The definitive 16R thread

Hi folks, what an unbelievable forum...i have never seen so much enthusiasm for one marque in such a group! I am fortunate enough to be the new owner of 16R. Some of you met me briefly in Le Mans this year for what was my first major outing since buying the car late last year. Over the past year I've had an immense amount of work done on the car to bring it up to Mclaren standard and also had the fun of sharing it with those who saw us at Le Mans as well as experiencing it on track for the first time. I'd like to start a thread that captures as much of its history in one place and in return will happily keep you up to date with what's happening with the car. Right now for instance its back at woking having a new clutch fitted following a driver training session at Bruntingthorpe. We saw 195mph on the back straight, 185 mph with me at the wheel and 173 mph with Mrs 16R at the wheel (and a terrified Mr 16R in the passenger seat).

Of particular interest to me would be to see any pics anyone has of the Bigazzi transporter...a very long passenger ride is available to someone if you can help me actually find it!!!!

nice to meet you all...

16R

Hello and defenitely Welcome to the forum! :runaround:
So fantastic to see that the owners of these great cars have courage to write here. So really atleast here at Finland welcome to the forum!:smokin:

You asked the history of #16R, I have to tell the whole story for you; sorry not so perfect English and a bit longe one, hope it doesn't mind.

Anyway; atleast once I have been lucky to see GTR in Finland. It was #16R in December 1996 at Helsinki Motor Show. This is more than specluation, but one of the reasons why we had lucky to see it here was JJ Lehto's superb win in Le Mans previous year. That's why his name "LEHTO" has been writed on the side window. Clearly see that it's defenitely done there afterwards. And I think one of the reasons was to make endurance racing familar to the Finns, which were highly boomed by Mika Hakkinen's McLaren years that time.
I don't know who or what company brang #16R here, but defenitely very greatfull that they did it.
Hopely I can confirm this information to you later on. Hopely!

JJ was present there on the Motor Show, interviewed by Harri Ponttinen; who has lots of an experience of motorsport and reporting stuff. I remember JJ told details of the car and some details also of that Legendary win 1995. I was back then 16 years an old, so just can't remember too much about it, unfortunately!

Hopely you can get open the on link of my Kuvablog site, where I have collected those few photos what my father took when we were on the Show. I remember told him:
"This is allmoust same car what JJ won last year, not the same, but it's GTR McLaren. This is one of the most rarest cars on the show, so take the shots please!!!!"

So my father took the shots, fortunately they sucseeded enough well to have memories of it. I clearly remember the feeling when I saw it first time there, couldn't believe it was real and it was there!

About 2 years ago I singed up this Forum after seen from Youtube #18R clip from Frankfurt (it's in the #16R livery!), and the old spark fired up again. I solved the problem what GTR we had seen; thanks Greg, Erik, Le Man and others who had strengt to explain everythign word by word to me and figure out what car it was. Since then; I have always said this Forum is sensational!

Anyway; before you fall on sleep;
My Kuvablog website - 1996 McLaren F1 GTR #16R (http://kuvablogi.com/blog/1949/96/)
The last two pictures has been scaned by a premision from Vauhdin Maailma Magazine (Speed World) 1/1997 number; where was the story about the Show, and those two shots of #16R and JJ Lehto longside it. Harri Pontinen also took cold test drive of it.

Rest of the pictures you'll find on the Blog site, but this very one picture I want to add here. (Other ways; this is going to be too long post).
There is me standing behing the car, obviously still shocked I saw one!
http://kuvablogi.com/nayta/prev/img2436587.jpg

If you want these images with out my singature on the right side of the picture; please send me private message; I defenitely send these images to you by email, if you want them, 1024 sized of full, as you want. Also if you have anything to ask that Show;: free to ask!

Hopely this was usefull information to you about the history of #16R, what it did here in North and why.

