Driving through France

ingenious said:
It's probably more reliable now than when it was built!
It has a modern fuel injection system and all the bulbs have been replaced with LEDs. I'll spend some time when I am home in a week's time going over it, checking for deterioration while it has been in storage and take it for a few runs to see if there are any issues. I have a huge amount of spares for it and will take a fair few with me and hopefully persuade someone with a bigger/modern car to take some more. I have every seal on the car, every electronic/electrical component, brake discs and cylinders, master cylinders, steering rack, injectors, fuel pump, oil pump, water pump, full hose set... And so on.
The bigger things like spare radiator and overdrive unit, springs and shocks are the ones that I won't be able to carry but someone else might. If there is a failure of engine, gearbox or final drive, it will be a recovery truck job south and fix it later.
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Yes, a restored car should be more reliable....along with better braking and grip. What we regard as classics unfortunately came from the grim days of British manufacturing. But it’s all about enjoyment 😁
 
S
ingenious said:
It's probably more reliable now than when it was built!
It has a modern fuel injection system and all the bulbs have been replaced with LEDs. I'll spend some time when I am home in a week's time going over it, checking for deterioration while it has been in storage and take it for a few runs to see if there are any issues. I have a huge amount of spares for it and will take a fair few with me and hopefully persuade someone with a bigger/modern car to take some more. I have every seal on the car, every electronic/electrical component, brake discs and cylinders, master cylinders, steering rack, injectors, fuel pump, oil pump, water pump, full hose set... And so on.
The bigger things like spare radiator and overdrive unit, springs and shocks are the ones that I won't be able to carry but someone else might. If there is a failure of engine, gearbox or final drive, it will be a recovery truck job south and fix it later.
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So confidence level not high?

I remember the old days of holiday motorways. There was always a family with the car stuffed and bonnet open on the hard shoulder. Triumph Heralds if my memory serves me.
 
dgadee said:
More to the point. Are English motorways busy on a Sunday?
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Well over a thirdof the M25 is amber or red on Google maps. With today's weather in SE England all major roads will be busy later.

Years ago after a nice weekend, I left the floaty thing at gone 10pm for my 100 mile drive home. Traffic was still heavy and journey took well over 2.5 hours rather than 2 hours. Now retired I drive home during the working week.
 
ingenious said:
It's probably more reliable now than when it was built!
It has a modern fuel injection system and all the bulbs have been replaced with LEDs. I'll spend some time when I am home in a week's time going over it, checking for deterioration while it has been in storage and take it for a few runs to see if there are any issues. I have a huge amount of spares for it and will take a fair few with me and hopefully persuade someone with a bigger/modern car to take some more. I have every seal on the car, every electronic/electrical component, brake discs and cylinders, master cylinders, steering rack, injectors, fuel pump, oil pump, water pump, full hose set... And so on.
The bigger things like spare radiator and overdrive unit, springs and shocks are the ones that I won't be able to carry but someone else might. If there is a failure of engine, gearbox or final drive, it will be a recovery truck job south and fix it later.
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LED bulbs in ordinary headlights normally create the glare that blinds everyone driving towards you or did you replace the entire light ?
 
Boathook said:
LED bulbs in ordinary headlights normally create the glare that blinds everyone driving towards you or did you replace the entire light ?
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Originally I fitted this type
The WIPAC Exclusive 7″ LED Headlight – WIPAC
But they looked out of character on the car so I have fitted:
Pair of LED Headlights H4 Hi/Lo Beam Conversion 9-32V Excellent Beam Pattern Cool White
Which have the same optical arrangement as with a halogen bulb
For France I'll be putting in the original LHD lamps with these bulbs but it's purely for regulation, I don't intend driving the thing at night
 
dgadee said:
S

So confidence level not high?

I remember the old days of holiday motorways. There was always a family with the car stuffed and bonnet open on the hard shoulder. Triumph Heralds if my memory serves me.
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In fairness it has only ever once let me down since rebuild and that was a split radiator. Happened within 100 yards of the Black Sheep brewery in Masham so I went there waiting for the wife to get home from work and come and get me. Recovered the car the next day.
 
Thanks all for the advice and entertainment. I'll hire the car go down Thursday and Friday and back Monday, Tuesday. My time is, of course, free and long runs are the best form of driving.

I've just finished cleaning the inside of the boat. When buying I always wondered why no-one cleaned for sale. I now understand - so much work. The cooker took a whole afternoon.
 
dgadee said:
S

So confidence level not high?

I remember the old days of holiday motorways. There was always a family with the car stuffed and bonnet open on the hard shoulder. Triumph Heralds if my memory serves me.
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Ahem. Perhaps, but surviving Triumph Heralds now benefit from modern upgrades in the same way as the TR6. Essentially, replace any active J Lucas component, and check the passive ones eg bullet connectors, then fit a Spitfire engine. However, my spares list when driving in Europe is still pretty close to that of ingenious.
 
