Paris to Nice in a Cobra

Tour auto.

noreply@blogger.com (J Freeman) — Sun, 15 Apr 2012 16:49:00 +0000

Just trying the blog. I don't think anyone is following it, but if they are I will copy stuff in.
All gone well so far. I have put some photos on Facebook, it might be worth you opening an account.
Hope all is well.
D x

35 COB

noreply@blogger.com (J Freeman) — Sat, 14 Apr 2012 18:29:00 +0000

Testing, in preparation of TourAuto 2012
Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless device

reflections on Tour Auto 2011

noreply@blogger.com (J Freeman) — Mon, 09 May 2011 15:07:00 +0000

Reflections on Tour Auto 2011

Despite the tales you may have heard, the Cobra ran well, Mark drove well, and as navigator I never got a 'you really must concentrate John!' and that to me means I did ok. Also the French as a Nation came out trumps and that was a bit unexpected.

It was enormous fun, which after all was the object of the exercise.

In Paris we had two memorable meals in bistros where all tables were side by side and the chairs were back to back. Conversation with your neighbour was impossible to avoid and added to the ambiance.

The start of the rally was chaotic as we had expected to be led to the start by the police on motor bikes, but no we had to do it ourselves by various routes!!

At the Le Mans circuit Mark did well until he stopped only to reappear much later on the back of a lorry

The death of the wheel is something that could happen to anyone racing and as a result I fell down the trap door in the lorry behind which held our spare wheels

[I have since recovered!]

It was unfortunate that advice was given to Mark which was absolutely wrong and as a direct result of that the flywheel welded itself to the clutch. This resulted in a push start as we could not change gear and a no stop run to the nearest garage and how lucky we were to get to the Citroen garage.

In the foreground is James, who went out of his way to help us and as a result we rejoined the rally in Bordeaux after running out of petrol at 11pm and being assisted by 'white van man' who could not have done more to help and a taxi driver who got fuel for us by extracting plastic bottles from the garbage bins and then shepherded us back to refuel.

Bordeaux was a nightmare and was only solved by commandeering a taxi which Mark then followed.

The next day was faultless and included a most attractive circuit in the hills at Pau.

The last day resulted in this

The car failed to start or rather it ran for a second and then died. All the rest of the rally left us and then for no apparent reason the fuel pump ran again.

So set off in hot pursuit and rejoined only for stop again some four hours later; this time the pump was even hotter – I feared fire! Then it ran again but this only for minutes and died even hotter still!!!

Some cars have a second fuel pump which is weight and cost and is seldom if ever used. I for one have never had a pump fail and Marks Lancia has a second pump which has never been used.

So this was our triumphal entry into Biaritz. Mark and I were in the Cobra as the truck was full and we were ironically cheered by the crowds who still lined the route. As we unloaded we met James and his friends who had come down to see the rally.

Tour Auto 2011 France

noreply@blogger.com (J Freeman) — Tue, 19 Apr 2011 06:29:00 +0000

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 6^th 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 3^rd 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 3^rd 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!

noreply@blogger.com (J Freeman) — Sat, 19 Jun 2010 20:44:00 +0000

Modena Rally

noreply@blogger.com (J Freeman) — Sat, 19 Jun 2010 04:41:00 +0000

Italy June 16th 2010

Once more into the breech…….The Modena Centro Ore Classic

After the French Tour Auto the Cobra injured, not terminally,had been
driven down to Italy for remedial work prior to the Modena Classic in
which I was again to navigate for Mark. This time I did think that I
knew what I was meant to do and how to do it. [How I survived France I
really do not know] Anyway I arrived two days before the off to find
that the Cobra was still not returned to the owner!! When it was
delivered the only instrument that I as navigator needed 'the
odometer' [measures distance run and to go] either did not work or
only worked from time to time and the new gear box was very noisy.

Without the odometer my task is simple or impossible depending on ones
outlook. My instructions are either 'wait a minute and follow the next
car' or 'go like hell and catch up with the car in front' and then
hope that they are not making a detour for petrol!!

So Day Minus1

We were to have a leisurely drive up to Modena to sign in, etc etc.
Well the day stopped less than 2 miles from the garage that had been
entrusted with the remedial work. Noises like a kitchen blender with a
bag of nuts and bolts in it and then BANG the gearbox seized solid.

