Touring in a Traveller.

[meensy]

Hello. This summer I will be taking my traveller up to the Isle of Lewis from my home on the south west coast of Scotland. A round trip of approx 1000 miles give or take over a week.
There will be me and my good lady and the kids plus the daft black lab.
Really looking forward to this trip but I am looking for advice from any one who has taken on any long ish trips and what spares they have taken along for the ride.
Thanks and any advice will be warmly received.
Cheers.

[bmcecosse]

Make sure your Insurer includes Roadside Repair and Recovery!

[meensy]

What you trying to say like???

[panky]

You could take a boot full of spares but it would be nice to get someone else to fit them
I carry a few spares under the boot board, including a complete dizzy, petrol pump, tool kit, fire extinguisher, aerosol tyre inflator (for those occasions when it's unsafe to change a wheel), bulbs, oil, water and a bag useful bits like hose clips, gaffer tape, bits of wire, torch. Do you think I'm paranoid

[POMMReg]

1000 miles of "Are we there yet!"?

[irmscher]

A good service of the whole car before you go

[Trickydicky]

Don't service the car the week before the holiday, give it a good service a month before that way if you have any problems your not rushing to get them fixed

[Blades]

Meensy, it sounds like an interesting trip, you will need to post on here your exploits

As Roy says make sure you have got brake down recovery and have a mobile phone charged up all the time

Have a nice time

Nick

[philthehill]

A 1000 miles a week is nothing to a Minor I was doing that sort of mileage up and down the M5/M6 and out to the west coast of Cumbria from South Hampshire over a period of many months. The Minor was more reliable than my fairly new Citroen BX diesel.
Just a few essential tools in the boot, cable ties, a few lengths of loom wire, a roll of insulation tape a plug in hazard light/tyre inflator.
I was staying and working just outside Helensbough and drove the Minor from there to Keill's Jetty (at the very end of the B8025) and back as an evening run and she never missed a beat. Happy days.

[bmcecosse]

The problems come with a car that hasn't been regularly used - and is suddenly asked to do a 1000 mile trip. Good advice there to get the car thoroughly serviced well in advance of the trip - and use it every day before the trip. Most (of the better) Classic Car insurers include Roadside repairs and Recovery free with the policy. Make sure you have the details with you....

[Andrew Fletcher]

3 years ago we did a tour of the west country in a convertible starting from Germany. 4000 miles in 4 weeks. We just carried the normal spares; bulbs, fuses, points, condenser, sticky tape and a fan belt. All that we needed was the fan belt. Take some oil with you, 20W 50 isn't always available.

Andrew

[meensy]

Sound advise thanks. My wee traveller is used as much as possible in fact it was out yesterday for a 50 mile blast up the rest and be thankful.
I'm pretty handy with the tools so should be OK with minor running repairs as long as nothing terminal occurs. I will take plenty of pictures and give a running updates if I can.
It's a lovely part of the world that we visit on a regular basis as my wife's family are from Lewis.
The moggie will be serviced before we go as she always is

[meensy]

Continue: I'm sure the car will be grand .

[philthehill]

Is the low speed limit still in place on the new Rest And Be Thankful?
Both old and new are wonderful and the view from the top!!!!
When the speed limit was national - the blast was exhilarating especially going up the new.
Unfortunately I have only been as far as the top and bottom gates on the old.
Perhaps one of these day when there has been another rock fall and the old road is brought back into use again.
The drive down the other side round the top of Loch Fyne and down to Lochgilphead (and even further down into Kintyre) is to be recommended and which I have travelled many times.
Phil

[chris1968]

I travel to Wales 4 times a year in my Morris ,it's a 600 mile trip.My spares are a fan belt oil and water with some tools.I have gone over to electric points only because it's a bit hard to fix in the dark.

[Monty-4]

From experience of doing trips to Cornwall and Scotland, 1000+ mile round trips.

- Oil
- Radiator Sealant (Metal Epoxy Putty)
- Condenser
- Sand-paper & feeler guage.
- Bulbs & fuses.

I carry more but have never needed it. Minors are so simple and reliable, love it.

[meensy]

Philthehill the new rest has a national speed limit so you can get a good kick on if you wish.
As for the old road, I rove it a couple of weeks ago as there was a landslide blocking the new.
What a treat that was.
I'm going to get a spares box made up for the trip and possibly change to electronic ignition.
I'm lucky enough to already have disc brakes/servo, alternator so should be OK.

[The vast minority]

Lots of problems with electronic ignition, if you are determined, then fit well before the trip and take an original along dizzy as a spare.
My own car has had 2 electronic systems from the big names installed and removed over the decades.

Al

[NOEL]

Most of the advice you have had so far is good, I always have oil, leads, rad hoses, fuses, bulbs, fan belt, plugs, oil, brake fluid,water, anti freeze, toolbox crammed full, tape, spare distributer, torch, tyre inflator/compressor. sheet to lie on Probably why my boot is always fairly full!
To be fair I have only ever broken down the once in 6 years of owning my car and that was a LT tension lead coming off (an easy fix) so I think properly serviced these cars are pretty reliable
Being in a recovery organisation is a must I think, re electronic distributer opinions on here have shown different options and results based upon their experience, issue really is how reliable "new" points, condensers and so on are, if you do change I would second the advice of doing it well in advance
Best of luck sounds like a great trip

[bmcecosse]

The old' Rest and Be Thankful' can be driven (and at good speed if you 'hang back' from the car in front....) if you enter the RSAC '3 Lochs' tour - usually in late August. I competed in the last Hillclimb there and later was Navigator in a 'full race' 8 port Cooper S going down the hill as a Special Stage - in darkness and heavy rain - we were second fastest as I remember. Since then I have driven it twice in my Traveller - and twice in my TR7 on the 3 Lochs. Of course - it's ruined now with the smooth surface and 'eased out' bends because of it's use as a bypass every time it rains..... I understand it is to be further spoiled by more widening and 'easing' to give artics an easier run... To all the other advice already given -I would just add a head gasket to the spares list. If you have it with you - you won't need it!