SteveJP

Hi Chris, Andy Copas and I are planning to come down in my Stag to watch tomorrow, so make that 18 Triumphs however one will be parked in the car park! Steve

Cheque book found, application in todays post -  The Stag is ready and raring to go! ;D ;D

Entry form completed, just got to find chequebook! I think the last time it was used was for the last RBRR :) then into tomorrow's post

sparky_spit wrote:Wherever we go, I would prefer to keep it to no more than 4 days.  Longer than that creates certain family/work issues for both of Team 3, and also makes it more expensive.  Personally, we would like to keep costs down rather than increase them to cater for Scandinavian ferries and more hotel stops. Like SteveJP I liked northern Spain and Andorra and the trip across the Massif Central/Ardeche to Valence/Grenoble/Alps was brilliant. Western France/Brittany has some great roads - why not do something similar to 2009 but in the reverse direction? I also have unfinished business with this route, broke down near Grenoble in 2009! 8)

I've always thought it would be nice to do a return to Spain, I know last time getting into Andorra was a pain at the weekend, but if we spent a bit more time in Spain, perhaps hitting Andorra later would be easier, or reverse the route a bit, or do less than 10 Countries? failing that how about going a bit further south into Italy and Croatia and back up through Slovenia, and Austria forgetting Litchenstein and Swizzleland?

Mike, have you only emailed this year's 10CR participants? I haven't had an email, nor is it in my spam. Steve

sparky_spit wrote:A massive thank you from Team 3 to Ellis and the 10CR team for such a brilliant event. We both enjoyed it hugely and are already looking forward to 2015's event. We were also very pleased to get the Spitfire round this time after 2011's failure.  The only issue we had this time was a split in the driver's seat cushion....  :)  I'm sure that using high octane fuel at every stop, instead of 95 plus a separate octane booster as we did last time, helped a lot. The highlights for us must be the Thursday night drive through Valenciennes/Reims/Dijon/Grenoble; going over the Col de la Bonnette; lunch on the top of the St Bernardino, and cheering Team Torpedo into Rolduc on the Sunday.  A really great route and great company along the way and at the night halts too. The only downer was back in England, on the M20 when we were so, so close to becoming involved in a truly horrible accident, in a downpour and road-spray, involving a van, lorry, a Fiat Multipla, and the four Ariel Atoms that had shared our Chunnel carriage earlier.  Thank God Tristan's quick reactions and new brakes on the Spitfire just saved us from joining the wreckage, and I pray that the  person who was still trapped in one of the Atoms is okay. Thanks again Ellis, Mike, Andy, Paul and Theo.  Hope I haven't missed anybody? I thought you might like to know Mike that in my local paper today it reported that there were no serious injuries incurred by any of the Atom occupants. Steve

Hi Mike Email and Pm sent Steve Formerly 76spit :)

TR7Nutter wrote:OK.... before this gets out of hand as to how I'm doing everything wrong, can we get one or two things straight. The route isn't a secret as I've said many times, but I'm not about to publish something that isn't finalised. We are still working on some of the timings and want to get it to fit. Over the course of the next month or so this will happen and I'll advise suggested places for stops etc. We're starting in France because it gives us more driving / rest time on the continent to fit things in. Unfortunately, trying to make an event fit with what EVERYONE wants is pretty much impossible, but by listening to ALL the comments I get (rather than a loud few), I can make decisions that suit most. If anyone has a problem, please contact me direct rather than stiring up a storm on here - I actually feel quite disappointed about some of the comments and who have posted them. I would just like to add my support for Ellis and the hard work he and his team put into the event. I am truly disappointed I can't make the 10CR next year due to a clash of dates for the first time, particularly as the French Start point would work very well for me.

It looks like I won't be submitting an entry this year due to a clash of holiday dates much to the disappointment of my brother (and co-driver) so we are considering whether to take the best bits of the 2011 and 2009 routes and combine them for a mini run on our own hopefully before the 10CR concentrating more on the french/swiss/italian/austrian bits - there are a few bits we missed in 2009 due to a breakdown and some bits in 2011 that we really liked.

I'm in a real quandry now, its the same weekend as a proposed family holiday, do I send off the entry form in hope that the holiday decision which is dependent upon others in 2 weeks time changes the date, or do I take a chance that I can send it off in a couple of weeks time and go on the reserves list? Like the start in Northern france, means I no longer have to retrace my steps from the start to Dover!

6797 wrote:Would be interested in seeing the failure reasons for the Spitfires - since that's what we intend on using in 2014! Interesting stats though - Thanks! Just to put in context with the talk of all these driveshaft failures on the 2012 event - I successfully completed the 2010 RBRR in my Spitfire 1500, the driveshaft failed on the 2007 10CR and was replaced with one of Mr Pearsons replacements which went on to do over 10k miles without fault before I sold the car earlier this year. It was the alternator that gave up the ghost in 2010 which was an easy swap (but wet!) in Gordano Services on the way into Cornwall. I would say just check and replace any suspect bearings/uj's with known quality items and take a spare alternator!