Once again; welcome!:lol2:

Hi folks, what an unbelievable forum...i have never seen so much enthusiasm for one marque in such a group! I am fortunate enough to be the new owner of 16R. Some of you met me briefly in Le Mans this year for what was my first major outing since buying the car late last year. Over the past year I've had an immense amount of work done on the car to bring it up to Mclaren standard and also had the fun of sharing it with those who saw us at Le Mans as well as experiencing it on track for the first time. I'd like to start a thread that captures as much of its history in one place and in return will happily keep you up to date with what's happening with the car. Right now for instance its back at woking having a new clutch fitted following a driver training session at Bruntingthorpe. We saw 195mph on the back straight, 185 mph with me at the wheel and 173 mph with Mrs 16R at the wheel (and a terrified Mr 16R in the passenger seat).

Of particular interest to me would be to see any pics anyone has of the Bigazzi transporter...a very long passenger ride is available to someone if you can help me actually find it!!!!

nice to meet you all...

16R

:wave: Hi and welcome

It is refreshing to see another owner on here, and even more so one who owns an F1 that was owned by another valuable contributor on here, Mr Bridger. It's good to see #16R out and about, and that you use it so others can appreciate it.

I have only managed to find this [clickable] pic only so far

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v245/hurstg01/AF/th_untitled-1.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v245/hurstg01/AF/?action=view&current=untitled-1.jpg)

and I may be able to get my hands on more over the next week or so, as long as what I am hoping to obtain next week may be of value to you

Greg

Ps I have yet to find a more enthusiastic person on chassis #16R than Sami :)

Hello mister 16R !

I hope you remember me, at Le Mans, I was the excited who said you before park "I know C. P." and you answer me "yes, it's his car" :) Then, we speak on the parking about Goodwood and you were not invited by McLaren :( and on work on the car.

Thank you to register here and I hope to see you and your car again. It was marvellous 15 years after McLaren victory to see a GTR at Le Mans !

You will find some pics and histories on your car in these topics : http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=593482
http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=1019635

Phil

I made a registry which was launched on june 18th.

Alternatively here is a Bigazzi transporter

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v245/hurstg01/AF/th_1199736553_Renault-R-420-BMW-M-Team-Hensing-040705-01.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v245/hurstg01/AF/?action=view&current=1199736553_Renault-R-420-BMW-M-Team-Hensing-040705-01.jpg)

although, not by the looks of it, a Mclaren Bigazzi transporter

Sami, you're enthusiastic :)

Greg, you win a ride :)

Phil

I suspect andybee to come along soon with better shots :)

Welcome 16R, is there any chance you could update us on what has been done to the car in your ownership as I believe it was formerly looked after by Lanzante?

Yes good question :)

I feel when we talk at Le Mans that it left a lot of work on the car.

Phil

Welcome, it's really great to have another owner on board the forum.

I may be misunderstanding, but rather than just pictures of the transporter are you actually trying to track down the transporter itself?

16R always looked to be in good condtion?

Greg:
Yep, saw it in Finland. Could you believe. Here middle of nowhere, where Mika Hakkinen and Formula 1 was the hottest thing on the Earth.:smokin:
Of course it makes certain feeling of this specific chassis. Really hope to see #16R someday again and take some shots of it. :runaround:

As someone here know; I writed to the Lazante's and BMW Museum in Germany and asked if they could bring up their GTR's to the Helsinki Motor Sport Show in January. There has been no answers or anything about it. :banghead: So at the moment to see GTR again in Finland is impossible, I think.

Anyway;
Mr 16R; I just can not be asking this question;

What are you plans about the cars livery; are you going to keep it an Orange, or do you plan other things in to it?

And second question came in to my mind last night; what were you're knowledge of the #16R before you bought it?
Meaning that... how should I explain this.... Damn not so good in English.:banghead:

Let's dry it this way;
Did you followed GTR's back in 95-96' on the racetracks BPR GT series and got some "permanent traumas" like we all here have had those days?
What kind of relationship you had on the GTR McLarens before you found your self to own one?

