Chim Euro Trip - Check list?

[FreeLitres]

Hi all,

I am toying with the idea of a Euro trip in the Chimaera.

Does anyone have a list of what I will need to take with me? I am thinking the usual Euro travel things and also a list of things that would be useful for the Chim.

Can you help me complete my list, or direct me towards an existing list?

Pre travel prep:
Check insurance cover
Buy Euro AA cover
Buy SatNav with Euro maps

General Euro requirements:
High vis vest
Warning triangle
Spare bulb kit

Chim/TVR specific:
Accelerator cable
Octane booster (in case I can only get 95-ron)
5w-50 Engine oil
Basic tool kit (any recommendations?)
Chimaera bible

What else?

[lesstatt]

Tyre Foam / Foot pump
Headlight to LHD stickers
Euro Sticker on numberplate
Tie wraps
Gaffa Tape

Edited by lesstatt on Tuesday 21st December 21:29

Edited by lesstatt on Tuesday 21st December 22:02

[FreeLitres]

Good call!

Would I need a full oval GB sticker on 1998 car? I thought the GB number plate marker was only allowed on the new post-2001 style plates?

[lesstatt]

the new plates with the blue band and GB in are ok, not sure if you can jut put a sticker on the plate you have or need to have the oval GB sticker

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/...

Edited by lesstatt on Tuesday 21st December 21:49

[Chimpafrolic]

I used some good quality stick on chrome (on brass) GB letters.

I figured the chrome GB letters would look much better on the back of my Chim than a nasty sticker, obviously a magnetic GB badge was a non starter.

As for the tool kit, for touring I like to select tools that can do more than one thing and can help to get you out of a fix.

• Adjustable spanner

• Mole grips

• Screwdriver with intergangable bits

These are tools I would avoid normally, but for touring they save a lot of space & weight.

Oh, & a good multimeter will help you find a fault that would otherwise have you scratching your head.

However the best thing you can take is:

"The knowlege that your car has been well prepared before you set off"

I did over 3000 miles in France this summer in just over two weeks and the Chim never missed a beat.

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

To be honest these cars are absolutely perfect for this kind of trip.

Prep well and enjoy.

[scotty_d]

FreeLitres said:

Good call!

Would I need a full oval GB sticker on 1998 car? I thought the GB number plate marker was only allowed on the new post-2001 style plates?

I did not bother i just had SCO on my plates and i was fine for over 2500 miles in Europe.

Link to my tour if its any help.

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

Make sure you have fitted or have the bits you need for the Hot start Mod i did not have it fitted but had enough bits with me to fit one in when i got to italy mid Summer it was 36 degrees and did it for the first time.

To Add tools and bits i took

small socket set

full set of spanners 8-19mm

Mole grips

Multi meter

Spare fuse's (100 amp too)

Ht Lead

Aux Belt

Screw drivers

Some spare wire and various crimps

Spare relays

Chim pages has most of this on it and as it says it all fits in to a small bag.

Good luck and enjoy.

Edited by scotty_d on Tuesday 21st December 22:13

[phillpot]

Perhaps add tin of Rad-Weld and some hose bandage ?

And a good torch / 12volt lead light (things don't always go wrong in daylight)

[Porthmog]

Might be worth 'packing' an otter switch. My car boiled when I approached the loading ramp on the Stenaline Harwich to Hook of Holland.

[Nosh]

An electronic device that enables you to post here on the PH forum.....

VERY useful...

Have a good trip
Nosh

[Andy Pandie]

Porthmog said:

Might be worth 'packing' an otter switch. My car boiled when I approached the loading ramp on the Stenaline Harwich to Hook of Holland.

Just short the terminals out with a blade fuse or similar, fans will run constant but will get you home.

Edited to say, so you'll need spare fuses too

Edited by Andy Pandie on Wednesday 22 December 09:10

[spend]

Easier just to fit a fan override switch IMHO, find otter wire near fuse box, link a wire to switch (what/wherever you want) that connects to ground.

[sgrimshaw]

First Aid Kit.

Depending on which country you are visiting, you may need a Hi-Vis jacket for each occupant of the car.

Also, for Spain two triangles are highly recommended (to save grief from El Plod), even though one is the legal requirement for Visitors.

Check here for specifics by country.

http://www.theaa.com/motoring_advice/overseas/comp...

Don't forget your Registration Document (must be original, not a copy)

Would also add:

Superglue.

Spare Key and Fob.

Road Atlas - Sat Nav is fine for providing guidance, but useless for finding a nice interesting route.

Finally, if you can stretch to it, a Surrey Roof!

Edited by sgrimshaw on Wednesday 22 December 10:58

[sgrimshaw]

spend said:

Easier just to fit a fan override switch IMHO, find otter wire near fuse box, link a wire to switch (what/wherever you want) that connects to ground.

