Renting a classic for Stevlio
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Finlandese

Original Poster:

630 posts

204 months

Sunday 8th December 2013
quotequote all
Did a cursory search for the subject, but didn´t find any. I live in Finland, which is pretty far away from everywhere. It would take a couple of days just to get to the Alps while driving my own classics. That is why I started to think about flying to the area and renting a suitable car. So far the nearest places that I have found are in Nice and Rome.

Does anyone have any info a rental company for having fun in the alps? Not looking for a supercar. A classic sportscar with good visibilty, a Caterfield, 70´s Alfa Spider, Ferrari 308 GTS. etc would be the kind of vehicle I am looking for.

I am reposting this topic here at the "Classic Cars and Yesterday´s Heroes", as the traffic in the "Roads" section appears to be very light..

tapkaJohnD

2,000 posts

233 months

Sunday 8th December 2013
quotequote all
Club Triumph has a bi-annual event, the Ten Countries Run, in which participants drive through ten countries in Europe, the UK counting as one. Originally a non-stop, 48-hour event, it now takes 96 hours, with a compulsory overnight stop. The 10CR has been going since 2002, and each time the cars travel at least 2000 miles, with a good proportion completing it. See: http://club.triumph.org.uk/cgi-bin/comps/mxcontent...

Via the Baltic States, Stelvio is 1600 miles/2600Km from Helsinki. What an adventure!
Via ferry to Sweden, it's slightly less, and what an even greater adventure, to cross the Oresund Bridge!
Go for it, man! You will never regret it!

John

Finlandese

Original Poster:

630 posts

204 months

Sunday 8th December 2013
quotequote all
I´d love to do it, but don´t really have the time for the transit to to and from. I was considering of going to Italy for the Maserati 100 years do next fall, but realistically that´s at least a weeks trip. A week off for daddy in addition to all the school holidays my wife and I have to cover is pretty selfish even on my scale.

My friends and I have even considered of buying a car and storing it in southern Europe, so we could enjoy the roads and the longer driving season..

jke11y

3,200 posts

266 months

Sunday 8th December 2013
quotequote all
I hired a 190SL and E type from www.rentaclassiccar.com - they have a couple of things that would be amazing for that - namely this

http://www.rentaclassiccar.com/the_cars-lancia_ful...

Great people to deal with.

Finlandese

Original Poster:

630 posts

204 months

Sunday 8th December 2013
quotequote all
^They definately have some intresting cars. The bad bit is that they are 550 km from Stevlio...

Edited by Finlandese on Sunday 8th December 20:20

Cliftonite

8,737 posts

167 months

Sunday 8th December 2013
quotequote all
Finlandese said:
^They definately have some intresting cars. The bad bit is that they are 550 km from Stevlio...

Edited by Finlandese on Sunday 8th December 20:20
Driving an interesting classic car 550 Km in Europe?

How awful! But I suppose someone has to do it!

smile


Finlandese

Original Poster:

630 posts

204 months

Sunday 8th December 2013
quotequote all
Well..

Flying from Finland to Nice. Driving a non-weather equipped Westfield 550 km to get to the roads you were planning to get in the first place (btw the daily allowance is 200km). Enjoying the passes for a couple of days. Driving back to Nice (total of 1100 km of transitoning). Flying back to Finland. That´s a four day trip. Now it´s the worst thing in the world (in fact, it´s the best solution so far), but one would imagine that there were options a little bit closer to the area.

Luzzago in Brescia seems to have some rental option, but does not have list on the website. Must give them a ring.

Riley9

1 posts

153 months

Tuesday 10th December 2013
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Hi,
have just read about your wish. Maybe www.classictours.it can help. They rent classic cars for tours and rallies.
riley9

Finlandese

Original Poster:

630 posts

204 months

Wednesday 11th December 2013
quotequote all
^Excellent location! The only downside is that the only classic soprts car that they have for self drive hire is the Alfa Spider Coda Tronca Junior. Now, it´s a great car (I´ve owned one), but with 1300cc engine it might struggle a bit on the hills? Imagine if they would hire the Fiat Dino for self drive... Now that would be a match made in heaven for those roads!

Thank you, I will definately contact them.

Sideways Tim

1,193 posts

215 months

Wednesday 11th December 2013
quotequote all
imho it's a bit pointless renting someone's car for a trip like that. You should just work out the holiday situation and take one of your own cars. The whole point of an adventure like that is you and your machine against the world.

I'm still trying to justify taking my Spitfire to the US to do Route 66, but until then it will be off to Le Mans and Italy every year if I can afford the time and money.

Finlandese

Original Poster:

630 posts

204 months

Wednesday 11th December 2013
quotequote all
The Crack Fox said:
I'm a classic car fan, I'm also a fan of the great driving roads in France and Italy, and I hope you forgive me while I make a sensible suggestion.

Stelvio, Foppa/Mortirolo and Gavia passes are all fantastic. Unfortunately they all have lumps of rock on corners waiting for your tyres, inclines that will stretch the gearbox of any classic and descents that will ruin brakes of anything old/interesting unless you are very very careful. Take into account that many classic hire companies have a very large damages penalties and I think you will be stressing about looking after the classic instead of enjoying the ride. Classics are perfect for the Cote d'Azur highways and posing in Monaco but best left there. Here's what I often do...

Hertz will rent you a Fiat 500 from Nice airport for peanuts or a MINI for a little more. Pay the c.€20/day insurance excess and you are not liable for any damage. From there head north for an hour and you're at the Col de Turini, just an hour further an you're on Europe's highest through road (Col de la Bonnette), try also the Col de la Cayolle which is spectaular (there's a 3 metre wide panoramic picture of it above my desk from my last trip there). The roads are so tight and twisty you will not once be wishing for a classic. An overnight stay in Barcelonnette is cheap and fun. Finish up with a trip to Monaco on your way back to the airport. I've done this many times and write about it for my magazine. See here for an example of what to expect or drop me a line if you need any further suggestions smile

Have a great trip!
Sounds great (with the exception of the modern car bit - I hate them)! But, combine that with the tip from jke11y about the classic car hire in Nice and we have a trip that needs to be done!

Finlandese

Original Poster:

630 posts

204 months

Wednesday 11th December 2013
quotequote all
Sideways Tim said:
imho it's a bit pointless renting someone's car for a trip like that. You should just work out the holiday situation and take one of your own cars. The whole point of an adventure like that is you and your machine against the world.

I'm still trying to justify taking my Spitfire to the US to do Route 66, but until then it will be off to Le Mans and Italy every year if I can afford the time and money.
One day, for sure, but not while the kids are this young. The school is closed 13 weeks per year...