Sorry if I ask too much or too personal questions, but it would be very nice to know, how you ended up to own this great racer.
Thansk for the answers and as you see; this forum is Sensational.!:smokin:

thanks all for the great pictures and comments so far. i bought the car direct from the seller. I had been looking for either a road car or GTR for quite some time. I was intending to buy the park lane car from RM Auctions in London before it went for very serious money (i know, its all serious money but that was double what was expected!). I was very disappointed to not get that car and figured that i had probably missed by chance. When the Lark car (13R) and 16R came on the market i looked into both and decided that i preferred the Le Mans history of 16R because Le Mans is a pilgrimage i have been making for around 20 years. I know Andy who owns 13R and i'm actually pretty jealous of how much he's been using it. We've been off the road a lot of the last year getting the car tip top.

What has been done...i dont have the invoices to hand but from the top of my head

New Tyres
Remount passenger seatbelt fittings
New fire extinguisher
New anniversary commemorative chassis plate
New drivers Seat covering (Orange leather inner, Black leather outer, daytona stripes)
Replace missing grills
Replace missing brake ducting
New fuel tanks
Major Service
ECU recalibration
Maclaren high speed aero and handling sign off
new fuel pumps
new fuel sender unit connectors
Road car battery installed
new windscreen (old one was delaminating)
new radiator

thats enough to be going on with!

So am i keeping it in its existing colours or "putting it back". for the moment i am enjoying it as it is. bizarrely the thing i really love about the current colour scheme is the orange cam covers...i dont want to lose that...and i think i've spent enough in the last 12 months without going looking for a little more expense right now...

that said, yes i would like to buy the original Le Mans transporter...(But not if its as big as the one in that picture, i would need to move house!!!!)

thanks again all!

Ok!:thumbsup:
Thanks for the details and history of your interest about the car, some reason I was very interested it how did you decided to get one. I have thought before that these kind of cars doesn't buy because it's fun, peoplle usually really know what they want and what they have after bought one. Nice to see I wasn't wrong.:)
It was great to know that you were looking for one long time, and you really know what you wanted.
And obviously you have clear plans of it on the future, fantastic!

May I ask, did those changes made by McLaren or someone else profesional company?

And the next question:
There was that #05R on the sale this summer, but it's not road legal, did you considered that one also?
I remember that #16R were sold before the #05R's auction, but if you had heard rumours about it, did you considered that att all?

And third question; you are not going to readd the roll a cage on the car? Atleast the ELMS clip (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QAXgTQ-31U0) of the #16R; clearly seen not have it.
have you any plans of that? :)

And I know what you mean those engine covers; atleast XP1 LM scale model they look suberp!
But I don't know would it be "a terrible injustice" to keep them, if you dicide to repaint the car on it's Le Mans 1996 livery or any other paint.
My opinnion is it isn't wrong to do, or would spoil anything of the car. Maybe it might look a bit weird to have an orange engine covers, but maybe we could think it's an honour to McLaren's history?
Am I totally wrong way now?:frown:

Hello Mr 16R, thanks for all these details, I hope you can use the car more next year :) At Le Mans ?

I remember to see for the first time the new plate on your car.
Can I ask you if you keep the original ?

Phil

PS : you can check the registry http://www.mclf1.com

Welcome to the forum Mr 16R. :thumbsup: We are a dedicated and enthusiastic group - thanks for the kind words. :)

I'm afraid I can't help any further than Greg already has with your quest for Bigazzi transporter content. Very few people seem to have turned their cameras in that direction for any of the transporters or bothered to share the photos if they did.

I must say that I'm quite pleased with your intentions to use the car in a similar fashion as Andy has been. Making the trip to LeMans in a car that actually raced there must have been a really special moment - and a hot and noisey one as well. ;)

Looking forward to all your future contributions. :sunglasse

>8^)
ER

One more thing, just so we are clear here.

If someone does manage to track down the transporter, they get a very long passenger ride in the GTR, right? Not the transporter? :lol2:

>8^)
ER

Thank you so much for contributing! :) I love 016R and have seen it numerous times. You picked up a stunning car. Enjoy her in good health!

