1973 Ray Elder Dodge Charger back on its wheels

I got news from "the other" Oly Dodge. One of Ray Elder's former Charger is freshly back from its restoration and was brought by owner Doug Schultz to the Monetrey Historics this August. Elder raced this very Dodge in the early 1970s and won his second Riverside, the 400 International on June 18, 1972, in it.

A833 purple stripe 4 speed rebuild: disassembly on bench

It is now time to start the rebuild of the Dodge's transmission for our next race at Le Castellet in October. The first step that I did today was the complete disassembly and inspection of parts. This A833 is a very race race-only unit with an aluminium main case and an aluminium tailhousing that has no tachdrice provision! Here are the pictures of what I found.

Oly Express in the Media @ LMC10: Part 2

The big, loud and fast Dodge Charger is also featured on the excellent french website Arthomobiles. You should explore Arthomobiles, as their pictures of Le Mans Classic 2010 are really excellent and well documented! Plus, there are also pictures of the people who make the cars run and the whole great event happen!

LMC10 Team Canteen: Hauptsach' gudd gess

As we say in my home country Saarland, a terrible day is not that bad if you have eaten well. So that is what Isabelle put in practice by organising the Oly Express Team Canteen. Hot meals were served for the crews of our Dodge and the Osella prototype that raced also in Grid 6. So my special thanks for taking care of the crews well being go to Isabelle! It all tasted great, so despite our mechnical breakdown, the mood was good. Now imagine how phantastic the Cassoulet would have tasted, had we finished the race!

Midnight transmission rebuild trashfest in the pits

After one broken transmission on Friday, the crew swapped in the spare A833 red stripe for the Saturday race. Unfortunatly, this one did not last either! In a last effort, gathering all our strength and good faith, as well as some help from the Perspective Racing crew, we tried to rebuild one 4-speed from the two broken trannies. Despite courageous trying until the last minute of the five hours allowed by the Le Mans Classic rules to get the car back on its wheels, it just did not happen, because too many of the same parts were broken! Even though our race week-end was over on Sunday at 2 AM, I must congratulate the Oly Express crew for their team spirit. Now it is time to analyse the why and how and learn the lesson to make it better next time!

Oly Express in the Media @ Le Mans Classic 2010: Part 1

Despite our early fall-out of the racing action at Le Mans Classic, we still got some media coverage. As our Dodge Charger is a big favourite with the fans, it is also the like with the press. Here is a first selection of media apearences of our big Mopar at LMC10.

Le Blog Auto (F): best friday pictures from the track

Speed Fans by Evo (F): most impressive cars in Grid 6

Classic Auto (F): Le Mans Classic 2010 overview

Kabachir (GN): Friday at Le Mans Classic

Le Mans Classic 2010: We'll be back!

Despite strong team efforts to rebuild one good transmission out of the two that broke, we had to pull out of the Le Mans Classic race at 1.30 AM on Sunday. This was quite frustrating after having qualified well and that everything was in good shape and excellent mood until then! Le Mans, whether it is the modern 24 Hours or the Classic race, is absolutely unforgiving and punishes any lack of preparation, be it physical or mecanical, without remorse. So while we are licking our wounds, you can be sure that we will back in 2012! Until then, stay online for more about our 2010 Le Mans Classic race week-end.

Dodge Charger ready to roll at Le Mans Classic 2010

We took the opportunity to join the FIA GT3 testing day at Spa for a shakedown of our Charger prior to Le Mans Classic. Spa Francorchamps is not as fast as Le Mans, but offers good possibilities to check many things that happen at high speeds.

Le Mans Classic 2010: six grids, 69 teams, one race

As you all know, Le Mans Classic is spread in 6 classes by car period. They each alternate on the big Le Mans track during the Classic 24 Hours event. The classification is not by car but by team. Each team consists of six cars, whereas each car is from one different period. At the end of the race the total distance that each car of a given team has accomplished is added and this determines the overall ranking.

One final room left in Team Chateau for Le Mans Classic 2010

The Oly Express Team Chateau is almost sold out! We'll have fans from Switzerland, Austria, France, Germany and Australia joining us for the world's biggest vintage race!

La Claymore red to fuel Oly Express welcome party

We are happy to announce that we will serve La Claymore red Bordeaux from the Colombarié vinery during our welcome party at the Chateau on Thursday July 8th! Since none of our guest is going to drive after arrival, we will all be able some good French wine, cheese, jambon and saucisson!

Olympia Charger on the 1976 Le Mans track

Here is a neat little video from GT Legends that shows the Oly Express (not the right year body style, but nicvely done) on the 1976 Le Mans track. That can give us some impressions on how Hershel and Doug McGriff did their qualifying back in the day!

Rooms and tickets for Le Mans Classic 2010

 

You better hurry as out of 36 spots, only 11 are left for you to book. The single rooms are all gone! The budget priced packages are all gone! But we still have a nice one room appartment that can accomodate 3 people, one luxurious en-suite room at the Chateau for 1 or 2 and a two bedroom appartment for 2 to 4. To book contact me via e-mail or leave a comment here below.

Oly Express Le Mans 426 HEMI-Wedge V8

The Oly Express racing team is happy to announce that one of the two original engines of 1976 Le Mans campaign is now back with the team. Thanks to the efforts of Tom @ Rocket Resto, the 426 HEMI, that was converted to Wedge heads in its day, due to NASCAR rules, is now back home! Our plan is to restore it to its 1976 configuration. You can see a bit of the engine here in this picture from 1976 Le Mans garage action.

Oly Dodge on Danish Mopar Meet Flyer

Right in the trend of a new season of cruising and racing V8 iron about to go underway, the Danish Moparclub has issued the flyer to their yearly Mopar get together. Cool to see that it features our Oly Charger! Well, if there is enough interest from the event's sponsors, we may show up there and park it in front of the Oltelt (Beer tent, that is) !

MOPARSHOP racing with Oly Express in 2010

We are happy to announce that Germany's MOPARSHOP will continue to support Team Oly Express. As the racing schedule of our two car team is in its final planing steps, we can already be sure that the MOPARSHOP will insure perfect preparation and crew working for another season of HEMI 426 racing!

MOTUL to support Oly Express in 2010

We are very happy to announce that the Oly Express will again be able to rely on MOTUL's great lubricants. MOTUL will continue to support us for a fifth season in a row! Like their great products, MOTUL is a company that you can rely on.

Wir sprechen Deutsch im Chateau

As our nomination for the 5th edition of Le Mans Classic was confirmed and the racedate gets in sight, the chateau packages start to sell like hotcakes! Even though July 9-10-11, 2010 is still more than 6 month away, 16 packages have already been booked by fans and a raceteam from the german speaking countries of Europe (Germany, Austria and Switzerland). So what's up with y'all on the other side of the pond and down-under? You guys from the USA and AUS better hurry with your bookings or we will have to chage the chateau BBQ menu from Cheeseburgers to Schwenkbraten and Nürnberger Würstel!

Chateau lodging with the racing team at Le Mans Classic 2010

Here is a bit more on our program for you fans whi wish to join us for Le Mans Classic 2010. Next to real lodging in a real 13th century Chateau 10 miles south of the famous Le Mans 24 Hours track, here is what you can expect from July 8 afternoon to July 12 morning!

First half of the field selected for Le Mans Classic 2010

Promptly before Christmas, Peter Auto and the ACO selected about 180 competitors to fill 50% of the total available starting spots for Le Mans Classic 2010. Each of the 6 grids should have 60 firmly selected cars and 10 reserve cars that are to pull in the field if or when the first fall out of the qualifiyng or race. Here are those where the driver(s) is from the USA !