Chim to Greece!!
Discussion
A big hello to everyone. I am now in Japan, and will be for the next 3 months. I was thinking back to the last month and wanted to share it with some PHs.
Drove my beast to Greece. It took 6 days, legging it to Grenoble in the first day and then taking every Michelin green route (no motorways) to Ancona........ Top down all the way! Can say with confidence that driving the Chim Targa style put me 4MPG more out of pocket. Will always remember the look on the 996 turbo drivers face when he couldn’t shake me and then pulled over!!!! Other highlights were driving along the Katara (meaning: Curse – and for a reason) mountain playing with a CBR600 rider. We actually stopped and chatted – still remember the smell of the well worked car… He gave me a ride on the CBR (scared to death) and I gave him the TVR grim for a month or two. Other unforgettable stuff was driving in Athens where the friction coefficient was obviously on holiday. You can get tail happy at 1500rpm in third with no clutch action, HTG. The down side is that an RX8 can give you a run for you money at the traffic lights if you actually use first gear (the micra with traction control could easily have a go as well – joke). Ah the memories!!!!!!!!!
Drove my beast to Greece. It took 6 days, legging it to Grenoble in the first day and then taking every Michelin green route (no motorways) to Ancona........ Top down all the way! Can say with confidence that driving the Chim Targa style put me 4MPG more out of pocket. Will always remember the look on the 996 turbo drivers face when he couldn’t shake me and then pulled over!!!! Other highlights were driving along the Katara (meaning: Curse – and for a reason) mountain playing with a CBR600 rider. We actually stopped and chatted – still remember the smell of the well worked car… He gave me a ride on the CBR (scared to death) and I gave him the TVR grim for a month or two. Other unforgettable stuff was driving in Athens where the friction coefficient was obviously on holiday. You can get tail happy at 1500rpm in third with no clutch action, HTG. The down side is that an RX8 can give you a run for you money at the traffic lights if you actually use first gear (the micra with traction control could easily have a go as well – joke). Ah the memories!!!!!!!!!
Hi Greg D,
It munched on a fan belt but i had spears with me which got me to Greece. While there it started nibbling on the second one and it was starting to ride on the A/C (useless by the way) pulley. I had a new belt tensioner shipped over and it's been fine ever since. While crossing the mountains from Firenze to Forti (great twisties) at 3am, got the temp rising above 95, which it has never done before. Stopped, cooled down and checked water levels and had lost some juice. Tracked down to the hose going from rad to swirl tank leaking on the rad joint, so tightened the hose clamp and topped up, bleeding the system (all with torch effectively parked on the side on the road). It had lost about 1.3 l of water. Again, no probs since.
It munched on a fan belt but i had spears with me which got me to Greece. While there it started nibbling on the second one and it was starting to ride on the A/C (useless by the way) pulley. I had a new belt tensioner shipped over and it's been fine ever since. While crossing the mountains from Firenze to Forti (great twisties) at 3am, got the temp rising above 95, which it has never done before. Stopped, cooled down and checked water levels and had lost some juice. Tracked down to the hose going from rad to swirl tank leaking on the rad joint, so tightened the hose clamp and topped up, bleeding the system (all with torch effectively parked on the side on the road). It had lost about 1.3 l of water. Again, no probs since.
Good stuff. Which route did you take?
Did you make use of the ferries from Italy?
How long did it take you?
What was it like in the Balkans?
What did the greeks make of your Tiv?
Any photos?
Are you going to regret posting this thread????
Seriously, i would like to know more, if you would care to elaborate
Andy
Did you make use of the ferries from Italy?
How long did it take you?
What was it like in the Balkans?
What did the greeks make of your Tiv?
Any photos?
Are you going to regret posting this thread????
Seriously, i would like to know more, if you would care to elaborate
Andy
Got me going now fatboychim!!!!
I miss by Chim, I am 8 timezones away from it and this is my therapy.
Went from calais to Grenoble via Arras, Cambrain, Laon, Reims, Dijon, Aix-les-bains in the first day on national roads (so saved toll money for 100octane boost
).
Then went to Saint Tropez mostly on the N85 if I remember correctly (very nice scenery but was stuck behind a lorry for more than 15 min). Stayed in Nice, then dash up the mountains N85 , N202 to Monte Carlo where we stayed the next night. Spent a long time on the costal road to San Remo with a lot of stop start traffic so allowed myself a motorway ride to portofino. Night stay, then national roads to Luca for the night via cinque terre. Firenze next, took the ss67 over the mountains (I recommend this route to anyone who likes driving - one twist after the next but do it late cause it can get crowded) to Forli and then Ancona.
