Upper age limit at Le Mans Classic?

[FLAT 6]

We're doing our own 'Top Gear Challenge' between 4 of us.

Buy a car within the age limits of the Classic races for anything up to £5k, take it to the Classic and then sell it when we get back - winner is the one who makes most/loses least with extra points taken away for breakdowns.

So, what is the newest car eligible? It was 1979 in 2008, do they increase the upper limit every Classic. I heard a rumour that Group C will be there?

Also, recommendations appreciated. I'm more in to 60's and 70's Classics so what would be interesting in later '70's / early '80's for £5k??

[Inverness]

IIRC to gain entry to the inner Classic section your make and model of car has had to race at Le mans so in theory you could go in a 2009 Porsche 911 GT3 or a 2009 Corvette, but not a diesel Peugeot or Audi, as there has to be a direct lineage. Only problem with the above is they would exceed your £5k budget. So if you don't mind 90's cars I would recommend a Toyota MR2.

HTH

[Mark B]

Inverness said:

IIRC to gain entry to the inner Classic section your make and model of car has had to race at Le mans so in theory you could go in a 2009 Porsche 911 GT3 or a 2009 Corvette, but not a diesel Peugeot or Audi, as there has to be a direct lineage. Only problem with the above is they would exceed your £5k budget. So if you don't mind 90's cars I would recommend a Toyota MR2.

HTH

Sorry, but that's not right.

The list of cars is extensive, each marque has certain models that are allowed, but certain marques such as Ferrari, Porsche, Jaguar, Lotus, Aston Martin and a couple of others allow any car from that marque in.

What about a Lotus Excel or Jaguar XJS?

[FLAT 6]

Guys, thanks for the suggestions. Just to clarify, the upper limit rule relates to the age of the cars actually racing rather than what constitutes a 'classic' from the perspective of parking in the in-field enclosures.

So, it's the youngest car on the grid that sets the upper limit!

Anyone have a definitive year?

Cheers,

Al

[//j17]

1) Parking inside the circuit is allocated to make car clubs and sold by those car clubs to their members. In theory if a Peugeot club had an allocation, you were a member and bought one you could park your 3yr old Pug. oil burner inside the circuit. Most clubs would either not sell one of their limited allocation for something non-classic and try to persuade you to sell it on to another member if your classic didn't make the trip and you had to switch to your Euro box.

2) Currently the age rule for the Classic is built between 1923 and 1979. Additionally the car must have either raced at, or be a sister car to one that raced at Le Mans - http://www.lemansclassic.com/2008/uk/pdf/LMC_2008-...

For the first two Classics in '02 and '04 the upper limit was ~1974 and this was opened-up to 1979 for the '06 Classic. It's possible they will add another 5 years for '10 but we are either going to see fewer cars from each period (no great loss from the pre-war stuff, many of whom only manage a couple of laps in the time) or shorter races.

[Inverness]

IIRC there are 3 main sections / rules that apply

1, to race your car at the Le Mans Classic your car had to either of raced or be a sister car that had raced at le mans 24 hour.
2, to go around the circuit on a parade lap then your make of car had to of raced at Le Mans, (hence why I picked Toyota MR2, it raced bake in the 90's)
3, to park in the "inner sanctum" your car club must organize this, ie MG owners club.

But I could be wrong as the French have a habbit of making and changing rules as they go along!

[Mark B]

Inverness said:

IIRC there are 3 main sections / rules that apply

1, to race your car at the Le Mans Classic your car had to either of raced or be a sister car that had raced at le mans 24 hour.
2, to go around the circuit on a parade lap then your make of car had to of raced at Le Mans, (hence why I picked Toyota MR2, it raced bake in the 90's)
3, to park in the "inner sanctum" your car club must organize this, ie MG owners club.

But I could be wrong as the French have a habbit of making and changing rules as they go along!

I don't thin they will let an MR2 drive around the circuit on the parade laps. Will check my old paperwork, but I think that won't be on the list.

[Jammez]

We tried our very own Top Gear challenge this year at the 24hr. £400 + £100 fettling to buy a convertible or something with a full length sunroof or T-bar roof.

I became the pround own of a 1977 TR7 for £150! It made it from Scotland to Bolton with only one stop to change the battery over as the alternator was on the blink. I stopped the night in Bolton & charged up both batteries then headed off to meet the rest of the party in Birmingham & fit a new alternator. I made it 20 miles out of Bolton when it blew a spark plug out! I managed to get that back in and it made it all the way to Brum before blowing out again!

I decided not to try & go any further and ended up in a Honda Civic Type R, much more reliable but didn't really get the same amount of attention that a bright yellow TR 7 did! Still the second red TR7 made the trip with no problems.

I've now got a 3.9 v8 to put in the TR ready for next year!

Can't wait

[gt6]

I can't think of a MR2 racing at le mans but i do remember them as pace cars/safety cars when toyota sponsered the event.

[//j17]

gt6 said:

I can't think of a MR2 racing at le mans but i do remember them as pace cars/safety cars when toyota sponsered the event.

Unless entered under a different name there is no record of the Toyota MR2 racing. Officially the only Toyota's have been:
- 85 C ('85)
- 86 C ('86)
- 87 C ('87)
- 88 C ('88)
- 89 C-V ('89)
- 90 CV ('90)
- TS O10 ('92)
- 92 CV ('92)
- 94 CV ('94)
- Supra GT LM ('95)
- Supra LM ('96)
- GT One ('98)

http://www.lemans.org/24heuresdumans/pages/histori...

[Inverness]

//j17 said:

gt6 said:

I can't think of a MR2 racing at le mans but i do remember them as pace cars/safety cars when toyota sponsered the event.

Unless entered under a different name there is no record of the Toyota MR2 racing. Officially the only Toyota's have been:
- 85 C ('85)
- 86 C ('86)
- 87 C ('87)
- 88 C ('88)
- 89 C-V ('89)
- 90 CV ('90)
- TS O10 ('92)
- 92 CV ('92)
- 94 CV ('94)
- Supra GT LM ('95)
- Supra LM ('96)
- GT One ('98)

http://www.lemans.org/24heuresdumans/pages/histori...

It would be about the same time as Lotus Esprit and Honda NSX IIRC. I seem to remember it having loads of extra body work and you could only just recognize it.

Unless one of the other Toyotas from above is what I'm thinking of and they put a body on top of a spaceframe that looked like an MR2?

[Save Ferris]

Inverness said:

It would be about the same time as Lotus Esprit and Honda NSX IIRC. I seem to remember it having loads of extra body work and you could only just recognize it.

Unless one of the other Toyotas from above is what I'm thinking of and they put a body on top of a spaceframe that looked like an MR2?

Ive found it! It was called the SARD MC8-R , and was based on the MR2, it raced at LM in '95 and '96

[Inverness]

Save Ferris said:

Inverness said:

It would be about the same time as Lotus Esprit and Honda NSX IIRC. I seem to remember it having loads of extra body work and you could only just recognize it.

Unless one of the other Toyotas from above is what I'm thinking of and they put a body on top of a spaceframe that looked like an MR2?

Ive found it! It was called the SARD MC8-R , and was based on the MR2, it raced at LM in '95 and '96

Thanks for that Save Ferris, thought I was going mad for a bit

link to Wiki page about half way down page http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mr2

Edited by Inverness on Friday 21st August 23:03