Great UK Lake District Trip

[gwuisman]

OK, the weather forecast was not convincing but positive enough to give it a try and take our Pagoda with us for a trip through the Lake District in the UK. The overnight boat trip across the North Sea was rather rough as there were stormy winds and we had an old fashioned ferry heavily rolling on the waves. Besides us there were lots of Cito
n Ducks  (2CV)
swimming
to Great Britain, heading for the 2 annual world meeting in the north of the isle. The 2CV people appeared to have a total different appreciation of their cars than most of us do. The more
personalised
, the cooler the car. They gave hardly any attention to our Pagoda. The gap between car types was apparently too big. (See for example http://www.citrobe.org/convertables.htm)
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After leaving the ship in Newcastle, many signs warned us to keep left while driving, in order to prevent continental people would think that everyone else was driving on the wrong side of the road. After a 120 mile ride we arrived at our bed and breakfast address in Thelkeld, a village in the middle of Lake District. Our aim was to drive through the beautiful scenery and to visit castles / houses with the famous English gardens.
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There were plenty scenic routes with passes and magnificent views possible. On steep roads up and down of 25% to 30% over sometimes a mile, the Pagoda could prove its quality. And it did. In the 2nd and sometimes in the 1st gear it showed its power. The smooth clutching and shifting made you feel confident that the car could easily make it. Only when the engine was cold in the morning it did its climbing work the first five minutes or so a bit nasty. And what a powered break system! So well balanced doing its work without using a lot of pressure on the pedal. We could experience this pleasure 5 in the 7 days with the top down. One day it was uncomfortable cold ( 12 degrees C) and we had one day only rain.
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Not everything was as pleasant as it could be. The British are known for their politeness. Not on the road! Fast driving everywhere, bumper pushing making you unsure, many big cars like Range Rovers and BMW X5 on narrow roads where you only pass each other on passing places. They just stop and wait until you are trying to find a passing place while driving backwards, loudly horning when you decide not to do so in order to prevent damage to your car. We experienced little respect for a classic car as ours and saw only five others, 1 jag and 4 MG-s, on our 750 mile trip. No Pagodas. On the other hand pedestrians showed their enthusiasm seeing the for them unusual classic car . The casher in one gas station said he was grateful that we stopped at his station to fill up such a great car. Others offered their daily cars for exchange. No way!
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Speaking about a gas station, we faced a big problem the moment the gas tank got thirsty. Only Regular Unleaded 95 and Diesel are on the signs. That is really problematic knowing you have a demanding task for you engine in mind for the next days. By asking around we found out that some gas stations also delivered Super 97 while not signed. We were also told that this type of gas will be faded out the coming years. How are our UK members going to deal with the situation that only Regular 95 will be for sale? Are they all getting in need to redo their engines to make them suitable for Regular 95?
Back in Newcastle al lot of Ducks were in line to embark again. They had been  together with 3000 in really Ducky weather: plenty of rain resulting in plenty of pools to park in. Some got even pools inside their cars, others had lost some feathers like a bumper or a light. No problem, Ducks are easily to repair and for half of the price of the boat trip you can buy another one told a guy whose break and clutch systems had broken down. The parking guides separated the Ducks from the 2 other classic cars on the boat. The Ducks were packed on the upper deck. Our car and a MG6 of a couple that had done a golf holiday in the UK got a spacious spot with little chance of unwanted kisses of doors of other cars. Back in Holland we looked back on a nice and safe Pagoda trip. What we missed were the signs at the exit of the harbour that the British visitors warn for the odd habit that the people on the continent use to drive on right lane.
Gerard Wuisman
1970 280sl

[n/a]

Thank you for sharing a very interesting story.
Louis 70 280sl red auto

[TR]

Gerard -- My wife and I just reviewed your journal and photos.  Wonderful stuff.  You done good!
Tom in Boise
'71 280SL 4-spd, signal red w/lt. tan interior, restored/enhanced

[Bearcat]

Gerald,
I notice you have a see through wind delector.....I have the same and bought through mega expense from a company in  the netherlands. In my 280SL it wont fit as the latch in the rear to open the hood hits against the wooden cover and it is all too tight.
Any coments
Bearcat

[gwuisman]

David,
Do you have the same branch? Mine is of Cabrio Design especially designed for W113. It fitted right away. I don't understand 'as the latch in the rear to open the hood hits against the wooden cover' in your post. I have no wooden cover and the latch is far away of any part of the wind deflector. The  deflector hangs with 4 hooks on the edge of the soft top storage and the closed lid keeps it in place. Perhaps you can post a picture to clarify you problem.
Gerard Wuisman
1070 280sl  

[pablo_o2]

