the noise in Monaco was outrageous, ear plugs were a must. Yes your right the locals will be a lot happier. Have fun.

Have a safe trip Radicz and enjoy the adventure

I hope it turns out better than this.


Road Trip

To everyone going on this trip, I wish you all the best, with no break downs, a safe journey and of course, a wonderful time

I'm on my way... No pics yet!

Courtesy the usaul bank holiday mayhem, it took five hours to get from Hemel to the channel tunnel... Currently in Grande Synthe, next stop Ulm, 800km.

Have fun Neil....

and...

Yippee I have a Coupé with a Green Roof, It's a bit of a mess still, my fault for taking it away yesterday, but I do at least have a car!

Now PLEASE stop raining so I can clean it up and get it ready.

We missed our train due to the horrendous traffic and the next train was cancelled due to a technical fault so we ended up leaving a couple of hours later than planned. Not a great start but we arrived safely in Amsterdam at midnight last night. Coupe ran like a dream!

Photos to follow in the other thread...

Break down in a Fiat!
Ridiculous thought !
Will send pics ( if we make it )

Getting exited now, we'll be in TURIN soon... HAPPY

Excellent

Must say you Coupe is looking might fine

Thanks Joe, it is looking quite nice again, hope you approve when you see it. I just hope I get a bit of time to shine it up before setting off. Not a chance today Rain rain rain

Looking forward to seeing yours again, Bob - and the family!

Hope your weather for the trip is as good as ours has been so far - gloomy cool starts and then sunshine and a Simspon's sky.

I recall you're down for a couple of weeks like us? When do you travel?

Hi Neil, we leave early hours Tuesday.

Oh and, the car is ready. Today a light polish and sealer, looks rather sweet again.

Instead of spending Sunday afternoon at Venaria, I am thinking on visiting the Fiat Centro Storico (only open on Sundays* according to Fiat's web site). It's not far from Lingotto (where we will be on Saturday)

Or I might even have to forget about Venaria altogether (as nice as the gardens might be) and visit Centro Storico plus Museo dell'Automobile to get my maximum Fiat and other Italian cars fix on the trip. Anyone else interested in coming along?

*but another web site says closed at the weekends an only open weekdays by appointment. Does anyone know what the real opening hours are?

Anyone planning Stelvio be aware it's closed until the 1st June, apparently.

Also, if you want to drive like the Italians (I don't include Coupe drivers in this; I didn't see any but I'm sure they're all fine skilled courteous drivers!) you need to make sure you:
- drive either 30km above or 20km below the speed limit
- ensure you overtake either on a blind bend, in town, or some other forbidden overtaking zone of your choice
- make sure you approach blind bends on the wrong side of the road
- when driving 30km below the limit, make sure you're in the middle of the road to prevent anyone overtaking you
- if someone is foolish enough to try and overtake, make sure you accelerate as they do so
- when you have collected a line of traffic behind you of at least thirty cars, pull in to the side of the road to allow only *one* car to pass.

@DaveG
tomorrow morning I will call Centro Storico FIAT to ask if sunday will be open.
I Will ask also if will be possibile to see document about Coupe'.

@barnacle.
I apologize for the behavior of my countrymen. The average Italian and VERY undisciplined.
And you have not seen nothing yet.
The worst are the Italians who are in the middle of the highway instead of the first lane, and you'll see many

Just watch out for the Tunnels Neil

Thanks for the tip Gimmo. Yes the plan is to stay in Como or somewhere close by, but haven't booked anything yet... I'll keep you updated!
Today we leave Amsterdam and head south through Germany. I hope the weather will be good for the blast along the autobahn!

Watch for roadworks on the A8 and A7 and A96; nothing major but some of them slow you down a little, Antony. We crossed at Fussen, there's a garage immediately after the border where you can get the carnet - about nine euros for the cheapest. Also, the petrol in Austria is twenty-five cents cheaper than Germany, and thirty-five cents cheaper than Italy. We filled up as late as we could.

@Gimmo - the driving reminds me of Brazil- the only place in the world where I've been in a taxi at twice the limit, coming up behind a police car and flashing his lights and hooting at him to move over... and the police car *did*!

In the fun and games leaving, I neglected to print out the track disclaimer... www.clubdelcoupefiat.piemonte.it/20thfiatcoupe/var/images/news/ManlevaPista_UK.pdf

I'll try and get a copy at the hotel, but perhaps some kind soul would bring me one to be on the safe side?

Thanks.

In Italy fuel costs 1.70euro each liter (1.40GBP), 95 octane

Boosted, you could sleep in Luino, my city, mwahahaha
And we can start together on friday morning, passing out of traffic along Lake Maggiore



Check this route
http://goo.gl/maps/RknHm

From Luino to Vicolungo meet with neil will be such less than one hour and a half, and we can re-fuelling before start in Switzerland where fuel costs 1.1 GBP per liter.

Was printing out Hotel directions, so I've printed you a spare Mirafiori disclaimer.

This evening I will send you the menu for friday lunch

I have called Museo Storico FIAT, on Sunday it is open and free.
The archive is opened in different days, during the week, but there are not infos about Coupe', because our coop is too young and they can show us only documents of old cars

I saw on facebook a document from there, regarding a coupé?

It seems to be about his car?

Thanks for that tip, I will make sure I fill up before I head for Turin

Gimmo, thanks for checking with Centro Storico, I didn't expect to see anything Coupe-related in there, I was going to reminisce about Fiats from the 60's 70's and 80's like the 850 - my first car that I learnt to drive on, plus the 124/125 and 127/128, 131/132 and 130 and Dino - some of which I also owned before the Coupe. Looks like my Sunday is sorted.

As for tunnels, you mean this clip?

Here the menus!

What do you prefer?


1
Rice with asparagus


Roast with mushroom sauce, side dish


Bounet (typical sweet from Piedmont with chocolate and amaretto)



--


2
Borage ravioli alla ligure (fresh tomato and pesto)


Scallops with asparagus


Panna cotta (vanilla)



--


3
Piedmontese agnolotti


Baked rabbit with olives


Fruit salad


Including house wine and coffee, for 20 euros each one.


If you are undecided I can choice for you
I do not write my choice to not influence your choice

Can we mix and match? Depending what the roast is, I'd like the first plate from (2) and the rest from (1)... hate fish/seafood, not fond of rabbit or asparagus!

That does not look like seafood scallops, it looks like escalope of pork or veal?

Spent today cruising around Lake Constance...

Not the best pic but you get the idea! This was taken on the Swiss side looking across to Germany.

After seeing zero coupes since leaving the UK I suddenly spotted a red one just over the border in Austria (flashed and waved but got no response) and then two more in the space of 10 minutes just after entering Switzerland!
Tomorrow we're heading into the middle of Switzerland to Luzern, and then we'll probably take the Gotthard pass into northern Italy on Thursday (unfortunately can't do Stelvio as it's closed - thankfully I saw your post Neil!). Fingers crossed the weather improves a little.

@Gimmo your suggestion for us to stay somewhere near Luino on thursday night sounds great - then we could drive together on Friday! Can you recommend a good value hotel in the area?