Kevo_6 Posted September 11, 2015 Report Share Posted September 11, 2015 We have made it on the ferry to Santander, thank you all for your help, advice and moral support over the last few stressful months. Looking forward to driving and taking it all in (and a few liveners). I will TRy to put some photos on. PS did not start too well this morning, had a flat battery.- (null) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mike3739 Posted September 11, 2015 Report Share Posted September 11, 2015 Great to hear Kevo. Flat battery compared with your past issues small fry! Keep us updated a great driving country. Cheers Mike Quote Link to post Share on other sites
marki Posted September 11, 2015 Report Share Posted September 11, 2015 Hi Kevo. I'll look forward to watching your progress, I'm thinking of something along those lines next year. Good luck, Mark Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RobinTR6 Posted September 11, 2015 Report Share Posted September 11, 2015 Good luck Kev, enjoy and keep us posted. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Steves_TR6 Posted September 11, 2015 Report Share Posted September 11, 2015 No idea of your route Kevo, but should you be near Valencia next weekend then come visit us on Amita Quote Link to post Share on other sites
whatmore179 Posted September 11, 2015 Report Share Posted September 11, 2015 Go for it Kevo. After all your troubles hope you have a great drive. Enjoy it Steve Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Marc R Posted September 11, 2015 Report Share Posted September 11, 2015 Hi Kevo, if you face any issue during your trip across France, do not hesitate to contact me. I shall check the support via the Triumph Club de France (TCF) and the associated Forum. If you go through Normandie and Paris area, we can maybe catch up Regards Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Guest ntc Posted September 11, 2015 Report Share Posted September 11, 2015 Kev have good trip and stay safe.if you need help in anyway the guys on here and I will help you. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Kevo_6 Posted September 11, 2015 Author Report Share Posted September 11, 2015 Thanks guys, I'll keep you posted. (null) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Andrew Smith Posted September 12, 2015 Report Share Posted September 12, 2015 (edited) Have a great trip Kev and please give my regards to Michel and Erica at Domaine le Rogere Vineyard; they'll look after you! Alan Wynn (Kiwifrog) lives not too far away, so you could always meet up if there was time and Alan could introduce you to the 'Smurfette'! Here are a few more taken on the vineyard, which is a great place for for anyone considering a peaceful break in the Dordogne: VUX - 2012 September 2014 The 'Smurfette' It's worth a trip to St Emiion, one of Bordeaux's most famous wine villages Snap! Cheers Andrew Edited September 12, 2015 by Andrew Smith Quote Link to post Share on other sites
TR NIALL Posted September 12, 2015 Report Share Posted September 12, 2015 (edited) Enjoy the TRip Kev,sure what can go wrong. Edited September 12, 2015 by TR NIALL Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Kevo_6 Posted September 13, 2015 Author Report Share Posted September 13, 2015 Left Bilbao this morning and now arrived in our chateaux in Biarritz, drove along the coast road and it took about 3 hours. Beautiful and trouble free so. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Kevo_6 Posted September 28, 2015 Author Report Share Posted September 28, 2015 (edited) Hi We got back home Friday night, after 1200 or so TRrouble free miles :D , no spannering . We had a great time, met some great people, stayed in some really lovely places and probably drank too much wine . Weather was **** most of the time but we were determined to keep the roof down apart from a couple of times when the rain was so hard and I could not go quick enough to stop it coming in. Angouleme was great and the 2 really sunny whole days for 2 weeks. Many thanks for all of your good wishes especially to our international forum members Kevin - KOB, Marc – MARC R and Alan – KIWIFROG for giving me their phone numbers, offers of help and spares if they had them. Thanks to Andrew Smith for his recommendations for places to stay. Michel and Erica also send their regards Andrew. If you’re thinking of doing a similar trip, go for it, it’s brilliant. So many people, beep you, give the thumbs up, smile and the car turns many heads. Many people come over to you to talk about the car. This is the route we took: - Depart Portsmouth on Cap Finistère to Santander, Spain. Stayed one night in Bilbao, Spain then onto Biarritz, France for two nights, then onto the Dordogne area staying 1 night in a superb Treehouse in Nojals-et-Clotte, then to Saint-Vincent-de-Cosse for one night, then to the vineyard in Minzac for two 2 nights, then to Angouleme for 2 nights and then left there for a 6 hour drive to my house near Mayenne for 4 nights, Then Home . (Ooh lots of then's) A massive thank you to all and if I have missed anyone out I am sincerely sorry. This FORUM has been SO helpful and inspirational to help me and encourage me to persevere . Edited September 28, 2015 by Kevo_6 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Marc R Posted September 28, 2015 Report Share Posted September 28, 2015 Yes, this is the purpose.... enjoy motoring with a Triumph Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Andrew Smith Posted September 28, 2015 Report Share Posted September 28, 2015 Glad to hear you had a great time Kev - how much weight did you put on at the vineyard? Any photos? Cheers Andrew Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Kevo_6 Posted September 28, 2015 Author Report Share Posted September 28, 2015 Glad to hear you had a great time Kev - how much weight did you put on at the vineyard? Any photos? Cheers Andrew Oh quite a bit, Erica's food was gorgeous and Michel kept plying us with wine. It was a tough job but someone has to do it. Not many photos as weather was dismal and Jeanette and I were the only ones eating at the vineyard. I have not had a chance to go through all the various photos yet. