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Club Sport Sold


JezHill

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Well - she’s gone and there’s no going back now.

 

I miss the old beast but I bought her to drive her and there was no fun in letting her sit in the garage. A two-seater car, a baby and one day off a week just don’t mix.

 

She was totally reliable, and what a fantastic car to drive. I hope that the new owner appreciates her as much as I did. I don’t know if he has joined this site, but I hope he does.

 

There really is nothing negative I can say about the CS, but there were a few negative comments from others. Every one is entitled to their opinion, hence the banter on here, and some people did not ‘get’ the CS. I think the principle of light weight is sound but I guess people felt it was more marketing than substance. When I got round to it, she weighed in at a wopping 19 stone less than a standard specced up 3.2.

 

Some thought that a CS was not "worth" twice the cost of a standard 3.2 when I bought it. If you want to consider value then that argument did not hold water. In the end originality is essential, as with any other classic car.

 

The only thing that cheers me up right now, is my plans for the future.

 

My dad was responsible for my obsession with cars. He took me to the Under 17s Car Club for 5 years. We raced together in the late 80s with the Slick 50s saloon car championship and we did loads of track days with his 2.8 Capri and whatever company car I was driving at the time.

 

He died in 2001 and left me £24,000. It was given on the basis that I would “just enjoy itâ€. I knew what he meant which is why I immediately bought a Caterham before later selling it and changing to the CS. I went for low depreciation cars as I did not want to waste the money and lose 50% of it in 5 minutes on some Impreza etc. I now need to hold him to that proviso so I wont be just sticking the money from the CS in some bond.

 

The problem with the CS was that I wanted to track it, but it was an 18 year old car, so I did not red line it or enjoy it to its full. The thought of damaging it stopped me from enjoying it. So I ended up driving it on the road only when a special occasion came up - and that was not very often.

 

There is no rush, but I shall soon be in the market for one of these.

 

r400.jpg

 

I wont even bother to drive, insure, or tax it for the road. It will sit on a trailer in the garage.

 

Then every now and then when I need a blast, I will take a day off work and do a track day. 0-60 in 3.8 and 140mph will do me. Cheapest track day toy to run, by far. With the money saved I’m going to do the great circuits like Spa, the ‘ring and Magny-Cours.

 

So one day, I hope to see you at a track day soon. :cool:

Edited by JezHill
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Fingers crossed I am doing Spa and Magny Cours in 2008, hope we can do them together bro. You'll be an IBer whatever you drive.

 

We will sort you out a pax seat for Classic Le Mans also, your Dad would surely approve of that and everything else you have done with your legacy thus far. We'll drink to him in the grandstands while we watch the GT40s, 934s and 935s do their night practice. Think of this as an order rather than a suggestion ;)

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Those are very kind words John.

 

With regards to staying an IBer "you can take the man out of the pork, but you can't take the pork out of the man" - at least that was what Andy Tims told me when he was discussing his gay porn collection. :whistling:

 

I am still very much up for the Classic next year. Cant wait.

Edited by JezHill
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The problem with the CS was that I wanted to track it, but it was an 18 year old car, so I did not red line it or enjoy it to its full. The thought of damaging it stopped me from enjoying it. So I ended up driving it on the road only when a special occasion came up - and that was not very often.

Jez yours was a great car and a credit too you, was it purely your mind set re damaging the CS i.e. tracking/red lining the car which stopped your enjoyment.

I have read posts where the CS has been tracked occasionally and they coped very well and are in exceptional original condition. Or is there an issue with the age of the car and capability?

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Digger,

 

It definately was my mindset, rather than the ability of the car to cope with trackdays. Many other people track their 911s and they are built to last. I've watched Nick Mason thrash the arrrr5e out of his Ferrari 250GTO and that is much older than the CS.

 

However, because I was tracking a car where there were only 52 left I felt an obligation not to crash it ! Originality is so important to these cars that damage of any sort would have seriously affected its value.

 

To put it in context in 2003 a Range Rover pulled out in front of me whilst I was in my Caterham. I went into a bank to avoid it necessitating a complete new chassis. That actually increased its value as it is a kit car. The same would not be the same for the CS !

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Jez, sorry to hear the CS has gone mate, but I can see your reasoning, and it is great that you are getting joy out of the money you were left, and your fulfilling your dad's wish to the max - he would be proud mate.

 

Rich

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However, because I was tracking a car where there were only 52 left I felt an obligation not to crash it ! Originality is so important to these cars that damage of any sort would have seriously affected its value.

Know exactly what you mean Jez

This is how I felt about tracking my 993 Turbo S

It was insured so it wasn't about cost, more that you are potentially destroying something with provenance

 

I'm much happier ragging the 4rse out of my standard 3.2 safe in the knowledge that if I do total it, its not going to be missed

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