After several laps of the
centre of Monte Carlo failing to find the control point, we stop on part
of the GP track. The control had been moved on by the Gendarmarie.
|
Pete from the Hawke GCS
looking hot and bothered at the stop in Monte Carlo.
|
Negotiating the MonteCarlo traffic.
|
Me looking hot & bothered in MonteCarlo.
Following this i was strapped into the Westfield
driving seat for 8 1/2 hours as we worked our way through stop/start traffic
of the north west of Italy. Not fun with a duff starter & heavy clutch.
|
Derek and Dave (Extrusion
crew) model the latest in Bin Liner fashion at Marina D'Massa. The night
was spent in a Youth Hostel. Some compained, what the hell it's a challenge
not a soft holiday. This was the wettest part of the trip. Full face
helmets came in useful.
|
The next day. Convoy of
kitcars/specials into the centre of Monte Casino where we greeted by the
Mayor at a civic reception in the town square.
|
Here are the some of the cars
lined up at the abbey at Monte Cassino. This was the scene of some fierce
fighting towards the end of WWII. What little still remains of the original
structure still bears the scars. This bought you down to earth a bit. |
Rich and Chris pose by the RTP.
At this point it still had it's original engine. Chris had only just finished
an expedition in another 2cv special before being introduced to Rich a
week before the trip. ( This is all according to the legend anyway). |
This is the only view most of us
saw of car 55, a Sylva Striker powered by a Mazda RX7 Rotary. We had 135
HP at the wheels in ours and we couldn't touch it.
The days got even longer &
harder after this so the photos are less. |
Having made it down to Sicily it
was time to prep the cars for the BIG EVENT, driving the Targa Florio.
Here the Extrusion gets some attention. |
Chaz and Paul work on the Stryker
suspension before the action. For the targa circuit pictures see the Black
& White page. |
Roger having a tinker with the
SS100. I think he was having a play with the suspension. However, This
car was always immaculately clean, so maybe he was just polishing
it underneath |
Having survived the Targa
Florio, its' dodgy road surface and loose cattle, it was off to Pergusa
Race track. Here we follow the Extrusion. For more photos see the black
and white page.
|
Following a Marlin up mount Etna. It erupted about
a week after this photo.
|
Cobra 427 replica gets some
late night attention ouside the hotel at Scalea.
|
There was a wedding reception on when we got to
Scalea. Adrian gets in to the mood.
|
Adrian and one of the marshalls
at a check point.
|
Spike, Adrian & John. We nearly
lost Spike and John when their Pheonix slide, hit a roadside rock outcrop
& flipped upside down. Fortunately they had their helmets on at the
time.
See TOPGEAR mag, issue 77
for photo.
|
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View of 38 rally cars outside the hotel at Monte Cassino
on the way back. |
|
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Not a good photo but it
shows how Spike & Johns helmets stick over the roll bar on the Pheonix.
I'm glad we had a big full RAC spec roll bar on our Westfield. We didn't
wear our lids that much.
|
RTP at Scalea on the way
back. Peter, Chief Tormentor, speaks with Chris and Rich whilst some locals
look on with that familar bemused expression.
|
Our car 43 and the Reverends'
Lomax.
|
43 looking a bit more like a
rally car.
|
43 at the food break.
|
Chaz pokes around under
the Robon Hood in a car park outside Venice. There were serious concerns
about the front suspension being on the way out at this point. It survived
to the finish.
|
Silly hats time in Venice.
|
TOPGEAR Caterham sports Gaffer tape strips covering
damage after being reversed into.
|
Mid afternoon food break
as we start to enter into the Dolomites and head for Cortina D'Amprezzo.
|
Car 43 with lovely backdrop.
|
Stylus heads out after the
crew fill up with sustainance.
|
The cars lined up for the
night in the centre of Cortina D'Amprezzo.
|
Following the Hawke up the Stelvio
pass. The pass is the third highest in the Alpes at 2758 metres. |
Stunning scenery seen from the
Westfield |
Another shot out of the
westfield as we climb up to the top of the Stelvio pass.
|
Chasing the Stryker and
a Fury throught the Dolomites. Absolute motoring bliss!
|
Another view of the Fury from
behind. The black box with red numbers in the lower right corner is the
trip meter giving speed, average speed, total distance and distance to
next way point. |
More brilliant scenery.
Have we a heater ? nope they are for girls. |
Me & 43 at the top of the Stelvio pass munching
on a Bratwurst. First food all day. It tasted wonderful.
|
Me again. |
Setting off again. This time towards Switzerland. |
View out the back. |
Drinking later at a dinner in the Schlumf collection,
Mulhouse. |
An honourable amount of beer. |
Adrian doing something we won't ask about. |
Roger describes some sideways action in the SS100
whilst waiting for the bus to the hotel. |
More bus waiting. |
A casualty. |
The marshals caught on film on the last day. |
Prize giving in Spa at the end. |
