Yiannis' Albi Blue R27 - Toning down...

[Chris]

Enjoy the Alps! Get some good pictures up, and let's hope the car comes back with you in it this time!

 

[Yiannis197]

Thanks guys. I can't wait but honestly I'm kicking myself for sorting out the car literally last week.

 

[TB Rich]

Nothing like an international road trip for a maiden voyage!!!!! :scared:

 

[Yiannis197]

Another Alpine trip came to its end. It is scary how quickly time passes, last year's trip seems like it was only a few months back...

Trip this year was diametrically opposed to last year's though. Less cars but everything went fine (in the end), weather was sweet apart from day 2, fantastic roads and driving sessions.

Highlights of the trip by order of appearance.

1. Suspension. Car has been setup beautifully. The selection of spring rates and damping worked miracles on those roads. The front has currently quite more grip than the rear but the difference is just right so as to make the latter playful but not snappy. On hairpins on slippy descents (Giau) it was marvelous to drive. You would turn in and the rear would progressively get knocked out helping the front even more to do what's supposed to do. Also, very compliant on bumpy roads making the extra suspension travel very easy to notice. Digressive pistons..I love you! Very happy in general.
2. Pads. I have the the performance friction compound 8 at the front and even though their absolute stopping power is the same as the RC6s they are much more progressive giving a much better pedal feel and allow better modulation. For the road this is brilliant. It also helps with H&T which is win
3. A guy on his sixties having his young girlfriend in his M6 driving right on my rear bumper in black forest and me not being able to shake him off lol. Absolute fair play to the guy, he was going quick!


Downs.

1. Car is knackered. Diff has gone and I have to drop the box...again. Front discs are dead so I'll have to replace the rotors asap, or just fit the OEM discs for now. My rear bespoke hubs obviously needs sorting. Both front OZ carbon caps have flown off. They now live somewhere in the Alps. One HID ballast is also dead so another bumper off job lined up. I've got a rattle from the exhaust. I hope it's the heat shield or something but knowing my luck it's possibly the silencer.
2. A friend brought his drone to the trip, now this was a proper professional £3k piece of kit which he uses for work (he is a director on car films, shoots). It low lives in lake Iseo. Yes, IN the lake...
3. 2 of the lotuses were stranded on the side of the road for 4 hours on day 4. Breakdown cover never arrived (bloody Italians). We eventually managed to repair them and carried on with our trip.
4. My action camera let me down massively. Sometimes it would just not record, sometimes it would record without sound and sometimes it would not do anything. Sony my ass.

But apart from that everything else went great. I'll let the pics do the talking!


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[Yiannis197]

DSC07802 by YiannisR27, on Flickr
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[Yiannis197]

DSC08070 by YiannisR27, on Flickr
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[Johnny 99]

DSC08070 by YiannisR27, on Flickr
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DSC08121 by YiannisR27, on Flickr
DSC08128 by YiannisR27, on Flickr
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DSC08137 by YiannisR27, on Flickr
DSC08143 by YiannisR27, on Flickr
DSC08150 by YiannisR27, on Flickr
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Looks like a blast! I hope you managed to get some video footage despite the camera problems as I always look forward to your vids on YouTube! Not done any Alpine passes yet in my Clio, but have by motorcycle & other cars. Clio seems to me to be built for them. My European trip this year is Spa JPRS but I will get a few mountain passes done sometime!

 

[Chris]

Looks epic that!!

I think you'll take them few negatives after what happened last year at least...

Shame about the cam, hope you still got a few videos though at least...

Some nice calendar entry pictures there id say also

 

[Pav]

what caused the failure of the QD mate??well hope you manage to get everything fixed soon..

gorgeous as always Yiannis..did you find it easy to keep up with them agile Lotuses??

lovely stuff,hope you have some video footage of the drone too..that would be interesting..

 

[Jimmy]

It looks like it was an incredible trip Yiannis - great photos and stunning scenery and roads!

Very sorry to hear about the downsides though - it seem you're never too far from trouble on these trips! At least there were no major incidents and you all made it back in one piece. Hopefully you can get the car sorted...it's a shame that was the outcome given how much praise you give the Clio!

I imagine none of the negatives has put you off doing it again next year!

