Tour Auto 2011
Day 1 This was the drive from London to Paris in the Cobra. No problems except that the Cobra's seat cushions were missing and we were both uncomfortable.
The solution was a couple of children's cushions bought from a motorway garage with gorillas facing forward!
Problems again on entering Paris as we entered the wrong end of Rue Rivoli, which is down back streets.
Day 2 This was the day for signing papers and the checking of cars. Dinner in a charming bistro where we were hemmed in as tightly as it was possible.
Day 3 Early start to leave Paris for the start of the rally proper. I expected a police escort as we had last year but it was not to be and we were on our own. It was chaos as none of the instructions made sense, cars were peeling off North of the Seine, which was definitely wrong, but we all got to the start in the end.
The special stages were a bit tame but the racetrack at Le Mans was fun. Mark was lying 6th or so being chased by another Cobra as he was passing an E type Jaguar. The passing Cobra misjudged it and all cars went on to the grass. The back wheel of the Cobra shattered on impact with the grass and Mark came back on the back of a lorry.
Fortunately we had a spare wheel in one of the lorries that follow the rally and I set about collecting it. For some reason the vast car carriers when open at the back for loading have a open mini well towards the front [for what purpose I do not know] but I walked over it unseen and into it on the way back!!
That night the car was checked over for loose nuts etc and to our surprise all the wheels were not in alignment; the broken wheel was the worst. Friendly mechanics set the wheels straight using no more than 2 poles front and back and string between on either side. Very impressive.
Day 4 and the second of the rally proper.
At the first special stage down closed roads we zoom off, then we coast to the first corner with Mark fiddling with the gears. The only one he could select was 3rd and so we finished the stage in third almost catching up the Lotus in front; on stopping at the end had no gears at all!!
By bleeding the clutch pedal we managed to get into third gear and started in gear down a slope. After 5 miles we entered a village La Dorat and saw a garage and go in. They can do nothing at all for us and it is up a slope to get out. We are stuck.
The next garage is much more helpful, they collect the car and we are entertained to lunch by James [pronounced Jams] who transpires to be an enthusiast for historic cars and is restoring an Austin Healey. The mechanics strip down the clutch then they offer to lend us a car. En route to collect the car we visit a vast barn where Jams has his 'historic collection' mostly old Citroens [it is after all Citroen garage] naturally we admire them and are then returned to the garage and our loaned car.
We drive to Brive where the rally are spending the night as all our luggage has been taken there. At breakfast we discover that a Cobra owner has retired and that his back up mechanics have a spare clutch, which may possibly fit and they 'lend 'it to us.
Back at La Dorat and the clutch fits and we are entertained to lunch again by Jams. By 8 pm we are finally on our way after testing.
Unfortunately every garage was closed and the Cobra only does 12 mile to the gallon. The inevitable occurred, but the first white van to pass stopped and telephoned for a taxi who duly returned with a gallon in salvaged drinks bottles, he then leads us to an open petrol station 12 miles away in Angouleme and waits to see that the pump actually works for us. So we are off again at midnight and arrive in Bordeaux and get hopelessly lost, find a taxi who in spite of being clueless leads us to the 'park ferme' to drop off the Cobra and then to our hotel.
Day 5 and 3rd of the rally. All goes well and no problems other than the navigator was too tired to sleep the previous night and so the quality of the instructions suffered!!
Day 6 and we are at Pau and the car refuses to start. There is no fuel pressure. All the rest of the rally cars leave. A mechanic tests to see if there is electricity at the pump and it decides to work. We follow the rally and catch up. We do a race at Pau and a special stage and then with a packed picnic set off over the Pyrenees, only to stop 20 minutes later. A French back up crew try to help and offer to tow us to Biarritz, but before they can attach the rope a lorry with a flat bed passes and we are winched on board.
Thus we cross the Pyrenees and enter Biarritz sitting in the Cobra on the back of the lorry to the amusement of some of the crowds
The car goes home on an enormous articulated car carrier and we flew back with Ryanair, which was not an enjoyable experience as we had to wait for an hour just to drop our luggage.
It was great fun and a wonderful experience even the bits that went wrong. We now know why the clutch welded itself to the flywheel and it will not happen again. Dying fuel pumps can occur at any time and next time there will be two of them installed on the car
Photos to follow when I find my camera!
My dear Sir, it was quite a race at le Mans, and your fellow only tried to overpass the E Type ( i was racing it) by breaking later..... i must say may be breaking too late, as at his 3 first attempt he could not take the corner properly and i was keeping my fifth place.
ReplyDeleteOn its last attempt he really break too late at the inside of the Dunlop chicane.... I knew he was going to do that so i stayed on the outside of the track, and so stayed away from your cobra doing a spin...... Unfortunately the 2nd cobra following us was at the inside and could not avoid hitting your car.
I felt sorry for you, it was a great battle, a tough battle for 2 laps, but done on a gentlman tone.
Congrat to you and hope to see you soon on other tracks
If you like ihave all the race taken with an inboard cam, and would be more than happy to send it to
Sincerely yours
The Red E Type Driver!