VIEW FROM THE EDGE........OF THE SHED : 10CR shed and all that -PART TWO

So on a wing and a pray we set off on for Dover -the plan was to cross the channel a day early and join the event at the European start venue,this I reckoned gave us a fighting chance to sort any problems early doors and not have to play catch up, the car ran fine just the diff clonk and noisy idlers in the gearbox worrying me as we sat for 2 hours at Sveenorde services waiting for 70 odd other Triumphs to turn up

Dodgy geaser awaiting other dodgy geasers

I checked the car over and noted that the engine that had been laid up for 13 years had now started to find its oil leaks again nothing serious apart from a substantial weep from the back of the head which looked to point at an iffy head gasket,hey ho not to worry as we buggered off down the road as the first Triumph and committee member rolled in and signed our "route book" as far as we were concerned that was that 2,500miles and 20 alpine passes waited to try and halt the little cars progress, as it turned out the car wasn't bothered it was Swiss automatic fuel machines that posed more of a threat to progress than steep inclines...twats
Here are some brief jottings and I made on route -
Charleville-Meziere -stopped for fuel cash and Homers first MacDonald s,car appears to be fine clonking along used no oil to mention leak at back of head no worse doing around 40 mpg
Picked up Belgium and Luxembourg now sitting in a Swiss services just over the border that boasts a sex shop next to the forecourt!? must be for the pissed Mullet heads that rolled into the coffee shop as we were leaving to get some kip in the non-reclining cheap as chips ebay seats fitted to the spitfire last week Christ was that only a week ago at least's it better than the "official halt" a deserted car park next to a airport with only a hedge to piss in,for someone who cant sleep Homer is doing a good impression of a snoring bastard
03.00 about to head off feeling good got a good few hours kip well ahead of schedule

Listen to the diff clonk!

Not a pot to piss in at this halt so on to Leather Clad Fanatic Land (Switzerland)

Bastard automatic petrol pump just ate 20 euros Homers card wont work,used up fuel in jerry can pressing
(Homer had the only chip and pin card between us I had shifted my subs into his account the night before via internet banking leaving us with only my dodgy old cash card)
St Gotthard pass 1/4 tank of fuel left and no cash and not another crew in sight at the control -we are still a couple of hours ahead of the main pack,priority now to find cash/fuel on route to San Bernardino

Diff still clonking,throttle sticks as well

More clonking,but its getting no worse

-With our last 10 euros burning a hole in Homers pocket we peeled off into a town only to find automatic fuel pumps not trusting them after the 20 euro incident we moved on, Homers bowels had now given in to the MacDonald s and needed to open quickly! pure luck a service station for the motorway had an pedestrian access from the minor road we were on -pulling up Homer was able to lighten the load and I was able to fill the jerry can,we tried phoning his bank -we guessed his card had been stopped as he didn't mention we were travelling through Switzerland -no answer as they were not open yet (we were an hour ahead)
With the tank topped up using the gerry can we carried on and luck led us to a village with a cash machine that gave me 50 Swiss francs! now to find fuel- asking in the local shop they pointed us to the next village,and guess what it was an automated machine -luckily we got this one right and it filled the tank and jerry can feeling elated but sure we were now the last car on the road, we didn't bother stopping or even looking for the San Bernardino control and just drove straight to the summit parking up to get a phone signal so we could sort the cash flow!
I was enjoying the view when I heard a lovely roar of several Triumph 6 pots coming up the hill along with a few V8s chasing a local Jag E type so we weren't last on the road
Bank sorted we tagged on behind the Johnson's Stag following their stat nav , Homer put the maps away ...

Look Closely at smoking brakes..I had pulled in as indicator repeater lamp stopped working and I wanted to check indicators were working.. greeted by burning smell I thought the wiring was on fire until I lifted the bonnet!