Mick's Motoring Hamburg Hop

[mickthemaverick]

It is now just 7 weeks and 3 days to the start of the Hamburg Hop so time to get the thread going with the story so far.

When Mike (xantia_V6) was in the UK last year, and we met at a car show, we came up with a plan for Jim and I, and possibly Bob, to visit Mike in France and go round some museums and then go on to Hamburg, via my daughter's and the Nurburgring, to visit Wunderland, the world's largest model railway. So I put together the general plan which looked like this:

The original plan

I spoke to Bob who was very keen on the Germany part of the trip but couldn't get away long enough to do the whole tour. So we decided that Jim and I would do the first four days through France, meeting Mike and then go on to meet up with Bob at Frankfurt for the Germany part.
Unfortunately, following Jim's issues described elsewhere, I decided I didn't want to do the four days in France on my own as it would not be much fun so I agreed with Bob that we would keep the Germany part as planned and I would drive out to Frankfurt and meet him at the airport as we had already booked both the ferry and the flight. So now the itinerary looks like this:

The final plan

I had already planned the original route and this gives an idea but the part struck out with red is the now omitted section and the new sole driving part is in the lighter orange:

The HH Map

Over the last few weeks I began the detailed planning and the first thing that came to light was the emissions regulations now in place in Europe. Both France and Germany have introduced emission control measures which mainly apply to the larger cities but as our trip includes Hamburg, currently unrestricted, I decided to get the sticker for inner city travel as the car is Euro 4 compliant and thus I can use it anywhere in Germany with the sticker:

The Emissions Sticker

The outlay was only £15 and it ensures we are covered should Hamburg join the scheme in the next few weeks.

As for France I will only be going from Calais straight into Belgium so I have decided not to bother with their permit.

So that is where we are at the moment, I'll be leaving home at 05.00 and driving to my daughter's in Ober where I'll spend the first night. Then after a bit of sightseeing we will meet Bob at Frankfurt airport and then go to our hotel after dinner with my daughter and son-in-law.
Next day we start following the plan above!!

Watch this space!!

[CitroJim]

That's going to be one tremendous trip Mick and I shall enjoy following it

[xantia_v6]

Have a good trip and don't let the emissions police get you! I think that they mostly use cameras and plate recognition, so a UK plate won't mean much to the computers.

Maybe you can make it to France next year.

[mickthemaverick]

Have a good trip and don't let the emissions police get you! I think that they mostly use cameras and plate recognition, so a UK plate won't mean much to the computers.

Maybe you can make it to France next year.

I certainly hope so Mike, the way things have turned out I am having two trips to my daughter's within 4 weeks. I will be repeating my drive over there a fortnight after we get home taking Bob's grandaughters to visit my daughter who has always been their mentor!!

[mickthemaverick]

Time to liven up this thread, 33 hours to departure and I have to get the car ready, fit the new ignition parts, fit the headlamp deflectors, fit the UK badges and the Germany Ulez City pass in the windscreen. Load the emergency tool box with the things I think I may need, then pack the bag, wash the car, watch the grand Prix and have 2 sleeps!!

[CitroJim]

Do enjoy Mick

[Paul-R]

Yes, have a good one.

[mickthemaverick]

Well the final day before departure didn't get off to a great start!! With last night's football I had to put off fitting the ignition parts till this morning, so I rose at 6 and headed straight into the garage. I stripped it all down and removed the coil pack with a feeling of trepidation, it didn't look the same as the replacement which I had left indoors until I was ready for it! I was right:

MTMO

So I took the new HT leads out and compared them to the original 2 which I had removed completely:

MTMO

As you can see the coil pack is totally wrong and the leads are too short and with the wrong ends!!

Not a great start!! So I decided to clean the area and refit the old components which is when I discovered that number one spark plug felt a tad higher than number 3. Hmmm, attached the plug spanner and I was able to give it another turn and a half, and there was signs of oil on its lead plug.

While doing this work I discovered that the PCV valve I ordered from Japan is also wrong as I found a different type fitted in the return line to the inlet manifold so I cleaned it and refitted it. I then refitted all the bits I'd had to remove to gain access to the coil pack and reconnected the battery. I went through the idle calibration procedure as I had disconnected the battery and then decided to take the car for a trial run back to the parts store to sort out the correct parts.

The store I used, who were the only ones who had been able to supply in time for the trip, is in Watford so a decent test drive. Guess what, no misfiring under load at all so when I arrived I returned the parts for a credit note which will buy the next lot of service parts for one of the cars! Drove back home as sweet as anything and is now sitting on the drive cleaned and loaded for the trip!! Saved myself £95 there so not such a bad start after all

[NewcastleFalcon]

Just had a look at your revised plan. Passing close to Dortmund on Wednesday which looks to be not a kick in the pants away from your overnight at Munster. I wonder if there is any entertainment happening Wednesday evening round about 20.00. Of course if you stop off to sample the atmosphere in the fans' park in Dortmund it could be well past your bedtimes by the time you got to Munster

Have a good trip and enjoy the trip with your marra Bob, and pass on my regards to him. A very nice chap indeed even though i only met him briefly at the Beefeater!

Neil

[mickthemaverick]

Willdo thanks Neil! Yes as it turns out we will be passing by Dortmund about 2 hours before kick off, assuming we haven't had a misdemeanour at the Nürburgring!! Hopefully we'll be ensconced in our hotel in time for kick off and we are just wondering if the hotel has suddenly got booked up by football fans If so we should be in for an entertaining evening one way or the other!!

[CitroJim]

Pleased that misfire is now resolved Mick Just in time too! Once again, do enjoy a most awesome trip

[mickthemaverick]

First leg completed, now waiting for my ship to come in!

Happy with the economy!

Trust me to arrive at shift change!!

Held for 10 mins while staff swapped over!

As lovely as ever

No bluebirds around today!

[CitroJim]

Wow! Dover looks nicely quiet and look at that fuel economy Superb

[mickthemaverick]

Brekkie on board and my first sight of France!

Yummy!

Definitely no bluebirds here!

[mickthemaverick]

We had a lovely brekkie at the local coffee shop and then my daughter took me to see a historic building before stopping for lunch on the way back. Anyone know where/what it is?

MTMO