groveley hill billies

Day two; Basel to Como.

2007-10-14T08:28:00.000-07:00

After a good nights sleep in the Hotel Mercure in Basel-we headed on up to the Basel Hilton for the start of the days driving. The manager of the Hilton had closed off the road around the Hilton so we could have a "start line" for the days adventure. With nearly 100 cars all gathered at the start, hooting their horns, sirens, claxons etc the locals were certainly more than well aware of our presence!
The challenge for the day was a "treasure hunt" where we had to find missing words from signs, Grimsel bus times, the whereabouts of signs and many other clues we had to get answers for.
We didn't do very well on that days challenge!

Onto the driving. Once we'd found our way out of Basel (thanks again Paul, Kim and "SatNavBird"!) we headed out alongside beautiful crystal clear lakes, past glacial flows and on towards Grimsel Pass and Furka Pass.

Grimsel provided us with our first real challenge of the rally. Claude was finding it quite hard work up those hills! He didn't fare too wll on the way down either losing his brakes through boied LHM.

After Grimsel came the Furka Pass, Rachael found Furka a tad on the scary side as there weren't many barriers on the side of the roads. It didn't bother me, I was driving so was always in the middle of the road.

Furka Pass also provided us with another Scally Van in our little convoy with Surfy and Kenny (team 81 "Life's a beach") who joined us halfway up Furka where we'd stopped for a picnic. Satisfied with our bread and pate, Surfy and Kenny made themselves bacon butties, all of a sudden, bread and pate seemed rather dull!

After a fantastic days driving, we arrived in Como just in time to get hopelessly lost. Paul and Kim lent us SatNavBird to try and find our hotel, unfortunateley it led us straight to a pedestrian zone with no sign of our hotel. Several phonecalls later, the hotel manager sent one of his staff out to lead us to the hotel. He took us down bus lanes, the wrong way down one way streets and finally back into the pedestrian zone we'd been in earlier where our hotel was just around the corner!

The evening was rounded off nicely however with a beer or 6 down by the lake with other Scalliers. Cheers people.

Day two piccies.

2007-10-14T08:22:00.000-07:00

Pictures of day one

2007-09-29T08:58:00.000-07:00

Day one; Calais to Basel

2007-09-29T07:51:00.000-07:00

The day started with our van blowing the fuse for the wipers/indicators and charging circuit. A bad omen perhaps? No chance! If you remember from earlier posts, I rewired the van and used a slightly unsuitable switch for the wipers meaning that if you turn it one way the wipers operate, if you turn it the other way, it blows the fuse. Whoops, learnt that lesson quickly!
When we arrived at Cite Europe, the carpark was already full of other Scally cars- what a fantastic sight to behold. Everything from our van, Fiestas, numerous Audis, Golfs a Metro and Volvos right through to a Mercedes 308 van (moreabout that later)and the Batmobile. Yes, almost certainly the real thing with Batphone and evrything. Once again, more about that later.
At 9 o'clock, the legends (last years entrants) set off on their way trying to avoid being spotted by the "Newbies" as the days challenge was Legends and Newbies "Cat and Mouse". The idea being that each Newbie team were given 6 Legends team numbers tht had to "catch" and photograph to get points for, the legends losing 20 points each time they were caught and the Newbies gaining 20 points. We faired quite well in this chalenge. Was it because everybody felt sorry for us or because our car was so fast, we could outrun them. I'll let you decide!
After a long days drive (in convoy with Paul and Kim of team 6 "Harrison Ford"), we finally reached Basel and the Hotel Mercure, very nice.
After a quik shower, we all waled up intothe twn to meet with everybody and have a pint (or two) of Guinness and a bite to eat.
On joining everybody in the Irish pub, people kept asking how the van was, we didn't know why people were so concerned until we heard the rumour that we had broken down! It transpired that obviously loads of teams had seen our van in a layby by the side of the road with a bright yellow Escort van (Team 6) and had thought it was the AA!
It couldn't have been further from he truth, after our fuse problem-the van performed faultlessly only using a drop of oil in the first 400 or so miles.

The journey to Calais.

2007-09-29T07:39:00.000-07:00

There's not a lot we can really say about the journey to Calais as that's exactly what it was, no dramas, no passports forgotten or owt like that. Two stops for fuel and that was about it.

Made the ferry in good time although we were searched before getting on the ferry. They confiscated my old 5 litre petrol can as you're not allowed to take filled fuel cans onto the boat.
It was full of petrol that'd come out of my Dyane when I rebuilt her so the petrol was probably about 8 years old. I hope someone nicked it and put it in their Eurobox-8 year old petrol and modern engine management.................