Gerard could you by any chance mention the company you bought the wind deflector from? Thanks (is it cabriodesign.nl?)
Paul Haems
'68 280SL

[gwuisman]

Paul,
Indeed the deflector is from cabriodesign.nl. I did not just order it but drove after a call to the shop in order to get the right collor of the shelf and to be sure it would fit. I don't know where you live in Belgium as the shop is in Goes, a vllage in the south of the province of Zeeland near Belgium. Perhaps easy to visit yourself in case.
One point I want to stress. Although the deflector fitted ok, when test driving the hooks caused a sort of rattle  because of the movements of the shield. On my request cabriodesign covered the hooks with thin soft black material on the spot in order to solve this little problem. Perhaps they made this standard in the meantime.  
Gerard Wuisman,
1970 280sl.

[pablo_o2]

Thanks for the info Gerard. I think I will pay them a visit one of this w.e.'s. I live about 65 km from Goes that I know from visiting het "Veerse meer" and the "Easter Sheldt" for recreational purposes! Take care.
Paul Haems
'68 280SL

[Bearcat]

yeap I bought it off cabrio design...a w113 model that also fits the next sl models also....i got a black balsa wood cover with hooks that attaches to the metal lip that surrouns the hood area....a clear perspex wind deflector then clips onto the balsa wood cover. What I cant do is when the cover is fitted close the mercedes lid into place unless with extreme force. When in place I cant undo the hood as the lever to release the mercedes lid is jammed. I have given up on it and it sits in my garage.
On another level...I am a getting a specialist to fit a discreet cd system in my glove box and discreet speakers under the wheel well. My becker remains in situ but the quality of music sound is going to be a whole lot better for that sunday morning burn!
Re RON95 Gas/Petrol...in Ireland we are the same as the uk with 97RON very difficult to get. I fitted a lead enhancer onto my fuel line and also add stp octane plus on every fill...car goes fine. Recently I put Avgas into it (aviation fuel) which is laced with lead and has a RON 102 i think....I didnt really feel an noticeable difference.
David
280SL 1970
300TD 1998
S500  2000

[Cees Klumper]

I would expect our cars to run fine on lower octane gasoline. No need to add lead additives and the octane boosters from what I've read don't boost much. If the car starts to ping/knock, just retard the ignition until it doesn't? Am I over-simplifying?
Cees ("Case") Klumper in Amsterdam
'69 white 280 SL automatic

[Naj ✝︎]

quote:Super 97 while not signed. We were also told that this type of gas will be faded out the coming years. How are our UK members going to deal with the situation that only Regular 95 will be for sale? Are they all getting in need to redo their engines to make them suitable for Regular 95?

Cees is right about just retarding the timing if you get pinging:

quote: I would expect our cars to run fine on lower octane gasoline. No need to add lead additives and the octane boosters from what I've read don't boost much. If the car starts to ping/knock, just retard the ignition until it doesn't? Am I over-simplifying?

When leaded fuel started becoming unavailable generally in the UK, the answer was to convert cylinder heads to unleaded fuel spec. This involved changing the valve seats to a harder material so they would not burn up with the unleaded fuel.
Only it was found that the valve seats in these old MB heads were already harder than the ones supplied locally. So only adjustment of timing is required where pinging is noticed. In the case of Pagodas, both of mine run fine on the spec timing (when they are running - that is   )
naj
65 230SL
68 280SL

[JamesL]

I use the more expensive 98 only as a special treat for the car. Occasional use only.
Much like naj, I was told it runs on regular unleaded which is already "a better quality fuel than what it was likely run on in 1970".
So mine is on a diet of 95

[gwuisman]

David,
I would not give up. In stead I would e-mail Cabrio Design to inform them about your problem and ask them what can be done. If it helps I am ready to phone the boss as I know him personaly. I bought my deflector  from him in person.
Gerard Wuisman
1970 280sl

[Mike Hughes]

In 1990 the New England M.G. "T" Register organized a trip to the U.K. called the Circuit of Britain.  Altogether we shipped 89 M.G.s from 1932 to 1956 over for a month-long tour from Land's end to John o'Groats.  One of the most memorable times we had was in the Lake District, when we stayed in a B&B that was a working farm and one of Beatrix Potter's National Trust properties.  When we asked the proprietors where we should go for dinner we were given the following directions:  "Don't bother taking the car, the nearest Pub is just over that hill there.  Just climb the gate and walk straight across the field to the other side.  Climb the fence and go about 50 yards through the woods and you'll come right by the Pub.  Oh, and don't mind the bull - he's friendly!"  It was the best Pub meal we had the entire trip.
- Mike Hughes  -
-
 1966 230SL Auto P/S
 Havanna Brown (408)
 Light Beige (181)
 Cream M-B Tex (121)