Time Traveller

Some may remember my trip last year, via Venice, via Modena, and through Charlie’s Le Mans Classic trip. 6150 km’s that didn’t go fully as expected, I had the bearing sound from the rear of the car, so I knew I had some fixing to do if I were to go on another trip like this. Also, sitting on German Highways at 150 km/h I found out I missed another gear, the rpm was too high. So this winter I replaced the transmission with an AOD, got a new rear diff and all bearings and ujoints replaced. That was as expected. But I also had the engine out for the first time. I had dressed it up earlier with Edelbrock intake, Summit carb, Trick-Flow heads, ICE ignition, factory original Tri-Y headers. But I hadn’t looked at the short block, except that it looked perfect with the heads of, very little wear. So I thought it was a virgin. It wasn’t. When I got it out, and took it apart for new bearings etc., the crank bearing surfaces were gone, and while the pistons and cylinders all looked fine, I was worried because the numbers on the rods didn’t match the cylinder#. Some Italian garagisti got them mixed up maybe? Cam bearings were also shot. And the cylinder walls were 0.040 over. So it could all have been made to work for not that much money, but was it worth it? For cruising around maybe, for summer vacationing and 5000+ km probably not.

In the end I decided to get a new short block, built by Dave McLain, in cooperation with Dan Jones. So now I have something more bulletproof and with 383” and a roller cam, higher compression etc., some more power as well. The build I asked for was not what they usually are asked to build. I wanted as much power as possible of course, but with also an idle for an automatic and A/C and I wanted an engine with at least 60k miles life expectancy. So I got an engine with a nice jump in HP and a huge jump in Torque. It can spin its wheels in 2nd and 3rd without even trying too much. It now has the power the chassis was built for IMO

Not a cheap winter, all of it more or less brought about by the 2014 trip. So if you add it all up, including car preparation and later repairs, there’s no doubt that cruising Europe in a Classic Car is about as expensive a way of vacationing as any…

So after doing all that, and installing the original Blaupunkt Gooseneck radio, filling the A/C, adjusting the cup holder etc., I was ready for this year’s trip. I start and end in Denmark obviously, and in short the plan is to go to Le Mans and after that to Northern Italy. The Italy part will be part vacationing, don’t worry, I’ll spare you the pictures of me at the beach, but also a part that’s definitely DeTomaso, and is the reason for the “Time Traveller” heading of this posting. More on that later…

So today I started the trip. I’m in a hotel right now, so I can update, but most days I’m not sure if I can get connected, so updates may be erratic and far between.

Wednesday

Left home at 4 pm, wanted to get past Hamburg to avoid traffic the next day. The trip started out a bit disappointing, because the first 50 kms that I know very well, due to traffic and road work there were more queues than I ever experienced before. Also the Gooseneck radio, I probably shouldn’t have put it back in, but it’s so quaint and original. The tape player sounds like it’s played in another room with the door shut, not worth listening to, and it eats tapes for lunch. The radio is OK, electronic (!, in 1978, IIRC it cost twice that of a normal quality car radio). But the volume up button didn’t seem to work, so I couldn’t hear it. Thirdly, it’s a bit too sensitive on the steering, it’s hard to go straight, I have to correct it all the time. I’ve had the entire rear apart and had to replace a front steering ball, and since I plan to replace all the rubber up front this winter, I have postponed getting a full 4 wheel alignment. I’ve just set it up with my own Longacre tools. Maybe it’s a bit off. Maybe it’s just the racecar steering, there is zero play in that steering wheel. Or maybe the weight in the back? When I get time on this trip I’ll adjust the front toe-in, see if that makes a difference.

OK, when traffic started moving and I found out I could adjust the volume, just had to push the button harder, things improved. Found a radio station playing Boston More than a Feeling and Hendrix Hey Joe. Not bad.

At the ferry, Rødby to Puttgarden. They’ll build a bridge here, hope they get it done in my lifetime. Buffet on board was interesting, you could both eat and drink all you wanted, including beer or wine. A shame I was driving.

So back on the German Autobahns, been a while. Today I drove slow, many new parts, many miles ahead. Didn’t go above 150 km/h. When going home from Italy via Germany, traffic and weather permitting, I’ll see what it can do. Somewhere between 250 and 300 I’d say, we’ll see.

When nearing Bremen I got tired so let the GPS find me a hotel. Boring hotel with no bar, but at least the view from the room was to die for…

So how was the first day of driving? When your daily driver is a Cadillac STS, of course it's a bit harsh and noisy by comparison. But it's fun. It moves. It has a cable throttle, not an electronic throttle so throttle response is instantaneous.