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mike3739 Posted September 28, 2015 Report Share Posted September 28, 2015 Great news Kevo that no spannering required I take it the wine was to lubricate the hands & fingers should spannering be required Yes I agree loads of thumbs up, waves, beeps etc, maybe its just the red ones they love Cheers Mike Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Kevo_6 Posted September 28, 2015 Author Report Share Posted September 28, 2015 Great news Kevo that no spannering required I take it the wine was to lubricate the hands & fingers should spannering be required Yes I agree loads of thumbs up, waves, beeps etc, maybe its just the red ones they love Cheers Mike Spot on Mike :-) Red it is. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
cotswold Posted September 28, 2015 Report Share Posted September 28, 2015 Oh no I just bought a Mimosa yellow one Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mike3739 Posted September 29, 2015 Report Share Posted September 29, 2015 Oh no I just bought a Mimosa yellow one I am sure it will be OK!!! Cheers Mike. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Denis Posted September 29, 2015 Report Share Posted September 29, 2015 Back in 1972 I did the Portsmouth to Santander Ferry (SS Patricia) as a route to watch the Spanish Grand Prix in Barcelona, as I assumed my old 1962 TR4 wouldn't have been reliable enough to drive all the way down through France! How wrong I was it ran perfectly! The following year I did drive through France from Calaise to Barcelona GP in my newly acquired 1969 TR6 Pi which as it had only 20k on the clock incorrectly assumed it would be reliable!...how wrong I was it broke down with an overheating fuel pump every few hours! No Internet in those days...so no forum...and no idea there was a Cooling Coil mod available...amusingly described as a 'Continental Cooling Kit'...marketing speak for...We shouldn't have mounted the pump upright, or we should have advised Lucas it needed a bearing not a mere washer on the shaft! However, both TR's received lots of attention on both journeys, the Spanish referring to the car as a "TRIMF" Quote Link to post Share on other sites
TR5tar Posted September 29, 2015 Report Share Posted September 29, 2015 Welcome back Kev. Great to hear that your trip was a success. I'm trying to pluck up the courage to do one myself. Cheers, Darren Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Kevo_6 Posted September 29, 2015 Author Report Share Posted September 29, 2015 Back in 1972 I did the Portsmouth to Santander Ferry (SS Patricia) as a route to watch the Spanish Grand Prix in Barcelona, as I assumed my old 1962 TR4 wouldn't have been reliable enough to drive all the way down through France! How wrong I was it ran perfectly! The following year I did drive through France from Calaise to Barcelona GP in my newly acquired 1969 TR6 Pi which as it had only 20k on the clock incorrectly assumed it would be reliable!...how wrong I was it broke down with an overheating fuel pump every few hours! No Internet in those days...so no forum...and no idea there was a Cooling Coil mod available...amusingly described as a 'Continental Cooling Kit'...marketing speak for...We shouldn't have mounted the pump upright, or we should have advised Lucas it needed a bearing not a mere washer on the shaft! However, both TR's received lots of attention on both journeys, the Spanish referring to the car as a "TRIMF" Hi Denis, all good fun. I fitted a cooling coil before I left but I don't think it was needed as it was raining most of the time with no real warm temperatures. (maybe I tempted fate) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Kevo_6 Posted September 29, 2015 Author Report Share Posted September 29, 2015 (edited) Welcome back Kev. Great to hear that your trip was a success. I'm trying to pluck up the courage to do one myself. Cheers, Darren Thanks Darren. Go for for it, you will only only regret it if you don't. Edited September 29, 2015 by Kevo_6 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
cotswold Posted September 29, 2015 Report Share Posted September 29, 2015 ...also looking to do another continental trip late next year (September is quieter) so very interested in reading all the stories. Last time I went through France I used Alistair Sawdays (AS) B&B guide which has a map of the B&B locations, we stayed in beautiful places as AS focuses on interesting properties is a water mill, chateaux, Farm with Gites. Check out the site, we planned our route allowing 4 hours maximum driving on none major roads. Top down fun http://www.sawdays.co.uk/find#!display=list Cheers Charles Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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