[LM24] Photos from 1983

[claude2cv]

I thought it was time I shared some of my photos. The only slides I have scanned so far are from 1983, hope you all enjoy them.

http://tinyurl.com/oruo2vz

Sean

[Aysedasi]

Excellent - thanks very much Sean

[GT6]

Good pictures there, the cars are very much of the era of my first visit in 85 so great to see them

[Steve Tarrant]

Originally Posted by claude2cv

I thought it was time I shared some of my photos. The only slides I have scanned so far are from 1983, hope you all enjoy them.

http://tinyurl.com/oruo2vz

Sean

Sean, I think the pictures are from 1982, not 1983. The giveaway sign is the gold stripes on the 956s, they ran around the cabin for '82 and across the top from '83 onwards.

[claude2cv]

Originally Posted by Steve Tarrant

Sean, I think the pictures are from 1982, not 1983. The giveaway sign is the gold stripes on the 956s, they ran around the cabin for '82 and across the top from '83 onwards.

Thanks for that. Not sure how I got it wrong as the Camaros, BASF Sauber (my nomination for best group C livery), Dome in that colour and so on were all very distinctive and 1982.

Now I need tog et my bottom in gear and start on the mammoth scanning session as I do have some which are actually from 1983

Sean

[isynge]

Loved the 1982 photos - first year I was aware of Le Mans as a phenomenon, which over 30 years later is still having an impact.

Really looking forward to seeing more of your work.

[nobster]

very nice pictures of beautiful times...

[AllonFS]

Great photos Sean, what is it about a racing Lancia that always looks good! Didn't realise your history with Le Mans went so far back, at least that is something other than steam engines and 2cvs to talk about on the drive down!

[claude2cv]

Originally Posted by AllonFS

Great photos Sean, what is it about a racing Lancia that always looks good! Didn't realise your history with Le Mans went so far back, at least that is something other than steam engines and 2cvs to talk about on the drive down!

I first went in 1980, then every year to 1984, going to Silverstone and Brands hatch as well in those years. Life then took over for ages until 2009 when my wife bough tickets for myself and our son to go and then did the same again in 2011. This year I sorted myself out and next year I expect I will have to take Harry again . He got to go to his first proper sports car race in 2005 when we went to Silverstone and the weather did not put him off in spite of his being 8 at the time. We do try to get to Silverstone every year, but had to miss last year. This year we are definitely going as my wife is taking our daughter off to visit a friend and harry and I will be left at home alone

Actually, having seen the photo of the Saturday meet, it looks a lot like many 2CV meetings we have been to, especially the French ones.

Sean

[AllonFS]

Lucky you to have seen the track before chicanes at Dunlop and the Mulsanne. Would have loved to the Group C cars cresting the hill at full chat under the bridge. Great to hear the passion is back after so long, sadly my eldest isn't in to cars at all, although my 3 year old is showing a little more promise in that direction!

The meeting has certainly grown each year, from a dozen or so 10 years ago to the cheese eating and alcohol tasting fest of the last few years.

[claude2cv]

Originally Posted by AllonFS

Lucky you to have seen the track before chicanes at Dunlop and the Mulsanne. Would have loved to the Group C cars cresting the hill at full chat under the bridge. Great to hear the passion is back after so long, sadly my eldest isn't in to cars at all, although my 3 year old is showing a little more promise in that direction!

The meeting has certainly grown each year, from a dozen or so 10 years ago to the cheese eating and alcohol tasting fest of the last few years.

The passion never died, I just did not make the effort to go. I bought Autosport for the Le mans guide each year and followed the race as best I could from afar.

[Aysedasi]

Originally Posted by AllonFS

Lucky you to have seen the track before chicanes at Dunlop and the Mulsanne. Would have loved to the Group C cars cresting the hill at full chat under the bridge.

It is one of the things I remember most - I saw it for my first year only - '86.

[GT6]

Yep that is one of my earliest memories, in the first few year we stayed in the main area and watching the cars coming under the dunlop bridge was an amazing sight

[claude2cv]

Like the old Woodcote, seeing those cars flying up to and then from under the Dunlop Bridge was impressive. The old esses were impressive as well, but obviously too dangerous to be left alone. I did get out to Mulsanne corner by the old signalling pits and then on to Arnage. Must get out that way this year, anyone have an opinion about the best way to get there? I believe there is a bus.

One thing I was looking forward to when I went back in 2009 the fairground as my memory was of a very old fashioned fairground with al sorts of tacky side shows of the strip joint/freak show sort which ceased to exist in this country years ago. What is there today isn't a fairground, just a few rides and little atmosphere.

as George Harrison said "all things must change" - one day these will be the golden days of history.

[AllonFS]

I first went in 1999, and the old fairground, with death trap karts on wooden boards and the notorious strip show (viewed of course only from the outside!) was still there. It was there for a couple more years, but was gone by the early 2000s, possibly when they messed with the track for the sake of the MotoGP bikes and the Bugatti circuit.