And people react to it. Got overtaken a few times by cars where all the men in the car turned their heads to see the front of the Longchamp. One guy I swear I could see he was saying "Was ist das?"

Reliability? We'll see, so far so good. With a new driveline and everything else about 35 years old, there are no guarantees. It's a gamble. As life is. For sure, if you don't take the trip, you've lost from the start. Breakdowns come in degrees. Examples:
Annoyances like no A/C
Problems you can fix easily
Problems you can fix that takes time
Problems that require a mechanic
Problems that you can drive despite of but that hinders your pace
Problems that make you limp home
Problems that will leave you stranded

Now, I think and hope I've replaced all parts that can leave me stranded. And brought some tools and spares. As Mike Drew said, enough tools and spares as if I was going to drive on the moon. Still, it's a gamble.
An old saying is it's better to have loved and lost than never having loved at all. Translated: It's better to have driven abroad and broken down than to stay home. So far I've always gotten my cars home with one exception: My 68 Camaro I dragraced on Mantorp in Sweden with N2O and all. Had brought no tools. Blew a head gasket.
Roll the dice!

Good night

BTW, anybody going to Le Mans?

quote:

There’s simply too much aimless banter in the Technical department and too much "Corvette Summer"-like modifying on our Panteras going on for my taste.

I used to LOVE that 'Corvette Summer' Vette! Then again, I was a clueless teenager lusting after a Corvette (and Annie Potts!).

This gets my vote for favorite thread of the week. Have a great trip. I can't wait to read more.

Thursday

Got up early as I always do. So time for a little fiddling with the car. As an optimist of course all the tools were packed at the bottom, so everything had to come out. No real problems, but here’s what I did. Pulled a plug, read it, decided to increase idle mixture 1/16th. Tightened all exhaust bolts, still have a leak on the original thri-Y headers, something for winter to look at. Also I adjusted less toe in into front right wheel. That helped a lot, 75% of the problem is gone. When I get time I’ll do the same on the other wheel, and thereby also correcting steering wheel. Now, the user manual if read verbatim, states toe-out at the front. I always thought it was a mistake, never dealt with a car that didn’t need toe-in at the front. However those cars had a solid axle, the Longchamp is more sophisticated than that. It has slight toe-in at the rear, courtesy of uprights marked D and S, Destra and Sinistra, right and left. So maybe it does need toe-out up front? Does anybody know?

Filling up on gas. On the topic of mileage, I have to say: WAUW! I knew I would probably get better mileage, but not how much. I have the 0.67 fourth, slightly reduced by going from 3.11 to 3.31, and then compression changed from 9 to 10 approx. Before I could not get more than 555km from the two tanks, occasionally 56x, but more so below 555. 555 was the target. Well today I drove 706 km on those tanks, and had more fuel in there than when fueling at home! I calculated 8.73 km/liter, that’s more than 20 mpg! An improvement of more than 30%. And lower noise level, less wear etc.

In the morning drive I had 2 scares in 2 minutes.

First, I was driving along, taking a sip from my bottle, placing it in the cupholder conveniently placed right in front of the A/C outlet. Suddenly a noise. Hissing or whistling? Was it a plane going over my car. Now, there’s an optimist for you. Strange sound in your car, and you look outside for the source. Well no planes in the air, this was a Longchamp noise. And worrying. I then noticed it was changing when I lifted the throttle. Was it rpm related? More like throttle position related. Which means vacuum related. Was it a small vacuum leak that got to whistle? Then I looked at the gooseneck radio, it was on, even though I had turned it off, but it was turned on accidentally when I placed the bottle in the cupholder, so it was just static. Phew.

While getting my pulse down to normal, I started gently moving the sunvisor out of it’s bracket to get it to the side window to increase my shade. As I was doing that, I saw the car in front of me in the middle lane abruptly pull into another lane. And then I could see why. In my lane was a truck trailer fender, the black halfmoon, 2x4 feet fender that many trucks have. A pretty big item, and I was going straight at it at 130 km/h, fiddling with the sunvisor simultaneously. Time for action. I wouldn’t be able to stop in time, and would I be rear-ended if I did? Not a good solution. So I looked in the lanes besides me, and fortunately there was room for me, so I did what the car in front of me had done. Pulled into the other lane. That fender was a pretty big item, not sure how much it could have damaged my car, the fiberglass front spoiler would have been a gonner, if unlucky maybe an oil pan. If really unlucky it could have gotten my car off course.

