Holiday / touring prep'

[alexblack13]

What does the team think one should pack to go touring for two weeks in the Elan?

Here's what I am taking so far. I don't use the spare wheel so this lot is sitting on foam rubber packing in the spare wheel well.


Oil / Coolant / spare bulb set (mandatory) warning triangle and hi viz vests(ditto) 1st aid kit/ tool kit/ tie wraps various/ roll of ins' tape/ anti theft steering wheel lock. Box of surgical gloves.. ( Next!! Up on the table miss..legs in the stirrups please..Say AHHHHHH!! ... Sorry could not resist that!!) Ahemm! .. Two instant puncture/ re inflate kits.
And all the required documentation etc....

A wee story... Staying on the top of Lake Maggiore in Switzerland one hol's Carol and I went for a spin / dinner one super night.. Care free, whizzing along in the Z4 we crossed the border into Italy, had a nice meal etc and set off back to our hotel... Which was still is Switzerland where we left it. The Swiss stopped us on the way back and that's when we discovered we had no documents at all on us!! After a stiff talking to and a phone call to the Hotel they let us go on.. Didn't do that again. Def' not to be recommended.

What else? spare plugs/hoses/ etc... Doesn't matter what I take I will no doubt miss something!!

Any advice?

Alex B....

[andyhodg]

Alex

I have been having the same thoughts in preparation for my trip the the LeMans Classic. Things you haven't mentioned:

Set of Spark plugs
Points
Condenser
HT leads (mine are a bit dodgy)
Distributor cap
Rotor arm
Spare fuel pump (because I have one already)
Oil (approx 4 litres)
Fan belt
Fuses
Gaffer tape
Jump leads
Tow rope
Torch
European Recovery Insurance
Mobile Phone
Spare top hose (I've just replaced my bottom hose)

I'm sure that I've missed something but probably won't find out what until I need it!

Regards
Andy

[alexblack13]

Cool.. Thanks Andy. That is a good list.


BUT.. No points etc..Electronic ign. New cap and wire leads fitted and new supp' caps too, but I think a rotor arm a good idea.

I'm on the std fuel pump and its recond'.. So??

Oil I take. I will up the amount to 4 ltrs.

fan belt I take

Jumpers will be added to list, I just forgot them.

Fuses.. Ditto

Insurance etc is in my documents list.

Add 1 roll gaffer / duct tape.

I will take my rechargable lamp and add plugs and hoses to my list.

Tow rope not illegal now?. I think you need a bar. I won't bother with this as I would just call Carol Nash.

Getting there..Thanks Andy..

I'm heading to Lemans also...

Alex..

[Old English White]

Cool.. Thanks Andy. That is a good list.


BUT.. No points etc..Electronic ign. New cap and wire leads fitted and new supp' caps too, but I think a rotor arm a good idea.

I'm on the std fuel pump and its recond'.. So??

Oil I take. I will up the amount to 4 ltrs.

fan belt I take

Jumpers will be added to list, I just forgot them.

Fuses.. Ditto

Insurance etc is in my documents list.

Add 1 roll gaffer / duct tape.

I will take my rechargable lamp and add plugs and hoses to my list.

Tow rope not illegal now?. I think you need a bar. I won't bother with this as I would just call Carol Nash.

Getting there..Thanks Andy..

I'm heading to Lemans also...

Alex..

Even if you have electronic ign. , and if your installation still allow it , a complete classic system is so compact than you should have some place for it ...
To your list , I ll add a cable , and that :

It can hold anything for a while , make a gear lever for exemple ...
Take the rope . No bar can be used on our cars whitout damaging the body .
Personnaly , I ll add 1meter of stainless wire , a set of front bearing . I had some tales with ... and if you are runing on knock'on , 1 or 2 drive pegs ...
And of course that small shiny plastic card , whatever the color if gold !
See you at Le Mans Classic .
Christian.

[alexblack13]

Brilliant just great.. Thanks Christian...

Alex B.....

[richardcox_lotus]

The only thing I used to take when going to Le mans was a jar & pipe for fluid bleeding, & a circuit tester for diagnosing. I also wish I had taken a footpump !

[andyhodg]

Alex
I've had electronic ignition fail on my plus 2 leaving me stranded. If I was in your position I would take all I needed to return to good old fashioned points.

Regards
Andy

[moonlander]

I always carry some brake fluid, bleed kit and a clutch slave cylinder repair kit......
Lost the clutch a few years back whilst stuck in traffic on the A5.

I am also making the trip south to Le Mans Classic, first trip abroad for the +2, so hopefully see a few of you and put faces to names.

