[LM24] Funny Le Mans Stories

[GT6]

Well it was suggested so I will start.

In 24 visits (well 23 until this year) I have seen many strange things and very strange people.
The groups of fancy dresssed people, some collecting for charities, from Romans with Chariots to 2nd world war figures (Hitler/Churchhill etc) and the ever present city gents.
The amzingly painted cars/vehicles.
But perhaps the now remembered as funny but not quite so funny at the time, was seeing one of my mates disappear down a sewer in tertre rouge campsite.
I was on my way to the showers late on Wednesday night when I stopped for a chat and another beer with a group camped near the showers, my mate went for his shower and 20 minutes later he was walking back to the tents and I saw him litterally disappear before my eyes, we rushed over to find that he had stepped on a loose drain cover and luckily his shoulders had stuck and stopped him falling further. He was not hurt that bad but required medical attention for cuts and bruises and was very shaken, he also needed an other shower.
He has not attended Le Mans since

[Gingers4Justice]

There are so many, but one that springs to mind was at Maison Blanche campsite in 2006, on the famous Friday night...

Three lads had travelled down in a Rolls Royce - and the owner let his mate have a go. He came back to the campiste with a huge scratch on it...

His punishment?

To get me, who was 11/12 years old at the time, to spank him as hard as possible, bare bottomed (him, not me), with a wet leek. It hurt him quite a bit, as I was actively encouraged to try my hardest.

If you are him, I'm curious to know if you can sit down...

[Gingers4Justice]

Can I just say things are now scary on this sub-forum.

The are 666 threads! Yikes, scoob!

[Elaviel]

Originally Posted by Gingers4Justice

To get me, who was 11/12 years old at the time, to spank him as hard as possible, bare bottomed (him, not me), with a wet leek. It hurt him quite a bit, as I was actively encouraged to try my hardest.

That is the most disturbing thing ever!

[Aysedasi]

I think we ought to steer clear of any more stories of a fetish-type nature....

[Gingers4Justice]

I'd like to clear up that I wasn't chosen because I was 11, my dad and I were merely passing by (and they offered my dad a go, but he refused)

[Aysedasi]

Move on........

[Sarthe82]

OK, so after consecutive visits from '82 to '88 (is my username becoming clearer? ) followed by a ridiculously long time away due to domestic commitments, 2003 was going to be the year to return! Not only that, but I was going to be taking my 12 year old son for his LM debut and we were going down in my newly bought and freshly restored (more of this later...) 1963 MGB roadster!
After a fantastic run there, hood down all the way, we pitched in Blue Nord, watched Thursday practice and all was Tres Bon! Mad Friday was just as brilliant, right up until we ran out of petrol....at the far end of Mulsanne....at midnight. Now this was a big problem, not only had it run out but, (as we later discovered) it had sucked a load of crud out of the bottom of the (unrestored!) fuel tank, so even with the contents of the spare can I had in the old girl....we were going nowhere!
So in these situations, there's always a guardian angel, you hope! Lo and behold, a battered French registered Renault 21 pulls up, four burly lads get out, one of whom just happens to be an ex-pat Brit! "Any chance of a tow?" "No probs, is it far?" "Nah...just up the road!" (More like five miles! ) The tow back was surprisingly uneventful (apart from picking up a Police escort on the way...), we chucked them a crate or two of beer for their sterling work and got some shut eye.
Tomorrow morning we've still got a dead car, no tools and even less know-how...... However, we were also surrounded by a field-full of fellow classic car owners, within an hour or two more beer had changed hands and we had a fixed car!
Certainly was entertaining!

Epilogue: Just to show she had a sense of decorum too, the MGB left it a full week after our return before she blew her head gasket, very considerate I felt.

[Gingers4Justice]

Originally Posted by Sarthe82

OK, so after consecutive visits from '82 to '88 (is my username becoming clearer? ) followed by a ridiculously long time away due to domestic commitments, 2003 was going to be the year to return! Not only that, but I was going to be taking my 12 year old son for his LM debut and we were going down in my newly bought and freshly restored (more of this later...) 1963 MGB roadster!
After a fantastic run there, hood down all the way, we pitched in Blue Nord, watched Thursday practice and all was Tres Bon! Mad Friday was just as brilliant, right up until we ran out of petrol....at the far end of Mulsanne....at midnight. Now this was a big problem, not only had it run out but, (as we later discovered) it had sucked a load of crud out of the bottom of the (unrestored!) fuel tank, so even with the contents of the spare can I had in the old girl....we were going nowhere!
So in these situations, there's always a guardian angel, you hope! Lo and behold, a battered French registered Renault 21 pulls up, four burly lads get out, one of whom just happens to be an ex-pat Brit! "Any chance of a tow?" "No probs, is it far?" "Nah...just up the road!" (More like five miles! ) The tow back was surprisingly uneventful (apart from picking up a Police escort on the way...), we chucked them a crate or two of beer for their sterling work and got some shut eye.
Tomorrow morning we've still got a dead car, no tools and even less know-how...... However, we were also surrounded by a field-full of fellow classic car owners, within an hour or two more beer had changed hands and we had a fixed car!
Certainly was entertaining!

