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Fantastic pics Jon ..... hadn't realised quite how much I'd missed there in the crowds on Sunday. Will, definitely go Friday next year. Maybe next year you could get some of the sounds as well?? Standing at the start line or paddock assembly area it was as much about the noise as the eye candy. B) Mike

Got a family wedding and stuff on the Fri/Sat but a couple of us are getting out of the hotel early to be there on the Sunday. I'll be in the truck so no doubt scorned by the Lotifosi - but nobody knows what you came in once you're inside ! Anybody else going Sunday??

Great pics Martyn. Agree the Essex was stunning - as were most of the Loti there. You concentrated on the North Kent pitch. Here's a couple from the Surrey and main Club Lotus area on the next plot. My S3, a very tidy SE and a lovely V8 in the background The Surrey Area Chairman's rather special Elite Series 2 The only Sunbeam red since the 80's (v nice but I prefer the black and silver original!) .... and my Carlton in the background Mike

Yeh...got there and parked up by about 7. Saw Ashley's first and thought the "other" red GT3 was yours Jon despite having sat behind you for an hour or so on the M40 last week (ooops - where did I put those specs). I thought the NMY V8 that Lipscomb had there looked good if a bit pricey! Watched a couple of track sessions and toured the car park by 8 and couldn't persuade my "guests" that those burgers looked like good food - and I guess I'd pushed my luck with the weather and specialist nature of the event (!) - so we left about 8:15 to get some posh nosh. Sorry to have missed you guys. Next time maybe. Mike

As I understand it the only cars allowed in the park have had to be pre-booked in by clubs or individuals (closing date 16/6). There will be the three Lotus "club" areas as you say, but I wasn't aware that they would be moving into the ring at various times. I've been approached today to take my Carlton there so it looks like I'm in for the day. At least the forecast looks hopeful so it should be a good one. Mike

Of course .....I think all Loti are to be parked up on the main through route so I guess I'll see ya there...

Yes had a great Sunday thanks fishy....tried to post a couple of pics on the Supercar thread but got my knickers in a twist as usual. Horrible hold up on M25 at J9 where you left but I just came off too and went sceninc on the A25. Thanks again for the pass. See ya next Sunday or Monday to buy you that beer! Mike

The Bromley Pageant of Motoring is next Sunday (25th) - the day before the Brands Hatch Barby. Its generally attracts hundreds of interesting cars from a few of the Supercars we saw last Sunday at Gayden to a Harley Davidson Hearse outfit and other weird stuff. Club Lotus are involved in 3 pitches, but I'm not sure which cars they will be featuring. Entrance is

I'm going (already signed up on SELOC)...but in the Carlton not the Esprit cos we've got my bro-in-law staying and have to feed him too...so I need 3 seats! May see you guys there...looks like it could be good. Mike

I was talking to a guy on Sunday who claimed his boss had been fined

Had a great day - some awesome cars - most of them Loti.... Some pics below Thanks for the pass Fishy...I still owe you that beer! As suspected decided not to keep up with Mike and Jono once we hit the camera stretch!

OK Mike - Have had a new map ref from Robin closer to Leatherhead turn! Have also just seen that the appointed hour has moved fwd to 08:00. Will be there.......just hope 'there' is the same 'there', where you will be! Cheers Mike

Hopefully its J5 (Nr Sevenoaks) .....that was the map ref he sent anyway! Mike

Hi Mike Have exchanged PMs with Fishy and am on a promise of his pass.....so yes pls, I'll meet up with you at the place near J5. Rgds Mike

167 & 168 1. Mike 2. 1986 Turbo Esprit (Giugiaro) 3. +1 (Fran) 4. B&B 5. Bromley, Kent

Sorry, date conflicts with the National Rally Day at Castle Combe. Will be at CC supporting the Sunbeam Lotus boys celebrating their 1,3,4 in the RAC 25years ago. About 40 SLs are due to show up as a special tribute. Some rivalry with the Ford Escorts who won the overall championship.... And there's all of the rally cars from every other era too! Shame - I like Paul Matty's place, but will be up there anyway in December for the next Elan service.... Have fun.

