Event Coverage 2000 miles, 7 Countries, 7 days.

The other week Dominique and myself went on a little road trip with some friends around Europe. Of course we was in the '36 the others unfortunately in modern hot hatches ().

The trip was split in two. A blast to the NurburgRing. A regular, well rehearsed trip but this time it was to be extended to include Switzerland to do at least one of the famous mountain passes that are all over the media in the last few years.

The car didn't miss a beat the whole trip, well thats a lie actually. When pulling into the Spa for a rest the car was running rough, wouldn't idle and kept stalling, weird as it was running fine the whole way there. With no time to mess or investigate I wound the idle up and soldiered on the last 40 or so miles.
From Spa to the 'ring we cut cross country. Its empty, twisty country roads through the national park, beats the motorway for the last slog.
The car was really sluggish up the hills and thats when it hit me that it was still in overdrive when it shouldn't have been and it wouldn't come out either after much trying.
Of course your mind kicks into action thinking whats at fault. The engine is running crap at idle but fine on the move, the overdrive won't change but the axle is fine. Mmmm... Vacuum changeover can is connected to the engine... Now you can see where this is going.
Got to work in the hotel car park that evening finding that it was a vacuum leak from the vacuum can. Promptly stripped the can down expecting to find one of the leather seals split but nothing. No damage to the seals but they were swimming in axle oil. Cleaned it all out and its worked perfect since.
Oh and I cooked my brakes good and proper chasing the others.



Brief itinerary of the trip was Dover Calais. Calais to Spa race circuit via Lille to miss the living hell that is the the Brussels ring road!. Spa to Nurburgring cross country. 3 days at the 'Ring with a day trip to Cologne to do the Chocolate museum on the Rhine. Thursday morning leave the 'Ring and head south to Stuttgart for the Porsche museum. From Stuttgart carry on south to arrive in Lindau on Lake Constance Thursday evening. Lindau is a tiny island in Lake Constance on the swizz/German/Austrian border and is where Dominique is from. Friday in Lindau and surrounding area including the lake, the island, the Zeppelin museum in the next town which is the birth place of the Zeppelin and a run up into the hills in Austria.
Saturday leave for the Alps pass through Austria and Liechtenstein into the Switzerland and towards the San Bernadino pass. Over the pass back out of Switzerland and try and get as far into France as possible to cut down on the driving back to Calais on the last day. We stuck a pin in the map and ended up in Strasbourg for the final night which turned out to be a fantastic unknown.

Yes, I did do a lap of the 'Ring and yes I was flat out the whole way round.
In true Hot Rod spirit I was stopped at barrier by an official for no front number plate.
You see, the nurburgring isn't a race track but a public road, a one way toll road to be exact. Because of this only road legal cars can go round on public days.
Sections of the track have speed limits but nobody sticks to them and nobody enforces them unless of course there is an 'incident' within that section and it is obvious it was the speeding that was the cause. Also you have to drive on the right, as you would on the road. Again nobody does but if there is an 'incident' the car on the left will always be at fault because they should have given way to the slower moving traffic/vehicle on the right.
As long as the track is officially closed you can jump the fence and nobody cares. Graffiti is everywhere on the circuit and isn't removed or discouraged. There is a dirt track that runs around the whole 13 mile circuit which you can ride it on a dirt bike, quad etc and noboby cares.
Can you imagine if this circuit existed in the UK and how little access there would be and how expensive it would be when it was?







It was Dominiques 25th birthday while we was at the 'Ring. This meant that she could finally get on the insurance of the '36 and be able to drive it on the road, which she did.



On the way to Stuttgart we passed the town of Stromberg!



If in or near Stuttgart do the Porsche museum whether you like them or not. The Mercedes museum is just up the road too but we didn't have time to do both.
The museum is the ultra modern clean cut style. Loads to see, brilliant displays and no barriers or ropes in sight. You can get up close to everything.



This display showed the lightness of the GT body. The body is suspended from scales and spot lights are mounted from inside to show how thin the bodyshell is.







No, the picture isn't upside down.



I think Porsche is claiming this as the first Hybrid car. It is both petrol and electric. It can run from the two petrol engines or from the batteries which power the electric motors. The huge front hubs you can see are the electric motors! The petrol engines also drive a generator to recharge the on board batteries!
NOTHING is new with cars.





Can you say, unsprung weight!



On to Lindau. Its one of three small island that exist in Lake Constance.
Heres a view of it from Austria. The island and surrounding land are Germany.

 

The islands famous features are the Lion and lighthouse that guard the harbor and the tasteful Mayors house!
In the distance is the alps which can be seen normally but the weather was appalling, the only bad weather the whole trip.





