Lotus fuel mixture in the Alps

[garyeanderson]

new topic time. Gee I thought I'd opened a new topic, maybe I'll try again later.

[Boston-Sam]

Hi Gary -

You've got me beat by a long shot - my longest is round trip to Cape Cod in a day (about 220 miles, 9-July, the day I stopped to visit you).

When all the kinks are out I am likely to go farther but for now I think I'll stay close to home.

Years ago (before the recent engine rebuild) my father did a one-way trip from Connecticut to Sullivan's Island, South Carolina (flatbed for the return trip). I think that was more than 800 miles.

- Sam

[john.p.clegg]

That's bloomin nothing,a few years ago my mate and I travelled from Manchester to Scalea (southern Italy) doing 1650 miles over three days,messed around there for a week and did the same on the return,it was enjoyable and tiring,with a boot full of spares when all we needed was a few gallons of oil....

John

[terryp]

Sounds like a little trip to the local shop, heres a picture of the car on a recent trip to Pluto covering some 5.7 billion kilometers

Only joking! You chaps have done some serious trips in your cars!
All the best
Terry

[msd1107]

Briian Buckland should weigh in on this one!

My wife and I regularly took the Elan on trips. Over the years, from LA, we would go to Oregon, several Federal parks in Oregon and CA, Napa Valley, San Francisco, Carmel, Tucson AZ and many other places. On one trip, we got 45+ mpg with several over 40. As the years went on, I packed more oil in the boot before starting off. Soft luggage in the boot, picnic basket between the seats and we returned with up to 8 cases of wine. Remarkable luggage capacity!

In '95, I packed a tent in the boot (had just come back from river rafting) and drove up to the Historic car races at Laguna Seca. The Elan was an off-road car as I drove up the hill and pitched the tent over looking the course. From my tent, I had a view of 8/10 of the course. Some course workers didn't like me using the course for my morning run, though. Getting an early start Monday morning, I joined with a Porsche and Ferrari going south down the 101. I got somewhat worried following them as the speed kept increasing until I was over 6000 rpm on my 3.55 diff ratio. Quick trip. I got off at San Louis Obispo and tasted at 19 wineries (!) before heading back home. One of the wineries had a collection of '30s Fords and we had an interesting talk.

All this in the relative comfort (!) of a FHC. If I wanted wind in the face, I would have ridden a motorcycle, like I used to do before getting the Elan.

Lots of fun and good memories.

David
1968 36/7988

[Foxie]

The MSA Euroclassic http://www.euro-classic-photos.co.uk/ every year since 1995
Average 3,000 miles a trip.

Never had a major problem

[alexblack13]

I am proposing an 'elan.net' trip, hopefully mid next year. Ideas welcome, but thinking not huge miles. Down the Rhine. 1 night stop. Via perhaps the nurburgring? Quick trip into the Alps? Stelvio pass or St Gothard? couple of nights in Lugano?Top end Lago Maggiorie.. or similar. Back up thro' Austria to Salzburg? Cars onto the Autozug for o/n to N germany. Ferry/tunnel back to uk..
Forgive any spelling mistakes please......
We have a committee sorted. looking for names soon...Anyone up for that or ??

Just a thought....

AB....

[Foxie]

Alex,

Go to the Nurburgring, but go on a weekday...

Go down the Rhine to Heidelberg

Go on to Interlaken and Grindelwald, take the Eiger railway up to the Jungfraujock (not cheap, but once in a lifetime...)

On to Meiringen and Andermatt via the Grimsel and Furka, then on by the Oberal

On to Chur, Klosters and Davos and the Fluela, then on towards Bormio

Do Stelvio from North to South...

A long way to Salzburg. Dine in the castle, and take a trip up to Berchtesgarden and the Eagle's Nest..

On the way home, park for free in Visp railway station , and take the train up to car-free Zermatt..

Take the train up to Gornergrat, or the cable car to the Breithorn

[richgilb]

I'm off to the Ring in the October half term with a mate in a Clio Cup. There is some business to settle between us......

[tvacc]

We did something similar a while back. Pictures are on the LOONY website. www.lotusowners.com
http://www.lotusowners.com/RoadTrip/Lot ... /index.htm

We picked up the car in Seattle and got as far as Nebraska City when the water pump gave it up. It will remain one of the highlights of my life. Driving through Montana was just fantastic...Yellowstone was great as well. We completed 2100 miles and were about 900 miles short of our destination when the car broke....

[JJDraper]

The Circuit des Remparts, in Angoul?me is coming up in September. Went there in the +2 a couple of years ago. Fun - see the report in the Gallery section - search on Angouleme.

This year is a special one - http://www.circuit-des-remparts.com

Jackie Stewart and Alain Prost amongst others are special guests this time.

