Le Mans Classic 2023

[356sc]

Am still coming down off cloud 9!

After the disaster in quali (turned out to be the needle valve was hanging open occasionally drowning the carburettor with fuel) the rest of the event went seamlessly!

Night quali was wet, so had some fun testing that the replacement needle valve had fixed our issue, it was incredibly slippery, but were 13th quickest.

Race 1 we started back in 59th, but managed to make the most of the dry conditions, overtake a number of cars, getting up to 24th.

Race 2 (night) had a great tussle with an e type and a Lotus 11, finished 17th.

Race 3 - got past both the e type and the Lotus, but was getting annoyed that I could not keep up with a Healey 3000, and then remembered what car we were in and just enjoyed myself!

Overall 1st in class 13th on scratch 5th on index, 3rd in team - we were well pleased.

Was also great to spend some time nattering to Iain throughout the event….much hilarity!

LMC was its usual mix of annoyance, frustration, chaos, and the most exhilarating event you could ever imagine. Dream cars were everywhere almost to the point of sensory overload…it really is an event like no other!

[356sc]

Race car and pit vehicle for the weekend!

[drbob]

Thanks to all for their supportive comments. A great weekend.Very satisfying. Thanks to delta for putting up with me and looking after the Elite in his usual expert fashion.

[drbob]

I will leave the stories for delta to tell.

[Gerard C]

Originally Posted by 356sc

LMC was its usual mix of annoyance, frustration, chaos, and the most exhilarating event you could ever imagine. Dream cars were everywhere almost to the point of sensory overload…it really is an event like no other!

I take that!

[delta]

After the bun fight last year when we arrived on the Wednesday before we decided to get to Le mans on Tuesday.Still a bit complicated and I had to hand over 45 euro just to get into the outside field.Anyway after a lot of hanging around we were allowed in Tuesday evening. As I said earlier not the best spot as a lot of people had reserved camping spots.Delta son and myself got set up and then did our now usual bike ride to Arnarge for supper and then we went off around the circuit which we both love doing.Wednesday went fine and Dr Bob arrived and we got through scrutineering again spoke about this previously.
Thursday was for some fettering on the car and some more singing on for drivers club and briefing.I had a stroke of luck and was given a drivers club pass so happy days.
Friday qualy and all was good except for my super diff I had built was way to long.We were both going to do the night practice but it was wet and I only got as far as the Dunlop curve and session was red flagged. Dispite the wet weather i was disappointed not to of had a drive at night. Robert did a great job and was placed P30.
Up early Saturday and did the diff swop which took around 6 hours. I was knackard after all this with only a couple of hours sleep.
1st race in the evening and Robert did this race on his own and did good job coming through the field and ending up P5 on index.Car checked over and we waited for the night race that we were going to share.
Now what happened we will never know?. After 10 min Robert was in saying car was misfiring. Must admit did not sound good but she was running on all four and oil pressure and water temp ok so he was sent out only to come back in saying the engine was F--ked. Very very upset and dissapointed i took the car back to the our pit tent. Did compression check all good, checked points dwell angle and ignition all good, changed plugs and fired her up. By now its around 4 am.Fired her up and she sounded ok but very noisy from exhaust. Jacked up the car and shock horror the link pipe from manifold to silencer was missing.I had made this pipe as it runs along a channel under car and not just a straight piece of exhaust pipe. By now completely exhausted and miserable i took the silencer off to see what we could do. Welding equipment arrived along with bits and pieces of exhaust but as i laid the silencer down i noticed a large dent and scrape marks on the new silencer . By now its around 6.30 am and i decided to ram a piece of right angle exhaust onto the manifold and told Robert that its going to be noisy but all good.Decided to stay up but Stewart insisted we went to bed for a couple of hours. Greeted by a cheerful Dr Bob around 9 am telling me to do half the last race. Well the little car went like a rocket and we were pulling 8000rpm down the Mulsanne just short of 130mph she was singing and dancing all over the road. I had a great battle with a Porsche 356 wheich was just the best fun and we ended up P2 on index with both of us clocking low 5 min 50 sec laps. Yep as Will said loads of hassle, loads of traffic jams, loads of grief but for sure its the best race meeting ever. Roll on 2025. Just need to convince Mrs Dr Bob to let him come back.

[Gerard C]

Great story, great writer! Thanks for sharing.

[Peter Mallett]

Yes, well done Iain and Dr Bob a great story.

[E.B]

Indeed Iain, a great report and thanks for taking the time and putting it together. Sounds like a great weekend.... not to mention more trophies to polish.
It was great to follow the meeting on the stream for the daylight stuff and live timing for the night stuff, and the Elite looked very pretty and running strongly whenever I saw it on screen. Finally worked out how to get my computer to talk to my TV so watched it all on the big screen. A few glasses of red to wash down the French bread and Camembert to put me in the mood. One day I will get there for the live experience!

[Gerard C]

Camembert!!! You treat yourself! Hope it was appellation contrôlée and not a chinese copy!

[E.B]

Forgot to thank Will for his excellent photo and tale of triumph in the Speedster. Well done all.

Gerard, we might not be allowed to call our locally made 'Champagne' anything other than Fizzy Alcoholic Grape Juice produced 'Methode Champenoise' but we can still call our locally made Camembert that. However any Aussie cheese maker that calls its product Roquefort, or Brie de Meaux or Camembert de Normandie will probably get a snotty Sacré Bleu letter from the French authorities.

