Rally Festival Trasmeira 2019

[john]

Frederic and I arrived here very late on Wednesday.
Mel, John(s) and Carol I can see now exactly what you love about this place.
It's just such a brilliant friendly atmosphere, well organized and fantastic fun.
We have made a few rookie mistakes like missing the pre event group photo and by and large we are quite unprepared but that's not spoiling anything.
Thursday nights shakedown stage was a bit of a disaster as it started to rain heavily after we had left the Adelma service area and we were on dry tyres.
Yesterday was much better. Went out early to drive the two stages and glad we did.
Completed them both without incident and the only thing we were blown away by was the crowds. Immense! Had great fun and managed a little spectating too.
Todays SIX stages are a different matter as we have absolutely no recce other than the Youtube videos Mel gave me links to. Should be interesting. But we are here for the fun and the experience so will just drive it as we see it.

[Stratie.fr]

It’s a great event indeed in a lovely location and nice people...only a pity there is much rain here than in England at the moment!
Sandro is happy like us but a bit cold and wet on the roof so we put him inside on dashboard ;)

[ProtoTipo]

Frederic/John,
Keep it on the black stuff.

[Fingers]

Fantastic, sounds like a great event to be involved in. Nice pictures. Looking forward to more updates.

[Normb666]

Now that last pic of you two leaning together on the car reminds me of a photo of Wham! from the 80s, but with a bit less hair. Or maybe I dreamt it? (nightmare!!) Anyway, for God's sake don't start singing or they'll throw you out, but you can probably use the pic for your latest album cover :)

[john]

That's been said before Norm. I have an uncanny resemblance to George Michael.
Anyway, Frederic has done brilliantly this morning to complete six stages with absolutely no recce and no help from me. We survived one slide into a hairpin stopping just short of the rock face and had one little kiss of the wooden barriers on the way up somewhere (don't ask me to remember it's just a blur).
We haven't dropped a single minute to anyone on the stage itself, nor have we had to overtake, but Frederic has done so well.
Two more to survive this afternoon. Forecast is good so we may even put the dry tyres on now.
So lunch now

[john]

Drys now fitted. The forecast is good.

[john]

Well, sadly, twas not to be.
We've gone out at the end of the penultimate stage, Hermosa. It was hellish rough in places and the car has developed a big misfire.
Plenty of fuel but it's got to be ignition or worse still cam timing. Let's hope for the best.
Loaded up and ready for home already. But the party is just starting.

[Normb666]

Well done Frederic and John... or is it George and Andrew? So hard to tell :)

Glad you're having a good time and keeping the Stratos (shape!) in the public eye!

John, I know all about this celebrity mistake thing. I'm supposed to look like George Clooney....from the back. And 100 yards away. When it's really foggy ;)

[Stratie.fr]

Finally Sandro didn’t get lucky to us...first time I drove in rally with a Teddy bear and my first DNF! :(
I liked all stages excepted Hermosa penultimate one where my engine or ignition were damaged with plenty potholes and stones on roads worse than in Morocco rally or Safari ones!
It’s a pity with plenty cars damaged on here like one original Delta S4!!
Next year I have to come back with an assault tank maybe!:mad:

[Stratos Fear]

Tough luck Frederic - better luck next time !

[Stratie.fr]

Tough luck Frederic - better luck next time !

Thank you Peter
Hope so...Sorry to have no enough time for chatting with you at AGM but you seemed a bit busy at the moment! ;)
See you next time!

[Lancialulu]

Tough luck Frederic.

maybe something simple like the throttle position sensor connector?? I remember that this happened before at Albi track?!

[Stratie.fr]

Tough luck Frederic.

maybe something simple like the throttle position sensor connector?? I remember that this happened before at Albi track?!

I thought that It’s was same problem and we tried to remove and reconnect again this sensor but issue wasn’t sorted out...We are afraid it’s cam belt or ECU issue at last!

Will see that soon with my mechanics!

[john]

A few photos sent to Frederic from Trasmeira Facebook friends. Thank you all!

[Stratie.fr]

1479614795A few more with impressive crowd and also Fiat X1/9 of our French mates Yohan & Jeremy!

[Stratie.fr]

Here two 1479714798Sister cars :)
Yohan and Jeremy from Vosges rebuilt this nice X1/9 Martini powered with an Honda vtec engine!
They would like get one Strat in the future! ;)

[Normb666]

In the first picture, I particularly like the security feature of the guard dog chained to the Stratos. Most people would take one look and run away screaming.... :) You must get a hefty insurance discount for that, surely? ;)

[john]

Grrrrrrrrrrr.

[Lancialulu]

Do x1/9s benefit from such a dinner table ??? spose its hand to put the beers and bagette sandwich.

[john]

Dallara replica, I guess?

[Stratie.fr]

Do x1/9s benefit from such a dinner table ??? spose its hand to put the beers and bagette sandwich.

For sure it’s very convenient for breakfast and lunch between rally stages!:D