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1946 MGTC to Malta1946 MGTC to Malta
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1946 MGTC to Malta

May - June 2017
A 35-day adventure by Peter
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  • 40footprints
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  • Peter Sprot1946 MGTC to Malta
    Day 1

    Three countries in one day

    May 11, 2017 in Belgium ⋅ ⛅ 21 °C
    1
    11

    The sun shone as we left home at 07.30 it was still shining when we returned to get a rug for Mandy at 07.40. The traffic was heavy and noisy and the weather stayed bright and quite cold all the way to Dover where we met a couple of other MG's making their way to the Ardennes.
    We are now in northern Belgium at a town called Roeselare which is about 65 miles from Dunkirk. The Hotel ter Zuidhoek is nice and we arrived about ten minutes before the heavens opened. We were so lucky as we had the roof down and sunshine for the whole journey.
    The car never missed a beat and did 171 miles on 35 liters and about 200 miles total today.    Read more

    albert pisani  great start best wishes

    5/11/17Reply

    Jean Johnson  Looks good but a bit chilly.

    5/13/17Reply

    Jean Johnson  Cheers.

    5/13/17Reply
    2 more comments
     
  • Peter Sprot1946 MGTC to Malta
    Day 1

    Ready to go

    May 11, 2017 in England ⋅ ☀️ 18 °C

    Our journey begins on the 11th May unless the weather forecasts is bad in which case we would begin a day early.
    We will post our position with notes and pictures every couple of days unless we end up somewhere without WiFi.
    It's all about the journey not so much the destination so we are not booking ahead unless we have good reason too.

    The car is prepared with new half shafts, hubs, bearings, seals and brakes. I've also changed the steering box for a much more efficient one which means the car does not have the tendency to wander and the turning circle is much smaller so it will be easier on the alpine passes.
    In the coming days we will test our programming of the sat nav by going on a trip to the sea side via several way points.
    Today is the 5th and I start packing the car with all the spares and tools I intend to take to give me time to order anything I may have forgotten. I realised that our flight bags are too solid and bulky to fit in the small space we have for luggage and spare parts so I've ordered 2 rucksacks which will squash into the available space easier. These will carry the clothes for what might be there three weeks to get to Malta where we can wash everything properly. We will be able to wash bits in hotels and dry them in the engine compartment.    Read more

    Andrea Knowles  I wish you every success this time. It should be lovely weather when you get there

    5/7/17Reply

    Jean Johnson  Looking forward to following your trip and wishing you the very best of good luck this time.

    5/7/17Reply

     Bon voyage!

    5/7/17Reply
    4 more comments
     
  • Peter Sprot1946 MGTC to Malta
    Day 3

    ... in Dinant

    May 13, 2017 in Belgium ⋅ 🌧 17 °C

    Another great day traveling with good weather and only five minutes rain. The day started with us visiting a factory I was involved with many years ago. It was great to see it being in such good condition and so well managed by my good friend Philippe.
    After our tour of Miller Graphics we headed south on a route carefully plotted by Mandy and ruthlessly edited by the sat nav which was determined to take us on motorways and not on the chosen way.
    As a surprise Mandy took me to see a barge lift at Mons which can lift barges weighing 1350 tonnes through 73 metres in about 6 minutes with not a drop of water leaking as it lifted 8000 tonnes in total. It has two independent lifts. A real feat of engineering.
    We are staying with 23 other MG's at this very nice hotel in Dinant. The food is very good. The rooms are nice and the MG owners and partners are very friendly.
    After a good night's sleep we went into town and visited the church and the Citadel which sits above the town and played a significant part in the first world war. In our way out we met a bunch of Malay tourists who asked us to stop the car so they could take photos.    Read more

    Mike Sumpster  Weather looks good in the photo and hope you have a safe and problem free journey. We are looking forward to following your progress. We have just done 500 miles with the MGA Register to Cheshire. Very best of luck.