Surely the stress free way of touring with a classic car (especially a British car) is to trailer it….get to a nice destination…such as Le Mans or the Cote d’Azure and go for a spin then trailer it to the next destination….in fact, exactly as they do in the Tour de France
 
Bouba said:
Surely the stress free way of touring with a classic car (especially a British car) is to trailer it….get to a nice destination…such as Le Mans or the Cote d’Azure and go for a spin then trailer it to the next destination….in fact, exactly as they do in the Tour de France
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I must admit I have investigated trailering it to Le Mans or Angoulême. Most of the rest of the guys I'm going with have more modern, comfortable classics ( for example a 993 Porsche and Mercedes 420SL) which will cope with the Autoroutes better than mine. I'm suggesting slow roads and several days rather than a blast from the Chunnel. Do have one sympathetic ear in a Caterham owner. He doesn't even have a windscreen or hood for it so it's full Biggles garb.
 
ingenious said:
I must admit I have investigated trailering it to Le Mans or Angoulême. Most of the rest of the guys I'm going with have more modern, comfortable classics ( for example a 993 Porsche and Mercedes 420SL) which will cope with the Autoroutes better than mine. I'm suggesting slow roads and several days rather than a blast from the Chunnel. Do have one sympathetic ear in a Caterham owner. He doesn't even have a windscreen or hood for it so it's full Biggles garb.
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Why don’t you and Biggles leave a few days earlier
 
dunedin said:
If hiring in Edinburgh, i wouldn't assume they will have arranged a Crit Air sticker.
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I wouldn't assume that if hiring from Edinburgh, so check with them. Hefty fines can be imposed. When I ordered mine online, it arrived in less than a week.
 
ingenious said:
And there was me pondering how many days to take bringing my TR6 down to France...
Current plan is to meet several others at the Chunnel ( some classics, some modern) then drive to Le Mans the first day then on to Angoulême. After the race the rest will go back to UK and I will carry on down to my French place
I'm certainly going to break the Norfolk/Dover bit with an overnight stop with friends in Cambridge and trying to persuade the group to go on smaller roads and stop somewhere in Normandy.
From Angoulême a friend is going to come up in a conventional car to buddy me and we'll probably have a stop.
Then I'll probably spend a week in chiropractic care...
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Have you booked your Angouleme hotel? We had to stay miles away!
 
dunedin said:
Dont forget to order your CritAir sticker well in advance. Order online but posted to UK via snail mail.
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That may not be the case anymore - best to check though.

Earlier this year whilst in France I saw a news item on tv saying the French parliament had voted to abandon the CritAir scheme as it disadvantaged the less well off who couldn't afford a newer vehicle, although if and when that will happen is anybody's guess.

Although chances are you'll encounter a few very impatient and aggressive drivers - possibily enraged by the presence of a UK sticker - on the matter of driving in France it's generally an absolute pleasure compared with the UK.

We mainly use the toll routes to munch a few hundred miles from Calais and then drop off onto the rural D roads for the rest of the holiday.
 
PlanB said:
I wouldn't assume that if hiring from Edinburgh, so check with them. Hefty fines can be imposed. When I ordered mine online, it arrived in less than a week.
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You don't even need the physical sticker - just the proof that it is ordered with the QR code on it is sufficient.
 
PlanB said:
I wouldn't assume that if hiring from Edinburgh, so check with them. Hefty fines can be imposed. When I ordered mine online, it arrived in less than a week.
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I am on my way back, just having a coffee south of Lyon. I have no idea whether I have one or not. You pay Europcar a lot of money to take it abroad so hopefully that is sorted. Since I didn't know the reg until I picked up the car I would have had a problem organising it.

Will get back to you for a loan if I am hit with a fine.
 
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Sailing steve said:
That may not be the case anymore - best to check though.

Earlier this year whilst in France I saw a news item on tv saying the French parliament had voted to abandon the CritAir scheme as it disadvantaged the less well off who couldn't afford a newer vehicle, although if and when that will happen is anybody's guess.

Although chances are you'll encounter a few very impatient and aggressive drivers - possibily enraged by the presence of a UK sticker - on the matter of driving in France it's generally an absolute pleasure compared with the UK.

We mainly use the toll routes to munch a few hundred miles from Calais and then drop off onto the rural D roads for the rest of the holiday.
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No problem so far. Came down on Monday which was a holiday. Every caravan and camper van from Netherlands was going south. Hardly a lorry.

I am just driving at 70 and letting everyone pass. Outside lane was like wacky races on way down.
 
dgadee said:
I am on my way back, just having a coffee south of Lyon. I have no idea whether I have one or not. You pay Europcar a lot of money to take it abroad so hopefully that is sorted. Since I didn't know the reg until I picked up the car I would have had a problem organising it.

Will get back to you for a loan if I am hit with a fine.
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No problem. Just apply on the website when you pick up the car.
You will immediately have the confirmation and that does the job.
 
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