I bought the attached shot from Jim Gaisford (Professional Photographer) - not sure how to attach so hope it worked. As always he got some mega shots and has captured something of the conditions - spot the droplets off the front wheel! So not an obvious track day success....but I still really enjoyed it. Got in a good quick dry run early on. Really struggled first time in the wet cos I still had the tyres pumped for a dry track - Oooops! Got back some measure of control once I'd let the tyres down again. The rain spoilt the car park tour - spent my downtime in the cafe - so I missed meeting as many people. But still a great day. I'll be back....

Yeh, that guy actually owned two of the beasts - a long story around "stolen recovery" ! He was really quick - got round Combe in 1min12s (before the chicanes were put in) which was about 15secs quicker than me in the Turbo S3. I took my Carlton round a couple of years later after the chicanes were put in and couldn't get near him, but was still 5 secs quicker than my own post chicanes Esprit time. Trouble was the brakes were finished after 6 laps....the fluid boiled.....and I warped my discs. It obviously goes, it handles really well given saloon weight, and its stops OK but it isnt really up to track action - at least not with the standard AP Competition brake set up that they were built with. Still has a huge grin factor as standard though!

I'll be there too. Haven't missed for 15 years. Its a mega day just in the car park and the track time is the icing on the cake. Will be travelling down on Friday evening to allow an early start.

I think you'll find that most 4x2 and 2x4 plates (like 6862 KM or KM 6862) will be well over

Maybe enough's been said on this by now, but since I'd like to take the opportunity to thank a few people I'll ramble on to establish some more weight on the positive feedback for this show. First thanks to Alan and the Club Lotus team for what I thought was a greatly improved show on 2005 (hall properly full this year, more trade stands, more club stands). Also thanks to all the other organisers (like paul c, howard, oneshot, kato, bibs from LEF/LEW on Sunday; and the Lotus Elan Central crew on Saturday). Setting stuff up is always a pain in the butt and hugely time consuming and I for one am really grateful to anyone willing to do it all for me to simply turn up and take advantage of. I think the car park is a big feature of the show - so please do keep up the good works in getting those line ups in place. I've had my G car for 16 years and been to many CL events at Stonleigh and Donnington since then. For habituees they could be viewed as all a bit samey but like most things they're what you make them. It was great to meet up with the Sunbeam Lotus guys; The Autobahnstormers; some of the guys from Sinclaires and some from Paul Matty's. My wife and I wandered out for the 12oclock LEF happy snap, but (being as reserved as some others have stated here) didn't, this time, find the right opportunity to say hello to any from LEF. So what? I certainly could have, there were lots of smiling faces around us. Anyway, I had a great time, saw some great cars, had some laughs, caught up with some old friends and contacts, picked up some spares, and got invited to two other car events (non-Lotus specific) to look forward to over the next couple of months. How good does it have to get to warrant a tank of petrol and

I bought my '86 Turbo with 14678 on the clock. Its now at 64k so I've done 50k but its taken me 15 years to get there!

Maclaren F1

One of the advantages of reaching old fartdom is that you can look back on a list that is long ... and mostly enjoyable ... In order of purchase from the beginning of time (1975) 1972 Ford Escort 8CWT (customised!) 1971 Triumph GT6 MkIII 1971 Ford Capri 3.0L GTXLR 1971 Mini 1000 1967 MG Midget 1974 Mini Clubman 1976 Lightspeed Magenta (Kit Car) 1978 Fiat X1/9 1975 Triumph Dolomite Sprint 1978 MG Midget 1972 Mini 1275GT 1981 Ford Escort XR3 1986 Ford Escort RS Turbo Series 1 1984 VW Golf 1.3CL 1986 Lotus Turbo Esprit S3 - 1990 at this point - part 1 ambition achieved 1987 Peugeut 205 1.6GTi 1983 Jeep CJ7 Renegade 1987 BMW 320iSE (E30) 1991 BMW 320iSE (E36) 1990 VW Polo 1.3CL 1993 Lotus Carlton - 1999 and a new dream to get a Lotus for every occasion 1980 Lotus Sunbeam 1994 Lotus M100 Elan S2 B) 2003 - done it!!!! ...and Bikes 1987 Kawasaki KMX125 1991 Honda VFR750FL 1997 Honda VTR1000FV Firestorm 2001 Honda VTR1000SP1 ...and I still have all four Loti and the SP1 ...but the Sunbeam is up for sale if anyone wants it! Its great fun on its day, ..... but not if its your daily runner hot hatch shopping car.