    5/13/17Reply
     
  • Peter Sprot1946 MGTC to Malta
    Day 5

    Han sur Lesse Caves

    May 15, 2017 in Belgium ⋅ ⛅ 21 °C

    After extremely large breakfast - Peter managed a full English followed by full continental and I wasn't much better! We drove to Han only 25 mins away from Dinant. You get to the caves via a small train. Entering the dark cool entrance dressed lightly due to blazing sunshine outside we realised too late we should have probably brought coats! The guide (very hunky whose main job is breeding horses for eventing.... sorry got distracted for a moment) The tour guide was very good and as our group was small and all understood English meant we didn't have to listen to 3 languages which seems necessary in Belgium. Fab caves extremely large with lots to see. We walked 2 kilometres of the 17 km network. Peter waited until we were in the largest cave half way into the hillside before asking about earthquakes in the region... some shuffling of feet but nobody headed for the exit. Evidently last rock to fall was in 1984.
    We raided a supermarket for a cheap lunch and headed back to hotel....Gala dinner tonight for all the MG owners then tomorrow we head off on the route to Malta probably a different hotel every night so should make some distance on the map 😎    Read more

    Angel From Belgium  I'm happy you have seen all the gardens and caves! Beautifull Belgium :-) Tuesday and Wednesday the weather should be very nice and warm in Belgium 24-27 ° hope you can take some on your trip trough France. GOOD LUCK !!

    5/16/17Reply

    Jean Johnson  I'm shivering while looking at that picture and a bit scared.

    5/16/17Reply

    Andrea Knowles  It looks lovely, it makes you want to visit Belgium. If you get stuck you could stay & become a tour guide

    5/16/17Reply
     
  • Peter Sprot1946 MGTC to Malta
    Day 5

    CAR TECHNICAL INFO

    May 15, 2017 in Belgium ⋅ ⛅ 20 °C

    I had noticed the fuel consumption was rather high and at first I thought it was me calculating it wrong but it wasn't. I found a fuel leak which was only present when the engine was running or just after I filled the tank as that was the only time the level was high enough for gravity to let petrol dribble from the banjo connection to the front carb. It was easily fixed by tightening the bolt which must have vibrated loose.
    Although pleased to find the fault I was feeling miserable at having lost about 30% from the last two tank fulls so after I came back to my room I checked the two lottery tickets I had bought before leaving home and both had won. One gave me an entry to the next draw and the other won £77 which more than covers the lost petrol!
    I met a very helpful chap called Paul Ireland who convinced me we should spend a little time checking the carburation as it was rich and the ignition timing. I was reluctant as the car was running well. We weakened the mixture two flats on both carbs and slightly advanced the timing using his bulb on a wire to tell us when the points are opening. It has improved things and should also contribute to better fuel consumption and cooler running. He was right as today's run showed to temperature was running about 6 degrees cooler today.
    Paul has a PhD in experimental nuclear physics which might explain the strange glow coming from under the bonnet of his TC.    Read more

    Angel From Belgium  A lot of Technical info. Sorry I lost it :-) ENYOU the trip!

    5/16/17Reply

    Jean Johnson  Glad problem solved, the engine fairy must be watching over you.

    5/16/17Reply

    John hood  I'm glad you found that leak, could have been nasty.

    5/16/17Reply

    Tim Pitt  Hi Peter/Mandy, I was surprised at the fuel consumption mentioned on day one as it equated to around 21/22 MPG, worse than my old Range Rover. Pleased to hear you have it sorted and are enjoying the trip.

    5/17/17Reply
     
  • Peter Sprot1946 MGTC to Malta
    Day 6

    Germany - Lemberg - Gasthaust Newpert

    May 16, 2017 in Germany ⋅ 🌙 19 °C
    12

    We decided that after four days with the MG club we should do a few miles. So after crossing into France then briefly into Luxembourg then back into France we are now well and truly in Germany.
    The weather has been hot today with a forecast of more tomorrow. I was driving in a tee shirt with plenty sun tan cream.
    The car was great. Even on the long climbs in third and fourth gears at 3000rpm the temperature never went above 82.

    Tonight we are tired and we still have not found the best way to navigate. Today we tried my mobile as it is easy to plot a route in google maps on the lap top then send it to my phone. Mandy spent ages plotting a nice scenic route and this morning we set off from the hotel and had not gone a mile when my phone decided it could not cope and lost the route. So after a while we stopped and got Mandys lap top out in a town tourist office and put the route in again. This time it lost it when my phone rang. So we are going back to the sat nav but this time we are putting in enough way points so it will not deviate from our route as it did last time.

