The Le Mans 24 Hour - 16/17 June 2007

[Jon_Bmw]

Guy got your email, i'll have number 20 instead then please if that's still available.

This is going to be good, anyone got some duct tape to stop my misses moaning Jesus that came out all wrong

She's a good lass really, lets me dick about with cars most of the time.

[Dan318-is]

Email replied to

[Cotty]

This is going to be good, anyone got some duct tape to stop my misses moaning Jesus that came out all wrong

She's a good lass really, lets me dick about with cars most of the time.

Its only one (long) weekend you should be fine but then what do I know about girls.

[Cotty]

Some pics http://www.pbase.com/chrisbr68/le_mans_2006&page=all

[DRIFTBOY]

Stuff the racing - I'm just going to wander around the car park!

I'll feel like a right pikey rolling up in an E30 - I'll just leave it round the corner and walk in!

But I can't flippin' wait!

[Cotty]

But I can't flippin' wait!

Me neither

[cass1_5503]

email sent

[Ziggy]

Tried to sign up for the E36coupe forum to read that thread you linked to, but they've not activated my membership yet...

Still waiting...

[Cotty]

It took a couple of days for minne to activate

[Cotty]

Might be a stupid question but everyone got a valid passport, I had to check and yep mine is still valid

[DRIFTBOY]

Not a stupid question at all - a vital question!

But yes, I have got a valid passport. And a tent!

[Jon_Bmw]

Yes and Yes thankfully. Actually i'm going to double check my passport later, should be fine though.

We need a list of where people are coming from so that we can hopefully sort out a convoy and corresponding meeting places:

1.Jon_Bmw.... Southampton or Salisbury
2.

[ajm-e30]

1. jon_bmw
2. ajm-e30 (adam) cardiff/bristol
3. adams dad cardiff/bristol

[12345kevin]

1. jon_bmw
2. ajm-e30 (adam) cardiff/bristol
3. adams dad cardiff/bristol
4. 12345kevin (Kevin) - Essex

[DRIFTBOY]

1. jon_bmw
2. ajm-e30 (adam) cardiff/bristol
3. adams dad cardiff/bristol
4. 12345kevin (Kevin) - Essex
5. DRIFTBOY (Martin) - Maidstone, Kent

[Jon_Bmw]

So adam and your dad will be coming along the m4, me and ziggy up the m3 i guess(unless ziggy wants to go the sceanic route?) So we could meet on the m25 at jn12 possiby. Then drive further on round, and meet martin and kevin somewhere along the m20 (jn7?)

Also are people still thinking along the lines of Wed evening?

[e36guy]

1. jon_bmw
2. ajm-e30 (adam) cardiff/bristol
3. adams dad cardiff/bristol
4. 12345kevin (Kevin) - Essex
5. DRIFTBOY (Martin) - Maidstone, Kent

6. Cotty
7. Ziggy


Hello all,

Just got back from a mad 800 mile road trip in 36 hours. First to Le Mans were I met the commercial director to formally agree the terms then to visit a mate in Paris. We are officially go and have a fantastic space in exactly the place I wanted which is ace. Just 30m from the track with only trees to separate us.



Any emails sent by Zoners after Thursday evening will have bounced to my work email so will pick them up and respond etc on Monday.

I will be sending booking forms out in the next week or so. Can I ask everyone to help me out by returning them along with their payment as quickly as possible. I have one huge bill to pay when the contracts arrive!!!

Cheers

Guy

[12345kevin]

Also are people still thinking along the lines of Wed evening?

I normally go Thursday morning, get the train / Ferry aboiut 9am. Much easier to set up camp during daylight Arrive at Le mans about 5pm ish.

I'll join in with majority though

The mobile motorshow on the way down on the Thurday is normally worth the trip alone !

