R2D2

[BigH]

Matt'n'Dave,

Is R2D2 coming along this year?

Our 'organisation' sent out a crack squad earlier in the year on a covert mission to retrieve blueprints, specifications and photographs. So far we've found one agent floating face down in a punctured wetsuit in the Irish Sea, and another was last seen running a brothel and body piercing parlour in Munich and trading in human organs and shirts with overly large collars with shady far eastern connections.

(a couple of the 'the crack squad' misinterpreted things, and are now onto the 150th showing of Basic Instinct)

Does he fly coach class, or is he strapped onto the fuselage?

H

[Matt Harper]

Hi H,
Excuse my slow typing - I have some colleagues over from the old country and we went out and hit it a bit hard last night....
We have 2 X RTD2 rolling coolboxes and they will both be in attendence at Le Mans as usual. Although purchased and modified to withstand the rigours of Le Mans terrain, here in the US, they reside in France at my parents house, near Saumur. This means we don't accrue excess baggage fees, additional security and strange looks at the airport.
These are clones of the original 'R2', which is a 3 year Le Mans veteren, though is more commonly spotted on the US NASCAR and USAC scene. The frequent flyer miles that this mofo has clocked-up don't bear thinking about.
We'll bring em along on Saturday night and you can try your hand at "The Grimbergen Lucky Dip".

[Fax]

I used to get some pretty strange looks dragging R2 through De Gaulle airport, not to mention carrying him on to the TGV and listening to him bang around in the luggage area every time we pulled into a station.  Watching Claude and his missus climb over him to get off the train was always good sport.  Derek Daly had a good belly laugh when saw R2 come rolling around on the baggage carousel at CVG.  The story of R2 is an interesting one. The original Rubbermaid cooler was purchased by some buddies to take to Talladega many years ago but like the coolers the Harper brood always took to the Sarthe, the wheels fell to bits in no time.  One of the Talladega gang is an aircraft mechanic and he and some of his aviation grease monkey colleagues decided to have a go at this broken down cooler and see what they could come up with.  The result being the ulgy little spud sitting in my garage today.
John

[Abs]

Matt/Fax,

Can we see some images or do we have to wait until June, I been going to LM since 90/91 and have never seen R2.

[Matt Harper]

Dave H posted some pics from Sebring that featured R2 - need to look back to that thread....

[wishy]

Ah!

I guess the coolers are filled with Champenoise for the race as they reside in Samur???


Whisy

[Matt Harper]

Ah!

I guess the coolers are filled with Champenoise for the race as they reside in Samur???


Whisy

Hi Wishy
Currently, I suspect they are full of stagnant rain water and mosquito larvea. They live behind the garage at my parents place and just get the one outing per year. Dave H was down at my folks a couple of weeks ago and gave R2D2's Mk 2 and 3 the all-clear for another weekend of fail-safe service. During the race weekend they contain a veritible cornucopia of alcoholic delights, ranging from reasonably good quality Champagne (we're bringing around 40 bottles in our support vehicle), Draught Guinness, Budschmeiser, Strongbow and Stella - and of course, the odd Grimbergen (odd being the operative word). Each cooler can tote around 36 cans and 4 bottles of plonk, plus enough ice to keep the whole lot palatable.
These cool boxes really are a great way to have a meaningful supply of ice-cold beer whilst you're on the move.
The last one I made (the wheels and axles need to be replaced with much sturdier items than the OEM) ended up costing around $90.00 all in. If anyone would like me to put one together for them, let me know - I have a full workshop facility here and can knock one out in a morning. Of course it would then need to be shipped from FL, which would probably cost about $50.00 with UPS. Go to www.rubbermaid.com to see the unmodded item. It is the four wheeled drag-along coolbox/ice chest  

[Matt Harper]

http://www.rubbermaid.com/common/images/product/HP/1860_sm.jpg

[jpchenet]

I nearly brought one of them home from Colorado with me last year.

I so wish I had. Similar things over here are double the price!!!