Mr 16R do you have the old windscreen or did Mclaren keep it? If you have it, what would you take for it?

amazing!

I envy you 16R ;-)


Hopefully I'll see you one day at a meeting or car event?

Where are you located, me in The Netherlands and I travel whole Europe to see F1's :-)

Hi 16R,

I,ll add this pic of your GTR, showing a small portion of the Bigazzi trailer parked in the LeMans paddock.

http://img526.imageshack.us/img526/8078/28266713.th.png (http://img526.imageshack.us/i/28266713.png/)

Or if size is a problem, this one might solve the issue.

http://img691.imageshack.us/img691/7991/1zu87renaultae500magnum.th.jpg (http://img691.imageshack.us/i/1zu87renaultae500magnum.jpg/)

BTW I,m still AWOL (I,ll be back on the forum soon, time permitting)

i didnt know that 5R was coming up and in any event i wanted a car that i could use on the road. I have the original roll cage but will not put it in the car at the moment because it would just reduce its usability. The M700BHP plate was not mine, it came on the car and we have now transferred it back to the former owner. Its now just on a normal age related plate.

thanks for the trailer photos btw. I dont have the old windscreen it was retained by Mclaren. It was a good year to take the car to Le mans because it wasnt the hottest year on record but even so when stationary in traffic the fans kick in and push all that hot air through the car. Hence the number of photos of the car in traffic with the doors up. As noted elsewhere we were melting in there, but people get so much pleasure from taking the car there its hard to imagine ever going in anything else.

Interestingly the first time i actually saw a F1 myself was in the parking area by the main entrance to Le Mans. I remember my friends and i watching it drive away from us and thinking how great it was that someone would bring such a fantastic car and then park it in a field. 16R doesnt have the ground clearance to drive across a field...but apart from that we took it everywhere we could at Le Mans always to an amazing reception.

Hi 16R, I have a couple of questions for you. Firstly, has #016R's GTR-spec engine been de-restricted as part of the road conversion, and have the ECU fuelling and ignition curves been optimized to take advantage of this de-restriction? And if so, how much power and torque is your car currently producing, and has its' performance been measured against the stopwatch yet? Any plans to take it to a race track and see what it can do?

Also any photos of #016R that you'd be willing to share from your wonderful trip to Le Mans? They will be greatly appreciated.

Congratulations once again on your acquisition of such a fine example of the F1 GTR breed, and thanks for sharing your experiences with it with everyone here. Do continue to enjoy her in good health.

Best.

thanks for the trailer photos btw. I dont have the old windscreen it was retained by Mclaren. It was a good year to take the car to Le mans because it wasnt the hottest year on record but even so when stationary in traffic the fans kick in and push all that hot air through the car. Hence the number of photos of the car in traffic with the doors up. As noted elsewhere we were melting in there, but people get so much pleasure from taking the car there its hard to imagine ever going in anything else.

Interestingly the first time i actually saw a F1 myself was in the parking area by the main entrance to Le Mans. I remember my friends and i watching it drive away from us and thinking how great it was that someone would bring such a fantastic car and then park it in a field. 16R doesnt have the ground clearance to drive across a field...but apart from that we took it everywhere we could at Le Mans always to an amazing reception.

I totally agree. When I saw the door opened 100meters from me, I run and talk to you. It was surrealistic and a great moment. some bastards laugh when the engine stopped, but main people was enthusiastic.

Will you come next year ? and when will you have your car back from the factory ?

Phil

i didnt know that 5R was coming up and in any event i wanted a car that i could use on the road. I have the original roll cage but will not put it in the car at the moment because it would just reduce its usability. The M700BHP plate was not mine, it came on the car and we have now transferred it back to the former owner. Its now just on a normal age related plate.

OK! Thank you very for the details of this subject!:cool:

Now when you have spend time with #16R this summer; what are your thoughts about driving of the car? There is no brake, steering and clutch? assitants so what kind of car is it to be driven normal tracfic?
Is is tuff work or what kind of experience that is?
What thoughts you have about it?