Epilogue: Just to show she had a sense of decorum too, the MGB left it a full week after our return before she blew her head gasket, very considerate I felt.

Theres always that risk at Le Mans with a classic car.

This year, I'm going with a group consisting of:

• an Alfa Romeo Spider (1977)
• an MGB GT
• a reliant scimitar bought 4 months ago bought for £200
• a Ford Escort (convertible!), bought for £200
• and an Alfa Romeo 145 bought for...£200

There is no way on this earth that we will return with all vehicles in one peice!

At the time it sounded like a great idea, but now, I'm a bit aprehensive.

If you see a any of these vehicles pulled up on the side of the road, please return the people in them to Houx Annexe campsite!!

[Elaviel]

You think thats bad were going in a 2003 Rover 75 thats blown its head gasket twice.

If u pass it try not to laugh!

[Sarthe82]

Originally Posted by Gingers4Justice

Theres always that risk at Le Mans with a classic car.


This year, I'm going with a group consisting of:

• an Alfa Romeo Spider (1977)
• an MGB GT
• a reliant scimitar bought 4 months ago bought for £200
• a Ford Escort (convertible!), bought for £200
• and an Alfa Romeo 145 bought for...£200

There is no way on this earth that we will return with all vehicles in one peice!

At the time it sounded like a great idea, but now, I'm a bit aprehensive.

If you see a any of these vehicles pulled up on the side of the road, please return the people in them to Houx Annexe campsite!!

Will do Ginge, our fleet...

Peugeot 306 GTi-6 supercharged (high boost, 400bhp ).
Nissan 200SX (heavily modified to 350bhp)
Ford Capri (Rover V8)
Peugeot 406 V6 saloon (comfy!)

See you on Mad Friday, or the nearest petrol station....

[Le Vieux]

The Car Park at Arnage/Indianapolis in 86 (I think).

It's the early hours of Saturday, when many were in their tents, but not asleep. A car can be heard approaching at speed from Mulsanne, revving to the limit in each gear. He brakes late and the sound of rubber sliding on tarmac can be heard immediately before the sound of impact. There are a few seconds of silence before the same car can be heard driving slowly away.

It ma have been coincidence, but here was a very dented Lotus Cortina in the car park after that.

[GT6]

RLM always used to have regular appeals for bits of old cars or help required, I always remember someone asking for a windscreen for I think an old triumph, within an hour they had found one and replaced it.

[Gilles lives!]

Oh I have many fun fair stories from days gone by which include, helping a German roll his go-kart by spraying beer on the then wooden kart track ! (he was fine after and shared a beer with us ).

Evacuating the stippers and a few hundred punters from the 'strippers' tent by putting a gas pellet under the canvas (sorry if you were in there at the time !).

Shooting the fairy lights in the trees at the shot gun stand (not good ) and also taking out the star prize at the 'shoot the fishing wire to win a prize', pellet gun stand...that was a small black and white tv that went with a quite a bang ! The owner then chased my mate with a real shot gun asking for payment, luckily he vanished into the crowd !

We also used to get involved in the drag racing at Garage Bleu on a Sunday night, anything with wheels used to go up the strip !

Looking back I'm glad that we all have matured and grown old since then but I do miss that old fun fair on the Saturday night !

[Gingers4Justice]

Crikey, those dodgems are hell! head on collisions and everything!

[Gilles lives!]

Originally Posted by Gingers4Justice

Crikey, those dodgems are hell! head on collisions and everything!

The kart track used to be a raised wooden affair, that was sloped so that you could actually build up some speed into the bottom bend, beer or whatever liquid was to hand, was used to help the entertainment value for the drivers and spectators alike . It did actually become an annual crusade whilst at the funfair.

As regard to the dogems, the only funny memory of those was with the use of small concealed water pistols one year ! I believe that Mario Andretti also experienced those at one particular driver parade .

[Gingers4Justice]

Originally Posted by Gilles lives!

