Jensen Meeting in Saxony - September 2017

[felixkk]

Shame! Would've liked to see you C-V8- next time!

[Peter Heywood]

We cancelled the Harwich Rotterdam ferry and the overnight in Arnhem and came over the tunnel. Monday night was near to Calais. Tonight we are in Blankenburg Eiffel. Poor car had headlights on all day and is faced with prospect of more rain overnight. i can see it rusting from the hotel room. Shame We can't bring the JH in. We are consoling ourselves with food and wine. We are booked in near to fulda tomorrow.
Pete & LyndaHeywood

[Chris_R]

The advance party of David & Trish in their C-V8 and myself and Vivienne in our trusty Interceptor reached Prague this evening after around 860 miles of driving. Weather conditions on the roads have been quite attrocious. Friday driving from Lille to Bacharach was a lot of rain, again from Bacharach to Bayreuth on Monday it was raining heavily until around 4pm and then again today driving through lots of heavy rain.
About 12km from Prague in the town of Rudna the engine on David's C-V8 unfortunately simply died and he came to a halt, fortunately on a normal road in the town. I was about 2 hours behind him and we tried to figure out the problem which was a puzzler. Power on the coil - check. Sparks at the centre lead in the distributor - check. Distributor cap ok - check. Rotor arm undamaged - check. Rotor arm turning - check. Fuel coming through OK - check. Fuel reaching carburetor - check. Spark at plug - oops, no spark. Try another plug - no spark. Recheck spark on centre distributor lead - check. So, getting a spark to the centre of the distributor cap but not to the plugs despite rotor arm turning and OK.
Meantime, David put in a call to Carole Nash insurance for roadside recovery which was a complete waste of time. After 4 hours or repeated calls and speaking to one person after another still no idea of when any assistance would come. Each time they promised a call back after 20 minutes and never did that call come.
Eventually, a Good Samaritan arrived by chance in a Jaguar 240! By this time we were focussing in on the main lead or the coil as the spark from the coil was quite weak so he went to his house a few minutes away, came back with a replacement main lead that he pinched from his 1962 Skoda Felicia and a spare coil. Cutting a long story short we replaced the coil and the C-V8 burst into life again to great delight especially of the ladies.
By this time David had been stranded for nearly 5 hours and zero response from Carole Nash Insurance rescue service. All done, we headed off to the hotel and a well deserved beer.
Picture here myself with Ivan just after the C-V8 burst into life!

IMG_3298.JPG (113.13 KiB) Viewed 3826 times

As a footnote, about half an hour after arriving at the hotel David got a call from Carole Nash to inform a mechanic was on his way! Needless to say we told them not to bother and David won't be recommending Carole Nash Insurance to anyone soon.

[Chris_R]

With all the weather, who's bringing the spare windscreen wiper motor and drive cable?

[Kevin Birch]

Chris that is interesting to know. I'm with Carole Nash, so it makes me nervous. Will put a call in to them tomorrow before I leave and will quote your experience, and the contract I have with them. Not much I can do now, but will be questioning them and letting them know before the trip that if I experience this sort of customer service I will sue them for breach of contract.

[Steve Payne]

With all the weather, who's bringing the spare windscreen wiper motor and drive cable?

I have a bottle of rain X in the boot. Works well and will save having to do a repair until you get home.

Steve

[colin7673]

This trip was mentioned on the Chris Evens Radio so this morning..

[brendan]

Hi David, Chris, Kevin
I'm with carol nash also..
I've never had to use them so far.
Hope I don't have to ring if the service is this bad.


Hi Steve
Rain ex I love.
I though it wont work.
Great stuff clears brilliant at speed.
Am off to put some on.


Hi Colin
See you at the viewing point about 15:30ish.
You can tell us all about it.

[Steve Payne]

I have taken out RAC cover, it was £63 and on previous times when I have had to use them the service has been excellent.

I don't think you need to be a member and you get discount if you are in a car club.

Brendan.

Yes the Rain X is brilliant, yesterday I was driving in heavy rain with out the wipers on. It feels odd at first but you soon get soon used to it.

Steve

[Jens]

Hi Steve,

where are you now?

Looks like Friday and Saturday will be more or less dry.

Have a safe journey.

[Steve Payne]

We left Heidleberg about an hour ago. We are now on our way to Nordhausen for tonight.

We will leave there tomorrow and should arrive tomorrow afternoon.

The rain here is very heavy and the driving is very tiring.

Steve

[shaun]

I'm still at home in lovely sun shine and a bit of wind.

Waiting for the dishwasher to finish then I am off.

Car packed. Boot rammed.

[Steve Payne]

Sarah says you can get tablets for bad wind.

Steve

[felixkk]

Two more meetings and the Neil Diamond concert, then I'm off!

[Jens]

Looking forward to seeing you tomorrow, will be in the hotel from noon on.

Fahrbier already delivered and waiting for you.