Casualties of the Annual La Sarthe trip

[Leftie]

Well, me for one!

Our group had need of external assistance. Listed in order....................

Ian, '58 Frogeye Sprite. Ignition.
Failed to make ferry due to faulty coil. AA and local Newhaven dealers very helpfull.
Finally caught later ferry.

Tim, TVR Tasmin 350.
Rebuilt engine sounding like a rough running deisel but never packed up.

Charlie, Alfa GTV V6. Cam belt.

Simon ' Welsh Soup Dragon', 72 Mk4 Sprite. Clutch & Wheel stud.
In heavy traffic his clutch cooks and can't select gears.
On Sunday, we left early because of clutch and on A28 to Rouen a wheel fibration loosened a wheel and sheered a stud.
Came home gingerly. Hope it didn't damage the Minilites Si.

Lefty, '73 GT6 convertable. Ignition.

8km south of Dieppe engine died at 60mph.
Fuel OK, so checked ignition. Sparks where needed except at plugs. Changed dizzy cap, still no go. All other spares ordered from reputable Triumph dealer were for different car (words will be spoken)
Towed to port, unceremoniously pushed onto ferry, towed off to await AA. Apparently YuoTube will have a video posted this evening of my loading onto the ferry

AA delivered me home and car on drive by 1100am.

Does anyone else have tales of woe?

[Barry]

Wait till you see the pictures of JP's Scoobie.
At least you got yours home.

[Snoring Rhino]

Our Genny destroyed itself, I think we asked a little too much of it, I think its broken a ring, cos its pumping oil up through the valves and into the air filter, will have to return to good old CostCo
Other than that the BBQ managed to survive a full on attack from my head on return from the DFH party, nothing to do with alcohol of course.
We did have a twit in a TVR ram our TR4a in the rear end just after the rail way crossing in Arnage, very repairable, just annoying.

[landman]

Leftie,

Was that you towing/being towed at Dieppe?

I was with a group of guys who were trying to get on to the 00:30 sailing.  I had a confirmed reservation, they didn't, so left them with half a pack of beer.

In the morning I saw something being towed by a white Escort van.  That you?

Hope you get it sorted quickly,

Best,

Landman.

[Fran]

The chain on my bike slipped off the cogs returning to Bleu Nord from Brethren Bash at Houx Annexe.   

Ably repaired the next day by Neill!  Thanks NP.

F

[NorwayNick]

well looks like thinks do go in 3s

sitting in a hotel 30 minutes from france\belgium border awaiting new alternator, had to be towed off the motorway after car stopped at toll both

should be on our way again tomorrow

[tommy84]

Sad to hear, but at least you have a hotel.

Had to spend the night near the Le Mans péage in a small town like Savigny L' something as I had a flat tyre and my Tyre fit didn't work. Sleeping in the car as the only hotel was a luxury one calling for 750€ a night.

That cost me 200€ for a new tyre, 163,50€ for the towing and 300€ for a new genny as the one I've bought shortly before I left home on tuesday had no fuel petcock.
Took it out of the sealed box and the fuel was running out of the tank.
Ah, and I wrecked my Ray Ban - put it in the tent when I was going for a shower. Didn't think about it when I returned and it was 82kg pure - well...  - against Ray Ban 

[DickieAttwood]

Clutch fluid leak at Rouen Thursday Lunchtime. Painful 2 hrs waiting for recovery whilst watching everyone else on their way. Green Flag then managed to cock up everything else resulting in spending the night in Rouen. Arrived at Expo a day late FFs, we only broke down 150 miles short!

Leftie, you must have been on Expo too? I saw the cars!!

D.A.

[Nordic]

I had a puncture on Sunday and the pet hamster eat thru the wifes iron cable that had found its way into the cage.

I offered to taped it it but she said no, so it was off to tesco for a new £7.99 one.

And I never went near Le mans. The CA curse can strike even those that stayed at home, makes you think.

[SpriteII]

Leftie - try a known good rotor arm, there has been a bad batch floating around for a while.  They look fine and work fine for a while then just fail.

[Leftie]

Leftie, you must have been on Expo too? I saw the cars!!

D.A.

No mate, BSJ.

[Leftie]

Leftie,

Was that you towing/being towed at Dieppe?

I was with a group of guys who were trying to get on to the 00:30 sailing.  I had a confirmed reservation, they didn't, so left them with half a pack of beer.

In the morning I saw something being towed by a white Escort van.  That you?

Hope you get it sorted quickly,

Best,

Landman.

I cannot deny it, it was me on both counts mate.

Leftie

[DeanoX]

Our Party

'73 MG Midget - Temperature gauge gave up the ghost waiting for Passport control @ Calais.
(I did think I'd lost the wheel bearing on the way to St Saturnin on Friday.....turned out a stone had simnly bent the disc heatshield against the disc.....I was *very* relieved)

'72 Spitfire - Small over heating @ J8 Services on the way home. Only a small delay
'73 MGB - Knackered brake light switch soldered together at the Campsite.
'72 911 Targa - no real issues except an impressive but occasional back-fire.

944 Turbo died with suspected HGF
968 Club Sport got a flat battery
Lots of other modern crud had no problems at all ;-)

Lots o

[Piglet]

We survived fairly well intact I think, sorry for you guys that had trouble, Mark's shunt sounds very scary.  I'm glad everyone seems to be back fairly well unscathed. 

[Lazy B'stard]

This thread is sending shivers down my spine as I try to ready a 37 year old Alfa that has sat about for the best part of 10 years in time for a 1300 mile round trip to next months Classic. What have I let myself in for?
 Had better sort out some breakdown cover methinks.
 Still awaiting a full Zarse report on everyones favourite green machine- come on Andy!