So those two scares in two minutes kind of woke me up…!

Today I drove through four countries. Germany, Holland, Belgium and France. Approx. 900 km, 9 hours. Freeways are very different in those four countries. Germany, they are perfect, and sometimes with no speed limit. Holland are pretty OK. Belgium are terrible, bumpy, twisty. Though improved a lot in later years. And all of them are lit up. France, here they cost money. Which is good for people with money, well maintained, and not that crowded. How can the socialist government allow such a thing, that the poor have to drive on back roads.

Four countries in one day will sound impressive to you Americans. But it’s no big deal, suddenly there’s a sign on the freeway saying you’re in another country. It’s not like the queues and abuse you have to go through to get into the US. Seriously, my family have always met courteous people in US immigration control, better than their reputation. I remember as a child when we drove through Europe, there were lines and passport control between all countries. Gotta love the EU, at least for that little part…

Lunch was taken in Holland, as soon as I saw a known vendor by the freeway

I stopped at a hotel 250 km from Le Mans. I could have driven further, but the closer you get to Le Mans, the bigger the risk I assume that they’re sold out. Last night’s hotel was cheap, this one was not. Almost on McCall Classic Tour-level, and those that participated knows what that means! Time to relax. So bought a beer, headed for the sun on the lawn, listening to the birds. Can you spot the Longchamp keeping an eye on me?

So this was the first of two days on the itinerary that are just boring freeways all day. But I wasn’t bored. Not at all, I had a great day. Car ran great, weather was great. Evening hotel is great. What could be better?

At Le Mans, I don’t know about wireless, and I have no power for my laptop, so I’ll be back in a few days.

Thanks Mikael!

Glad the fender-in-the-road didn't turn out to be a fender bender.

Are you driving solo, or do you have a passenger?

Stay safe and have fun.

Larry

Thanks Larry

I'm alone with my Longchamp! Why will be explained later in the trip.
(Cliffhanger )

Seems you have made yourself a great traveller there Mikael.
Would love to hear more details about the new drivetrain. More than what you ate for dinner..

quote:

... more details about the new drivetrain. More than what you ate for dinner.. Big Grin

I agree - although I always do like pictures of beer!

Rocky

Always enjoyable to read your travel stories Mikael — even if this one (so far and hopefully that continues) is relatively uneventful.

Your fender story reminded me of a similar experience I had. I was driving a major 3-lane wide highway at sunrise and there was virtually nobody else on the road so I was enjoying traveling along at over 150kph (our limit is 100...) and was uncharacteristically in the "fast/passing" lane (despite no traffic) rounding a large sweeping curve when I passed — almost without seeing it — a double tractor-trailer truck wheel laying in the middle of the centre lane. Had I been in that lane I would have been done. It took me about 15 minutes for my heart-rate to return to normal. It look less than a minute for me to gain new respect for the speed limit and slow down (a bit).

Safe travels!
Mark

GReat Reading, Mikael! I can tell I'm used to Facebook because I kept looking for the "like" button after a particularly entertaining portion.

I'll check back regularly. I don't know of anyone attending Le Mans. the British club will no doubt be there, but they often don't make it to the track so that won't help you much.

Keep up the good writing and good luck with the trip!

This is a posting out of sequence, directly via BlackBerry. It's noon, sitting in the shade in a bar at the track. Race starts at 3pm, warm up etc at 2.22pm. I need to get lunch and perhaps another beer before then, and find my grandstand seat.

If you have something more important to do than being at Le Mans or LMC, it better be bloody important, because IMHO for any car guy, this is the place to be!!!

quote:

Originally posted by No Quarter:
...If you have something more important to do than being at Le Mans...this is the place to be!!!

The best I'll be able to do is watch the Paul Newman version on DVD.

I am greatly enjoying you posting your journey!

BTW, Mikael, the best I've ever, ever, ever done with my Pantera is a Little over 350km on a tank, so you should be ECSTATIC!! Well done!

BTW, are you camping or hoteling? What's the deal with Maison Blanche/Camping Bleu? I Heard that a new building eliminated half the campsite or something. True?

Enjoy! I'd be there if I could, even if I stopped attending when the diesels started winning...

quote:

the best I've ever, ever, ever done with my Pantera is a Little over 350km on a tank

That's because you don't care about the environment as much as I do.

Diesels. Yes and Hybrids. Read an article while here about how the ACO see it as their obligation to do their bit for the environment. What a load of crap. It's not for racing as we like it. But I think it's for the manufacturers, it's their excuse to throw money at it.

