1969 911 T - Slate Grey (the bitsa)

[Ferdynine11]

Cheers for the link. Did your 996 Turbo have that super heavy clutch with a tiny biting point? A mate had one that was also modded and it was a pain in traffic, but perfect for blasting down the Autobahn


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[hot66]

No as it had stock clutch etc. Tbf it was a lovely car to drive . What it needed imho was more brakes and if I’d kept it I’d have got rid of the comfort seats and but a sport seat or bucket in the drivers as I did my back driving that car

[Ferdynine11]

Following a pre-trip once-over by JAZ and a last-minute windscreen repair from Glasstech, we fought our way through the usual Friday London traffic and made it to Portsmouth for the ferry to Santander.

The 33-hour crossing was largely uneventful. The only drama came courtesy of an angry couple travelling in a Morgan, who seemed convinced the Brittany Ferries staff were incompetent and that fumes from my car were somehow going to kill them during the crossing. It certainly helped pass the time!

Once off the ferry, we headed along the north coast with a quick stop at Santillana del Mar before making our way towards Luarca. A lovely little town and well worth a few days.

From there we headed south to Salamanca, taking the direct route which turned out to be a great choice. The motorway was fantastic, the scenery superb and the roads generally very quiet.

The weather was kind to us. Hot, obviously, but nowhere near as uncomfortable as I'd expected and, perhaps most importantly, there were no complaints from the passenger seat.

Getting into Salamanca was an adventure in itself. Our accommodation was right in the centre, which involved navigating through what appeared to be several pedestrian zones.

The car definitely got some attention, with plenty of smiles, waves and approving nods. The notes from the exhaust bouncing off the old stone buildings probably helped ensure nobody missed us.

After a few days there, we headed north again into the Picos. Quite simply one of the best driving destinations I've experienced.

The roads were smooth, empty and beautifully engineered, with stunning scenery around every corner. If you've never been, put it on your list.

The car felt absolutely perfect for that sort of terrain. The tight, twisty roads really suit an early car and it never felt out of its depth. In fact, I'd struggle to think of a better tool for the job.

After three days in the mountains it was sadly time to point the car back towards Santander and catch the ferry home.

The car was faultless throughout, apart from a headlight that decided to have a moment. Other than that, it didn't miss a beat over the entire trip.

A thoroughly enjoyable mini tour with some fantastic roads, great scenery and a reminder that these cars are happiest when they're being used exactly as intended.

A few photos below...
















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[hot66]

Recognize some of those locations

It’s a lovely area isn’t it . Gives a new perspective of Spain

[70sThrowback]

on my list, looks fantastic.

[sladey]

Looks brilliant

[anglophone1]

on my list, looks fantastic.

me too

[yoda]

Great trip Simon! Also on my list of things to do when time allows.

[Ferdynine11]

Recognize some of those locations

It’s a lovely area isn’t it . Gives a new perspective of Spain

Couldn't agree more. Couldn't recommend it highly enough. Some of those passes were right up there with the best roads I've ever driven – absolute driving nirvana in places.
The only thing that made me gulp occasionally was the size of some of the rocks sitting in the catch netting above the mountain roads. On the one hand, you think "thank goodness the nets are doing their job"; on the other, you can't help wondering about the ones that haven't fallen yet...


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[70sThrowback]

Any particular favourite roads you'd recommend for when us wannabees get ourselves there?

[Gary71]

Lovely trip, great to get out there and use the car properly

Those roads are wonderful, maybe not as spectacular as some of the alpine stuff, but for actual driving they are second to none.

Really liked Salamanca when we went, great vibe in the town. Certainly somewhere to return to as a couple as well as with a group of mates!

[sladey]

Was that the one with the church?