Am I Mad?? Circa 2000 Miles in a week....
Discussion
Ok guys it may not sound like much but I'll be doing it in a classic Mini which has a straight cut box and sports exhaust. All in aid of 2 worth while cuases (not sure if I'm allowed to promote them or the name of the event on here) I'm really looking forward to it sharing the trip with my younger brother (who's mini we are using mines limted to 5000 miles a year) and about 10 other Minis/MINIS.
THe Mini is currently in for service and the have the suspension lifted slightly today then we have to put all the stickers on the car and get it loaded up ready for a week saturday when we head off. I will post some pictures of the car all stickered up when I can.
Oh I forgot to say on 2 of the days we will be dressed as hippies!!
THe Mini is currently in for service and the have the suspension lifted slightly today then we have to put all the stickers on the car and get it loaded up ready for a week saturday when we head off. I will post some pictures of the car all stickered up when I can.
Oh I forgot to say on 2 of the days we will be dressed as hippies!!
Did just over 2500miles in the Impreza in 5 days a few years back. The first 3 of which I was having to go steady as the engine had just been rebuilt and needed an oil change, which got done one evening in Germany.
Long road trips are fun and I'm sure the Mini will add to the memories.
Long road trips are fun and I'm sure the Mini will add to the memories.
Must admit I'm seriously looking forward to it not sure my back is but my brother recently fitted Honda S2000 seats to the car so hopefully it will be a bit more comfortable
This the Mini we will be taking its got a 1310 under the bonnet and 5 speed straight cut box so it will an enteraing drive we've taken the back seats out to give us more storage room as for all but one of the nights we are camping we won't be using the motorway very much on the main run just to get down to Devon and to get back from Inverness.
Oh and we think the people we brought the Mini from are doing the run too its a small world
This the Mini we will be taking its got a 1310 under the bonnet and 5 speed straight cut box so it will an enteraing drive we've taken the back seats out to give us more storage room as for all but one of the nights we are camping we won't be using the motorway very much on the main run just to get down to Devon and to get back from Inverness.
Oh and we think the people we brought the Mini from are doing the run too its a small world
I'm guessing you're doing John O'Groats to Lands End (or vice versa)?
You're a brave man
, but if the seats are good you'll be fine with a bad back - I did 3,500 miles on Staples2Naples2005 in a week in a Montego.
Myself and a friend drove to the Costa Blanca and back in 2 weeks (6 days' driving plus 10 days in the middle) in another Montego. Bit of 'roadburn' but no real back pain .
The missus and I 'did' the South of France in her Jazz... Awful seats meant purgatory, although the 66mpg chilling out on the back roads was good - almost as good as the 70mpg I got from me old Mini 1000 on long runs in much greater comfort at 55mph! 20 minutes to remove myself from the driver's seat then straighten up after 4 hours' driving isn't good - but the Jazz gets me like this after a mere hour's driving, it's awful, so better to put off the inevitable and keep going!
Mind you, I'm provisionally pencilled-in for a John O'Groats to Lands End run next year, in an Allegro. I'll get the TENS machine, painkillers and anti-inflammatories out in good time
(my 309 and MG1600 are fine over long distances - period!).
You're a brave man
, but if the seats are good you'll be fine with a bad back - I did 3,500 miles on Staples2Naples2005 in a week in a Montego.Myself and a friend drove to the Costa Blanca and back in 2 weeks (6 days' driving plus 10 days in the middle) in another Montego. Bit of 'roadburn' but no real back pain
.The missus and I 'did' the South of France in her Jazz... Awful seats meant purgatory, although the 66mpg chilling out on the back roads was good - almost as good as the 70mpg I got from me old Mini 1000 on long runs in much greater comfort at 55mph! 20 minutes to remove myself from the driver's seat then straighten up after 4 hours' driving isn't good - but the Jazz gets me like this after a mere hour's driving, it's awful, so better to put off the inevitable and keep going!
Mind you, I'm provisionally pencilled-in for a John O'Groats to Lands End run next year, in an Allegro. I'll get the TENS machine, painkillers and anti-inflammatories out in good time
(my 309 and MG1600 are fine over long distances - period!).
Sounds great, go for it !
In mid July 93 , my ex wife and I went on a road trip down through France in my 86 Pearl White R5 GT Turbo, ( C400 GME ) where are you now ? ) complete with a tent and 2 bikes lashed to the tailgate via a Halfords cycle carrier !