The zeppelin museum was good also. If you like drilled holes in aluminum you would have loved it as the construction of a Zeppelin is lightweight and aerodynamics through and through.



Inside the balloon.



On board cabin. All the internal walls are fabric stretched over the aluminum frame work.



My two favorite pictures.





In an Austria back water we passed this car accessory shop that had a sizable collection of Rods and muscle cars for sale.







On to the Alps...

With Switzerland there is the old road network and the new network which has been built next to or over the top on the old road.
Of course you have keep to the old roads.
You end up with some funny sections where your on your own road following the main road with just a wire fence keeping the two apart. Even more funny when you're going much faster on your little road compared to the people on the major road!



The old road goes over...



...and under.

 

There are loads and loads of passes in Switzerland all as good as the next. We chose the San Bernadino pass as this one always seems to appear in the best driving roads lists.



Now thats a road.





We chose to stop near the summit for lunch. A highlight of the trip for me.



Grandma's German packed lunch. Yum. Yes, that is snow behind the car.





Back down the other side.







One of the modern tunnel passes. 18 km long and hot as hell!!



An unplanned stop was Strasbourg and a unexpected surprise. The city had it all cathedrals, canals, cobbled streets, trams, historic architecture. Well worth a visit.





And to finish.

An Irish coffee in Strasbourg. That is a large wine glass with 85% pure whiskey and the smallest hint of coffee you could imagine.
Its makes my legs go weak just thinking about.

 

wow. What a cool trip! Beautiful 36 too!

 

FANTASTIC!

That may have been the first chopped 36 3W to run the ring.

Thanks for posting.

Rich

 

HAMB Calendar!

Nuff said.

Rich

 

Fantastic trip.

 

Wow! That is incredibly cool!! Thank you so much for sharing that!

 

Thanks for sharing - the early Porsche is amazing. When I lived in Munich I was able to be in six different countries in less than six hours. The Alpine scenery is amazing and there are some magnificent roads - best driving road in the world is the Stelvio pass - 'Stilfserjoch' on the German language signs. Awesome to be driving a hot rod on these roads. I know Strasbourg well and spent a lot of time there - as you say living history and yes it has it all.

When I lived in that part of the world I used to blast around the mountain roads in Alfa Romeos and a Fiat Dino convertible - the scream of the Ferrari engine in the Dino as it came on cam around 4200 rpm all the way up to the 8000 rpm redline, the roar of the triple Webers and the whine and clatter of the chain drive will forever remain engraved in my brain! Dropping down a gear or two through the many tunnels for a little 'audio experience' was 'de rigeur' as they say in France.

Great stuff and boy do your pictures ever bring back memories - you made my day....

 

Fantastic

Thanks for Sharing.

Great Pics and sounds like an AWESOME trip.

Happy Belated 25th

JM
Kitchener Ontario

 

awsome pictures... really neat 36 coupe... thanks for sharing

 

Great memorys.

The Stelvio pass is on the to do list. It was a little too far out for this trip.

 

Truly awesome! Love the scenery and the '36

 

Stunning photo of your coupe with a beautiful country in the background.. HRP

 

I was born and raised in Switzerland and I have been to most of these places, but touring Europe, in an old car is still on my bucket list, havent done that yet.
Love your 36, great color

 

bitchin

 

Awesome!! I'll admit, I'm just a little jealous...

 

Having spent 2 and 1/2 years in Europe with Uncle Sam, I know most of the places you went...great scenery!
Tip: Don't get drunk driving over the alps in a little grey, rented 65 VW bug and go the wrong way on a strausborg one-way street. The poletzei don't think it's funny.

 

Man, incredibly nice post. Great photos. Thanks for sharing!

 

Im supremely jealous of your trip, looks like an absolute blast. And the fact you took the 36 on the Ring' is just way too cool! The ring is on my bucket list.

 

Living the dream right there. I want to someday drvie on the ring like you did and go too the porsche factory as well. Love the 36 and hope mine looks that good when its done. Thanks for the post.

 

Awesome car and most AWESOME trip!!!

Thanks for sharing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Great thread, thanks for adding another thing to my bucket list!

 

Enbloc -

Excellent thread!

Bitchin' '36 Coupe!

It's been many years since I've been to Germany ... but I whole-heartedly agree with your statement about the Porsche Museum in Stuggart ... definitely a "Not To Be Missed" stop for any car guy!

Thanks for taking the time to post all the great photos of your adventure!

 

Dang. I am jealous what an adventure. You proved cruising isn't dead.

 

Very cool!


Sent from my iPhone using TJJ.

 

What a wonderful trip, thanks so much for sharing.

 

Man what a cool trip!