The kart track used to be a raised wooden affair, that was sloped so that you could actually build up some speed into the bottom bend, beer or whatever liquid was to hand, was used to help the entertainment value for the drivers and spectators alike . It did actually become an annual crusade whilst at the funfair.

As regard to the dogems, the only funny memory of those was with the use of small concealed water pistols one year ! I believe that Mario Andretti also experienced those at one particular driver parade .

I wonder how many litres of water are squirted out of water pistols over the whole Le Mans weekend?

[Gilles lives!]

Originally Posted by Gingers4Justice

I wonder how many litres of water are squirted out of water pistols over the whole Le Mans weekend?

Never thought of it that way...but you know...it's always important to keep well hydrated !

We are travelling down sans cars this year for the first time ever by taking the Eurostar-TGV route, it's going to be a whole new experience getting about via French public transport. I did look into renting a car from Le Mans rail station on Wednesdy afternoon but couldn't find a cheaper price than £160 for 5 days.

[Gingers4Justice]

Originally Posted by Gilles lives!

Never thought of it that way...but you know...it's always important to keep well hydrated !

We are travelling down sans cars this year for the first time ever by taking the Eurostar-TGV route, it's going to be a whole new experience getting about via French public transport. I did look into renting a car from Le Mans rail station on Wednesdy afternoon but couldn't find a cheaper price than £160 for 5 days.

Good luck with that, let me know how you do, because next year I will be sitting my year 11 GCSEs so we may travel down on the Friday on the TGV/Eurostar.

[Gilles lives!]

Yes I will do, it may be the first and last time but it's worth a try. We catch the 7.45 from Ebbsfleet and arrive in Le Mans at 12.59 after a change at Paris. That for £79 seemed very good to me and with the tram service up and running should work out ok.

[Gingers4Justice]

Originally Posted by Gilles lives!

Yes I will do, it may be the first and last time but it's worth a try. We catch the 7.45 from Ebbsfleet and arrive in Le Mans at 12.59 after a change at Paris. That for £79 seemed very good to me and with the tram service up and running should work out ok.

Yeh, it should. Those trams looked pretty decent for their first year of running, and seemed pretty regular. The ACO are really productive with these kind of things.

In 2004, we had to use the bus service from Beusejour campsite, as its adjacent to arnage/first porsche curve so its takes ages to get anywhere, and you didn't have to wait long for it and once on-board you got to where you wanted to go pretty quickly too.

Things could only have got better in those 5 years, so you should be ok.

[GT6]

Before the wooden track there used to be a small track with earth banks, small carts and dirt bike could be raced around for a few francs for about 5 minutes, the participants were mostly drunk an often tried to get over the step earth sides often landing on some very rusty fencing that surrounded the track, a few scratches but hillarious to watch. I think even the french decided that was a little to dangerous and it dissappeared in the late eighties.

[Gilles lives!]

Originally Posted by GT6

Before the wooden track there used to be a small track with earth banks, small carts and dirt bike could be raced around for a few francs for about 5 minutes, the participants were mostly drunk an often tried to get over the step earth sides often landing on some very rusty fencing that surrounded the track, a few scratches but hillarious to watch. I think even the french decided that was a little to dangerous and it dissappeared in the late eighties.

I can just about remember that ! It all becomes a bit of a blur over the years, some of the things they used to have in that funfair were quite scary, do you remember the freak show tent ?.....miss the guys with the Wall of Death too.

[Aysedasi]

Originally Posted by GT6

RLM always used to have regular appeals for bits of old cars or help required, I always remember someone asking for a windscreen for I think an old triumph, within an hour they had found one and replaced it.

There was even one last year - someone looking for a starter motor for a Ford Pinto for his Westfield, if I remember correctly - even Hindy said it was Radio Le Mans goes 'retro'!!

[Aysedasi]

Originally Posted by Gilles lives!

Looking back I'm glad that we all have matured and grown old since then but I do miss that old fun fair on the Saturday night !

I must admit I really miss it too. I never used to dwell in it though - my last visit to the infamous strippers (God weren't they awful!) was way back in 1988 when I vowed 'never again!'. But it was all about atmosphere - there was something special about wandering down from the Dunlop Bridge to Tertre Rouge, a journey that took forever sometimes as you threaded your way through a heaving mass of humanity in various stages of undress and drunkenness! And the gradual erosion of the atmosphere over the years I've been going bothers me - the sanitised 'Village' is a good example (which we've talked a lot about before, of course). Yes, the loos are great, but F1-style shops and concrete doesn't replace the vibrant sights, sounds and smells of the old Village......