Our route down took us via the Somme , Loire Valley then onto the Route Napoleon , going through Gap , Sisteron and Castelaine ( lovely town ) i had the drive of my life on the R Napoleon, inc a late nite dice with a local in a white 3.2 Carrera.
We eventually ended up at a crowded camp site a couple of miles out side of San Tropez .
It was just so nice down there and we just didn't want to leave, but had a Calais ferry to catch. The drive back was one I will never ever forget , foot flat to the floor the whole way, she would pull a maximum indicated 125. The photos and notes I took of that trip disappeared with divorce, but I know I got back to Calais in a very quick time. That 5 Turbo was fantastic , she never missed a beat.
I remember telling a good mate how quickly I had done the drive back , but he had done the same journey far quicker on a 1000 Exup !
I retraced the same journey 2 summers ago in a van ( unfortuneately ) but traffic on the Route Napoleon is now far heavier .
In mid July 93 , my ex wife and I went on a road trip down through France in my 86 Pearl White R5 GT Turbo, ( C400 GME ) where are you now ? ) complete with a tent and 2 bikes lashed to the tailgate via a Halfords cycle carrier !
Our route down took us via the Somme , Loire Valley then onto the Route Napoleon , going through Gap , Sisteron and Castelaine ( lovely town ) i had the drive of my life on the R Napoleon, inc a late nite dice with a local in a white 3.2 Carrera.
We eventually ended up at a crowded camp site a couple of miles out side of San Tropez .
It was just so nice down there and we just didn't want to leave, but had a Calais ferry to catch. The drive back was one I will never ever forget , foot flat to the floor the whole way, she would pull a maximum indicated 125. The photos and notes I took of that trip disappeared with divorce, but I know I got back to Calais in a very quick time. That 5 Turbo was fantastic , she never missed a beat.
I remember telling a good mate how quickly I had done the drive back , but he had done the same journey far quicker on a 1000 Exup !
I retraced the same journey 2 summers ago in a van ( unfortuneately ) but traffic on the Route Napoleon is now far heavier .
1700 miles in 31 hours in one of these.
It had a vinyl covered bench seat with no comfort adjustments whatsoever. You had to sit bolt upright which made trying to get any sleep (when not doing driving duty of course) a chore. No cruise control and possibly overloaded cargo meant that accelerator was permanently pressed to the floor to maintain speed. We seriously considered cutting down a broom handle to wedge between the pedal and the seat.
It had a vinyl covered bench seat with no comfort adjustments whatsoever. You had to sit bolt upright which made trying to get any sleep (when not doing driving duty of course) a chore. No cruise control and possibly overloaded cargo meant that accelerator was permanently pressed to the floor to maintain speed. We seriously considered cutting down a broom handle to wedge between the pedal and the seat.
Thanks guys we are doing it we leave for Devon a week on Saturday I am getting guite excited now looking forward to some proper driving.
Re: S2000 engine don't plant ideas in my head..... I have a daft outline of a plan that will probally never happen and that is to fit an Adui RS4 enging in the the back of a Min van or Pick-up (if I win the lottery one day it may be a reality!)
Re: S2000 engine don't plant ideas in my head..... I have a daft outline of a plan that will probally never happen and that is to fit an Adui RS4 enging in the the back of a Min van or Pick-up (if I win the lottery one day it may be a reality!)
Downton Mini said:
Re: S2000 engine don't plant ideas in my head..... I have a daft outline of a plan that will probally never happen and that is to fit an Adui RS4 enging in the the back of a Min van or Pick-up (if I win the lottery one day it may be a reality!)
you know you want to:
(Supercharged Honda K20 powered)
now I knew I'd get something wrong 
The first day we travel down to Lands End from Bideford and back to Bideford, the Bideford the Charnocl Richard Services (one of the few bits of Motorway we use, then Charncl Ricard to Moffet (sp?), then Moffet to Inverness and finally Inverness to John O'Groats and back to Inverness
Go for it! If a couple of mates could do it with an R1 Fury from England to Italy it will be like driving on a sofa for you :-)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0H08RJZRCtM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0H08RJZRCtM
MondeoMan1981 said:
Whats the route from Moffat to Inverness ?
We will/should be travelling Carin Lodge, Morrisions at Dumbarton, and Belford Road (these are our planned stops according to the route) I could have given you all of the road numbers but think I may have been still typing come set off timeGassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff