Drove the spitty 70 miles at the weekend: by half way it had started misfiring again! This time it was purely down to my being a fool and ‘fixing’ what wasn’t broken in a half-assed way. This time, with broad daylight, no hurry, and an ample set of tools, I attached the condenser terminal to the low tension wire correctly and with a good contact… so I don’t expect that one to recur.
Saturday we begin our epic 325 mile journey to Carvin, France. I’ve discovered I have Euro breakdown cover on my classic insurance so that’s saved £95. The (TBAT)AA supplied Euro cover when I took out protection through them, but took it away last march. They probably told me this, but I’m extremely bad at reading things people send to me unless they come in handwritten envelopes. On discovering my car was over 10 years old, they decided I should pay £90 for cover in Europe. In this specific case, I think it was a wise decision on their part. But I don’t have to like it.
The route to Carvin shouldn’t be too horrendous. If the speed is kept down to 50, the car’s very comfortable, and indeed cosy, apart from around the ears. I invested in a fleece turtleneck which looks incredibly stupid pulled up around the ears, but as an alternative to a savage headcold with 120 miles to go, is well worth the mild to moderate embarassment. I’ve tried to let Kate know she should bring warm things for the head and neck but I don’t know whether the message has hit home. We have allowed two days to get to dover so can take it easy. The return trip is quicker so may be harder - and of course the weather is sovereign over all. With the soft top on the ride is noisier, flappier, and a lot less fun.
I need to take a little time to figure out what tools to bring, and we’re going to have a go at packing the car this week, as it’s a bit of a challenge with no boot-rack: once the spare, the jack, a few tools and the soft top are stowed, there’s not an awful lot of room for clothes, sleeping bags and tents!