I think I'm not the only one who is interested to know this, your feelings and experiences about driving it, on the road and race track.:smile:

I totally agree. When I saw the door opened 100meters from me, I run and talk to you. It was surrealistic and a great moment.

Phil

Familar feeling in 1996 in Helsinki.:lol2:
Me too, I didn't believed what I saw there on the Motor Show. Man...still remember that feeling.!:cool:

Thoughts on driving the car....it is as younwould expect raw intense and awesome. The car is hyper fast even by comparison to other great cars I have been fortunate enough to own...when you press the loud pedal it's like one of those scenes where a spaceship hits warpdrive everything just telescopes...

I really like cars that are analogue so this is up there with my f50 for driving feel but again performance at a whole other level.

Looks like I may get the car back by christmas so here is hoping the roads dry out...

Would recomend waiting until all of the salt has been washed away.

Hello,

16R > are you the guy who came often with a red F50 parked on the same parking you did this year ?

Phil

Wow, an F50 too - talk about a dream garage! :sunglasse

When you do get the GTR back it would please me greatly if you'd contact GFWilliams (http://www.gfwilliams.net/) to arrange a photoshoot of your F1 and F50 together. Without even seeing the results I can guarantee I'd buy at least one print to hang on my wall. Just make sure the roof is on the F50 because I like them much better that way. ;)

>8^)
ER

Thoughts on driving the car....it is as younwould expect raw intense and awesome. The car is hyper fast even by comparison to other great cars I have been fortunate enough to own...when you press the loud pedal it's like one of those scenes where a spaceship hits warpdrive everything just telescopes...

I really like cars that are analogue so this is up there with my f50 for driving feel but again performance at a whole other level.

Looks like I may get the car back by christmas so here is hoping the roads dry out...

OK thanks!
So you are not bothered up about the straight cuted gearbox sound?
Heard the previously owner Mr.Bridger here at the Forum; the noise is very loud when you push a bit harder on the rews. But I think and I assume you are fine with that?

And I have to say; for me difficult to say anything about F50 vs GTR but I think the F50 is "an old school" Ferrari, manual gearbox and allmoust? clear without anything what Ferraris are today. I love these kind of cars also. Like all old sports cars. Love the mechanical side of these cars. Nothing Lounch controls or 5 different setups of sliding or ESP or anything.

peloton I'm afraid I can't arrange that photoshoot, I part chopped the f50 against the macca. And in 3 years of ownership I never too the roof out of it's box...it might look prettier and it certainly makes it faster, but for pure visceral thrills roof off is the only way to go...

Yes it was us in the same area in the f50 for the last 3 years...we've been blessed to have some amazing convoys...f40 with the f1 this year...f50 plus two ford gts, 355 spider, 430 the year before...and before anyone begins to wonder...in 1993 when we went for the first time...COACH TOUR!!! 69 quid...

Rented vauxhall vectors the year after that, then three years in rented Mercedes e-class convertibles (that was a cool convoy too!)

Btw I perhaps I didn't make it clear.... I totally regret selling the f50...I visited another f1 owner in the states earlier this year and he oicked me up from my hotel in his f50...asked me if I wanted to drive...I said I couldn't, it would be too dangerous with tears in my eyes... :-)

It sounds like you will be driving 16R as much as you can, might we be fortunate to see you at any motor events in the UK next year? It would be something special to see yourself with 16R and Andy with 13R lined up together, at the Goodwood Supercar Sunday for instance, assuming it didn't clash with Le Mans.

16R I remember you last year putting the cover just after make the trip without !

I didn't realize it was you in the F1. Each year, we expected to see your F50 and enjo each year.

Maybe can you convince andy to come with you next year.

Philippe

Btw I perhaps I didn't make it clear.... I totally regret selling the f50...I visited another f1 owner in the states earlier this year and he oicked me up from my hotel in his f50...asked me if I wanted to drive...I said I couldn't, it would be too dangerous with tears in my eyes... :-)

So the F50 was defenitely one of the best Ferrari's you have owned?
What did it so great? The "mechanical side" of the car or that wonderfull V12? :smokin:
By the way; have you ownded any Lamborghini's?

