The car is packed and Europe awaits

[jackfit]

Long Ride today

One more 320 mile drive today from Stockholm , Sweden to Oslo , Norway.


I have just passed 7,248 miles driven on this trip. I am meeting with a reporter from American Car Club of Norway tomorrow and there is a large car show in Oslo this weekend and I will attend it.


The car comes home on a boat on Nov 1, and should be in NY in December. I fly home on Sunday and look forward to being home with my family,


Once home I will have time to start posting some great photos and videos


Thanks to all for their support. Corvettes are alive and well in Europe. I will do a recap of the trip tomorrow highlighting my stops.


Jack

Ps

The weather in Scandinavia held for me. I had a little rain in Southern Finland, and there was frost on the car windows in the morning. Not much different then late fall in Maine about 30' in morning and 40-50 or so later

 

[jackfit]

Ro ro

Hi Jack,

How do you plan to ship the car, on a Container, or Roll-On rolloff.

//Sweabe

I will ship it Roll on Roll off. It will save me about 5,000 dollars over a quote of container.

Jack

 

[jackfit]

Dusting of Snow

Good morning, Bonjour , and 8 other greetings from Europe.


Woke up this morning to a little snow . It will melt by mid-morning. I will drive to Oslo later and perhaps to Drammen , to get car transport details done. The return cost is going to be about $1,400 with fees.


The car will go Roll on Roll off. Had I sent it home in a container is could be close to $6,000. The money I save will be needed to buy a hot dog and soda in Norway.


I am looking forward to the Oslo Motor Show this weekend, I will have a chance to meet some of the Corvette people from my visit last month.


Here are some pictures of my car this morning. Just like being home in Maine.

 

[jackfit]

Trip recap

I thought I would do a little summary of my travels in Europe. No pictures on this post just a timeline of places visited.


Sept 3-6, Flew into Oslo stayed with Corvette owners


Sept 7-12 Train to Bergen , west coast of Norway 350 miles from Oslo
Met many members of Corvette Club of Norway


Sept 13-14 Picked up car in Oslo in am and drove to Trelleborg Sweden for ferry to Germany 300 miles


Sept 14-15 Stayed in Castle in East Germany, then on to Berlin one night


Sept 15 On to Nuremberg Car show guest of honor


Sept 16 On to Stuttgart visit friends


Sept 17-18 Switzerland with Martin


Sept 19-20 Nice/ Monaco with Mario


Sept 21-23 Corvette Gang Beach Fun south east coast France


Sept 24-25 Stayed wit Alain, southwest France near Spain, owner of NASCAR team in Europe won Championship of Europe at Le Mans Oct 13


Sept 26-27 Off to Island de Orleon , English channel side of France


Sept 28 Off to small town near Le Mans, drove on track stayed with English couple that I though were French


Sept 29 Off to Brittany for Ralley with Corvette Club of France


Sept 30 Off to Paris to stay with VP of Corvette Club of France


October 1 Off to Normany to see Omaha beach and war memorial


October 3 Back in Paris for lunch and stayed with French couple


Oct. 4 Off to Belgium stayed with Raytex , blue big Block


Oct 5 Off to Belgium , stayed with Alexander/ Ingrid Hellicopter designer


Oct 6 Off to Knooke Hiest on Belgium coast Car ralley


Oct 7 Drove to Netherlands Rob / Erik and NCRS group car joint acting up


Oct 8 Stayed with Jack Janson and wife, looked at car on lift Dad restores Mack trucks


Oct 9 Back to Belgium to interview Alexander


Oct 10 Andre Boer Dutch Collection of Corvettes


More later have to unpack car for shipment home

 

[jackfit]

Finland keeps the tradition alive !

Even in Finland, they know about the tradition of washing my car. "Yorcci"
kept it up even in almost freezing weather.


Thanks again to the Corvette Club of Finland for the great reception.

 

[jackfit]

Thinking of warm weather in France

I thought this would be a good time to think warm. Since it will be a bit chilly when I get back to Maine

 

[jackfit]

The Oslo Car Show

Well the trip is starting to wind down and I fly home tomorrow. I dropped the car off at the docks and hopefully it will be in NJ around the 21st of November.


This weekend is the Annual Oslo Car Show. American Cars are very disirable in Scandinavia and if you get an email or phone call from Europe about your car that may be for sale, take it seriously. Thousands of American cars are being bought by Europeans and they want to drive them as well as collect them. Enjoy the pictures.

 

[jackfit]

The Oslo Car Show

 

[jackfit]

The Oslo Car Show

There were many trucks displayed and the art work on them was something.

 

[BigJimZ16]

I thought this would be a good time to think warm. Since it will be a bit chilly when I get back to Maine

CAN'T GET ENOUGH OF THAT BEAUTIFUL BLUE WATER...

 

[jackfit]

Car is still in Norway

Hello to all, I have been busy catching up on weatherization of my house and rest. I expected my car to be shipped on Nov. 1, but because of the storm and NJ port problems, it will be shipped on Nov. 8th, and should arrive around the 29th of November.


I would like to thank Heidi, of Motorships.no , for her help in taking care of my car in Norway for the shipment home. Because of the delay, Heidi, had my car put under cover until shipment. Thank you Heidi !


Pictures of my car at the dock , more than 8,500 miles covered by road , train and boat ferry.

Storm in Maine

Birds sitting this one out

Thank you Jan-Ivar for the happy ending in Norway

Next week I will start to post by country with a little more detail of where and when.


Thanks to all again and again


Jack

 

[catbert]

Thanks for your efforts to bring us along on your adventure. You did a great job.

 

[LT4man]

Wow! What a trip!

Glad to see you are home and safe!

Thanks for bringing us along. Hope we all did not get in your way too much!

 

[Tom Bryant]

Without a doubt this was an experience of a lifetime. Welcome home. Glad the storm pretty much ran out of steam by the time it got up there.

Thanks for the ride,
Tom

 

[Lingmieux]

Amazing trip, Jack! You must have tons of stories to tell, and material to go thru by now. Great that all went well - without major incidents.
Would be cool to hear your thoughts, now that you have it behind, of what was good / bad, or if there is something you would have done
differently if you'd do it again...

Looking forward to the country by country stories!

 

[jackfit]

Travels with the Corvette Vagabond

It has been a week since I landed back home. Some rest and a hurricane was all I needed to get me back in stride.


I am beginning to collect data and will be posting more details on the technical aspects of the trip.


Here are a few tid-bits.


Days away from home 58
Days driving corvette 42
Number of gas stops 54
Different Hosts 43
Countries visited 10


Miles driving corvette 7,490
Miles on trains 800
Miles on ferries 930


Air miles 7,650


Total miles traveled 16,870


Would I do it again ? You bet !


Mileage and repair details next report


Jack

 

[Toms007]

Jack, I can't wait for the particulars. It's always interesting to see your specs. I, too, am anxious to see the country by country wrap-up.

You have many, many Corvette enthusiasts living the dream through you and your travels.

 

[jackfit]

Travels with the Corvette Vagabond

I am beginning to collect data and will be posting more details on the technical aspects of the trip.


Here are a few tid-bits.


Days away from home 58
Days driving corvette 42
Number of gas stops 54
Different Hosts 43
Countries visited 10


Miles driving corvette 7,490
Miles on trains 800
Miles on ferries 930


Air miles 7,650


Total miles traveled 16,870


Would I do it again ? You bet !


Mileage and repair details next report



Mileage Report




327/250 L-79
M-20
3.70 rear
stock Holley
300.000 miles on original engine , matching #'s drive train


7,490 miles driven data is plus or minus 1%


Gas used 2116 liters 558 US Gallons


Cost $5,022 US dollars 3,863 Euros


Cost per mile $0.68


Average miles per gal 13.4


Average price Gas 1.80 Euros per liter $8.85 Gal US


Oil used 5 Qts 7,490 miles 1,500 per qt.


Oil change 5 Qts no filter $200 $20 Qt.


Tolls about $200




Only one repair needed !


Repairs 1 outer u-joint half-shaft No Charge NCRS.nl
Andre Boer Dutch Corvette Collection did repair.




Insurance and shipping approximately $10,000 (insurance $2,000 two months)


This number can be reduced by choosing different methods of shipping. I will go into detail on next post on the logistics of shipping your car to Europe.


Jack

 

[rodinoma]

Happy to contribute on the logistics of shipping Corvettes to Europe - have done it 6 times.

 

[jackfit]

I know more now, wish I knew it before

Happy to contribute on the logistics of shipping Corvettes to Europe - have done it 6 times.

Hi, I will go into some details soon on shipping. I was taken advantage of on the trip to Europe, much better on trip home. Just have to hope the ship has a port to land. NJ is not looking good and the ship is due in on 11/29/12.

Should be interesting.

We look forward to as much info on shipping as possible.

Jack