Finnish Francesca, 1973 targa resto

[Bootsy]

About bloody time - will enjoy this

[210bhp]

So I consulted satellite Sam.



Doesn't look that far from up there......

Regards
Mike

[911hillclimber]

Dream start about the car, lovely way to kick-off.

Finland is a long way by car/trailer but easier in a container.
You seem a patient type unlike me, so I expect the latter esp as the seasons are about to change...

Unless this is not a real-time project and you have it in Scotland already!

[willbrown]

TARGA LOVE Nice Mike - really going to enjoy this one

[hot66]

coming back from Spa and finding you've finally started your resto thread is the cherry on the top of a great weekend

Looking forward to the updates

[grannysmith]

What James says

You can't beat a safety colour targa.....unless your a big kid in a brand new gt3 with launch control

[Bootsy]

Unless this is not a real-time project and you have it in Scotland already!

See bottom of this page

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=47632&p=407369&hili ... nd#p407369

[bjmullan]

What you went to Finland and bought a car without me

[210bhp]

"Have you ever been to Finland ?" I asked Alex.
"No, why?"
"Just wondering if you're up for a road trip"
"You haven't found another 911 have you?"
"Yep"
"Count me in"

I had pinpointed Mika's home town on the map. Lahti, 70 kilometers north of Helsinki. I contacted a few transport companies. One laughed and the others quoted several thousand pounds to collect the targa. I tried to hire a trailer to see if it was feasible to collect. No one was willing to allow a hire trailer or hire van off the British Mainland. There was only one thing left to do. Go and get it with my own transport.

Because the dismantled shell and spares were loose or in boxes transport would have to be in a covered trailer. I turned to eBay and found a lovely trailer (more on that later) in the Highlands of Scotland. A deal was done and I collected the trailer at a half way point near Stirling. So, I had the transport and committed to buy the targa from Mika.

Alex is a friend of over 30 years standing. He loves driving and is into his cars but not in a Porsche way. We have often shared trips driving to get 'stuff' from all over the country. He's quiet, totally reliable and great company and we both trust each other behind the wheel. I like the smell of his aromatic pipe tobacco too. The great advantage was he'd recently retired from his 40+ years as a newsagent and had a bit of free time. We discussed the trip and agreed it was doable if we shared the driving.

The problem was the route. From the West Coast of Scotland there appeared to be no easy route to Finland. No matter how we looked at it there was no way it could be done in less than 8 days. I thought there was a ferry from Scotland to Norway, no, not any more. I thought there was a ferry from the north of England to Sweden, not really. The only direct ferry was from Immingham to Gothenberg but it was commercial and private vehicles were allowed on 'if there was room'. You had to turn up at the docks, wait, and hope you got on. Not very practical. There is a ferry from Harwich to Denmark but it was mighty expensive.

We considered the long drive through Europe to the Baltic countries and eventually to Estonia and get the ferry from Tallinn to Helsinki. Too risky we thought especially on the way home.

So the route was more or less decided. We would drive to Newcastle and get the ferry to Amsterdam and drive to Stockholm and get another ferry to Turku and drive to Lahti. Load up and do the return trip. 8 days, couldn't be done any quicker. We punched in the ferry times and booked the lot in one evening over a curry carry out. Mika very kindly suggested we could stay at his house for a couple of nights before and after loading up. Great guy.

We were set to go.

Regards
Mike

[Project 911]

This will be interesting resto Many of my parts did opposite trip, from UK to Finland. :D

Lived in UK for many years, and naturally drove London-Helsinki-London for many times, it takes pretty much exactly 48 hours in total. Around 600 miles but you need to cross the channel and then (very expensive) ferry from Travemunde (Germany) to Helsinki which takes majority of the time. Cheaper if you drive through Sweden but MUCH more to drive so never did that. (of course its too late to give any tips now but just if somebody else buys car from here :D )

[210bhp]

Hey Ville
Thanks for your post.
I didn't spot that ferry route in my search but good to know for the future. I might be back in Finland with the finished car.
There's someone selling very nice 67 stuff from Finland on the early s registry. Is it you?

Regards
Mike

[911hillclimber]

So, the car is in Scotland, the collection was in May 2014? Quite a run there and back.
Look forward to the close inspection 'finds' or maybe we will be bored by the lack of discoveries.

[Project 911]

Hey Ville
Thanks for your post.
I didn't spot that ferry route in my search but good to know for the future. I might be back in Finland with the finished car.
There's someone selling very nice 67 stuff from Finland on the early s registry. Is it you?

Regards
Mike

Hi Mike!

That route is definately bit more relaxed and quicker, even from north. What comes to parts, its not me selling (even though I'm restoring '67) but it might be guy called Pekka, if its him selling then seller is good guy and I we have swapped many parts with him. He has huge collection of used parts but he is located about 250 miles from Helsinki.
If you need any help from here, please let me know.

[210bhp]

That's vey kind of you Ville. Hope we can meet sometime with our cars.

Regards
Mike

[neilbardsley]

Good luck. Great to see an Targa restro

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