[Cotty]

1. jon_bmw
2. ajm-e30 (adam) cardiff/bristol
3. adams dad cardiff/bristol
4. 12345kevin (Kevin) - Essex
5. DRIFTBOY (Martin) - Maidstone, Kent[/quote]
6. Cotty - Orpington, Kent (J4 M25)
7. Ziggy

[Dan318-is]

1. jon_bmw
2. ajm-e30 (adam) cardiff/bristol
3. adams dad cardiff/bristol
4. 12345kevin (Kevin) - Essex
5. DRIFTBOY (Martin) - Maidstone, Kent[/quote]
6. Cotty - Orpington, Kent (J4 M25)
7. Ziggy
8. Dan318-is + Irish mate (Woking) m25 j11

[Cotty]

Also are people still thinking along the lines of Wed evening?

Sounds good to me, or very early Thursday morning if we are doing a short crossing. I have Thursday, Friday and Monday booked off work.

Im just off J4 M25 which is only one junction away from the M20, Don't mind using my gaff as a meeting point if anyone is interested. Lots of parking

[Ziggy]

So adam and your dad will be coming along the m4, me and ziggy up the m3 i guess(unless ziggy wants to go the sceanic route?) So we could meet on the m25 at jn12 possiby. Then drive further on round, and meet martin and kevin somewhere along the m20 (jn7?)

Also are people still thinking along the lines of Wed evening?

Unless it's rush hour, the scenic route is nice but sloooow! So m3 it is, I reckon. Wed night's got to be the way forward I reckon - night time blast (& cheap ferry!)
& I can put my tent up in the dark...

Guy, site looks sweet!

1. jon_bmw - Southampton or Salisbury
2. ajm-e30 (adam) cardiff/bristol
3. adams dad cardiff/bristol
4. 12345kevin (Kevin) - Essex
5. DRIFTBOY (Martin) - Maidstone, Kent[/quote]
6. Cotty - Orpington, Kent (J4 M25)
7. Ziggy (Jon) - Dorset
8. Dan318-is + Irish mate (Woking) m25 j11

[DRIFTBOY]

Also are people still thinking along the lines of Wed evening?

I normally go Thursday morning, get the train / Ferry aboiut 9am. Much easier to set up camp during daylight Arrive at Le mans about 5pm ish.

I'll join in with majority though

The mobile motorshow on the way down on the Thurday is normally worth the trip alone !

I'm liking this plan best personally, especially seeing all the flash cars on the way! But of course, I'll go with the majority too.

[Cotty]

I normally go Thursday morning, get the train / Ferry aboiut 9am. Much easier to set up camp during daylight Arrive at Le mans about 5pm ish.

I'm liking this plan best personally, especially seeing all the flash cars on the way! But of course, I'll go with the majority too.

Sounds good to me, any idea on prices for the crossing, and links. I really want to get the crossing booked as soon as possible

[12345kevin]

Just checked pricing for Crossing

Eurotunnel is £108 Return

P&O Ferries looks to be about £59 Return


Need to agree a time and all book together !

[Cotty]

Just checked pricing for Crossing

Eurotunnel is £108 Return

P&O Ferries looks to be about £59 Return


Need to agree a time and all book together !

Im easy, why dont you suggest a time and crossing and we can say yes or no.

[ajm-e30]

jon probably goin the same way as u so can meet up on the way but most likly early thursday morning-ish

[Jon_Bmw]

Here's one suggestion, please someone offer at least one alternative then we can vote and be nice and diplomatic about it

Route : Dover--dunkirk(yes its a bit further drive than calais)

Dunkirk is 45k up the road from dover so x 2 for the return journey = 58 miles, or £9 in petrol.

Time and date : Thursday morning at either 2 am or 4am

This way i'm thinking that we all miss rush hour traffic(either morning or night) and it gives a chance for people working on the thursday a chance to get packed and have a few hours kip. With the possible exception of adam and his dad(the sleep part) Adam do you think you could make it down that early?

