haggis Posted June 9, 2018 Report Share Posted June 9, 2018 Hi All, was on the waiting list for Le Mans and have just been told I'm going . its all a bit of a panic, but just wanted to tap into other peoples experience to see if you can help. I drive a GT6 mk1, with ground clearance of around 75mm, will I be best to go on the Eurostar, or will I make it on the ferry? Ive heard horror stories of people getting stuck on the ferry and ripping exhausts off etc, just wondering if anyone has any experience. My shortest journey is Portsmouth to Caen or le havre if that makes any difference. Thanks Hag Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AidanT Posted June 9, 2018 Report Share Posted June 9, 2018 Haha Is your GT6 lowered? 75mm does seem low to me. I've been on the ferry crossing to Caen with my mk1 but it's with standard suspension Aidan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dougbgt6 Posted June 9, 2018 Report Share Posted June 9, 2018 Wheel barrow exhaust? Even with a standard exhaust speed bumps can be non negotiable. Good luck! db Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
haggis Posted June 9, 2018 Author Report Share Posted June 9, 2018 Hi, yes it is low, I inherited like that? In fact it was around 50mm but that was because the rear spring had no spring left in it. So in fact I’ve raised it, it’s got a full sports exhaust so just one big pipe out the back. Having never been on the Eurostar I had assumed it might be better than the ferry, any advice appreciated. Thanks again hag Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris A Posted June 9, 2018 Report Share Posted June 9, 2018 Caen is a good starting point for LeMans. I would add to the comments about speed bumps. France has started to install what we call "plateaux". Steepish beginning then several metres flat with the same gradient off. There is a Euro norm for them but quite a few of the early ones don't meet it in my opinion. They are in towns/cities, they have to be within a "50" zone and are always proceeded by a "30" limit sign, even at 30 some can give a jolt! 30 & 50 are in KPH, of course. Good luck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnD Posted June 9, 2018 Report Share Posted June 9, 2018 Ferry ramp clearances depend on the state of the tide. If its high or low, then they can be steeper and the ends more angulated, so consult the tide tables before booking? Eurotunnel' s ramps are fixed, but ask what they expect. I've been twice in SofS, and in Silverback before, both lowered, although 75mm is very low (<=> 3" which was the regulation minimum). Only once came stuck - on a tree root INSIDE the Tertres Rouge camp site! Extra air in tyres may buy a few more millimetres of ride height, or else re-adjust the front dampers if that's possible and take out the spacer between rear spring and diff, the usual rear loweteing mod. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dannyb Posted June 9, 2018 Report Share Posted June 9, 2018 I remember 1970 when going on the Isle of White ferry with a Spitfire4. They laid two planks down for me to get on. I bet they would not do that now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clive Posted June 9, 2018 Report Share Posted June 9, 2018 As a thought, will that 3"reduce if the car is loaded up? You may want to take care with the way the car is packed. Maybe add half a dozen helium filled balloons to help? My spitfire is quite low, but up on stand at the moment getting a little TLC after an autosolo incident. I have been to CLM a few times with it, no real issues with ferry or tunnel. I suspect the tunnel is a safer bet, rather more modern loading etc. The ferries can be a bit hit-or miss. You may also prefer the costs or indeed availability, but of course the addition mileage will eat the difference up. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnD Posted June 9, 2018 Report Share Posted June 9, 2018 Disadvantage of tunnel is cost, plus your ticket is not transferable. On the ferries, pay a small premium ( used to be free) and you can get on the next ferry, with space. Useful if you are delayed, or arrive early. J. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anglefire Posted June 9, 2018 Report Share Posted June 9, 2018 I've changed times on the tunnel loads of times John. Sometimes free (mostly if its busy and you end up being late) sometime a few quid if early - £9 was last time I think. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clive Posted June 9, 2018 Report Share Posted June 9, 2018 John, the tunnel was approx 1/3rd the cost of Portsmouth- le havre, and 6 moths ago half the price of newhaven-dieppe (but that was going up daily!) Train offers a window that is free, hour each side or something, but never been charged for early arrival etc. Flipside is I like the chance to relax for 90 mins on the ferry, but the train is very convenient, faster and you arrive straight onto the motorway so can crack on to whatever the destination (this year heading for Ypres on 1st, then La Somme and finally Normandy beaches, before heading down to Le Mans on the Thursday. Planning for a bigger trip maybe next year... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dick Twitchen Posted June 10, 2018 Report Share Posted June 10, 2018 Hag, have done Le Mans and Laon using the ferries (Cherbourg, Caen, Le Havre and Dieppe) and never had a problem with the wheelbarrow exhaust. Ferry staff were particularly attentive and in some cases bought me up at an angle to the ramp to make the transition smoother. I always grab some chocks once on the ferry to ease any concerns on the handbrake. Dick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anglefire Posted June 10, 2018 Report Share Posted June 10, 2018 (edited) 19 hours ago, clive said: I like the chance to relax for 90 mins on the ferry I have never really been able to relax on the ferry - I prefer to train it and nap for the 30 odd minute crossing and if needed nap at a service station once over the water. But it is very much each to their own! Most of my crossing have been with 2 drivers, so one naps and one drives (not in the spitfire - but on off road trips to the Pyrenees.) Holidays abroad in the car with the family, then just me drives - though if with the inlaws, any loo stops seem to take bloody ages so I often get a nap in then. Edited June 10, 2018 by Anglefire spelling! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnD Posted June 10, 2018 Report Share Posted June 10, 2018 21 hours ago, clive said: John, the tunnel was approx 1/3rd the cost of Portsmouth- le havre, and 6 moths ago half the price of newhaven-dieppe (but that was going up daily!) Train offers a window that is free, hour each side or something, but never been charged for early arrival etc. Flipside is I like the chance to relax for 90 mins on the ferry, but the train is very convenient, faster and you arrive straight onto the motorway so can crack on to whatever the destination (this year heading for Ypres on 1st, then La Somme and finally Normandy beaches, before heading down to Le Mans on the Thursday. Planning for a bigger trip maybe next year... Please check your information, Clive. My fare to go to Spa in two wekes time is £78 by ferry Eurotunnel is £180-£380 depending on type EACH WAY To Le Mans its £85-215 That's Folkstone-Calais. Portsmouth-Le Havre isn't a fair match, Include petrol either end . John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
haggis Posted June 10, 2018 Author Report Share Posted June 10, 2018 Thanks everyone. I really appreciate your comments as I’m nervous about this as i’ve not driven it to Europe before, the costs are very far apart with eurotunnel being £165 return and 6 hours longer journey than the ferry being £500 and a much shorter journey. But I live 15minutes away from Portsmouth so facing a dilemma . Thanks hag Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clive Posted June 10, 2018 Report Share Posted June 10, 2018 John I got a price well over £300 for the portsmouth crossing. Newhaven was cheap out (as we are leaving on monday 1st) but over double that on the way back. Total was about £220. And that was a couple of days after the sailings and ability to book were released. The Tunnel is costing £161 return (just checked, I thought we paid £120, dated 28/12/2017). Dover ferries were £130. Are you sure about those tunnel prices? seem excessive, but then again it a late booking.... (we recently booked our summer holiday tunnel tx, £130 return) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thescrapman Posted June 10, 2018 Report Share Posted June 10, 2018 Have done tunnel in my to TR heavily loaded with LeMans paraphernalia and bugger all ground clearance (25mm I reckon) just insist you go down stairs, or in coach carriages. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thescrapman Posted June 10, 2018 Report Share Posted June 10, 2018 On 09/06/2018 at 9:16 PM, JohnD said: Disadvantage of tunnel is cost, plus your ticket is not transferable. On the ferries, pay a small premium ( used to be free) and you can get on the next ferry, with space. Useful if you are delayed, or arrive early. J. Tunnel tickets are changeable, I "delayed" one 3 times until I eventually used it. Also you can arrive up to 24 hours late and still get on, also up to 2 hours early. