Wednesday, August 22, 2018

LE MANS: The Un-Le Mans Report in Miniature Detail - Strolling Across thou Tarmac to My Virtual Racecar...




The N.A.R.T. #21 Ferrari 250 LM that Won the 1965 24 Heurs du Mans on Display at the IMS Hall of Fame museum, Circa 2010. (the Tomaso Collection)

As originally, prior to the Tri-colour being waved, When I thought I was moving... I had ZERO Clue if I'd  been able to be re-connected to the All Knowing Internetz' Justin-time' to listen to this year's Race on Radio Le Mans? Since unfortunately, All my local comca$t Cable TV Service provider can do is jack UP the price, whilst Failing to provide us more programming, like the Velocity channel...


Otay, as a Visually Impaired; Err Blind Word Hack, and unexpectedly deciding to move my Base of Operations after two-plus Decades; YIKES! Naturally I just couldn't Hunt 'N Peck Fast enough on thee 'Ol Selectric; Err my Bloody Knucels' kept getting in the way; Ahem Mr. Sheheen! Uhm, I simply didn't have time to research every Bloody Brand New LMP1 Prototype this year. especially since I know why I've fought so hard to NOT move the past 20yrs...

thus instead, this is a story of a different sort, albeit it made me think of Le Mans as I was packing away the last of my voluminous collection 'O "Prized" 1:18-scale Diecasts.

Ironically I'd managed to insert 33 Diecasts into the IKEA Bookshelves case purchased an eternity ago. Hmm? Where have I heard Dat' 33 number before, Eh? Oh Yeah, didn't Dan Brown write about it in Angels and Daemons? Hya!

In my haste to discard the accompanying boxes, plastic base and screw they came mounted on, when I was a Diecast Collecting Neophyte. I'd need to pack them the way the first few I'd purchase nearly a Quarter of A Century ago made the Trek Northwards, albeit this would be a 'Wee Bitamyte more difficult since I cannot see the cars anymore...

Having bought Mega' quantities 'O tissue paper, bubble-wrap and clear packing tape, albeit having long since discarded Thar accompanying Shoe Box Transportation "Crates." I set out on a Friday morning to begin re-learning how to wrap diecasts for moving, which ultimately they really aren't designed for, specifically when loose!

Silly Me! Having set the packing tape on top of the tissue paper, naturally it clung onto Uhm, Klingon? To the tissue paper which resulted in a large swatch of the first sheet being torn off 'N thrown away; Oh Crap!

then cutting the first swatch 'O bubble wrap, and knowing I was cutting the wrong direction; Me Thinks it's called cutting across the grain? I snipped the inside of my middle finger and felt blood instantly beginning to ooze onto my finger! so it was off to the bathroom to retrieve a band-aid; Sigh!

Although several years ago, I cleverly cataloged each of the 33-cars exact location on the six corresponding shelves, but Nah, I don't need to review it, as I know exactly where the Exoto's are, which were the only boxes I kept for repacking 'em.

As I decided I'd go for the easy pickings instead cutting with scissors. And put away the Le Mans cars that I had thar individual boxes for.

Thus after opening the plain white slip cover, taking out the second inner box. then pulling out the Styrofoam packing case and removing the side holding clips, I attempted to put the first car back into its box.

Hmm? That's Stir-range? Doesn't fit that direction, so must have it backwards? Nope it still won't go into its box easily, as the Styrofoam started making that noise when you twist a coffee cup. So I instantly stopped! Put said Diecast back and gave up on the most precious of thou collection, and decided to start on the top row, or Row-1 instead.

For humour after taking a break the next day, I discovered I'd been off one shelve during my count, I finally reviewed my catalog records to discover I'd been trying to stuff a Ferrari F40 racecar into a 1965 Shelby Cobra Daytona Coupe box instead; CRIKEYS!

And although I'm fairly certain that my yellow Totip F-40 racing car didn't run at Circuit de la Sarthe, I know those Uber Bad Arse Prancing Horses galloped down the Mulsanne Straight.


Whilst all of this waxing on 'bout la Scuderia has made me think 'bout my brief time with one of its past legends, and America's first Formula 1 World Champion, the late Phil Hill...

 

(Photo c/o No Fenders ‘Offical Photographer CARPETS')