The Brits must have better lawyers because we cant call an Aussie made Stilton cheese that.... The Brits stopped King Island "Stilton-style" blue, but the problem was solved when King Island renamed it "English-style" blue.
We do have some great European style cheeses though.
https://www.dairy.com.au/our-program...champions-2020

All we need now is a Le Mans Classic of our own!

[Gerard C]

Petit Le Mans Classic or Gran Le Mans Classic may be?

[drbob]

How does one post a photo from an iPhone

[Aysedasi]

I'm guessing you can do it with Tapatalk.

[Gerard C]

Direct from Iphone to the forum? Humm
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3bW9ophDH7A
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LXdOUv5qs0Q
We have several mobile phones at home and did not find a proper solution to have an IPhone connected to a MacBook via BT or wifi so far…

[E.B]

The official PA movie of the 2023 Le Mans Classic


Just over 25 minutes long.

?? Le Mans Classic 2023 ended under the theme of the Centenary of 24 Hours of Le Mans. A record-breaking weekend that saw 235,000 spectators come to contemplate the history of motor sport, represented by more than 800 racing cars dating from 1923 to 2010. After 24 hours of racing on the Sarthe circuit, it’s time to look forward to the next edition of Le Mans Classic in two years’ time!

https://youtu.be/-NYzM0FRzXU

[john ruston]

Eventually remembered to post something on here
We had a decent time at what is the best of all the worldwide historic race meetings.
We arrived on Tuesday which was fortunate looking at the situation from Wednesday onwards. It was crowded!
Drivers Club moved which was baffling.
We went through all scrutiny stuff and signed off so a bit/lot surprised when after winning the first race and setting fastest lap got a penalty which we had not been told about! Five hours later after lots of melodrama it turned out that the individual checking the HTP’s had mis read them . Pity he didn’t tell us on Wednesday.
So eventual outcome of three race wins and three fastest laps was more than satisfying so when last race was over the scrutes decided that it would be a good idea to weigh and strip the car with capacities etc checked
All in order so another melodrama but a positive outcome.Character forming!
Suppose we were a bit quicker than others! They forget that in 1938 lapped Brooklands at an average of 130 mph!
Pity one of drivers suffered with a bit of brain fade or could have had first three places! That would have been a bit much.

[john ruston]

Good job by one of teams but pity they didn’t put them
Together as agreed.
235000 people through gate is a lot !
The tram is very convenient but unfortunately stopped early due to French having a bit of local bother.
Let’s see if we are still snout for 2025!
Unlikely as the cars by that time will be owned by Michael Birch
I will be to ancient and was completely knackered when I got home although they did make me drag a trailer to Le Mans to comply with Custom Rules
Delta and few others on Monday nights boat.
Managed to miss the Bentley fleet on Tuesday’s boat!

[Gerard C]

@ 356SC: What to do after a slightly missed qualy? Overtaking may be…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bIM-p2IOiAM Sorry, didn't find the English subtitles.

[E.B]

Originally Posted by Gerard C

@ 356SC: What to do after a slightly missed qualy? Overtaking may be…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bIM-p2IOiAM Sorry, didn't find the English subtitles.

What a gorgeous sound. Dont need any subtitles for that! Thanks.

[356sc]

Originally Posted by Gerard C

@ 356SC: What to do after a slightly missed qualy? Overtaking may be…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bIM-p2IOiAM Sorry, didn't find the English subtitles.

If only I had this much power under my right foot!!!

[Gerard C]

Originally Posted by 356sc

If only I had this much power under my right foot!!!

Well, try with the left one, you never know what can be found! Yes gorgeous sound enhanced by the almost perfect gearing. I explain the "almost" before being baned! Should you compare, as an example, Will Dad's perfect gearing and this one, you'll quickly hear that in 356 case, all of the four gears are used. If I'm correct, the Procar does not use the first gear. Back in the day, we had to use the first gear at least twice a lap. Believe it or not, finding the first on a Hewland requires strength. And if the gearshift is on the wrong side of the car you know you gonna have a moment!

[356sc]

Originally Posted by Gerard C

Well, try with the left one, you never know what can be found! Yes gorgeous sound enhanced by the almost perfect gearing. I explain the "almost" before being baned! Should you compare, as an example, Will Dad's perfect gearing and this one, you'll quickly hear that in 356 case, all of the four gears are used. If I'm correct, the Procar does not use the first gear. Back in the day, we had to use the first gear at least twice a lap. Believe it or not, finding the first on a Hewland requires strength. And if the gearshift is on the wrong side of the car you know you gonna have a moment!

It does seem to rev quicker if I try the left one!

With only 4 forward gears to choose from, we can’t afford not to use one of them!

It does mean that at times we struggle, Spa bus stop and Monza first chicane, I can understand why some of the trick minis do away with reverse to fit a 5th gear…..I am sure Porsche were thinking of this in period so must be worth an Appx K application?!

[Gerard C]

I do the same with the Capri homologated with a vier gang. When I'm asked, I just answer that being poor, the use of every gear I paid for is a must! Over the years, we bought some used parts for our 911's. Surprise when we checked the real capacity of an ex-works fuel tank engraved 100 litre, it could swallow almost 120 l of fuel, filller neck included. To keep a good relashionship with our german supplier, we didn't complain about this… MF that I wont name is a good bloke.

Never heard about the 5th gear trick about the Minis. Is really racing cheating? Of course not.