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnD Posted June 11, 2018 Report Share Posted June 11, 2018 Flexibility - you pays yer money, a lot of money, and makes yer choice: https://help.eurotunnel.com/hc/en-gb/articles/208549549-About-our-ticket-types prices, see: https://www.eurotunnel.com/book/FareFinder/(0) and work it out. I do my research first. Hagis may be in a special cae if he lives so close to Portsmouth, but again, those boats only go once (?twice) a day., wheras theres a ferry on Dover-Calais every twenty minutes or so. Eurotunnel ditto. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mjit Posted June 11, 2018 Report Share Posted June 11, 2018 I've been to Le Mans for the proper race every year since 2003, either in my lowered Spitfire or my friends much lower (and quicker!) TVR Tuscan S on a mix of Eurotunnel, the old Dover catermarans and Portsmouth/Le Havre ferries and never had any problems with either car on any crossing. Eurotunnel - low cars will get sent to the lower deck on the train so you just have to get over a ~10cm hump. Ferries - the loaders have always been more than happy to jump in front of anything low and stop them while they arrange blocks to get them on safely - for them your car is much more interesting to look at than another fecking Qashqai! If you do go Eurotunnel I can recommend the following route, which is much more about enjoying the journey on good driving roads than sitting on boring motorways and getting there ASAP. It's the one we always use - and will be using the day after tomorrow! From the Eurotunnel point your satnav at Airaines, on the D901 south of Abbieville. You'll be on the A16 to start but the Pais du Calais is a shiz-hole so you just want to get the hell out of Dodge. Switch your satnav to avoid motorways and toll roads at this point (or it will keep trying to drag you back on to the dull roads), then point it at Marseille-en-Beauvaisis, again on the D901. When you've passed through Grandvilliers re-point your satnav at Les Andelys, which should get you heading out of M-en-B on the D930 towards Gournay-en-Bray. In Les Andelys point your satnav at Bouafles, just a couple of miles out of town on the D313 (but gets you on the more interesting road to the next waypoint). Next point the satnav at Evreux. Evreux seems to go on forever, so you have plenty of time to update your satnav to L'Aigle on the D830. From here it's Bonnetable via the D830, D912, D938, and D301. From here you're only 20 miles from Le Mans so can point the satnav at (I think for Tetre Rouge campsite) the main entrance to the circuit, picking a route that brings you in to Le Mans on the D20BIS (left turn 10 miles after Bonnetable). Ignore the signs and just follow the satnav and you'll miss most of the traffic. We usually take a 6:50AM Eurotunnel which means we get to Les Andelys between 11:30 and 12:00 and stop for lunch (keep going past the cathedral and you come to a large car park square on the RHS with a reasonable brasserie and a few boulangeries that do sandwiches, which you can take down and eat sat on the bankes of the Saine). Depending how long we take over lunch we then get to Le Mans about 16:00, which is perfect to set up the tents and head out to the supermarket for supplies, get back and cook dinner, then head out for the Wednesday night qualifing session. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnD Posted June 11, 2018 Report Share Posted June 11, 2018 I haven't traced your route fully, Mjit, but agree with the road through Les Andelys. Gorgeous country. Just checked on Google Earth ands see that across the river Seine from LA is what looks like a Renault test centre, Abuvoye, four different circuits, a bit like MIRA. This site https://translate.google.co.uk/translate?hl=en&sl=fr&u=http://group.renault.com/actualites/blog-renault/aubevoye-souffle-sa-30e-bougie/&prev=search says it's been there 30 years, but I didn't notoce it last time I came through. Anyone know any Renault execs? A cicuit you can visit, any time, is some distance from there, Reims-Gueux, where the old grandstand and pits still exist: http://www.amis-du-circuit-de-gueux.fr/-Accueil- but Rouen-Les-Essarts has as much Grands Prix history if not surviving buildngs, and that is less than twenty miles from LA, almost on the straight line to Le Mans outside Rouen. Here's how to find it, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rouen-Les-Essarts (there are better sites, but in Dutch! Google it and use translate) and lap in SofS, the last I was there: JOhn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mjit Posted June 12, 2018 Report Share Posted June 12, 2018 Not that my focus isn't really on work today or anything T-18.5hrs... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnD Posted June 12, 2018 Report Share Posted June 12, 2018 Red dot marks Rouen-Les Essarts Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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