Le Mans 2022 Ferry Tickets

[shep]

Due to cancellations the ACOC has 4 spare ferry tickets for the 2022 Le Mans Trip.

Each ticket covers a car and 2 passengers leaving Portsmouth on Thursday 30th June at 22.45 with twin cabin to sleep on the outbound journey, returning on Monday 4th July at 16.30 from Caen to Portsmouth and costs £450 return.

Anyone interested please send me a message as we need to complete the paperwork in the next week. We also have accommodation available 25 minutes from the circuit.

Andy Shepherd.

[DGoose]

Would like to say a massive thank you to Andy, can't imagine how difficult this event would be to organise even without the two year delays brought about by the pandemic.

Some great racing at a very busy Le Mans circuit, hot and dusty just as you'd want it but the highlight was relaxing by the pool on the Sunday afternoon with a few mates and not a care in the world, no gardening, no shopping, no DIY - just talking cars and other stuff that blokes talk about.

David G

[MkIV Lux]

I can only join David in thanking Andy for the organization of the ACOC's presence at this year's fantastic LMC. Great to have had dinner on Friday evening with the entire party at Château Grand Gaigné. Skies having emptied their water reserves on the Thursday while we travelled over D routes to Le Mans, the rest of the w/e was hot and dusty. Seen exciting racing and highly interesting cars in the paddocks, but time is always too short to see it all and meet all friends that we know are around. We had a pleasant fast drive home on Sunday evening over a busy motorway beyond Paris in the faultlessly working MkIV and arrived safely home before dark.
Looking forward to the next LMC.
Constant

[TTM]

Yes, thank you Andy for the organisation.
I had a wonderful time for my first ACOC meeting although it all felt like an escape outing after 2 years of Covid restrictions as people seemed to proceed with their own agenda (me the first!) and spend not as much time together as I had expected.
Looking forward to a more AC-focused ACOC meeting.

I had a terrific time putting the old Ace through its paces on this wonderful track, for the 60th anniversary of its taking part in this mighty race.

Not sure I understand though why so many replicas are allowed to take part in the "racing". Not sure how many of the perhaps half dozen Cobra Daytonas ever saw the skies of California... and the '64 250 GTO, the 250 LM and at least one 250 SWB were also replicas. Nice cars, but but but...

[shep]

Thanks Thomas, I am so glad you enjoyed our ACOC hospitality.
The problem with Classic Car racing is the value of the cars! They are now investments which are often (but not always) owned by rich people who lack the passion to risk them on the track. The FIA decided many years ago that the original identity of a Classic Car was less important than the correctness of its manufacture. If you can build a race winning car with modern materials which out performs the original for £150,000 why would the owner risk their £5,000,000 investment which is slower anyway? This has led to a whole industry where new cars appear at every meeting, and even some of the famous originals are stored away whilst their cloned replicas continue to race all over the world.
We are planning another visit to Le Mans next year for the Centenary of the ACO and would love for you to join us again.
Kindest regards, Andy.

[TTM]

Thank you Andy, I will definitely join next year. The Ace seemed to know the way to Le Mans all by itself!

I think it would have been honest from the organisers to mention on the sign of each car in the paddock if it was a replica or not. I was very pleased when I went to see up close some of the cars I mentioned above but not being an expert and learning afterwards that many were replicas was for me quite a disappointment. While we are not talking about doing anything illegal I just feel that the spirit of all this process has similarities with money laundering. I am all for perfect replicas to preserve original cars but pulling the wool over the public's eyes is I think a little irritating, although I know it's very easy for me to say things like that when I am lucky enough to own a special Ace.

Best wishes,
Thomas

PS : I stand corrected - a letter (C) on the sign of each car in the paddocks would mean that the car was a replica, which I ignored until a few seconds ago. Wish I had known that when walking in the paddocks.