FXD at Le Mans Classic 2010

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John Clarke
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FXD at Le Mans Classic 2010

Post by John Clarke »

This weekend FXD 280 returns to Le Mans for the first time in 71 years. This Morgan 4-4 famously competed in the 1938 and 1939 Le Mans races finishing 13th and 15th overall respectively.

After a meticulous rebuild by Techniques, FXD will be driven by Leigh Sebba, Tony Lees and Richard Plant. This will be the cars first race since the rebuild - what a place to start!!
Image
FXD nearing completion at its initial shakedown at Bedford Autodrome 29 March 2010

If you want to follow the progress of FXD, I will try and post details here as and when it happens.

The time table for FXD is as follows, in French time, 1 hour ahead of UK time.

Fri 9th July ‘Day’ qualifying 18.40 – 19.25
Sat 10th July ‘Night’ qualifying 1.10 – 1.45

Sat 10th July Race One 21.13 – 22.07
Sun 11th July Race Two 5.11 – 6.05
Sun 11th July Race Three 13.35 – 14.33

The results for each race are given as scratch and handicap. The handicaps are worked out taking into account the year of manufacture and the size of the engine. At the end of the event an overall result is given for both scratch and handicap.

In addition, the cars are collated into teams. One car from each of 6 grids make up a team. Again, the combined results for the 6 cars are calculated with awards given to the team that covers the greatest distance and, taking into account the handicap of each car. FXD is in Team 3 and is joined by Mark Hoble’s TR2, Adrian Van Der Krofts Morgan +4 (XOV), a Porsche 904/6, a Ford GT40 and a BMW 3.0CSL. I hope this all makes sense.

Bon chance mes amis!
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Re: FXD at Le Mans Classic 2010

Post by John Clarke »

Note (edited) from Richard received to-day via iPhone

Arrived safely but very very very hot!!! Never seen the temp guage so
high on the Plus 8 whilst driving down yesterday. All good and ready to go - the car (FXD) has gone through
scrutineering.


Looks like it is going to be a very hot weekend for everyone down at La Sarthe
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Re: FXD at Le Mans Classic 2010

Post by Tim Hill »

Will Radio Le Mans be on air to cover this significant event or is our intrepid reporter Mr Bob Bull going to keep us informed via the 3 Counties Radio podcast? (No doubt he will be scoffing the hospitality at Silverstone rather than being with the real fans of Motorsport at La Sarthe)

Bon chance mes amis

Tim
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Re: FXD at Le Mans Classic 2010

Post by John Clarke »

Hi Tim

Looks like you are correct, Radio Le Mans is here http://rlm.0157.org/

I know Bob has a reporting gig at Silverstone this w/e. I will also be there cheering on the McClarens (Bob is a Ferrari man) but hope to get text's and emails from the FXD Team throughout the w/e to update this string.

john
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Re: FXD at Le Mans Classic 2010

Post by TonyLees »

Blimey it ain't half hot mum!
Off to qualifying in about an hour.
Car looking fabulous
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Re: FXD at Le Mans Classic 2010

Post by John Clarke »

Tony, good to see you can access BHP from foreign lands. Easier than texting. Look forward to hearing how you got on.
Radio Le Mans is now live - you can at least listen to the cars zoom by!!!

Bon chance mon brave!!

john
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Re: FXD at Le Mans Classic 2010

Post by Chris Acklam »

TonyLees wrote:Blimey it ain't half hot mum!
Told you! 37C in Bordeaux last week. Just as well you have a super lightweight race suit ;=)

Have a great time everyone.
Chris
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Re: FXD at Le Mans Classic 2010

Post by chas windridge »

Good luck to all you boys at Le Mans.
Seems the weather there is the same as Spa last weekend, - 37 c with 50 c track temp ! Hottest day in the area since 1974. At least you have some "airflow" and are not in a mobile sauna/TWR Bastos Rover !!
Chas
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Re: FXD at Le Mans Classic 2010

Post by John Clarke »

Update from Leigh - FXD finished practise 1 successfully completing 4 laps. The session was cut short so only Richard and Leigh managed to do a couple of laps. Leigh reports small vibration, hopefully can be sorted before the night practice.

The LMC org are posting results although Grid 1 still silent.http://www.lemansclassic.com/en/results Results for the other Mog +4s are Keith (TOK) 5.30.466; John E 5.49.218 and Adrian (XOV) 5.46.750. John E suffered a rocker shaft fracture - hopefully damage is limited but we'll have to wait and see.
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Re: FXD at Le Mans Classic 2010

Post by TonyLees »

Yes a tad annoying to have a shorter session so I missed daytime practice by 1 minute! Night practice went vey well and I got three laps in! John embersons car now fixed and looked and sounded great last night.
Off to track soon for start. Lightweight racesuits at the stand 21 shop v tempting :-)
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Re: FXD at Le Mans Classic 2010

Post by John Clarke »

I managed to speak to Tony earlier - it was still 25 degrees at 1.10am - the start of night practice.