Whats to do? In the end it was decided that Mark would stay with the
car and see if the garage could get it going and the rest of us would
go on to Modena to sign in as far as we could without Mark being
present. Both Dorothy and I did a good impression of his signature!
After we had gone as far as possible I stayed in Modena and Dorothy
and the support group went home.

By 10 pm the garage admitted defeat; they could not get the gearbox
working again

Day 1.

Mark came up in my Mazda MX5 very early and the garage set about
putting in the old defective gearbox. With roles reversed I drove and
he navigated. I am delighted that the MX5 kept up with the Ferraris of
yesteryear. In the meantime the old gearbox was put in we collected
the car and returned to the rally. The Cobra worked well, odometer
worked , gear box worked BUT it had no power!!!!

After getting burned changing the plugs full power returned; thank
goodness.

Day 2 we entered the rally, a bit late but we were going properly and
everything worked.

Having missed day 1 Mark was placed almost at the back of the grid for
the first race at Magione. Undaunted he finished 7th of the
competition cars.

All was going well until we or to be more precise I
insisted on a very short lunch and we clocked in 50 minutes early on a
transport stage!!!! What a SIN. Hundreds of penalties! I did wonder
why we were the only car to clock in! So we were saddled with massive
penalties, however the officials locally decided that we should be
retired! We were urgently rushed through the special stage on the
pretext that we were to meet the director who never materialized.

Mark was irate and we remonstrated with all concerned
including the local police that we should have the massive penalties
and we never retired. In hindsight it was just as well that the
policemen refused to lend us their pistols!

That night there was ribbing among the other competitors that Marks
navigator had goofed so badly, but fortunately for me the navigator
has been recorded for posterity as Mike Ellis!! So apart from the
competitors present my reputation is unblemished. Bad luck Mike!

Day 3

This was good for us. Car ran well and Mark drove superbly.

Because of the 'retirement' he was placed last on the grid for the
race at Mugello. However after one lap Mark had passed some 25 cars
and was lying 6th with 3 faster Porches nipping his heels. He was able
to hold them on the straight but they were faster on the corners.
Despite all their efforts over the next 7 laps only one managed to
pass and he finished 7th.

From then on all went well until the end of the day when we heard
that Dorothy and the jeep had rolled down the hill on the white road
on the way up to their house.

Much consternation, but what could we do 100 miles away and having
imbibed more than we should to drive?

Much relief to hear that all occupants were both safe and well.

Day 4

Navigator still not perfect but no goofs or errors that could not be
recovered easily.

We did a special stage and were some 20 seconds behind another
competitor who had secretly explored the road previously!

The race at Imola was no different from the previous one. Mark was
placed last on the grid and then proceeded to carve through the fleet
and came 6th overall. Not bad.

So quick farewells and we returned to administer whatever it is that
men can do to a destroyed jeep and two battered Dorothys and one
injured Jim.

The death of the jeep!

Cobra COB 35 blog

noreply@blogger.com (J Freeman) — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 15:26:00 +0000

Italy June 16th 2010

Once more into the breech…….The Modena Centro Ore Classic

So Day Minus1

By 10 pm the garage admitted defeat; they could not get the gearbox
working again

Day 1.

After getting burned changing the plugs full power returned; thank
goodness.

Day 2 we entered the rally, a bit late but we were going properly and
everything worked.

Having missed day 1 Mark was placed almost at the back of the grid for
the first race at Magione. Undaunted he finished 7th of the
competition cars.

Day 3

This was good for us. Car ran well and Mark drove superbly.

From then on all went well until the end of the day when we heard
that Dorothy and the jeep had rolled down the hill on the white road
on the way up to their house.

Much consternation, but what could we do 100 miles away and having
imbibed more than we should to drive?

Much relief to hear that all occupants were both safe and well.

Day 4

Navigator still not perfect but no goofs or errors that could not be
recovered easily.

We did a special stage and were some 20 seconds behind another
competitor who had secretly explored the road previously!

The race at Imola was no different from the previous one. Mark was
placed last on the grid and then proceeded to carve through the fleet
and came 6th overall. Not bad.

So quick farewells and we returned to administer whatever it is that
men can do to a destroyed jeep and two battered Dorothys and one
injured Jim.

The death of the jeep!

COB 35 B

noreply@blogger.com (J Freeman) — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 08:49:00 +0000

COB 35

noreply@blogger.com (J Freeman) — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 05:50:00 +0000

Tour Auto, as viewed by a rookie navigator

Tour Auto is a marathon rally for cars built before 1965 and this
year it ran from Paris [dead centre] to Nice over five days.

