Which classic for 2012?

[Irish]

Has anyone else been inspired?

So far the list is:


TR-6 - looked so cool at Le Mans.


Some form of old TVR:



MG of some form.



Classic 911 - huge pork fan but at LMC they all looked a bit MEH.




The Cobra's looked amazing but are most badly put together kits?

Edited by Irish on Saturday 17th July 18:54

[spanishchocolate]

I couldn't believe I didn't see any Morris Minors - I thought there would be loads. So for 2012, I've set my heart on a black drop-head, with red roof, seats and trim. My first car was a Moggy

Mind you, this is pretty cool:

[blackcossiestu]

I'd choose a TreVoR or a 911 personaly.....TR6's were as common at Lemans as Saxo's at McDonalds this year

[MKnight702]

Irish said:

The Cobra's looked amazing but are most badly put together kits?

I think you will find that most are extremely well put together kits with very few dodgy 4 or 6 cylinder ones.

[VPower]

Irish said:

Has anyone else been inspired?

So far the list is:


TR-6 - looked so cool at Le Mans.

I know a chap with two partly restored TR6's, nice little project for you??

But he (I and another friend) keep looking at old Porkers with envious eyes!

However, I think he's going to get a DeTomaso Pantera for 2012!

[spanishchocolate]

I have some photos of the De Tomaso smoking around Arnage Corner! It looked excellent!

Now that would be a cool ride

[Dr S LB]

I'm hoping we will be taking the Merc Vito to LMC in 2012. Why you ask??

If we get an entry for Little Big Mans we will have my daughters Lola T290 one third scale replica that i'm building in the back. Maybe something bigger for daddy on the trailer too.

[blackcossiestu]

I served my apprentiship at a DeTomaso Pantera specialists....cool cars

My old bosses Pantera:





If you need any info on the model then Roger Coates is your man, based in Leicestershire nr jnc24 of the M1....pm me for details. They were the people who very recently painted my Cossie for me

Edited by blackcossiestu on Monday 19th July 19:01

[Need For Tweed]

spanishchocolate said:

I couldn't believe I didn't see any Morris Minors - I thought there would be loads. So for 2012, I've set my heart on a black drop-head, with red roof, seats and trim. My first car was a Moggy

Mind you, this is pretty cool:

I was rather dissapointed with the large number of modern metal pounding the track on the 'club' laps. Thought there should have been more of the older stuff out there (plenty in the campsites). There was a Moggie though - Got a huge cheer from our stand!

Edited by Need For Tweed on Tuesday 20th July 19:13

[spanishchocolate]

Awww - I love that! Put a big smile on my face I'd have cheered too. Right, that's my project for 2012 then...

It really made me laugh right at the end (after the prize-giving) when the caravans and random tat cars (who were presumably exiting) drove on the track over the finishing line, and continued on round - and everyone started cheering and clapping, and the drivers were waving! It was so funny

[Need For Tweed]

That'll be these guys. Got a great cheer - partly for the sight of a caravan on the start finish straight, and partly to thank the marshals. They seemed to appreciate it!

[spanishchocolate]

Brilliant! I was so sorry that I didn't have a photo - I was too busy cheering and clapping!

We were the last to leave the grandstands - it was lovely just sitting there reminiscing about the excellent time we had had, and watching all the gorgeous cars leaving on the various exit routes in the distance

Edited by spanishchocolate on Tuesday 20th July 19:55

[Nick M]

spanishchocolate said:

We were the last to leave the grandstands - it was lovely just sitting there reminiscing about the excellent time we had had, and watching all the gorgeous cars leaving on the various exit routes in the distance

And we were the last to leave the terraces, having had our traditional 'champagne' and creme de cassis after the finish. Suddenly noticed we were the only ones around, apart from a couple of blokes cleaning up !

[spanishchocolate]

Great idea - the champagne. We said next time we'd bring a picnic to have at the end. Sure there weren't two people in Lagache? We sat there for more than 2 hours after it ended (couldn't believe it when the friend I was with said we'd sat there for two hours!)? We had the company of two sets of random punters for the majority of that, but then even they left. It was the first time we'd had to breathe out and relax, without running to catch some action or be somewhere or other! It was a lovely end



Did you see the Fuggle 'transporter'?!

[Nick M]

I think we wandered off a little after 5.00pm, so you were probably still up there.

We saw John Hindhaugh leaping like a gazelle wounded hippo from the pit wall doing their final bit to camera for the Motors TV coverage, but left not long after that.

It had the air of a ghost town about the place, as though the history of the place was reclaiming what rightfully belonged to it. I had wanted to show dad the plaque on the wall in front of Lagache (if that's tribune 19) which is the only memorial I know of to the 1955 crash, but the gates which allow you access down onto the track remained firmly shut and locked.

I thought, after a weekend of remembering all the amazing drivers and cars, it was also worth remembering the people who sadly lost their lives that day, not in a morbid way, but purely out of respect.

[spanishchocolate]

I didn't know the background to the plaque (where is it?) when you posted. I meant to Google, but didn't get round to it

Just caught part of a programme on BBC 2 about the accident - didn't know it was on, and I hope it is repeated. Very very sad Won't be the same being at Le Mans again. Can't believe there isn't some kind of act of remembrance every year

Ironic that Hawthorn was killed over-taking a Mercedes. Sad that he died probably blaming himself

The bit at the end when the unearthed photos merged into each other was heart-wrenching. Really reminds one of the fragility of life

In memoriam

[Nick M]

spanishchocolate said:

Just caught part of a programme on BBC 2 about the accident - didn't know it was on, and I hope it is repeated. Very very sad Won't be the same being at Le Mans again. Can't believe there isn't some kind of act of remembrance every year

To be honest, you could go to pretty much any motor racing circuit and think about the drivers, spectators or track workers / marshalls who have been killed and injured - Le Mans is far from unique in that regard.

The way I look at it is that provided people are aware of and remember the such events, and maybe try and do something to avoid a repeat of them, then that's enough of a legacy. I personally don't think there should be an annual rememberance event every year - partly because I feel it would be a little morbid (particularly for those who may have had relatives there and who maybe don't want, or need, reminding), but largely because I don't think there's anything to be served by, say, a minute's silence for victims of an accident. People should be able to acknowledge the event in their own way, and look forward rather than backwards.

[spanishchocolate]

We're each entitled to our opinions

Where is the plaque, or is that photo not one you took?

[Nick M]

The plaque is in front of tribune 19.

It's on the wall which supports the catch-fencing, so you can only see it if the gates which allow you down onto the track are open, as they usually are after the 24 hours to allow the specators down onto the track for the podium ceremony.

[Need For Tweed]

If you're interested there's a well written book on the 1955 race. Just search for "Le Mans '55: The Crash That Changed the Face of Motor Racing" on Amazon. The title's not an exaggeration either as the writer makes a strong case that this crash, and the resulting fatalities, significantly affected the way organised motorsport was perceived in Europe (and beyond).