If you don't mind me asking, what happened to your old chassis plate? Did they let you keep it? I think it would be cool to have something like that framed and mounted with some photos from Le Mans.

the f50 was awesome...i like my cars mechanical and that is exactly what it is with all the right technology in the right style. a real joy to open up the engine bay and just take it all in.

The gave back the original chassis plate and you are right. In fact my plan is to get a large scale Amalgam model of the car and mount the chassis plate on that. I'm waiting to see if my wife does it for my birthday next year. if she doesnt, i will ;-)

http://www.amalgamcollection.com/en/product/image_popup.php?image=M5249_1244468578.jpg&PHPSESSID=32280a2fbc17c163b0e4f5e9d0a291df

Awesome!

I was just wondering, has the car still got it's air jacks fitted?

Le Man put some link to the #11R Thread and there was some images from Le Mans 1996 and #16R.
I put these here where they belong also.

(http://www.les24heures.fr/components/com_datsogallery/sub_wm.php?src=/var/www/clients/client1/web4/web//components/com_datsogallery/img_originals/24hlemans19966_20080706_1363465268.jpg)http://www.les24heures.fr/components/com_datsogallery/sub_wm.php?src=/var/www/clients/client1/web4/web//components/com_datsogallery/img_originals/24hlemans19966_20080706_1363465268.jpg

http://www.les24heures.fr/components/com_datsogallery/sub_wm.php?src=/var/www/clients/client1/web4/web//components/com_datsogallery/img_originals/24hlemans19965_20080706_1420620749.jpg

And thanks for these belongs to Le Man.:smokin:

Hi 16R welcome to the forum always nice to here from another F1 owner are you on PH ?

I wanted to ask you if you would share your buying experience of buying such a car did you view any other f1's ? Did you only want an a GTR ??

I have never seen a bad word said about Lanznate's did they not do the conversion correctly ???

Thanks again for sharing with us we all love the F1 here :biggrin: your a very lucky man:cool:

Russ

that said, yes i would like to buy the original Le Mans transporter...(But not if its as big as the one in that picture, i would need to move house!!!!)


You could always go down this route, just add the livery from the Bigazzi transporter....?

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v482/Peloton25/McLaren%20F1/240mph.jpg?1292169285 (http://javascript<b></b>:void(0);)

Pre Mr 16r owning it (?) having some fettling done to the paintwork- enjoy :)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v482/Peloton25/McLaren%20F1%20K/16Ra.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v482/Peloton25/McLaren%20F1%20K/16Rb.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v482/Peloton25/McLaren%20F1%20K/16Rc.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v482/Peloton25/McLaren%20F1%20K/16Rd.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v482/Peloton25/McLaren%20F1%20K/16Re.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v482/Peloton25/McLaren%20F1%20K/16Rf.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v482/Peloton25/McLaren%20F1%20K/16Rg.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v482/Peloton25/McLaren%20F1%20K/16Rh.jpg

thanks for the new photo's folks! all really appreciated!

i certainly have no reason to criticise Lanzante and i was certainly not doing so. The car needed the work because nothing had been spent on it in the last 3 years of ownership. I decided to get it all done at Mclaren because at least then i know the car is exactly as it should be.

Keep those photos coming! cheers!

Incredible shots Greg !

16R > Are you interested by special track events in France ?

Phil

Greg, thanks, where the he** did you got these!? :runaround::thumbsup:
Never see too much these kind of shots these cars!:smokin:

16R:
OK, good to get this thing clear also.:)
And suprise; now some questions, hope you don't mind:

1. Was there how much work to do on the paint? Meaning was it worn out badly during these 3 years before you got the car?

