Nurburgring Trip

[the matt]

Right, first off, if a moderator would like to delete/move this then that's fine. I'm new to this site so don't want to offend by signing up and then plugging my own thread.

 

http://www.retrorun.co.uk

 

Basically, I help to organise an annual trip to the Nurburgring with a group of classic minis and "retro" cars. We've been previously a part of The Mini Forum (one of the forums that I help to run), but for various reasons I set up my own site for the run.

 

What we do:

Each year* we meet at Brands Hatch in Kent at 7am on a September morning, then we head over to Dover, get a ferry to Dunkirk, then drive to the 'ring. We stay at Camping Am Nurburgring, which is a great campsite right by the track. I'm not going to go into too much detail on here, as I've written all this guff several times over, but in short:

 

The run starts in Kent at 0700 on 05/09/12, we get back on 11/09/12, it starts here:

 

If you've got any age of classic mini or variant (Scamp, Moke, Mini Marcos, Van, Pick up etc) you're in.

If you've got a classic car, you're in.

It you've got a retro car (definition of "retro" in my eyes is something that was designed/released pre-1990)...you're in.

 

We don't allow things like chavvy Corsas, Seat Ibizas, Ford Focus STs, nothing new, all rust-ready old motors!

 

We charge £30 per run pack, for that you get a T-shirt, a pair of magnetic door plaques, a window sticker kit, I give £5 from each £30 to Macmillan and £5 goes towards firewood on the campsite (we deal with that when we get there, totally transparent, there's NO profit in the run for the organisers).

We also charge £20 per passenger run pack (T-shirt, £5 donation, £5 towards firewood).

 

We used to pay for ferries and camping, but got no group discounts for the ferries and have started doing payment upon arrival for camping. We have organised a discount for this, it's 11 euros per night as part of the run compared to their usual 13.

 

*Normally, we meet at Brands Hatch circuit, hand out the run packs etc. then head off in convoy. This year they're closed for an olympic event, so I've arranged for us to meet at Buckmore Park circuit in Kent instead. They're letting us do a parade lap before we set off, I've got a couple of photographers meeting us there and also a journo from a Mini mag to do a feature on the run.

 

I'll leave some piccies and a link to a video or two. We're known as the BH2N Retro Run, if you search You Tube or t'internet you'll see loads of stuff about us.

 

http://vimeo.com/35472324

 

http://www.justgiving.com/retrorun

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[SambaS]

Sounds great, I cant view the website as my phone is too slow so I have a few questions: How much is the ferry and how many miles is it from France to the ring (so I can work out petrol costs). What do you all do for insurance on the ring. And have you anything booked that isnt a Mini yet?

[Mr H Sceptre]

Right, first off, if a moderator would like to delete/move this then that's fine. I'm new to this site so don't want to offend by signing up and then plugging my own thread.

 

 

No problem with this thread - an event that is well worth plugging I'd say.

 

HS

 

(Autoshite so-called 'Management')

[the matt]

There's a few non-minis so far

 

We've got 4 or 5 Pug 205s

Maybe a Riley Elf (OK, still a Mini really)

A VW Polo (MK2)

My local VeeDub club are talking of coming too, probably 3-4 cars from there I think.

I think there's a guy in a MK2 Escort coming, but he's not signed up officially yet.

 

In 2009, we had 65 cars, only around 15 of them were Minis. This year, we've only got about 20 cars and there's probably over a dozen Minis already signed up

 

Oh, the ferry is about £60-70 normally. At the moment it's £70, but it does vary a little in cost.

[fiatdaft]

The ring is about 4 and a half hours from dunkirk,i usually go via lille though from dunkirk as you avoid the brussels ring road.As for insurance on the ring,there isn't any,so don't crash.

[SambaS]

Looking good this, are there any tolls? My Stepdad is Swiss and the tolls alone cost him near 100euros to get home. I'm now looking at the XR3 and thinking... It would need tax, insurance, a tyre, tracking, a good service and the carb tuning... Whereas the FSO is ready. And I've no confidence in the Ford lately

[cms206]

Looking good this, are there any tolls? My Stepdad is Swiss and the tolls alone cost him near 100euros to get home. I'm now looking at the XR3 and thinking... It would need tax, insurance, a tyre, tracking, a good service and the carb tuning... Whereas the FSO is ready. And I've no confidence in the Ford lately

 

 

A B-reg beige Polonez round the Nurburgring would, I think, mean that we could safely close Autoshite, knowing that this epic event would never be surpassed.

[the matt]

We don't go via any toll roads (well, other than the 'ring itself).

 

Did I mention the wasps? You gotta love the spunky little madams! We're a reasonable crowd, we look after each other, but we can't stop the wasps....spunky, reaaaal spunky.

 

The run itself is a great laugh, I'm into trying to show up "faster" cars on the roads, but I know the Mini aint at home on the 'ring, so I will be more into spectating this year....I'm going to take my camera if there is a Polonez going and make sure I get some good pics!

 

We have had a few tasty cars come along over the years, but I want it to all be about a bunch of Brits going over in a bunch of "you don't see them everyday" cars really. I only found this site off Retro Rides and the HBF Chumbawumbaly Castle stand thread...glad I found it now.

[the matt]

Oh, and as far as a route goes, does this link work?

http://g.co/maps/4qw7s [EDIT] lol, no it didn't work!

 

E42, E40, then drop off through Eupen after the wind turbines, then head over the hills and through the back of beyond.

 

I've been that way before, through a really nice national park in the Belgian/German borders. It's shorter distance, but slower speeds. E42/E40 is the normal way though. Plan for 450km (280 miles) from Dunkirk to Camp site.

