Le Mans Classic photos

[stefan]

Had a great time at the recent Le Mans Classic event. There are some of my photos from the event at...

http://www.pbase.com/smarjoram/root&page=2

[djb]

Hi Stefan,
I'll have to browse through these another time when at work (the slow telephone connection at home gets tiring) Did you get a WA screw on lens or did you get a new camera? Things look a tad wider this time. In any case, look forward to seeing them more after the weekend.

cheers

[stefan]

I do have the wideangle adapter - it's very useful for cars in tents or when there are lots of people about. Can be quite dramatic sometimes too.

[djb]

That was fun going through that. The GTO and moon shot is great, would make a good spread/opening to an article about the event, it's just itching for some text in the sky. The garishly painted Porsche (purple etc) was something, the 904's or 908's as beautiful as ever, the blue twin-tailed econo-jobbie was special--weren't the French cars entered in the econo run part of Lemans always blue? I simply can't imagine how it must have been like coming upon these little guys chuffing along at maybe 120mph at perhaps 80 or more mph faster--in the dark---in the rain. Bloody daft idea. Oh, and there did seem to be lots of 911's there weren't there?

cheers

[stefan]

Glad you liked them. You picked up on what was best about the event - the crazy mixture of cars. From the streamlined french ones - alpines and panhards I think, to the monstrous 917. It was the first time I'd heard a 917 at full blast - and it really is something - it sounds so smooth - but loud! Incredible. I found an audio clip here...

http://www.racecar.co.uk/goodwoodpressday2000/

One of the strangest sights had to be the mini marcos in with the cobras, gto's and gt40's.

I have a bit of a vested interest in the 911's - because I drove down in my SC. You can see it parked with the RS's and also outside the restaurant on the mulsanne straight. I did a couple of laps of the circuit after the race - it was a great experience charging down the start straight - the perfect way to end a terrific weekend.

[djb]

Until this summer I had never seen a 917 in real life, but at the Can. GP this summer, they had a support race of CanAm cars etc from the 60's and 70's, and there was a late model open top 917. Got to hear it, but unfortunately it rained for the race and so it and the other cars with mostly big V-8's had to tip toe around. I was sursprised though how much of the exhaust note was muffled by the twin turbos--mind you, it was far from going full chat. The sound clip doesn't link up, will try later. The vintage stuff at the F1 race was definatley more fun for me than seeing the F1 cars. I spent alot of time speaking with the drivers and mechanics of various cars, got to hear a 1970-71 Ferrari 312 LM car start up, the forementioned monster CanAms etc and all in all it was a very enjoyable experience to see and smell things in real life that I had only seen in photos or on the tube. This partly explains my wish to get to Goodwood in the future, my hope is to one day combine a visit with my sister and her children who just moved to Wales a few weeks ago.

Oh, and yes, I spotted your silver one in front of the resto, recognized it from the "my car" section (or rather, deducted that the one in the photo would have been yours) Now, I am a bit envious of you and others who go to events like these, but "doing a couple of laps of the circuit and charging down the start straight"-now that really makes me envious! (have never raced cars, only a bit of motorbike racing, but the thought of going through the gears in front of the Lemans stands is, well, mouthwatering.)

chüs

[djb]

got the sound links to work, as well as finding others. You know Stefan, I grew up doing a lot of camping, canoeing, hiking, and in my adult life I cross-country ski, have done many month long bicycle touring trips etc etc all activities in which I really enjoy the quiet and the self-propelled aspect, but there is another side of me that when the sound of a good sounding engine comes on song, it never ceases to make the hairs on my arms stand up and make me lust for the snick-snick of shifting up at redline, blipping for downshifts and clipping an apex. That is what these various clips do.

cheers

[stefan]

As a keen climber/walker myself - I too appreciate the joy of spending an afternoon sitting quietly in the countryside. But you just can't beat fast noisy cars! I suppose there's some kind of yin and yang thing going on there.

[djb]

That's a good way to put it. (the ying yang balance bit)

My best friend who is a fellow motorsport nut thinks I'm crazy sleeping in tents (his comment regarding the outdoors is always, "it's a nice place to visit, but not to stay overnight"), and my biking and skiing friends have no end of making fun about "noisey cars going around in circles".
Ah, what the hell, I'm enjoying myself, so that's the main thing, and so far, the kids love camping AND going around corners fast .

[stefan]

Well, a trip to Le Mans will allow you to combine both camping and cars.

(although, I got absolutely drenched the last time I camped so this time I did go for the hotel)