Geneva in an Ultima

[Crazy of Cookham]

Yep that is the way to spend your weekend in an Ultima. Old friend (less of the old) had his 50th at weekend so decided to pop over. Left 1AM Saturday returned 10PM sunday. circa 1,300 miles in an Ultima. Shed load of fuel bit of oil and only one small problem on car. Airfilter bolt sheared which did not hinder progress. Managed to keep on the right side of Le Plod. At one stage thought they were tracking progess from air.
Got into Geneva over mountain passes was accused by Navigator/ Co-driver (Brother Michael) of treating the mountain roads as a big race track. Yep Mick that was exactly what I was doing.
Great thing about the Ultima is not only the pleasure it gives you but to others. The number of folk, children and fellow road users who just seam to get such a kick out of just seeing it, or just experiencing it thunder past.

Will try and post a few picks once I wake up.

So fellow Ultima drivers get out there and drive them.

[bluesatin]

I drove to Henley and back including past your house!

Great to hear that all the work charles did was worth it especially on the oil consumption!

[Crazy of Cookham]

Thanks Blue I think after 2 days Silverstone, vmax, Le Mans and now Geneva its probably run in.

[GTWayne]

Crazy of Cookham said:

...Great thing about the Ultima is not only the pleasure it gives you but to others. The number of folk, children and fellow road users who just seam to get such a kick out of just seeing it, or just experiencing it thunder past...

Watcha Brian , glad it all went well
I know what you talking about above as this is something I was very aware of last weekend at Le Mans in P's car. Several times on the way down we elected to take the scenic route, ( NO, this does not mean that we got lost, how very dare you ), and went through some villages that looked like they had not seen a car for over a month let alone a BLACK GTR with CF Dymags and a couple of follicley challenged circus exponents behind glass!
Whilst the GTW was only briefly on the road last year I must say the attention it got was not overly pleasing to myself but once you realise that it is the car, and not you the onlookers are interested in, it seems somehow more acceptable. Maybe it is because it was not my car but I found the Le Mans trip hugely rewarding for this fact alone.

[Crazy of Cookham]

Thanks Wayne yes agree we had left the driver names on Windows since Le Mans in one service station where we stopped for lunch a French chap came around the Restaurant asking for Mr Stanley once he found me asked if I could let him know when we where to leave so he could take his children out to witness the start.

[LuckyP]

Great, sounds like you had a fun time. Be interesting to compare notes at the FOD.

It sure makes a change not to have globs of oil on the back end of the rear clip.

[gdaybruce]

Congratulations Brian, sounds like a great trip. I was wonderng how you'd got on but thought you'd probably still be asleep from the combination of drive plus hangover!

So, just what did the Swiss make of the car? Did you sneek it in on a mountain road without a border check or just drive underneath the barriers without stopping?

[V8OWNER]

If you want to go again I have a place 45 mins from Geneva in Morzine.. with a nice big Garage!... www.morzinesnow.com

I agree its great out there and cant wait to get the Ultima in the mountain roads. Trouble is the running the Chalet keeps the Ultim Build Progress slow...

[Crazy of Cookham]

Hi Bruce sadly at work. Strangely went into and out of Switzerland without any border stops. In fact came out of mountains and do not remember seeing boarder post.

I am told that in Switzerland you are not allowed to operate noisey equipment in your gardens between the hours of 12.00 and 13.30 that is about the time I must have crossed so suspect they wondered what the hell was going on. There is a good chance that a few hundred are still hiding in their nuclear bunkers. Will probably come out by Christmas.

[Crazy of Cookham]

Thanks Graeme, you never know there was the green shoots of a plan to meet in Dijon later in the year with the purpose of just driving mountain passes. My mate needs to get his knee fixed first so he can get back on his motorbike

[bluesatin]

So how many hours each way did it take- now tempted to change one of my monthly trips to Switzerland and go by car. Also new Vmax vid out with a couple of clips of both our cars!

Edited by bluesatin on Monday 21st July 18:21

[Crazy of Cookham]

About 10 hours including tunnel and breaks for coffee, red bull, coffee,fuel more fuel.

[V8OWNER]

Normally takes me 8 hours Calais - Morzine .. but thats in the Subaru.

Out of interest what sort of range do you get in the Ultima?

[Daniel RB]

If any of you people pass thru Switzerland in the Geneva region, would appreciate meeting you and seeing an Ultima in the real. Leave me a mail and I'll get back to you.
Thanks