The results given by the LMC people are incomprehensible, so perhaps best to ignore the time for the +4s stated earlier. Tony reckons FXD was doing about 8.00 minute laps contrary to the published figure of 6.05. Perhaps someone cleverer than I can point out how to interpret the results??? Tony reckons FXD is due to start on row 24 - I guess qualified 47th or 48th. This is excellent in a 69 car field.

The boys now have about 1 hour to wait to their 1st race - due 9.13pm French time. The track should just be getting dark around this time - so lights on guys. Leigh and Tony are due to start.

Good luck all

The first races have been completed for the +4s; Adrian finished 10th in Grid 3 and Keith and John 14th and 25th respectively in Grid 4.
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Re: FXD at Le Mans Classic 2010

Post by John Clarke »

Message from Brian

FXD completed first race! Up into 35th place from 48th. Fastest lap 7.45 - Tony. Completed 6 laps total. Everyone happy!


Looks like everything on track. Due to the size of the circuit, FXD can only do 6 laps in each session so maximium achievable during the event is 18 laps. FXD is right on course for an excellent finish.
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Re: FXD at Le Mans Classic 2010

Post by Leigh Sebba »

Too exhausted to get to London office and e mails not working through remote connection – so will try to give some update. Sorry – meant to update over w/e but it was SO hot. The results are now on link above – numerous cars got penalties. I was amazed the number of cars that overtook on the pace car green flag lap, and a number were below the min time for pit stops.

FXD ran like clockwork and finished well up with Tony & Richard lapping around the times achieved by John’s car. Not got the lap charts here.

They did the bulk of the laps while I did two of the starts (including a serious sprint across the track) and then a couple of laps each time. Apart from the ‘wobbly wheel’ the only problems (or the only ones I knew about) were the starter pull knob ‘came away in Tony’s hand’ – and – the horn stopped working (quite important for getting through the paddock). Besides Brian nursing his ‘baby’ we had great help from family Lees, William Plant (Saxo racer !) and my daughter Tamsin who dutifully taught at school all day Friday and arrived 2.00 am Saturday (just after our night practice !)

Out of 68 cars we were 6th on h’cap and 21st on scratch

The Morgan’s arch rival from 1939 and 2008, a Simca saloon driven by an ex F1 driver Jean Pierre Jaussaud seemed to expire most races just opposite our hotel Arbor
We also had the usual Morgan enthusiasts around the circuit and in particular outside our Hotel Arbor on the Mulsanne Straight for a friendly wave day or night.

John Emberson +4 WON OUTRIGHT on index and went home with a very large trophy to plant geraniums in.

Adrian vd K in XOV was also 6th on h’cap and 11th on scratch..

Keith in TOK regrettably had a mishap (or had a mishap caused to him – I don’t know the details) in the night and dnf – but was propping up the hotel bar on Sun eve looking forward to Silverstone Classic.

The 1952 Spanish entered flat rad did not start.

The two well known Mog challenge racers who had entered in a strange saloon car retired with mechanical problems after Race 1, but as this was their first time no doubt they will return (or perhaps vow never again).

Mog racer Mark Hoble was out as usual in TR2 and was 10th on h’cap.

Our Team 3 were fairly close in for a team prize again with FXD, TOK, and Mark Hoble positions, but rather let down by the cars in the faster grids not doing so well. As it was we were 6th overall team on handicap.

Anyway – must get back to the washing machine – everything thickly covered in dust.
Thanks again for John for creating this mad idea, and to Brian and Techniques for implementing, and to all ‘the team’.
Leigh

:D :) :lol:

PS Four Morgan children's entries in Little Big Mans all ran well - as usual Keith was there on the start grid to give them a few tips !
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Re: FXD at Le Mans Classic 2010

Post by Leigh Sebba »

Sorry near end should read

Our Team 3 were fairly close in for a team prize again with FXD, XOV, and Mark Hoble positions...........
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Re: FXD at Le Mans Classic 2010

Post by TonyLees »

A truly fab weekend. Thanks so much to the techniques team =D> and for Leigh for inviting me to drive it!
I deny the starter knob was me [-X but I did keep bashing the horn button at the dunlop curves :shock:
I admit to the extra 100rpm :)
a la prochaine =D>
Tony
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