The cars are the stars of the whole show and they are supported by a
pilote and navigator and in the case of some but not all [or us] a
couple of mechanics in white vans with a bag full of spares.

The course is extremely precise running over motorways, roads main,
minor and side, car parks and even pedestrian's shopping streets. Very
precise pace notes give exact instructions for each turn, the
distances from the last and to the next to the next and sometimes what
to look for. So miss one turn and all subsequent instructions are
meaningless as I was to find out.

There are transport stages from one challenge, stage or race to the
next. The stages are closed roads where the pilote must do his bit and
proper races on race tracks. Points are given for the challenges and
races and marks can be lost for delays on the transport stages and
being caught speeding by the organisers.

Thus Mark the pilote could win the event and I, the navigator and the
car could loose the event by getting lost or breaking down!

The car in our case was an AC Cobra, a British sports car of the early
1960s that has a V8 American engine. Inside the car was only enough
room for us, some spares, a big jack and not much more. As the Cobra
makes more noise than Concorde on a take off run we have an internal
intercom. The enormous engine was a great advantage as almost all the
stages were up hill and the cobra even in the wrong gear kept on going
up. Thus the Cobras filled most of the leading positions, far more
than their share.

To aid the navigator I had my own trip meter that showed distance run
and distance between turning points which was extremely accurate
[which was just as well].

Thus the stage was set, the star the AC Cobra was set up to run for a
year before seeing a mechanic again and was absolutely ready. Mark,
the pilote was very experienced and competent and then there was me,
the navigator who really did not know what I was doing.

Day 1

This was spent in the garden of the Tuilleries in the centre of Paris,
whilst officials checked papers licences, cars and clothing. We signed
forms and collected some goodies, some good and some not so.

Day 2 to Vichy and Lyon

We stated with an alarm call at 4.45 am as we were one of the first to
leave.

I was reminded of my duties, which were to note when we passed turning
point, know where the next one was and how far away it was. Easy or so
it seemed.

The police who accompanied us all the way were great. They decided to
escort us out of Paris and on our way towards Versailles, our first
stop. All I can say is thank goodness or we might still be there now.
Let me explain the navigators instructions were very exact like
[1.23km turn left sign to le capel]. However I was bombarded with
these instructions as 0.08km, most around 1 to 3 km and most of the
signs were hidden until you were committed to the turn. Thus we
twisted wriggled and generally wound our tortuous way was to the
destination.

The learning curve for me was steep, very steep. Loose concentration
and you are lost. I was helped by there being other rally cars [but
they might have their own agenda like the search for fuel] but the
crowds and photographers always showed that we were on the right track
[even if I did not know where we were!] In the class room it is one
thing, cramped and on a bumpy road is another!

My tuition was interspersed with

'You really must concentrate John' [Mon Dieu did he think I was doing
the crossword!]

'It is really very simple' [yes it is in a stable class room and
without your eyeball being shaken to death and pages that did not
stick together!] and

'Are we on the right road?' 'yes' [vast cheering crowds lining the
road] 'No John I want to know exactly where we are'. This was always
followed by a long silence while again I worked it out.

Actually my tutor was good and very patient and bearing in mind all
that was at stake extremely reserved. Had I been the pilote I would
have said a bit more!!

So by luck rather than my good navigation we got to Versailles by
breakfast time.

I now learned that the rally proper starts at Versailles!!!

'Watch which way the cars turn from the start.' Always good advice.

And so my learning continued.

On we sped to a special stage where the road was closed. We entered
and left control positions and I was a bit at a loss, but we got there
and stormed up the hill. Then it was a the race circuit at Magny Cours
where Mark raced to a favourable position, about 5th as I remember it.

Then it was a long run to Vichy and the end of the day. We wound our
way on and off roads in heavy traffic at intervals of well less than a
km. I was sweating. It all seemed ok but I was not certain. At least I
had not been quizzed under pressure; we came what was to be the last
roundabout and my nerve failed. I had to admit that we [including my
driver] were lost. I knew that we were close but no signs at all of
the finish. To cut an agonising 10 minutes short, we did a short
circle, asked directions only to find that we were right in front of
the entrance that was under a bridge. No bollocking from the skipper
but my performance had been well below par for the trip and off the
scale at the end.

We also had another problem in that my 'left' did not always mean left
and sometimes meant 'right'. So when time permitted it was solved by
'Left – your side' and 'Right- my side'!