Graham

Plus 2 130/5

[alexblack13]

I'm only going to go so far with this and if, for eg the electronic ign fails I will fall back on Carol Nash and use the hired car supplied. I think sooner or later one has to say well...I'm not going to carry a spare clutch plate and full set of brake hoses and a head gasket kit etc etc.. Know what I'm saying? I ran my +2's for a total of about 7 years with very few breakdowns. So I recon I should just trust the car a bit, after all I personally fitted every nut bolt and self tapper.

We all have different views of course, but I will be taking quite a few of the items suggested.

Here is the updated list.

fan belt.plugs.rotor arm. top and bottom hoses. oil . coolant. jump leads. tools ( inc' vice grips!). 1st aid kit. tow rope. triangle. vests. anti theft device. fuses. multimeter. bulb kit. gaffer tape. puncture repair /tyre inflator. torch.

The phone and documents etc are also a def' will take. GPS system and Camera as usual

If that little lot doesn't keep me mbl then,.... Hello, is that Carole Nash breakdown ? Take my car home please.

Big thanks all round.

Just about there now. I think!

Alex B....

[bcmc33]

What does the team think one should pack to go touring for two weeks in the Elan?

Here's what I am taking so far. I don't use the spare wheel so this lot is sitting on foam rubber packing in the spare wheel well.


Oil / Coolant / spare bulb set (mandatory) warning triangle and hi viz vests(ditto) 1st aid kit/ tool kit/ tie wraps various/ roll of ins' tape/ anti theft steering wheel lock. Box of surgical gloves.. ( Next!! Up on the table miss..legs in the stirrups please..Say AHHHHHH!! ... Sorry could not resist that!!) Ahemm! .. Two instant puncture/ re inflate kits.
And all the required documentation etc....

Alex,

These have to be in the car with you. Heavy fine if not and found out. (I should know).

From all the advice it seems the best thing to do is take the car on a trailer to within 5 miles of your destination.

[69S4]

Hi Alex.

A couple of things occurred to me reading through your list. No spare wheel or jack? Are you running tubeless tyres? If so then fine. If you're running tubes then I'd worry about relying on the re inflate kits. Unless your engine uses a bit of oil I'd have thought four litres to be overkill. I used about 800ml down to the alps and back last year - and most of that probably leaked out. Do you use lead substitute / octane booster in the fuel? Add a few different size nylon zip- ties as well. They take no space and can fix a lot of problems.

If you know the car well it's unlikely that something major will go wrong but it's the niggly little things that make or break the trip. I ran my car around here all last summer and was confident(ish) that it would get me through France but by the time I got to Dover I had a fuel leak. Heat soak had softened the fuel pipe rubber tubing. I hadn't noticed it before because I hadn't done a long enough journey in it but the three hour drive to Dover was enough. At least you have the advantage of passing some of the main parts dealers en route to the south coast so if anything is showing up you'll have a chance to seek supplies.

[Roy Gillett]

I always carry a spare engine mount (only one style needed for the +2). Just because I have had two fail when there was a suspect batch being peddled.

Why do Generals always fight the last war?

Roy

[mac5777]

Hi Alex,
After reading how well equipped you guys travel, makes me feel how unprepared I've been. You guys are welcome to follow along on any road trip with me anytime. If you had 4 wheels, you'll almost have a spare car. Some day I'll be saying "If I only Had"

Sarto

[alexblack13]

Hi Men,

Great advice so far and I think I am there now. Hi vis vests I know about (Biker remember!!) The tyres are tubeless! so that's sorted. Tie wraps various already on my list and the head has hardened seats, so will run unleaded fine. So no need for lead substitute.

Thanks again Guys.. and a hello to Sarto..

Sorted quite a lot out today. I have a nice old but v good condition (perfect!) Castrol GTX 20/50 2.5 ltr tin so I have filled that. I recon' 2.5 litres is well enough. I have only put about 1 Pt of oil in total since run in oil change and that's 1500 mls ago. Hope i'm right!!

Found where I had put the set of points etc when I fitted the Magnetronic...In the magnetronic box!! So a new rotor arm was added to that 'Kit' ready to go in the boot. Fan belt etc all ready to go. Box of light bulbs to suit the car had some fuses in so I added a few more. First aid kit is in, tools being sorted out etc etc.. That will all be done tomorrow..

Whats next? I cant wait for the off!! My Porsche is still with repairers so that might not be an option to use for hols (If I needed to only). I will be setting off in the Elan..


MOT'd my latest resto' today. Lambretta LI See' 3 Li 125..Never missed a beat

Here's a wee photo..

[pereirac]

I would also take a couple of spare rotoflex couplings (if you car still uses them), some fuses and a set of radiator hoses.

Carl