Le Mans Classic

[White flag man]

Originally Posted by Mike Bell

I'm a sucker for a good paint sheme, and up to seeing your pics my favourite car was the BMW M1 'Art' car in Gary's earler post. But all changed now you have posted a photo of the 917 (#23)! I can't remember what they called that scheme, but it is a cracker.....

Just for you Mike.

[White flag man]

A few more famous colour schemes from the weekend.

[White flag man]

A few more. bare in mind that my little digital camera is fine when cars are stationary!

[Mike Bell]

Thank you, Sir! Cheered up a dull saturday morning brilliantly.

Love Moby Dick- surely a case of "Let's see how far can we stretch the 911 silhouette"

'Amalfi' 917 Spyder at Amelia Island 2010, pic courtesy of Sports Car Digest...

[midgetman]

I absolutely love these 70s and 80s cars, so much more relevant to me than the fifties and sixties stuff which frankly leaves me cold. I think that's why Goodwood Revival doesn't excite me. About time the FIA moved the "Historic" cut off forwards. More, please, more!

[John Turner]

When I first went to this event in 2010, I was determined to return for this year, but unfortunately, circumstances conspired against it happening, so many thanks to all the superb pics and posts that brought back the great memories from 2 years ago.

Great shame about the 917's but, in period, once sorted, they were fabulously fast and successful and there was reason for that, of course, and Graham has explained it. Still capable of winning races in historics in the right hands, it will nevertheless be a rare event. Costs following mechanical or bodily damage are horrendous and quite possibly greater than for a 512 (but I am guessing there)!

Max, 50's and 60's leaves you cold? You have no soul .... man!

[MGDavid]

Originally Posted by midgetman

I absolutely love these 70s and 80s cars, so much more relevant to me than the fifties and sixties stuff which frankly leaves me cold. I think that's why Goodwood Revival doesn't excite me. About time the FIA moved the "Historic" cut off forwards. More, please, more!

same here - s'pose it proves we're not grumpy old gits just yet !
A bit like Mike, for me beauty starts with a 908....

[John Turner]

Well, I love them all, and I'm older and grumpier than most. Still don't see how a C type, DB3S, 300S, D type, 450S, DBR1/300, 250 TR, 250 SWB, Tipo 60/61, 250 GTO, Lightweight E, 904, DB4GT, 289, 250LM, DP212, 330 LMB, DP214, Maserati 151, DP215, Daytona Cobra, Lola Mk6, Carrera 6, P2, GT40, P3, P4, T70 etc, etc, (need I go on .... cos' I could you, know) can leave anyone cold!

[johngee]

Originally Posted by John Turner

Well, I love them all, and I'm older and grumpier than most.

I challenge you to be older and more grumpy than me? By the way, your company was missed at the LMC. .

[nicanary]

Originally Posted by midgetman

I absolutely love these 70s and 80s cars, so much more relevant to me than the fifties and sixties stuff which frankly leaves me cold. I think that's why Goodwood Revival doesn't excite me. About time the FIA moved the "Historic" cut off forwards. More, please, more!

it depends when you started watching racing, I think. To me, the 50s were the very apogee of racing, as the cars were recognisable as exotic versions of what you could buy in the showroom .(And even actually buy, in the case of the C/D-Types and DBR3S).

The 70s onwards brought hideous sponsors colour schemes, and the death of the gentleman driver. Each to his own, I suppose.

(P.S. That photo of a 908 - it's a 906).

[MGDavid]

Originally Posted by John Turner

Well, I love them all, and I'm older and grumpier than most. Still don't see how a C type, DB3S, 300S, D type, 450S, DBR1/300, 250 TR, 250 SWB, Tipo 60/61, 250 GTO, Lightweight E, 904, DB4GT, 289, 250LM, DP212, 330 LMB, DP214, Maserati 151, DP215, Daytona Cobra, Lola Mk6, Carrera 6, P2, GT40, P3, P4, T70 etc, etc, (need I go on .... cos' I could you, know) can leave anyone cold!

E-type I didn't like then or now; Cobras and Astons remind me of fat birds; 250GTO rear is good but the front is all wrong; Tipo 60/61 - the wheels are too big which compromises the body design, bit like Listers; T70 coupe is OK but not the open one; Carrera 6 is an underpowered 908 (!). Jags are alright but it's like comparing a grandfather clock to a Rolex. Need I go on... thing is, maybe you liked Marilyn Monroe, whereas me being very much a child of the sixties, Twiggy and The Shrimp are my sort 'beauty is in the eye of the beholder'. Does this work?

[Mike Bell]

Originally Posted by nicanary

it depends when you started watching racing, I think. To me, the 50s were the very apogee of racing, as the cars were recognisable as exotic versions of what you could buy in the showroom .(And even actually buy, in the case of the C/D-Types and DBR3S).

The 70s onwards brought hideous sponsors colour schemes, and the death of the gentleman driver. Each to his own, I suppose.

(P.S. That photo of a 908 - it's a 906).

It certainly would be a boring world if we all liked the same.....

Yes, the pic is a Porsche Carrera 6 / 906. Here is a couple of unadorned 908s, courtesy of conceptcarz.com, although my preference is for the little 'flunders'. I have heard the 906 & 908s referred to as the 'white racers', which I believe is because the works cars were predominantly white, rather than traditional silver?

[Simon Hadfield]

.. thing is, maybe you liked Marilyn Monroe, whereas me being very much a child of the sixties, Twiggy and The Shrimp are my sort 'beauty is in the eye of the beholder'.


