Travels in a Tourer

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David2021
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Joined: Sun Jan 31, 2021 4:29 pm
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Travels in a Tourer

Post by David2021 » Thu Jul 07, 2022 9:52 am

Just got home from an 1100 mile trip round Europe (France-Belgium-Luxembourg-Germany-Holland) in the P2 12 tourer (combined age of car & passengers 241!) Maximum distance in a day about 200 miles. Weather mostly hot and dry, a few cloudy days and one enormous storm (thankfully we weren't driving at that time).
A few niggles … 40 miles out from home - a powerful smell of petrol (Guess who hadn't tightened the carburettor float valve up properly!) Oh yes, the clock & fuel gauge stopped working on the last day - not a problem to live with. I expect an in line fuse has blown. The biggest drama was on the way north through Germany we had a puncture and then on the Autobahn west of Koln we had another. TWO punctures in 3 hours! I decided to get two replacement tyres & tubes and managed to source some new Excelsiors ...but they were in Munich. Nothing much moves in Germany over a weekend, so we had an enforced 3 day stopover while the tyres made their way to us. Once fitted an uneventful run home in time to use the car on "Prom" duty ferrying a pair of glammed up 15 year olds to their School Prom Party.
Now to give the car a good "once over" to see if anything has come loose... Time for ANOTHER oil change I suppose!

Willem
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Re: Travels in a Tourer

Post by Willem » Thu Jul 07, 2022 7:43 pm

That sound like a proper little jaunt, typical that you get 2 flat tyres in a few hours, brave to get onto the autobahn in the first place.
Rover 12 Tourer, 1936
Range rover L322, 2009

David2021
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Re: Travels in a Tourer

Post by David2021 » Sat Jul 09, 2022 12:13 pm

Not too bad in fact,. the M40/25 etc to Dover was probably more stressful! The Rover cruised at 55-65 on the speedo and this was close according to my App! So we were among the slower trucks! First estimates indicate at least 25mpg (not using freewheel) about a pint of oil no water...and no overheating! Oil pressure at 50mph 45psi except one day when it was very hot & it went to 35-40 for a while. I used Penrite 20/60, but am not convinced it is any better than a good 20/50.

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luli
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Re: Travels in a Tourer

Post by luli » Sat Jul 09, 2022 2:27 pm

Great! any photos? Videos?
Rover 10 1946 RHD
Rover 10 1947 LHD
Rover 12 1947 tourer LHD
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David2021
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Re: Travels in a Tourer

Post by David2021 » Mon Jul 25, 2022 11:18 am

Some rather uninspired pictures!
At the Tunnel with Grandson in our ZA Magnette
En route ...hot Northern France. Going well
Great hotel! Sclosshotel Daun in the Eifel
Puncture number two
It wont let me download any more!
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luli
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Re: Travels in a Tourer

Post by luli » Tue Jul 26, 2022 10:50 am

Thanks!
No roof in that heat?
Rover 10 1946 RHD
Rover 10 1947 LHD
Rover 12 1947 tourer LHD
http://lulisml.wordpress.com/

David2021
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Re: Travels in a Tourer

Post by David2021 » Thu Jul 28, 2022 10:46 am

NAH! we were used to TR3A motoring...only wimps put up the top! We aren't MG's you know!
You need to be seen in Rover Tourer (and you can't see anything with the top up!)

RobHomewood
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Re: Travels in a Tourer

Post by RobHomewood » Sun Sep 25, 2022 4:46 pm

Back in July I was greatly encouraged by David's report of his succesful european tour when I was struggling to get my DHC fit for travelling on holiday. I had to spend a lot of time but I got there - just. The new rocker cover gasket arrived broken in 5 places. The new drip tray arrived just before we were due to go (and strapped under the roof of the boot) and then the refurbished dynamo and distributor turned up. And at last the new regulator arrived a couple of days before we left.
So with a boot full of spares and various containers we set off for the overnight Plymouth ferry to Roscoff. The problem started straightaway- the red light came on the ammeter stopped showing any positive charge. Blithley we pressed on as we could not find anything amiss under the bonnet. As the ammeter was still showing a negative current including each individual blip as the fuel pump pulsed, I rather suspected the culprit was the new regulator.
I set myself an easy pace with plenty of overnight stops at about 200 kilometre spacing just to allow for emergencies, which I fully expected in an 83 year old car. The first night we stayed in a smart chateau near Rennes, then near Le Mans. The following morning the car wouldn't start. A friendly visitor- a land rover person in the past -and I scratched our heads. He towed me to the top of the hill and I rolled down- not a whisper of ignition, the battery was so totally flat. We went to the supermarket and bought some jump leads (no you never have the right kit however much you take). We charged the battery off his van running for about 30 minutes and that was enough to get us started. Amazingly the car semed perfectly happy once started to run all day as if nothing was wrong and did so for the rest of the 3 weeks holiday, although driving on the motorway without using the lights or indicators in torrential rain is not something I want to repeat. We had a birthday weekend for my brother in law near La Roche-Posay where we begged a charger off our air BandB hosts. Alas it was too sophisticated for me and it took 4 days to get it to fully charge the battery. Then off to a camp site in the Dordogne, borrowing extension leads and battery chargers as we went. That was a pain but the car otherwise behaved impeccably. She didnt boil up in mid 30's temperatures, didnt use any appreciable amount of oil or water and averaged nearly 20.5 mpg over the whole 1200+ miles. That may not sound good to others but its the best I have ever got out of the old girl. My target speed was 50 mph but using the freewheel fully I let her roll down the hills on the motorways etc. I was happy to let her go to 60mph but above that it got a bit scary even on brand new tyres. Thing is at those sort of speeds. rod brakes feel every year of their age and can overheat and fade away to nothing as I have experienced previously. (I had in anticipation removed the chauffeur's trims from the wheels to get more air to the brakes).
Anyway I really enjoyed the the trip - my wife slighly less so. As she wasnt driving she was in the suicide seat where she could see the approaching traffic before I could and the huge lorries were certainly intimidating. Although I have to say we got more friendly 'toots' from the lorry drivers than any other traffic. We chose motorways wherever we could because the gradients and bends etc are much less stressful for both car and driver in my view.
By the time we got back to Roscoff queuing for the ferry we were fairly blase about the battery again and enjoyed chatting with a group of MG drivers who were coming to England for a Lands End to John o'Grouts rally. Turned out their leader was the president of MG club France and a friend of the President of the Rover Club of France too. They certainly hadnt seen a Rover like mine before! Small world though. The question is where next?
PS The supplier of the duff regulator has refunded my money and I have today fitted a new traditional type (Lucas branded) one succesfully. It is ironic that I plumped for the digital regulator because I believed it would be more reliable!!!
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David2021
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Re: Travels in a Tourer

Post by David2021 » Mon Sep 26, 2022 11:07 am

Rob,
That sounded like a good trip as well! It is amazing how far you can get on a well charged battery! Gets a bit nerve wracking as it gets darker and the hotel is still some distance to go! You get pretty adept at parking on slopes as well! It all goes to show that "goin furrin'" is really to be recommended.
Like me you clearly have a great wife! Mine is so good at not making a crisis into a drama!
The car is really very practical for touring, not too far each day...they are not "Grand Tourers" covering 400 miles a day.
Now someone will probably write in & say 400 a day....pah! nothing!
David

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