    The guest house we found is nice and has been in the family for six generations the food was filling and well cooked. The car is hidden round the back in a secluded car park next to a very old house with rotting woodwork.

    I checked the fuel mixture in the car which was perfect. The oil level could do with a cup full, and about half a pint of water in the radiator which I will do in the morning.
    Doing laundry as we travel can be tricky so I took advantage of a warm engine to dry mine. I hope I remember to remove it tomorrow!    Read more

    Peter Sprot  It is a salmon burger!

    5/16/17Reply

    Peter Sprot  A good way to dry knickers and socks!

    5/16/17Reply

    albert pisani  Peter try plotting the route on the SatNav using the travel via option. You decide on the destination and insert as many intermediate stops as you wish.

    5/16/17Reply
    5 more comments
     
  • Peter Sprot1946 MGTC to Malta
    Day 8

    Hansel & Gretel with Herman Hesse

    May 18, 2017 in Germany ⋅ ⛅ 16 °C
    1

    Great day no motorways! From Lemberg (France) to Bad Urach (Germany). National park in France and Black Forest in Germany. We stopped at Cawl in the forest for lunch and posing beside a figure on a bridge for a photo I discover it is Hermann Hesse (took a while for the penny to drop) the author! "Some of us think holding on makes us stronger but sometimes it is letting go," etc etc.
    We didn't have black forest gateaux but had the icecream equivalent dripping in amaretto p had the non alcoholic one as driving. Now in Bad Urach beautiful town staying in the Ratstube... Ate huge dinner with masses of beer....so Hermann we are definitely "letting go!!!" I am liking Germany very much. x    Read more

    Peter Sprot  Cawl birth place of Hermann Hesse

    5/18/17Reply

    albert pisani  lovely scenery

    5/18/17Reply

    Angel From Belgium  OMG that looks very nice!!!!!!!!!!! :-)

    5/19/17Reply

    Jean Johnson  How beautiful

    5/20/17Reply
     
  • Peter Sprot1946 MGTC to Malta
    Day 8

    Technical update

    May 18, 2017 in Italy ⋅ ⛅ 15 °C

    We did quite a distance today 205 miles including two passes. Starting in Germany then passing through Austria and ending the day in Italy.
    I bought a couple of litres of 20/50 oil as I've used about a litre and a spray to clean the windscreen and also remove the strains where the petrol had dribbled down the outside of the tank. I now fill it to about four inches from the top.
    Fuel consumption today has worked out at 29.5 mpg which is quite good for a MGTC considering the terrain.

    We found a nice hotel in a place called Mals and they offered me the use of the underground car park. I parked the car and noticed one of the rear tyres has a slow puncture so tomorrow morning I will change it for the spare and take the wheel to a local tyre place to fix the puncture . I could do it myself as I have everything I need but I will leave that option for a time when I have no other.    Read more

    Peter Sprot  It was a fast puncture soI was luck to get it as we arrived at the hotel. A half inch long slit. They have put in my only spare tube. If we get to Malta without another puncture I will get two more tubes. My spare tube was a heavy duty Dunlop.the one that came out was rather thin.

    5/19/17Reply
     
  • Peter Sprot1946 MGTC to Malta
    Day 8

    Hirschen hotel- Mals -Italy

    May 18, 2017 in Italy ⋅ ⛅ 15 °C

    We are in Italy but you would not guess it from the people as only 3% speak Italian. German is the language here.
    Tonight we tried a different way of finding a hotel. We just turn up in the town and look. The first we found was too expensive so Mandy went for a walk while I fiddled with the car and she found this place.
    The village is charming, surrounded by mountains. I don't know how high we are but it got a lot warmer as we came down the passes. I insisted on a pizza to celebrate arriving in Italy. We ate in a pizzeria across the road from the hotel.
    It was cool up on the mountain in the car so we put I jumpers and later jackets but so far we have only once had the hood of the car up once for ten minutes. We have been very lucky. That might change tomorrow as rain is forecast.
    Mandy tool several pictures as we traveled. I will post a few.    Read more

    Angel From Belgium  Lovely pictures, good luck today!

    5/19/17Reply

    Tim Pitt  Are you sure you have crossed the border?

    5/19/17Reply

    John hood  Nearly a chance of pony trekking(horse stealing) Mandy?

    5/20/17Reply
     
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