Ferry cost: An extortiante £14 each way. Can the zoners afford that? The return is £14 if you come back on monday at a similar time, although i will probably come back on the thursday and that is £19


General thinking: People get to miss the major rush that might make the journey unbareable(just think of french tossers in cars that they can't really afford, picking on all the GB lot) but you will still get to see a fair bit of the Le mans traffic. If getting the 2am boat it will get you to france at about 5 FRENCH time, so that gives us a chance to avoid french rush hour a bit as well. The drive is about 4 hours i think so we'd be there in time for lunch. If we went for the 4 am boat, would arrive at 7am FRENCH time and possibly get a little held up in groups of clios, renualt 5's and other french clutter

SOMEONE ELSE PUT UP A PROPSAL, i'm fairly flexible, and also willing to follow the majority.

Also guy the site looks cool, i'll be charging a tenner to those that get stuck spinning their rear wheels

Zoners i can do it for a fiver (sal mode off )

Jon

[e36guy]

Re. Ferries.

I use www.norfolkline.com Dover - Dunkirque. Already booked mine at £38 return.

It's a good firm and offer sailings every 2 hours.

If this is your first time going to Le Mans, well worth driving down during the day as it is a good time to spot cool machinery en route. But, traffic can be heavy, especially around Rouen. If you would rather maximise your time on holiday then go after work on a late ferry and drive through the night.

FYI - my journey time from Calais to Le Mans including several stops for coffee was 3 hr 45 min at a steady 140 kmh.

The legal limit in France is 130kph in the dry and 110 in the wet. If you are caught doing more than 172 you will be banned (so Mr Copper told me last year when I got busted at 182). Worth knowing to keep below 172 and it's only a fine if busted. But the coppers are out in force for Le Mans weekend so I'd keep the speeds down and just cruise. But if you are driving overnight it's unlikely you will encounter les gendarmes but that's no guarantee!

[Ziggy]

Dover-Dunkirque definately sounds like the way forward to me - I did Dover-Calais last time because I didn't realise...

Jon, what are ferry prices like on Thurs AM? I do prefer the sound of missing traffic (morning on the m25 as well as afternoon in France) by doing Wed night though, so if anyone's counting that gets my vote! There's gonna be a hell of a lot of cars heading down there whatever time we go, so that ain't a big issue as far as I'm concerned...

[e36guy]

@ziggy.

If you are goingt o drive during the day I would recommend getting an 8am ferry which will land you on France at 11am their time (2 hr crossing)

That meaning a check in time of 0700 which means you will be leaving home very early doors but no traffic. I left London at 0520 on Friday and was in Dover by 0630.

[GingerTim]

When i went last year some one got caught doing 120mph and got banned from driving in france for 6 month's and a on the spot fine of 800 euro's. I'm from oxfordshire and went from portsmouth to caen i think it was called. What's the cut off date on booking's?

[Jon_Bmw]

John, just looked that bastards have this in small writing:

Please note that the fuel surcharge of £5 / ┚¬7 per vehicle each way is excluded from the fares shown and will be added at the end of the booking.

So thats why guys boat is £38 and not £28.

My vote still goes to the 2am boat on the thursday morning, but hey thats just me .

Edit: i'm a tit, the boat prices are the same on thursday morning at 7/8am as they are at night. They only get dearer as you move onto friday.

[DRIFTBOY]

@ziggy.

If you are goingt o drive during the day I would recommend getting an 8am ferry which will land you on France at 11am their time (2 hr crossing)

That meaning a check in time of 0700 which means you will be leaving home very early doors but no traffic. I left London at 0520 on Friday and was in Dover by 0630.

I'm liking the sound of this, I hope this gets the vote personally!

Should see some tasty cars on the way (and any good scenery) and should avoid all rush hours! AND it'll still be light when we get there to set up tents! Perfick! ?

[e36guy]

What's the cut off date on booking's?

Cut off date for bookings is when I sell out. Given the speed they are going and the fact I only have 25 left that won't be long! Got promos in BMW Car CLub mag next month and PBMW in March so they will defiately be gone by then.