4666 wrote:When I spoke to a known specialist on here who had done the RBRR a couple of times he did comment on the fact that it is very hard to do with 2 people and that having a 3rd person on board makes all the difference. I may do it one year.  As much as I would like to take the Stag, the fuel consumption would be a factor. But between 3 people... Plus it would probably work out cheaper than buy a small engines Dolly and making it reliable and testing it for it (the devil you know and all that) :). I wouldn't say its 'very' hard, just challenging with two people :) I see you have the ZF conversion on your Stag, why is fuel consumption an issue? ;D ;D I did it with a BW65 gearbox and averaged just under 25mpg, split between two of us that wasn't too bad. Why not try the 10CR first, a little bit less frenetic and you get to stay in some hotels :) :) Although you still have to cover around 2000 miles on the continent so if fuel is an issue to you ..........

4666 wrote:When I spoke to a known specialist on here who had done the RBRR a couple of times he did comment on the fact that it is very hard to do with 2 people and that having a 3rd person on board makes all the difference. I may do it one year.  As much as I would like to take the Stag, the fuel consumption would be a factor. But between 3 people... Plus it would probably work out cheaper than buy a small engines Dolly and making it reliable and testing it for it (the devil you know and all that) :). I wouldn't say its 'very' hard, just challenging with two people :) I see you have the ZF conversion on your Stag, why is fuel consumption an issue? ;D ;D I did it with a BW65 gearbox and averaged just under 25mpg, split between two of us that wasn't too bad. Why not try the 10CR first, a little bit less frenetic and you get to stay in some hotels :) :) Although you still have to cover around 2000 miles on the continent so if fuel is an issue to you ..........

My first RBRR I completed in 2010 was in my Spitfire 1500 which was great fun although even with MX5 seats fitted I found very difficult to sleep in. This year I used my Stag which was a completely different experience from the driving point of view, I still didn't sleep much until we got near Cornwall, but that's me. My Co-driver had no problems dropping off in both cars.  In part I agree it is easier to do the RBRR in a bigger car, but its a lot more fun in the small ones especially around Scotland and Wales. The benefit of the Stag was the way it just easily ate up the long boring stretches of motorway/dual carriageway. The disadvantage was the fuel consumption! At the end of the day, what does it matter which type of car is used as long as its a Triumph. The important thing is to make sure your car (and drivers) are prepared for the journey as far as possible to minimise the potential for breakdowns. This is after all a Reliability Run for both car and drivers 8)

Car 69 Stag V8 Auto with Triumph engine, 2000 miles exactly from Plough to Plough, averaged 24.5mpg. No Oil or water used Mileage measurements taken from Sat Nav as Speedo is wildly innaccurate due to Saloon Diff fitted.

Source some new wiper blades, the drivers side kept wanting to permanently visit Scotland and wales! Restuff front seats Seriously though, sort out the driveline vibration that kept our speed down on the motorway stretches,  having taken the car up to Faversham Classics today to get a good look underneath it looks like the Diff Nose Extension is knackered, a wheel bearing is shot and  the rear suspension could do with a good rebushing.  Just a few jobs for the winter so the car will be ready for the 10CR again next year

Err...... Yes I think it was! ;D Then good old sat nav sent us 2 miles up the road then told us to do a U Turn!!!!!  so it was back to the map at this point Still we got to Sugar Loaf on time in the end.  

7002 wrote: But we did have a little bit of fun following the brown stag along the A438 for a while.    ;D Tony C Glad you enjoyed that Tony - my co - driver Graham was driving in his own unique spirited way! Steve

damn  -  been out in the Stag this afternoon for a final shakedown, got home, reversed into the garage, pulled down the roller door and knocked off a front rubber overrider - grrrrr, so its out with the evo stick and masking tape. It'll probably drop off on the RBRR, or even on the way to the Plough, still it'll spur me on to replace the other tatty one as well! :-/

Hmmm ...not sure how I managed to add that photo twice!

RBRR sticker applied at a jaunty angle on the right side of the bootlid - Stags don't have room on their back panels. Just finished loading the Mp3 player with nice soothing music ;D ;D

I agree with Dave use the Roadbook, on the last RBRR which was my first it was very comforting to be following and being followed by other Triumphs, particularly as it was a dark wet night!

Thanks Tim Bootlid it shall be. Steve

Tim says:  CT RBRR Outline Sticker: Rear Panel Just been trying to find a place for this on the rear panel of the Stag - decided it just won't fit anywhere, where are you other Stag boys putting yours? 8) I had this same problem with the CT sticker on the 10CR and that ended up on the bumper chrome