Met a few other teams on the boat (Smashy and Nicey, Andy and Paul, Mark and Richard and Daz and Co to name but a few) had a beer and, before we knew it, we were in France and the adventure was really starting to unfold!

The Thursday evening saw us meeting at the Cite Europe in Calais for registration and beers and catch-up with teams old and new-it was fantastic to meet the "Newbies" who were already getting well into the swing of things.

Beers were drunk, stories exchanged, more beers (Paul and Kim!)before heading of for some shuteye bofore the off in the morning.

Overtaking fun.........

2007-09-02T00:36:00.001-07:00

12 days to lift off............................

2007-09-02T00:19:00.000-07:00

Where has all the time gone? I guess a fair amount of time has been swallowed up by us changing our minds right, left and center about what car we were taking. And then a bit more time was taken up by me having to build our car.
Anyway, I can confirm that it was time well spent. Mrs Spanners and I took Claude to the 2CVGB National meeting last weekend at Storrington in West Sussex, it was about 350 miles round trip, covered at an average of 60 mph with fuel economy of about 44 mpg. This bodes well for the trip.

Driving me round the bend............

2007-08-16T13:03:00.000-07:00

..and then along the road, up the hill and on for another 20 or so trouble free miles! That would be a successful test drive then.
This was a momentous time for the Hillbillies as "Claude" was towed to the MOT station and today was the first time he had been driven on the road for some 10 years or so.
Driving him did show a few niggles that'll need sorting before the off (four weeks today!) but nothing major.

In the papers

2007-08-07T14:00:00.000-07:00

Long awaited drive!

2007-08-04T13:16:00.001-07:00

Six weeks to go.................

2007-08-04T13:02:00.000-07:00

What have I been up to for the last fortnight? Oh yes, that's right, I've been working on a van. But, it's starting to pay off now.
So, what have I done to it? I've fitted a handbrake, gear lever, allsorts of interior trim, number plates and most of the exterior panels.
I've also fitted the fuel tank and had the engine running.
Today saw us travelling up to Halifax to fetch four new tyres for him, at 60 quid for 4 Michelins (off Ebay) it was hard to resist.
Not much lef to do now, see what you think.

Light at the end of the tunnel.......

2007-07-22T09:54:00.000-07:00

Anybody ever had any experience of 6v cars that have been converted to 12v without the addition of fuses or other safety features like insulation etc? Neither had I until this weekend!
So, where to start? Simple, I started by ripping out the entire origimal front half of the loom. Okay, so I've got a replacement loom from a late right hand drive 2cv saloon, but this is an old left hand drive van, it can't be dificult can it?
Wrong! It was a pig of a job, how many wires did Citroen cram into that loom? Certainly too many! After about 8 hours of multi-meter and wiring diagram action, we have lights and wipers etc.
In the meantime this weekend, the engine has gone in, so has the windscreen and the front light bar.
It's coming together quite quickly now but still seemingly not as quick as Scally Rally is coming around. Less than 8 weeks left now.................

Oops, I forgot my manners!

2007-07-15T08:08:00.000-07:00

So, I decided to tell you all a bit more about what we're doing and why and who for.
Right, are you sitting comfortably? Than I'll begin.
On Thursday September 13th, Rachael and I will get into Claude (our lovely van)
and set off from home We head off then to Dover to get our ferry to Boulogne We head off to Calais then to meet everyone else at Cite Europe, our starting point Leaving Cite Europe on the Friday morning, our destination for that day is Basel . Day 2 sees us winding our way up and down some pretty immense hills to Como
Day 3, and we're off to Cortina on our penultimate days driving
Finally, the last days driving takes us from Cortina to Rimini for a well earned party followed by a very good nights sleep I hope!
The following day will see us start to head back towards home which we'll probably take a little more leisurely!

So, why are wqe doing this? Simple really, it's because we're mad as a box of frogs! That and the fact that we want to raise loads of money for our chosen charities which are the RNLI and Swanage lifeboat and MacMillan cancer relief

Please watch this space for details of how to sponsor us and look out for us at local classic car meetings and most big 2CV GB and Citroen Car Club events between now and September.

Hope you're still awake.................

Putting the brakes on things.....

2007-07-14T14:31:00.000-07:00

well, fitting the brakes on the van. That's what I've been up to today, but to do that on a 2CV, first you have to fit the gearbox as they have inboard front brakes.
Consequently, it's been a fairly prosperous day for the little van (AKA Claude). The shell is bolted down, the gearbox is in along with master cylinder, all new brake pipes and a shorter steering column and slightly less bus-like steering wheel to help in the Alps!
Tomorrow should see an engine slotted in, fingers crossed!