Now was the time to work on the car before dinner. I was learning that
it was the navigators job to do all the goffering and was responsible
for all horlicks.

I waited for my moment and then mentioned that on ships of all sizes
the skipper was responsible for everything!!!

So we were not that late, but could not change as our hotel was so far
away. So we ate in our racing gear.

Day 3 to Megeve just below Camonix

Another early start and into the Alps. I now thought I knew what was
expected of me, but had problems doing it. I was also not anticipating
the events that were to come so as ever surprise followed surprise.
How many miles to petrol? How long to check in? What average speed do
we need to maintain?

We got almost to our special stage and lost it in the final moments;
but we did get to the start and did the special stage, which went
without incident.

You will by now be aware that there was little wrong with the car or
the driver, all problems seemed to be elsewhere, [and a bit close to
me]!!

Now back on a transit stage we motored gently down the mountain only
to see one of our front wheels rolling ahead of us and down the hill
all on its own. We did not follow and ended up on the side of the
road, the nearside resting in the gravel.

Frankly I thought it was the end for us as few people have won events
on three wheels! I was able to retrieve the wheel from about 100 feet
below us. [we were lucky it had hit a tree]. However we needed the
spinner to hold the wheel on, but the gods were smiling on us and Mark
found it beside the road about a km back. Every car that passed
stopped to offer assistance but we waved them on, as there was nothing
they could do.

The race leader stopped and then ordered his 2 mechanics to stop
following him and to come to our aid, which they did and twenty
minutes later we were on our way again with a list of things that we
must do on arrival at the end of the day. We then find the race leader
broken down and without mechanics to help him. While the white vans go
like the clappers they had to be 30 minutes behind us.

Feeling responsible for the race leaders problems we went on and to
make matters worse never saw him again. He had retired [because of his
generosity to us?]. We later heard that he had retired for other
reasons. Relief!!

We were late but just avoided a penalty and set to work on the car.
Front wheels had to come off, disc pads changed and we had to look for
damage, which we found in the form of a front wheel drop link that was
now a new shape with half of it worn away. The neighbouring Dutch
mechanics told us to go easy but not real damage had been done.

I think I reported in to Tina, late again at about 9pm, just before we
ate. We were so tired that I only had time to report- 'Alive, having
fun, having problems, tired and hungry, off to dinner', this time
covered in grease from our time beneath the car

Day 4 to Aix en Provence

Another early start so no time to ring home before we started and I
was beginning to think that even if I was not on the ball, I did know
where it was!

My navigation now chose to let me down. We left a narrow street and
straight away it was a roundabout with a hundred exits. I saw the sign
and said Go for it.

From then on the pace notes made no sense. I was first not happy with
the navigation, then concerned, and then I knew we were lost. All this
I reported to my skipper. 'Turn around' I said, ' No' he said 'not
until you can tell me where we went wrong.' So on we barrelled for
5.64km at which point I now knew where we had gone wrong. We had
turned at the 75th exit and not the 76th to whom the sign referred.

We now went up into the mountains again for some of the most
spectacular scenery. It was truly magnificent.

On the road no problems but on the special stage the steering way very
heavy indeed. On to the next race track and the kindly Dutch engineers
explained why the steering was so hard and we whipped the wheel off
and the problem was sorted except for the drop link, which caused Mark
to take the race very easy indeed.

All garages en route from now on were only fitters of parts and could
not help with the broken link. We refuelled and enquired whether their
mechanics could help. No. However after a quick call by the owners
wife she shop off with the cobra in hot pursuit to an agricultural
work shop who made the part and fitted it all in half an hour!!

I should add that every one was very helpful, cars ahead of us leapt
for the ditch to let us pass, gendarmes stopped traffic for us and the
crowds cheered us on.

Day 5 to Beaulieu sur mer, beside Monaco and Nice

Not such an early start but no lie in. By now I really did think I
knew what was happening and what to do first, like check where all the
petrol points were, how long all the stages were, clear the windscreen
and check all bolts [they can undo in the rattling on the minor roads]

For the first and only day the navigation held together. Bravo. Mark
had by now been almost the quickest on almost all the stages and on
the track. Our charming and most helpful Dutch neighbours have an AC
Cobra beat us but they have an extra 50 hp and that does make a
difference. We finished 7th overall.

It was a fantastic experience. Scenery to die for, every one was kind
and helpful especially the gendarmes [most importantly for me so was
my pilote]. Brilliant car. Great fun.