Note that it clashes with the Goodwood Revival, but a ferry crossing, accommodation, petrol and good food is still likely to cost less that a weekend grandstand ticket for the Revival....

Any interest from the French register?

Perhaps my rebuild will be finished by then..!

Jeremy

[terryp]

Jeremy
We only live about 1 hr 20 mins away and we were going to take the Lotus. However I emailed the oganisers and they only replyed after 3 months not really answering my questions regarding parking and access, just automatically entering the car in the concours, which I've now emailed and said we can't go as the concours is on the Friday.
Our problem is with 2 small children at school here we would only want to go on the Saturday and I'm unsure of where I would be able to park?
I've looked at your pictures which are fab , how easy was it to park up for display and then how easy would it be to leave!!!!
We also have people in one of our gites arriving on the Friday who are going. They have a TR6 but are not bringing it!

All the best
Terry

[alexblack13]

You see! the level of enthusiasm for some of these wonderfull trips is awsome. So is the touring!!!. I have toured extensivly in the Bavaria / Austria/ switzerland/south france areas for some time now. Sometimes on two wheels sometimes on 4. Sean has obviously been there a lot also. (I am off in three weeks to treat my Alpinitis.In the Z4 as my Doc' has said no to the bike).

Seans advice is pretty well bang on the button I know this 'caus I have done all the bits he described. The trip up the jungfrau is very special and routes up through the Eiger mountain, with stops to look out the north face windows. Wow! I will never forget that. Everywhere he described is just more special than the next. The passes are wonderfull to drive. We did the three from Andermatt in one day before returning to our hotel just down the road in a village called Ersfeld (spelling!). Stopped at the Devil's bridge. Fantastic.
Have you been up the Zugspitz Sean? It is one of the ultimate cable car runs.Takes about 40 mins.10K ft up. No need to tell you what the view is like. We stayed in a gorgeous little town called Fussen just on the German Austrian border last trip down. 16 people. 8 couples + 8 Pan uropean bikes..

When in the Salzburg / Oversalzburg area you must not miss the saltmines and a trip up to the Kheilstein house. Hitlers 'Eagles nest'
What a trip. We used the German Motorail for taking the strain going back up country. From Innsbruk to Dusseldorf Overnight, which gave us an extra day and saved hotel & fuel costs etc. Short trip then to Ijmuden for the ferry back to Newcastle. What a party!!

We went along the Italian riviera one year.(after the Alps bit!) along thro' Monaco. You gotta do it don't you. Give it laldy thro' THE tunnel and shoot out into the sunshine again. ... To find a policeman in full cerimonial uniform pompom and all, standing in the middle of the road! Struth what a daft thing to do. He should have known I was flying (BM 3.0 three series coupe) He was like a Rabbit in the haedlamps!
More luck than driving I managed to miss him and kept going ignoring his signals to stop, and shot out the other side and into France. Sharpish you could say

I am up for a trip like for E.G. down the Rhine as a starter (we call it a tickler) for anyone not done so before. Places to stay / visit are endless and the beer & food ar great. Dont need to do huge miles asa I said. and a (pre Booked) visit if poss to the ring as it is allways so busy(even during the week!) would be a must when in that area. Even the hotel there might be an option. The museum is well worth a visit also. and is all you will get to do if you time it wrong. You need to book.

Huge fun.

[Allison]

I must admit that we haven't yet got to the USA - but we have taken the Elan to quite a few other places. If you see Club Lotus News there are reports on our trips there - also for USA there's British Marques newspaper which has had most of them. In case you're interested I attach (or try to!) the story of our Kuala Lumpur to Hanoi rally in 2008 (Pictures are too large so I'll try them later on!). Next year we hope to be in Chile and Argentina. In the past we've been to most of Europe, west Africa to Dakar, India, Nepal and Bhutan.

Our aim is to take an Elan where its not been before - and we think someone is organising a rally which will include China back to Europe via central Asia.

Do any of you folks know the rules for the temporary import of classic cars to the USA as we'd like to bring it over and drive around, park up somewhere and come back later to drive some more? Thanks for your help,if you do.

Peter

[tvacc]

I dont know the exact rules, but i dont think it is very difficult to bring in a car temporarily. The Sevens group did it about 4 years ago and about 2 years ago a couple from Denmark (I think) brought their Catherham over and drove like 5000 miles around the USA. They got into mechanical trouble near Mount Rushmore and i ended up helping them and they then stopped here in Buffalo NY.

We had a party planned and they joined us. Here are the photos..
http://www.lotusowners.com/2005Meetings ... /index.htm

If anyone gets near Buffalo NY...look us up. Would love to have you join us. if you go to niagara falls...we are only 20 min away.