Two days sun equals.................

2007-07-08T08:40:00.000-07:00

One van on its chassis. Yes, at last, the back brakes are done, the kingpins are fitted and the shell's finally been reunited with the chassis. Just the small matter of bolting it down, fitting an engine and gearbox, master cylinder, shock absorbers etc etc.

More pieces arrive!

2007-07-05T12:29:00.000-07:00

Today has been another prosperous day for "The HillBillies". Thanks to Tony Shields at 2CV City ( www.2cvcity.co.uk ), we have all the bits to finish assembling the chassis. Wahey! Hopefully I'll get the chassis built up this weekend and get the shell back on soon.
At this point, I really should "big-up" Tony for the help he's given us (he sponsored me last year too!). Todays "haul" includes; kingpins, rear wheel cylinders (and rear hub nuts and covers), wiper blades, exhaust parts, couple of sets of HT leads and a new experimental "super" coil.
The van isn't only thing to benefit either, as Tony has donated a pair of nice new fleecy jackets for Rachael and I!
Without the help of 2CV City, the whole van project probably would've been a no go and we'd have either ended up doing it in a boring Euro-box or not doing it at all, meaning we wouldn't be able to raise loadsa money for our charities.

The pieces start to fall into place.

2007-07-02T14:26:00.000-07:00

Here's a few more pictures of the jigsaw. I'll be doing some more work on her this week so will have more news soon. Watch this space......................

The "HillBillies" have car trouble!

2007-07-02T11:25:00.000-07:00

Well, it's been while since there was any activity on here but that's all gonna change now cos I've remembered my password!
So, what's been going on you may (but probably won't) ask? Let me see, I suppose the main thing is probably the change of car plan. First (after the BX) was a 1975 2CV, complete shed and, so I found out, completely unsuitable for the task. Next came a fantastic Citroen ZX. What a great car. Whoops, I traded it against a Discovery.
Hmm, frustrated Rachael is!
I'm not one to rest on my laurels as it were so, undaunted, I set about looking for something "interesting" for us to use, cue Linda Harrison. Long term friend and fellow 2CVer Linda had an unfinished project of a 2CV van sitting (getting in the way) in a garage so after a little bit of arm twisting (I.E. "Linda, can I have that old van of yours please?") the van was winging its merrily way to mine.
Easy, we've got wheels. Wrong. What we have is; a nice shiny new galvanised chassis, some shiny painted suspension components, loads of body panels, a shell with most of the welding finished and and an engine and 'box sitting in the garage. What we don't have though is usable road wheels. Or brake cylinders and shoes, or kingpins, or fuel pipe etc etc.
This is one helluva jigsaw puzzle but at least I've got a picture on the box to go by!
More soon. Honest.

Our "steed"

2007-01-21T08:46:00.000-08:00

Here she is, our trusty steed "Pip"

With 146,000 miles already showing, we reckon another 3k or so shouldn't bother her too much!

Let us introduce ourselves....

2007-01-21T00:56:00.000-08:00

Firstly, let's tell you a bit about ourselves. The team consists of Jonathan (Spanners) and Rachael (Mrs Spanners) Clewer. We live in Birmingham and we've got two stupid cats and a horse that seems to enjoy bog-snorkelling! We're a little bit (!) obsessed with Citroens, in particular 2cvs and their derivatives (we even met and had our honeymoon at 2cv camps!).
Anyway, enough of that and more of this. Last year, I (Spanners) was part of TEAM C.R.A.F.T which was just one of the teams to enter in the inaugural Scally Rally ( www.scallyrally.co.uk ) a "banger" rally from Calais to Madrid via Switzerland, Italy, the Alps and Monte Carlo. It was a life changing experience, and I enjoyed every minute of it though I must confess that I missed Mrs Spanners, so this year, we decided to enter together as a team and so the "Groveley Hill Billies" were born!
Last year saw me competing (?) in a 1986 Citroen GSA, gtreat fun but a little fragile and thirsty. I'm proud to say that the little car didn't once let us down - other than it had to be pushed over the border between France and Spain.
This year we are using our lovely and very trusty BX TZD 'Pipster'. This is the third time we have owned her, buying her back last October for the princely sum of £100 - (A stipulation of Scally Rules). She needs a couple of little jobs doing but her economy should be fantastic!

Mrs Spanners here:- I must be mad!!, but like he says and I agree, I really missed him so I have agreed to come along this year and see what all the fuss was about! I think I'm looking forward to it..........., no I am, honest.

Till next time.