Oh rats - can't one like all of them?

[Simon Hadfield]

Originally Posted by midgetman

I absolutely love these 70s and 80s cars, so much more relevant to me than the fifties and sixties stuff which frankly leaves me cold. I think that's why Goodwood Revival doesn't excite me. About time the FIA moved the "Historic" cut off forwards. More, please, more!

As far as I am aware there is no FIA historic cut off as such - really it is simply down to what organisers can fill grids with/get people to watch. The Silverstone organisers are trying with the 90s Touring cars, the 90s sports car revival continues (fairly limply it has to be said) on the continent and Boss formula is edging onto historic rosters more and more. Group C also has an increasing presence, so the dates are slowly moving forward.....

[MGDavid]

Originally Posted by Simon Hadfield

.. thing is, maybe you liked Marilyn Monroe, whereas me being very much a child of the sixties, Twiggy and The Shrimp are my sort 'beauty is in the eye of the beholder'.


Oh rats - can't one like all of them?

Down, boy!

[MGDavid]

Originally Posted by nicanary

........
(P.S. That photo of a 908 - it's a 906).

thanks for correction... shows how much I know about these old cars

still, GRT will be happy - 'cos I love 906s

[midgetman]

Originally Posted by Simon Hadfield

As far as I am aware there is no FIA historic cut off as such ...... The Silverstone organisers are trying with the 90s Touring cars, ..........Group C also has an increasing presence, so the dates are slowly moving forward.....

oh, I understood that the obsession with pre 66 was FIA driven, my mistake

Yes, thoroughly looking forward to it

Yes, thoroughly looking forward to it. A friend of mine has a Harrier Chev, it was invited in the early years of the group C revival but I don't think we will be welcome now, it was actually an Interserie car, cracking racer though.

Yup, 50s and early 60s do nothing for me, interesting to look at and I normally watch a couple of laps before wandering off and doing something else. Chacun a son gout as Delta might say. Pre 66 saloons are OK because there are so many of them which makes a good race. But I'm not just.a modern classic deviant, I also enjoy pre war stuff racing. Well possibly I'm stretching a point when we are looking at 750cc unsupercharged MGs, but the gung ho heroics of the pre war formula drivers are superb.

See JT, I have plenty of soul it's just that I keep it buried

[midgetman]

Fabulous album MGD, take it all apart from Tango were taken at the Ring last year?

[MGDavid]

Originally Posted by midgetman

Fabulous album MGD, take it all apart from Tango were taken at the Ring last year?

The 'Ring, yes, but 2009...

[Mike Bell]

Sorry David, missed your sneaky little link first time! All those lovely Porsches and a scabby old 924!

[Peter Mallett]

Originally Posted by John Turner

Well, I love them all, and I'm older and grumpier than most. Still don't see how a C type, DB3S, 300S, D type, 450S, DBR1/300, 250 TR, 250 SWB, Tipo 60/61, 250 GTO, Lightweight E, 904, DB4GT, 289, 250LM, DP212, 330 LMB, DP214, Maserati 151, DP215, Daytona Cobra, Lola Mk6, Carrera 6, P2, GT40, P3, P4, T70 etc, etc, (need I go on .... cos' I could you, know) can leave anyone cold!

Add to that, most of the group C prototypes, the ground effect Formula one cars, top of that pile would be the Lotus78; The group 2 touring cars of 1973 to 75; and the group 1 to group A touring cars. It all only gets tedious when the FIA etc. decreed that racing should be homogenized and handed over to the manufacturers.

[White flag man]

Definately a late sixties, early 70s person myself. Don't know why, I was only 7 in 1970, but show me a 9i7, GT40, 512, Tyrell 006, Miura, Daytona, Capri, any day of the week.

[nicanary]

7os onwards - speed and noise.
pre-70s - speed, noise AND cars sliding round corners with visible drivers sawing at the wheel, trying to stay alive.

Now that's entertainment.

(I actually registered with 10/10ths for the History Forum, but it's nearly all 70s on. Boring. So many nice GT cars ruined into Modsports, and how many Supersaloons were made from decent single-seaters and sports-racers which could be entertaining us today? A naff era)

[john ruston]

Arrived back home today.

Not a bad LMC.Impressed with the watch we won.Boys will have that on E Bay later.

Seems the Plateau dates are not changing for the next one and nor should they with 2000 entries for 360 places.

Assume the entry deal will not change with CER,Peter Auto supporters first,Frogs second and the rest of us to make up the numbers.Still cant see what that T 26 in Grid 1 had to do with LMC other than the Swiss owner who is a nice bloke spends lots of dosh with Peter Auto.

One of the 10/10ths inspired Teams won the scratch team trophy although the other superstar one should have done if some of them hadn't ballsed up the last fifteen minutes of Race three

My high light was Michael Birch's Elva 160 GT in Grid 4 driven by two of the most charismatic drivers in Historic Motorsport.I am sure they will get excited at some point about something but they and the car are pretty quick!

Talbots still best Pre War British sports car but I could be biast.Only a minute a lap quicker than those Bentley tractors.

[gary396]

Originally Posted by ClaireSmith

Fantastic pictures Gary.....thanks for sharing with us....very good indeed

Thanks Claire. Didn't get chance to say so before (was at Cadwell this weekend time-keeping on a motorbike meeting - bit different to the previous weekend at LMC!). Gary