It took 6 days but only cause I wanted to enjoy the ride.
The Beast attracted a bit to much attention to be honest, esp in mid France: During a coffee stop at a village I had to elbow my way to the car. In Greece I was asked to pop the bonnet so many times I might invest in a remote....
I was surprised by the number of people that knew stuff about the Chim.
How do you post photos? Sorry rookie mistakes
I miss by Chim, I am 8 timezones away from it and this is my therapy.
Went from calais to Grenoble via Arras, Cambrain, Laon, Reims, Dijon, Aix-les-bains in the first day on national roads (so saved toll money for 100octane boost
). Then went to Saint Tropez mostly on the N85 if I remember correctly (very nice scenery but was stuck behind a lorry for more than 15 min). Stayed in Nice, then dash up the mountains N85 , N202 to Monte Carlo where we stayed the next night. Spent a long time on the costal road to San Remo with a lot of stop start traffic so allowed myself a motorway ride to portofino. Night stay, then national roads to Luca for the night via cinque terre. Firenze next, took the ss67 over the mountains (I recommend this route to anyone who likes driving - one twist after the next but do it late cause it can get crowded) to Forli and then Ancona.
It took 6 days but only cause I wanted to enjoy the ride.
The Beast attracted a bit to much attention to be honest, esp in mid France: During a coffee stop at a village I had to elbow my way to the car. In Greece I was asked to pop the bonnet so many times I might invest in a remote....
I was surprised by the number of people that knew stuff about the Chim.
How do you post photos? Sorry rookie mistakes
Hi Stegefal,
Well as you read before, fan belts came in handy. Take the usual stuff that all the old boys have recommended in this forum. From my personal experience the torch came in veeery handy.
In terms of oil, I could not find 15 50 Mobil one in France (got some in Greece though), it might just be me cause many others have managed to. Make sure you have the tools you need to do the easy jobs.
I had taken out European breakdown cover which was not used but made me feel better. Also had the beast treated to a service 3000 miles from the previous one cause I know I wouldn't get the local vespa mechanic to do a quick one.
Well as you read before, fan belts came in handy. Take the usual stuff that all the old boys have recommended in this forum. From my personal experience the torch came in veeery handy.
In terms of oil, I could not find 15 50 Mobil one in France (got some in Greece though), it might just be me cause many others have managed to. Make sure you have the tools you need to do the easy jobs.
I had taken out European breakdown cover which was not used but made me feel better. Also had the beast treated to a service 3000 miles from the previous one cause I know I wouldn't get the local vespa mechanic to do a quick one.
I like the route, head staight for the med and turn left.I assume you went Ancona- Patras after that. As for photos you will need someone to host them then do this [pic] www.website/picture.jpg [/pic]with no spaces and hey presto
I love the attention my Tiv gets in France (what eez eet?), they are much more able to express their appreciation than folks over here. Although twice just lately i have been asked to "give it a rev" (fer the kids you understand).It sounds like you had a great road trip I hope you are reunited with your beast soon.
Andy
edited to say 'oh bugger' ask someone who knows what they're doing about photos
>> Edited by fatboychim on Friday 23 September 05:26
I love the attention my Tiv gets in France (what eez eet?), they are much more able to express their appreciation than folks over here. Although twice just lately i have been asked to "give it a rev" (fer the kids you understand).It sounds like you had a great road trip I hope you are reunited with your beast soon.
Andy
edited to say 'oh bugger' ask someone who knows what they're doing about photos
>> Edited by fatboychim on Friday 23 September 05:26
blue chim said:
In terms of oil, I could not find 15 50 Mobil one in France (got some in Greece though), it might just be me cause many others have managed to.
Its 5-40 in France instead of the 0-40 here in the UK. I think the 15-50 motor-sport is only in the UK.
Great read Blue chim, hope to do something similar my self soon!!
That's exactly how it is fatboychim!!!
I'll try posting the pics when I am get back, off to Tokyo now, just came in to pick up laptop.
Managed to get the 15-50 stuff in Greece pretty easily, thank got cause we would not want the Chim getting low on that stuff....
By the way only lost 1 and a bit liters of the stuff in the whole trip despite some driving gusto on a couple (or more occasions).
I'll try posting the pics when I am get back, off to Tokyo now, just came in to pick up laptop.
Managed to get the 15-50 stuff in Greece pretty easily, thank got cause we would not want the Chim getting low on that stuff....
By the way only lost 1 and a bit liters of the stuff in the whole trip despite some driving gusto on a couple (or more occasions).
Gassing Station | Chimaera | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff