Holydays on Lake Garda

[Bill Davis]

Go,
I always enjoy reading about your trips and seeing the photos.  Thank you.

[Flathead]

Go,
Just love your posts. Keep them coming. Our cars are for us to enjoy and you certainly enjoy yours.
Cheers!

[Lindsay McConnell]

Thank you for sharing this story, and your photos!
Exciting trip!

[Go Fleiter]

(similar on P15 D24 Forum)
This September, we had the first longer travel off Düsseldorf since the Corona Pandemie.
We took the trusty 1951 to go to Lake Garda/ Italy.

On my former Italy trips I was able to take the Night- Autotrain for the first 600 mls,
but this very confortable service is discontinued nearly completely in Europe.
So we have chosen 2 stages each for the way there and back. We could ride ¾ of the whole trip with open roof until desending the Brenner on the way back: first, lots of rain, than to cold...

Some of the cities are certainly known by some of You, having done Your military service in the cold war here.

1. Day: Düsseldorf, Frankfurt, Würzburg, leaving the Autobahn at Rothenburg and continuing on rural roads to Augsburg and finally Garmisch- Partenkirchen.
2. Day: Garmisch- Zirler Berg, Innsbruck, Brenner Autobahn, Trnto, Riva del Garda, Gargnano.

For a week, we found one marvellous Hotel with a beautiful garden directly on the lake. We made a couple of Plymouth trips in the neighbouring counties. I love these little italian ports!

3. Day: The way back was similar, just Brenner Pass and Ferpass to Kaufbeuren
4. Day: Kaufbeuren all Autobahn as on day 1 back to Düsseldorf.

We drove 1353 mls/ 2177 km.
The car proved again to be very reliable less when raining. Water will run down the windows and exit under the doors as planned, but than takes ist way under the rubber floor insead of outside.
And the original thermometer quit working- I still have to look after it.

We have made big holidays since 1996, so I soon had chosen to upgrade it (look after the fotos):

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Improvements:
-belted tires
-electric gaspump to prime carburetor
-pertronix ignition
-big 12V radiator cooling fan
-high performance radiator core
-two 6V 98Ah Batteries (in series only to the starter when starting)
-6V alternator with regulator included
-12 V alternator, both are attached to original bracket
-12V Gel Battery for GPS- cellphone, radiator fan and modern radio
-230V charging units for each battery, set is easily removable from under the horns (if raining)
    (the big 6V charging units need fan cooling, thus are not waterproof)
-George Ashe´s overdrive (no kickdown installed)
-LED  brake/ signal ligths (separate to backlights as is obligatory here)
-instruments: 6V + 12 V voltmeter, rpm meter, electrical thermometer
-electrical quarterwindows 12V

The car now can ride up to 90 mph (145 kmh, just on the speedometer!)) with ~2500 rpm and- if good pavement- very quietly.
As the brakes are not the same level, we don´t exceed 75mph (120 kmh - GPS checked) at ~2200rpm.
We like hotels with 230V provided for my charging units. When used regularily, this may not be necessary, but if the car is staying unused for months, fully loaded batteries really are a premium as is the priming gaspump! As the second 6V batteries has no generator, this one than has to be loaded stationary or change its place with the main battery after about 3 weeks.

The engine cooling never overheats, only the brakes may cause a cooling stop in very long descends.
The 4 legs over steep passes this time posed no problem up or down: Zirler Berg, Brenner, Brenner again, Fernpass.

Having lots of stop- and- go congestions on the way back (3:30h delay!), I could feel my left leg a lot when back home!
The car had no other problems.

It consumed 1,5 liter of engine Oil, and burned 14,98 liters / 100 km of gasoline (~15,8 mpg).
1999-2021 he consumed >20 liters (~12 mpg), because driving nealy only in the city.

Evaluation of upgrades::
-Overdrive Unit:  I consider it  to be the best improvement for our cars
-Voltage regulator: I hate adjusting our mechanical VRs, thus I choose it included in the alternator
-Pertronix: trouble with bad reproduction distributor contact sets is gone
-Batteries: this was my evolution over years: today, I would install a complete single 12V system
-electrical quarter windows: these are very friendly to my spinal discs, I am now 70 years old!
-And my wife (and our cat Patsy) loves her Samsonite set most!

Have a good time!
Greetings from Düsseldorf!
Go