[Gingers4Justice]

Originally Posted by AllonFS

I first went in 1999, and the old fairground, with death trap karts on wooden boards and the notorious strip show (viewed of course only from the outside!) was still there. It was there for a couple more years, but was gone by the early 2000s, possibly when they messed with the track for the sake of the MotoGP bikes and the Bugatti circuit.

My first year as well if you don't count just going to qualifying in '98. I don't remember much of it, apart from throwing a massive tantrum* about the noise of the cars at Arnage on Wednesday evening qualifying. Those Ferrari V12s and the Judd V10s were something else. The ear defenders my dad bought following the incident did three consecutive 24 hours without leaving my head for the whole race.

Talking of the fair, I remember my dad explaining to me why it wasn't appropriate for me to see the show with the snakes. A man had come into our school to show us some snakes earlier in the year, but his talk was much more informative, and he did it with his clothes on. It's so much more innocent at the Esses these days.

The place has changed a lot since then but even in these pictures from 1982, you can so clearly tell it's the same place. As changes to classic circuits go, Le Mans has done extremely well. The Silverstone we see today, for example, has changed beyond recognition since it first held a GP.


*in my defense, I was only five at the time.

[AllonFS]

I agree that Le Mans has survived pretty well against other tracks. Look at the 1970 proposal here http://theracingline.net/racingcircu...nce/index.html (follow the link to Le Mans, great site but needs a refresh) to see what could have happened. Tertre Rouge to the Porsche curves (chicanes excepting of course) is pretty much what they have raced on since 1923.

But I do feel they have messed with the Dunlop area far too much for the sake of the bikes. I love MotoGP and want the riders to be safe, but surely they could have added a curve for the bikes and left the car track as it was. However against Silverstone or Hockenheim, both of which have had the entire character of the track changed, we have a lot to be thankful for.

[GT6]

Well very little of the fairground left, the big wheel and a few other scary rides are down by maison blanche and the go carts/dodgems/shotgun ranges still near the dunlop bridge but not much there compared to the old days.
Yes I remember the old funfair, big Bertha at the center the wall of death. snake ladies, and the small track where you could ride trials bikes/carts round a mud circuit surrounded by banking and barbed wire, saw many drunks seriously hurt on that.
Oh yes and the big bungy crane, where my lasting memory will always be the naked brit walking to the front of a massive queue and no one objecting, then seeing him enjoying himself as he bounce upside down on an elastic band while the audience cheered and shouted

[vincegail]

Originally Posted by GT6

Oh yes and the big bungy crane, where my lasting memory will always be the naked brit walking to the front of a massive queue and no one objecting, then seeing him enjoying himself as he bounce upside down on an elastic band while the audience cheered and shouted

Mercedesses were not the only flying things in 1999. A crazy Dutchman left earth too. With hindsight, not the safest thing to do. Luckily I kept my clothes on. Sorry for the crappy pictures, my mate is not the best photographer. I have better pictures of a naked Brit jumping which were probably taken by me
But I'll refrain myself from posting them.

[GT6]

Ho Ho Vince I must admit i was to scared to have a go, but hats off to you if it was the same naked brit i might even of actually seen your jump

[whitemr2]

I would never risk a jump like that, and afterwards not being able to enjoy the 24 race. Or you could say I don't dare, and that is probably true.

[Aysedasi]

Not for me, for sure! I remember watching someone get to the top and then clearly (and understandably) change his mind. There was no way the guys were letting him come down again other than the quick way - it was a foot in the back job and down he came.....

Most of all, I mourn the loss of the downhill run to the Esses. I mourn it even more because it was changed for bikes.

As to the slightly less salubrious sideshows in the fairground, I sampled them in both of my first two years. I was told it was mandatory for all new recruits . It really was awful. I never went again although they remained for several years. I remember one member of our party in 1987 (his only year) who constantly went missing. Goodness knows how much he spent (both time and Francs) with his nose pressed up against that glass partition....

[claude2cv]

Originally Posted by AllonFS

I agree that Le Mans has survived pretty well against other tracks. Look at the 1970 proposal here http://theracingline.net/racingcircu...nce/index.html (follow the link to Le Mans, great site but needs a refresh) to see what could have happened. Tertre Rouge to the Porsche curves (chicanes excepting of course) is pretty much what they have raced on since 1923.

Thanks for posting that link Allon, fascinating stuff. That site should while away a few hours, have bookmarked it right now as I have work to do.

Sean

[GTfour]

GREAT pics there Claude ! I had the liberty to snatch a few of them for my personal collection. I might post a few of them on my private Facebook page, for a small group of eighties fans.

[GTfour]

Originally Posted by whitemr2

I would never risk a jump like that, and afterwards not being able to enjoy the 24 race. Or you could say I don't dare, and that is probably true.

That's probably the reason why you'll never put a nice supercharger on the NSX then hey?