AC 212 S/C to France!

[duggan]

Afternoon All,
   
   After a cracking week in France I thought I'd share the pictures with the ACOC collective. The plan was to leave North London and head, first to Poitiers, then onto the South of France to my Parents place, deep in driving country – being an hour from the coast (great for sunbathing), but more importantly, and hour from the mountains (and their roads) around the French/Spanish Boarder – cue the holiday:
   
   Which to choose:
   
   
   
   Abarth - Mrs Duggans Favourite - but not an "adventure"
   Exige S1 (under the cover) - great, but a handbag of luggage space
   AC Cobra 212 S/C - loud like you cannot even begin to imagine, fast in the same quantity and a big boot - the plan was on.....
   
   Firstly.....sort out the sound for Mrs Duggan:
   
   Communication - WRC Coms!
   
   
   Windows (with ticket holes :D)
   
   
   Off :byebye: LeMans
   
   
   
   Hotel first night - 69 euros a night!
   
   
   
   
   Next morning - a little wet....not good in an AC Cobra with over 400bhp/tonne:
   
   
   
   Arrival in SoF - bliss, but in 30 degree heat - a pain...
   
   
   
   Boot - got a LOT of brownie points for this:
   
   
   
   Cleaned and parked:
   
   
   
   Mergez on:
   
   
   To the mountains - Helicopter Building anyone:
   
   
   Into Andora:
   
   
   
   
   Local Mechanic:
   
   
   ....Real Local Mechanic - side exhaust mount went & dropped a bold on the other side:
   
   
   ...and the sum, he wouldn't take a thing for getting the chance to work on the car (had to give hime 20 euros for a drink!)
   
   Back home now and totally knackered after an 800 mile non-stop (other than for petrol) trip back - tiring, but setting off at 2am and seeing the sun come up (inky blue and still stars visable) over the French countryside, over an AC Cobra's bonnet, is one of lifes great experiences.
   
   Thanks for reading!
   
   ..and thanks to Bruce (for long distance AC Cobra driving advice) and Alan (for a scramble to get side windows - DK engineering did a cracking job as I couldn't get the others in time))

[C9OBY]

Hi James
   
   I'm glad to hear that you guys had a great trip.  All good "rallys" need a bit of drama and/or a roadside pause - well done!
   
   Can you post some pics showing how your new windows work / fit to the door?  From the pics it looks like they are the width of the door, leaving you with a gap before the window frame that allows air in.  Was this enough to keep you cool, or will you be looking at a further modification (or an air-con unit!)?
   
   There should be a good turn-out at next month's Surrey meet at the Scarlett Arms - why not come down in 212 S/C - it would be good to see your car up close again.
   
   Bruce

[duggan]

Hey Bruce - thanks again for your advice - had a few issues with the battery dieing a few weeks close to the trip, but a thorough check over from DK gave me some confidence. The re-weld of one of the exhaust side mounts was a precaution, but the car (other than that) was just phenomenal - driving down the S-bends in Andorra flat out was something else.
   
   Re the windows - they fully cover the window aperture and along with the window rubber really do keep water out (it *dropped* it down on the way to the channel tunnel last Saturday - and the car remained dry). Along with the O-windows, they give enough cooling - when sunny, it's a case of taking them out - a 2 minute job.
   
   Will try to make the Surrey meet next month - you'll have to hear it now & would be great to see the new engine in your car!
   
   
   Cheers,
   
   James

[aaron]

Cracking footage, could not you have cooked the sausages on the exhaust pipes ? [:)]