Le Mans Classic; new classsic should I risk it ?

[kaiserbilly1]

Chris

If you were to have an issue, remember that you have 3 extra days in France to sort any problems out.
This is the garage I mentioned in Loupeland, circa 20 kms from where you will be residing.
http://www.corvette-fr.com/

Bill

[agnoraan]

Chris

If you were to have an issue, remember that you have 3 extra days in France to sort any problems out.
This is the garage I mentioned in Loupeland, circa 20 kms from where you will be residing.
http://www.corvette-fr.com/

Bill

Even so Bill, what if the car were to break down a great distance from where Chris is going to be staying ie it doesn't even get there? Just playing Devils advocate here, but is it really wise to trust a totally unknown car for that sort of distance in a foreign country? Sorry for the negativity, but Chris did ask if it was worth the risk. I wouldnt want to risk spoiling the adventure for the sake of it and I certainly wouldn't want to put my wife in any kind of unhappy situation on a trip like that. Maybe I'm just getting old and broken down too many times driving customers cars to see the fun in that
Nigel

[Paul Blore]

I'd definitely do it.

I'd make sure I had good quality roadside recovery, drive it as much as I could beforehand to get a feel for it and then if all was well and then set off in it. I've driven to Le Mans loads of times in a wide variety of cars and by far the most enjoyable have been in "interesting" cars. It isn't all about the destination, it's also about the journey (that applies to pretty much everything in life incidentally) and going in a modern tin-top is missing out so much of the experience.
If it breaks down, so what? You'll spend a few hours sorting out recovery and a courtesy car at worst. But if, as is more likely, it doesn't break down, you'll have had a great time.

Paul

[clive]

Following on from my experience at the Le Mans Classic in 2010, where I had fuel pump issues, I initially contacted the breakdown service provided by my insurance company and all they did was send a breakdown truck with a non English speaking driver who took my car back to the chateau. The following day I called the RAC with whom I had European cover and they sent an English speaking mechanic who is brought in to Le Mans for the duration of the Classic as there is a high rate of breakdowns that week. He was excellent and specialized in classic cars, he also gave me his mobile number so I could contact him directly should I need to, before I returned to the UK

[chriskcode]

Chaps, thanks for all of your replies and insights.

I'm really keen to take the car, but I'm a little concerned as I will only get at best 3-4 days to drive it, that is assuming the good old DVLA push it through within next 10days

Yvonne is very pragmatic and said why not take it, but I think she was saying it for my sake, although she will usually tell me if I'm being a prat !

I'm going to look at RAC European cover versus Britannia Rescue (i was with them for years)

Bill, that is good news on Alain's gite, will make sure I will pack my tools!
Roger, no its not a genuine GT car, just had one of these (67 GT 289 Project) and sold it today.

Chris

[Roger King]

Following on from my experience at the Le Mans Classic in 2010, where I had fuel pump issues, I initially contacted the breakdown service provided by my insurance company and all they did was send a breakdown truck with a non English speaking driver who took my car back to the chateau. The following day I called the RAC with whom I had European cover and they sent an English speaking mechanic who is brought in to Le Mans for the duration of the Classic as there is a high rate of breakdowns that week. He was excellent and specialized in classic cars, he also gave me his mobile number so I could contact him directly should I need to, before I returned to the UK

That photo is of Norman, the boss of Britassist, and you can see that that is a Britassist van not an RAC one. Norman and his crews are all ex-RAC and brilliant. They are always contracted to provide cover for the Euroclassic runs and the MSA Spring Classic, and will be doing duty on the Ireland tour in September, which some of you might like to think about signing up for....

[clive]

It speaks volumes when we know the breakdown guys by their first names!
I guess the RAC don't have loads of vans and patrolmen located all over Europe, but use English speaking mechanics like Britassist rather than the local non-English speaking tow truck drivers who only want to take your car to a pound until it can be recovered back to Blighty, especially when a major event involving thousands of British cars are descending on the likes of Le Mans.

[Roger King]

Yes, Norman makes a very nice living out of Classic breakdown contracts. He also organises a few runs for classics himself.

http://www.britassist.eu

Please note the Euroclassic Irish tour in the link - we're doing it, and so's David Large and Denise. More takers would be fun!

[Maxakarudy]

I'd take the Mustang, what could go wrong that would make it a disaster?
Oil pressure good?, transmission ok?, steering and suspension a concern? if not drive it!
Main weak points with these old dinosaurs are fuel pumps and distributors, could you replace both of these on the roadside if you had a spare?, that would be my only thought.
Yes I woud have AA or RAC cover just in case, it's an adventure, the risk of breaking down never goes away, even in a new car, which btw,very few of us could fix on the side of the road, that's why I have AA cover now, but old cars aren't a risk imo.
Never stopped Clarkson did it

Martin

[Dave Woodward]

Got to be the Mustang. After all this is a team event so you'll have a sizeable support team with you should anything go wrong, which it won't. Every LMC I've ever been on has always entailed at least part of the weekend in a group huddle around one engine bay or another.

X3 not acceptable by a long shot ...