Friday

First, I forgot to thank my sponsors. Not sponsors in the normal sense, that would have meant an inflow of money to me. Au contraire. But they provided the parts that made the trip possible:
• Dave McLain for building the shortblock
• Monster Transmission for the AOD (they have the best customer service I’ve tried for many years, also after the sale)
• Roger Brotton for the rear diff (twice)
• Stuart at Maserati for some Kyalami parts (sister model)
• Roland in Germany for rear end parts and several last minute brake and suspension parts

So an easy drive to Le Mans, 225 km on empty freeway. As you get nearer to Le Mans, the traffic becomes more interesting. Like the McLaren in my mirror. After driving together a while, he went on towards Le Mans.

Arrived at the Danish camp. I’m with K-Rejser this year, owned by the brother of Tom Kristensen. Don’t know Tom Kristensen? Mr. Le Mans, 9 times winner, all around nice guy. Typical Dane.

The guard at the camp spoke English to me. I said I’m Danish, he said, well you have an English car so I just assumed. ? I’m in an Italian car with Danish plates. Go figure.

Already at the entrance the Longchamp exhaust created a crowd. “Best car I ever heard” Maybe they had had a few morning beers? Most of the camp is daily driver cars, so maybe it was the noisiest car of the day. Found my spot, and started to erect the tent. That was almost impossible, because I was constantly asked what car it was, had to open the hood etc., and being a DeTomaso diplomat as we all are, I did. Managed to get the tent up, spoke to all my neighbours, very friendly community (all Danes!)

The camp is on the inside of the Porsche curves, can walk to Porsche curves with a chair and sit down.

Walked to the main area, looking at what’s new. Not a lot unfortunately. But one exhibition was particularly interesting. A Ford vs Ferrari 1964-1967 exhibition, with some of the great Fords/Ferraris of that era. And lots of screens with film from that era, I could look at that for hours. There was an interesting interview with Enzo Ferrari after the loss to Ford

.

Rain started, back in the tent, preparing for tomorrow

Saturday

Not much DeTomaso to write about today, spent all day looking at the track, things for sale etc. and I had tribune seats, so spent most of the 24 hours there, watching and listening to Radio Le Mans.

Before the race was a 64-67 tribute race with GT40s, Cobras, F-cars, etc. etc.. If that’s your thing, you should come to LMC, and beware, they don’t hold back, these €million cars race like crazy, dry or wet (at LMC)

quote:

Originally posted by Charlie McCall:
BTW, are you camping or hoteling? What's the deal with Maison Blanche/Camping Bleu? I Heard that a new building eliminated half the campsite or something. True?

Camping. Don't know. You should ask Just Tickets? I saw a new Porsche Experience Center erected, but that was a few hundred meters from our camp of LMC. Didn't go there this year, I walked the inside via all the roundabouts. But seriously, that's McCall Classic Tours' turf! They can't take that

Driving from Le Mans. The first several hundred kms are the same flat France. Old news by now. Then out of nowhere the Alps (I assume) begin. Up and down, right and left, to follow the curvature of the mountains. At the same time, rain set in, so much I couldn’t see anything much. Wipers on, headlights on, rear fog lamp on. Nice to get to use it, now that it’s there and is working.

The further south-east I got, the more interesting it got. Mountains around me, great curvy freeways, tunnels. Now, in tunnels there’s not that much to look at. So the seeing sense is not really used. So the other senses are more “sensitive”. That’s why you have to occasionally roll down the window and floor it, and listen. And I can tell you, that’s one area where a Longchamp or a Pantera does really well!

Beautiful mountains and great road. Can you look at this picture and say there’s somewhere else you’d rather be?

Ah finally Italy, La Terra Madre! Good to be back home. Immediately as you get into Italy, a few things happen. The roads are bumpier, and the drivers crazier. I saw many going well above the speed limit, first time on the trip. And overtaking on the right. And entering traffic by almost pushing, arm and cigarette out the window.

Oh, and the women get prettier and more noisy!

In a wifi hotel now, preparing for tomorrow. Tomorrow is the day justifying the "Time Traveller" heading. But it can also fail big time, I'm taking a chance (or 5 actually). We'll see. And with that cliffhanger and no idea when I'll be online again, thanks for reading so far.

quote:

Would love to hear more details about the new drivetrain.

Don't know what to say besides what I said. It works so far. Perfectly. The only thing I'm going to redo is the assembly of the orig Thri-Y headders, might use those flexipipes.
If the drivetrain fails, you'll hear a lot more.