 

It should take 4.5-5 hours, but I tend to mess around a bit, stop in a transit cafe, have a sausage or two, maybe take a dump. It's all gotta be allowed for.

[SambaS]

Wasps? oh God.

[SambaS]

well that's that settled then

A B-reg beige Polonez round the Nurburgring would, I think, mean that we could safely close Autoshite, knowing that this epic event would never be surpassed.

[the matt]

Oh, did I mention I'd prefer fancy dress for the meeting venue (Buckmore Park) if you're up for it. I figure 60's, 70's and 80's pop star clobber is an easy one.

[Shep Shepherd]

I did the 'ring in TV2 in 2009

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

Best way to the Ring is (if you live north of say Leicester) the Hull to Rotterdam ferry. It can be expensive at the wrong time, but if you can get a deal it's a very good route. Rotterdam - Arnhem - Venlo, across ze border, Monchen Gladbach and the end of the Autobahn at Blankenheim after which it's 25 mins of the 258 to Adenau. I've done it in under 3 hours before and you avoid the never ending tedium of Northern Belgium and appalling Belgian A and B roads.

 

I used to go to the Ring quite often but it's now a mega expensive potential nightmare. Too many idiots, bikers, track closures etc. Take your credit card and steel yourself for a £4000 bumming if you wipe out a bit of barrier.

[pompei]

Will James May be there?

[pompei]

Or, more to the point, can I book a ride with Sabrina? (fnaar fnaar)

[HillmanImp]

I went last year to the F1. We figured out that the quickest way for us was driving down to Dover, then the ferry to Calais, quick stop at the border to have a piss on the French soil, through Belgium and then a short drive into Germany. We thought about taking the GT6, the Saab or the 205 GTi but then thought again and took the 04 place CLK....

 

Depends on whether you want a massive piss up on the Hull to Rotterdam ferry. I am not sure if I am allowed on that after last time I was on although it was 13 years ago so they may have updated their records by now.

 

Whilst driving though Belgium score 10 points for spotting a car that is not monochrome. All cars are either white, grey or black. Saying that its not much better over here now but we must have only seen 4 or five cars with any distinctive colour in it.

[Alexg]

I've arranged for us to meet at Buckmore Park circuit in Kent instead. They're letting us do a parade lap before we set off, I've got a couple of photographers meeting us there and also a journo from a Mini mag to do a feature on the run.

 

Buckmore park is a karting circuit, it'll be a bit snug even for Minis

[the matt]

I've arranged for us to meet at Buckmore Park circuit in Kent instead. They're letting us do a parade lap before we set off, I've got a couple of photographers meeting us there and also a journo from a Mini mag to do a feature on the run.

 

Buckmore park is a karting circuit, it'll be a bit snug even for Minis

 

It's big enough for a parade lap:

Excuse the Eurotrash and JDM motors, but that's all we're doing, meeting there and doing a parade lap for the photographers. I've just chucked it in as a freeby for the runners as somewhere to meet up.

 

EDIT:

 

Current list of runners:

[list=]Kam (mini 2.0 VTEC)

The Matt (mini 1.6 16v) + passenger

Josh H(205 GTi)

Mike F (mini 1.4 K-Series) + passenger

Toby B (Polo MKII)

Ben H (205 XS) + passenger

Ben S (Mini Cooper)

Rick M (1970 Cooper S)

Joe M (1993 Mini)

Matt S (Mini 1293) + passenger

Ross M (Nova 5 dr Hatchback or Riley Elf)

James M (Mini 1275)

Aaron D (Mini 1293)

Paul P (Mini 1275)

David P(Mini 998)

Andy B and passenger (Mini, lovely clubby)

Sue and Graham (Mini Cooper)

Sam S (205 GTi MI-16 engine)

Sam H (205 GTi GTi-6 engine)

[eddyramrod]

Whilst driving though Belgium score 10 points for spotting a car that is not monochrome. All cars are either white, grey or black. Saying that its not much better over here now but we must have only seen 4 or five cars with any distinctive colour in it.

 

It's the same everywhere, isn't it? I find that pretty depressing, tbh. Of my last 6 rental cars, four have been shades of grey, and the other two were blue.

[the matt]

I think I forgot to add the link to the Facebook page, seeing as I'm not reeeeeally that good with IT stuffs:

 

http://www.facebook.com/#!/retrorun

[the matt]

1-Kam (mini)

2-The Matt (mini) + passenger

3-Lemmingzappa (205 GTi)

4-Mike174 (mini) + passenger

5-B-Shaw (Polo MKII)

6-Ben H (205 XS) + passenger

7-Ben S (Mini Cooper)

8-Rickmercs (1970 Cooper S)

9-Tahiti Joe (1993 Mini)

10-Stocky (Mini) + passenger

11-Minikidx14 (Nova 5 dr Hatchback or Riley Elf)

12-Ministar (Mini) + cheese

13-AaronD (Mini or Mazda Eunos)

14-Paul (Mini)

15-David (Mini)

16-Andy B and passenger (Mini, lovely clubby)

17-Che and Graham (Mini Cooper)

18-Steve and Karl (miniturbonutter + minikarlos) Beemer 8 series.

19-Reaper (from Bumpstart) another Mini.

20-Stig (car TBC)

21-Jamiestevenbell (mini) + passenger

 

Need more old retro cars and British motors on board!

[pocket.calculator]

Sounds absolutely brilliant. I did the 'Ring in my Avantime 3.0 a few years ago. More fun than balloons and ice cream, even.

[the matt]

On a par with balloons, but add ice cream into the mix and I'm not so sure.....

 

OK, what if I throw in some balloons AND an ice cream to anyone that signs up to the trip off this site using the following voucher code:

 

RING+BALL CREAM

 

Deal? lol