eau Rouge; was then being passed by TVRs and so the foot went to the floor.
Great flowing corners, fantastic track. Best part was rushing down the hill past the old pits and accelerating up one of the most famous bits of track worldwide. Wow! The car went great and after 2 laps got into the swing of the circuit and overtook quite a few TR’s, MG’s. Managed 5 fantastic laps, Oulton Park will never be the same after this. Recommend to anyone with petrol in their veins.
Somewhat spoilt by some stupid and aggressive driving by 2 locals in M beemers, don’t know what they were doing on the track, carving a lot of slower cars up. Luckily no one was damaged or hurt. The marshalls were not interested at all in black flagging this idiotic behaviour.
Parked up in the paddock for the rest of the day and enjoyed access to all areas, especially the tour company’s rooms above the old pits, with free tea and coffee all day. Great views of the older sports cars doing driver changes and bit of frantic repair work especially on a 275 Ferrari.
Great racing all day with good organisation, walked up the hill at Eau Rouge, steeper than you think.
Small bar at the top, great place for a beer, bratwurst and a rest!
Super view down the hill, with the cars rushing down past the old pits and up over the brow and onto the straight with a blast of noise, especially the turbo 935’s.
Stayed on until 9.30 and called it a night, back to the camp site for an alcohol induced better night’s sleep.
Early wake up again after another cold night. Thank goodness for a fab warm shower. Packed everything away, or tried, how on earth to get the rotten tent back inside the bag. In the end just stuffed it in the boot and hoped for the best.
Went to circuit again into the paddock, knew the way by now, and again a hot sunny day with 3 early races to watch. Off at midday, but quite a job to get out as there were more people in the paddock than out around the circuit. It was bit difficult not running anyone over.
Good drive back to ferry with a small detour to Bruges centre, wanted to stop but parking was a no-no. Cobbled streets really tested the build quality of a 26 year old car, but all was good.
Again a good ferry crossing and straight out into a Hull traffic jam, welcome back!
M62 uneventful and back to the Wirral in 3 hours, having done 850 miles with no car problems at all, apart from usual old 911 lack of ventilation, but was able to have sunroof open most of the time.
Am thinking of next year’s trip to the ‘Old Timer’ event at the ‘Ring in August, but not camping!
Good write up Tim. Brings the memory's of my 3 x 911s ( an 80 SC in Rare Black Mettalic, SGK 806V Where are you now ? ) a fabulous Guards Red 86 3.2 ( C367 TUT where are you now ? And my last an 88 F67 GNT in Baltic Blue, where are you now ?? ) flooding back.
In August 2005, ex wife and I took my 2 sons down to Brittany and The Vendee for a fab never to be forgotten Holliday ( our last as a Family ) to a great Key Camp in C367 TUT, how my ex managed to fit everything in, I just don't know, but she did ! The early morning run down to Portsmouth in company with an E46 will never be forgotten or the blast back being hassled by a hot Seat Ibitha either !
That car never missed a beat, despite the scorching heat. Sold that one in May 2006 and I still miss it now.....
In August 2005, ex wife and I took my 2 sons down to Brittany and The Vendee for a fab never to be forgotten Holliday ( our last as a Family ) to a great Key Camp in C367 TUT, how my ex managed to fit everything in, I just don't know, but she did ! The early morning run down to Portsmouth in company with an E46 will never be forgotten or the blast back being hassled by a hot Seat Ibitha either !
That car never missed a beat, despite the scorching heat. Sold that one in May 2006 and I still miss it now.....
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