Even better is the Modwise Two Stage Cooling Kit.

[FreeLitres]

Thanks for all the comments! Very useful.

The car has already had the Hotstart mod and a fan override switch. It's been well looked after by the team at Hexham Horseless Carriages.

It sounds like I have a few things to buy before I go!

I must admit, I am a bit scared of taking the car so far as my biggest journey so far has been a 200 mile round trip!

[Good Soil (Pete)]

I personally would take the basics that you listed, spare fuses, relays and then the different belts and then just the AA membership card. No point lugging your garage around in your boot as you can bet if anything else happens it will be the worst possible place/weather/location to be working on the car so you might as well get the AA man to have to deal with all that unless you relish in the whole 'I can fix that' at the side of the road and if that's the case you may as well throw in your trolley jack, some ramps, all your tools or perhaps get a trailer for all that stuff?? ;-)

[Johno]

I reckon I've done 20k+ on the continent in the Griffith . . they are fantastic for Euro touring. I carry the following . .

Full socket set 3/8 & 1/4
Full set of spanners
Screwdriver with multi bits
Pliers
Monkey grips
Swan necks
Scissors
Rivet pliers
Hammer
Tie wraps
Jubilee clips
Fuses
Relays
Length of coolant hose (long enough and suitable enough bore to satisfy a temp fix)
Gaffer tape
Exhaust putty/Gun gum
Exhaust gaskets
Manifold bolts
Thermstat (I have no otter switch)
Spare long HT lead (coil packs here) I would carry new rotor arm and cap if I had them.
Small pot of grease & cpper slip (film cases)
Small tube of silicone sealant
Instant gasket/Hilamar
Small can WD40
Electrical crimps
Electrical connectors
Spare wire (long length in case you need to go fuse box to furthest corner and back)
Multimeter
Torch
Spare bulbs
A multi sectioned box of loads of bits, bolts, screws, connectors, rivets, washers, tonnes of useful 'things'
Collapsible bucket
Wash mitt & shampoo
2 x MF clothes
Kitchen Roll
First aid kit
warning triangle
2 x hi vis jackets
GB on the license plates

Most of this lives behind passenger seat so it's easily accessible

I don't tape the lights as generally no driving at night and sticking it on the cowling of a Griffith headlight is useless anyway.

This is essential for touring if you intend on keeping the roof off.

Last years trip

Haven't written up this years, but here's a sample

As comprehensive as my list is, there'll be stuff I've missed. I will also add that you should only carry the tools and spares you are able/prepared to use.

I always have full recovery cover and accept that many things I won't bother to tackle and am not prepared to compromise our holiday spending days sorting issues as our tours go from one place to another pretty much every day, once you've stopped for more than a day then you're compromising the holiday for both of you and that's not fun anymore. We've been fortunate that the Griffith has had issues like gasket blown on way to Le Mans, broken handbrake pivot bolt, ripped off rear ARB and a dying steering rack, but nothing that took any longer than a couple of hours to 'bodge' well enough to complete the holiday without having a negative effect on it.

For me the most significant thing you can do is make sure you service/inspect the car before you set off, but DON'T just start changing parts because they may fail, I've known more cars fail on tours with parts changed before hand as JIC's when they were operating fine beforehand.

[Porthmog]

Following my previous post. I could have shorted out the otter switch but as I was travelling on the outward journey through Holland, Luxembourg, Germany, Austria, Italy and France I managed to source one in Germany.(Car was running fine on the motorways, plenty of air getting through) The other problem I had was the cigarette lighter failed. As a result I had to get hold of another and connect it straight to the battery. I can't do without a Sat Nav when staying in hotels!

[phillpot]

Johno said:

Rivet pliers,
rivets,

Won't you need a drill and drill bits ? And think you missed out the kitchen sink

[Johno]

phillpot said:

Johno said:

Rivet pliers,
rivets,

Won't you need a drill and drill bits ? And think you missed out the kitchen sink

Told you I'd forget a couple of bits . ..

Hand drill and bits

[Johno]

Porthmog said:

Following my previous post. I could have shorted out the otter switch but as I was travelling on the outward journey through Holland, Luxembourg, Germany, Austria, Italy and France I managed to source one in Germany.(Car was running fine on the motorways, plenty of air getting through) The other problem I had was the cigarette lighter failed. As a result I had to get hold of another and connect it straight to the battery. I can't do without a Sat Nav when staying in hotels!

Tip for ya . . fit an auxillary cigarette lighter into the passenger footboard or hidden behind dash like in my Dad's Chimaera straight to the battery so that you can run all chargers from there rather than from the one in the door, less hassle with wiring, gives a spare in case and you don't trip over it every time you get out of car

This was another essential mod for doing plenty of touring . ..

Edited by Johno on Wednesday 22 December 15:44