2. Did you had the car repainted allready in France Le Mans Classic this summer?

3. Did you saw any else GTR's during your visits on McLaren workshop when you bring the car there and get it out there?

Man... do I have to consider to get 1/43 scale model of Papaya Orange GTR McLaren on the shelf.....looks bad that I have to but what to choose.:rolleyes:

The paint is fine, we've done nothing there. the car comes back with its new clutch this week (yippee!!! just in time for christmas). And i know its the wrong forum to mention it but i just specced my new mp4-12c...

:-)

Excellent 16R !

I have two friends who just come back from the factory and they will pick up a MP4-12C this spring also at the factory.
When do you think recieve your car ? It would be amazing to meet each other with your GTR and some MP4-12C :)

Phil

thanks for the new photo's folks! all really appreciated!

i certainly have no reason to criticise Lanzante and i was certainly not doing so. The car needed the work because nothing had been spent on it in the last 3 years of ownership. I decided to get it all done at Mclaren because at least then i know the car is exactly as it should be.

Keep those photos coming! cheers!


Hi 16R thanks for the reply i am sure all of us would love to here your buying experience good news your getting the car back for christmas enjoy it :cool:

How does the F1's engine note compare to the F50's?

she's back in MY garage!!! woohoo!!!! you cant compare the engine notes...the f1 is so much harsher with all the NVH that comes from race spec that its impossible to say (from inside)...the F50 didnt used to make my ears bleed...the f1 feels like it is!!!!

OK, how's the grip side? How soon you can floor it? :lol2:
Murray says that F1 roadcar you can floor it in second gear, but can you do that with GTR also whit out a terrible wheelspin?

And hows the gearbox? I have allways needed to ask this, but allways forget it.
Onboard camera taken from GTR's can be seen, the gear change seems to be very light to move?
Is it that? Not needed any much force to move trought the gears?

And how sharp - exact the gearbox is?
Meanin is there really change to miss gears easily, when example you go first, second, third and fourth gears trought?
It is H-diagram box, wihtout "Italian style open gate box" so how exact it is to change gears?

And how about the clutch?
Is it how hard to push? Or is it how light?
I have understood that clucth has somekind of servo or has it?

Fortunately Youtube offers us some kind of feeling what you might feel when you drive #16R on the roads. I have allways said that that BMW V12 is one of the most beatifull sound engines what I know. Just can image it inside, outside I have heard it.I just can image how quick it takes rews and how incredible it must feel. :smokin:

The car is not lacking for grip in any sense, it's performance on the track was stupendous. Of course you cant just hit the loud pedal the whole way with impunity you have to think about it and you have to have taken your bravery pills first too!

The gearbox is surprisingly easy given what it's transmitting although it's better when warmer than when cold it's true rifle bolt action in it's feel.

I wish you all a merry Christmas and look forward to liberating 16r from it's garage when the snow clears!!!!

OK, thanks again! Looking defenitely forward hearing your drviving experiences of the car more in the future. Hopelly we could see some pictures also.:)

Facebooks BPR GT 94-96 group found this "speed" image of #16R, Silverstone 1996. New one to me, others?:smile:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/BPR-Global-GT-Endurance-Series-1994-1996/110535045684293?v=photos&sb=12#!/photo.php?fbid=111283642276100&set=a.111283342276130.16121.110535045684293 (http://www.facebook.com/pages/BPR-Global-GT-Endurance-Series-1994-1996/110535045684293?v=photos&sb=12#%21/photo.php?fbid=111283642276100&set=a.111283342276130.16121.110535045684293)

Thanks for that link another great shot! I went to start her up yesterday...enough battery power to crank but not to start...she's on a trickle charge today and I'm hoping for a clear day tomorrow...

Happy new year everyone.

:) Good that it was a new image for you.!
OK, hopely today is more luck with the #16R starting. Hope to hearing the driving story soon if you on the roads.:)

First drive of 2011...a couple of days on trickle charge and she starts first time :-) just a 15 mile warmer (although thats a misnomer since there are no heaters) and shes back on charge in the garage.

Mental note that 3rd gear and damp roads equals massive sideways moment at 50 percent throttle...still shes back and in one piece!!!!

If anyone can tell me how to upload pics to here from my iphone i can send you a couple