 

[Yiannis197]

Thanks guys

Looks like a blast! I hope you managed to get some video footage despite the camera problems as I always look forward to your vids on YouTube! Not done any Alpine passes yet in my Clio, but have by motorcycle & other cars. Clio seems to me to be built for them. My European trip this year is Spa JPRS but I will get a few mountain passes done sometime!

I did get some videos mate yes, luckily I was filming the Grossglockner descent with two cameras so I'll try and get the sound from the one at the back and the picture from the Sony which was filming at the front. Also I got a few ones from the black forest so I'll try and edit them at some point What cars have you used for your trips then Johnny?

what caused the failure of the QD mate??well hope you manage to get everything fixed soon..

gorgeous as always Yiannis..did you find it easy to keep up with them agile Lotuses??

lovely stuff, hope you have some video footage of the drone too..that would be interesting..

Unfortunately we lost all the drone footage with the drone matey, basically we lost the whole lot!! Diff failure? I really haven't got a clue, we will have to investigate. In regards to keeping up with the Lotuses, ah yeah! Not with the V6 on very steep uphills though as that beast would disappear after a hairpin! Great fun though

It looks like it was an incredible trip Yiannis - great photos and stunning scenery and roads!

Very sorry to hear about the downsides though - it seem you're never too far from trouble on these trips! At least there were no major incidents and you all made it back in one piece. Hopefully you can get the car sorted...it's a shame that was the outcome given how much praise you give the Clio!

I imagine none of the negatives has put you off doing it again next year!

Mate, we already started planning for next year haha!

 

[sevenfourate]

Holy cr@p theres some good pics in there.

Was this actually a road-trip or an elongated photography session

Looks epic in every way. Some memories going with that journey i bet..........

 

[Johnny 99]

Thanks guys



What cars have you used for your trips then Johnny?

Nothing very exciting car wise in a hooning way sadly, which is why I really want to take the Clio to the Alps sometime. Various motorcycles a long time ago & a rather memorable trip in a pal's Capri a long time ago. It was a 2 litre car, but the engine blew about 10 days before we were due to leave & all we could get was a 1.6 engine for £50 from a scrap yard. It was dropped in whilst retaining the 2.0l gearbox and ratios. It got us up to Obergurgl though, which I believe is the highest Parish in Austria. Last Alpine trip was in my Merc E class cabrio so more about cruising than hooning. As I said though I can't wait to take the Clio. Btw chasing Lotuses (Loti? - never know!) looks fun!

 

[TB Rich]

Those roads look incredible! And at least the trip seemed to go mostly to schedule this year, stuff can be fixed and replaced in due course really.
What spring rates are you using, 70 front and rear?

 

[Johnny 99]

Thanks guys



I did get some videos mate yes, luckily I was filming the Grossglockner descent with two cameras so I'll try and get the sound from the one at the back and the picture from the Sony which was filming at the front. Also I got a few ones from the black forest so I'll try and edit them at some point What cars have you used for your trips then Johnny?



Unfortunately we lost all the drone footage with the drone matey, basically we lost the whole lot!! Diff

 

[Johnny 99]

I don't seem to have got the hang of the new forum format @Yiannis197! For some reason my reply to you is coming up in the quotes box.

 

[Airborne]

cheers you've just made me miss my S2 Elise S! photos look great and despite your issues looks like one hell of a trip!

I am gutted for the guy with the drone !

 

[Yiannis197]

Those roads look incredible! And at least the trip seemed to go mostly to schedule this year, stuff can be fixed and replaced in due course really.
What spring rates are you using, 70 front and rear?

Indeed, plenty of time to repair and upgrade 70 and 80N/mm front and rear respectively mate.

I don't seem to have got the hang of the new forum format @Yiannis197! For some reason my reply to you is coming up in the quotes box.

Yes mate I did notice lol. At first I thought you only quoted my message, I then realised your reply was included in the quote

cheers you've just made me miss my S2 Elise S! photos look great and despite your issues looks like one hell of a trip!

I am gutted for the guy with the drone !

lol sorry mate. Awesome cars, the black is an itb'd K series with cams and the whole lot. It sounded the business! They guy had it from new, 14 years now..

 

[TB Rich]

Cheers, and it's still nice and pliant on the roads etc? Sounds like an ideal setup, I don't want mine to lose the ability to thrash about over the rough stuff tbh.

 

[Yiannis197]

That is correct Rich. Lots of travel available in comparison to my old 1 ways, also more nitrogen pressure allows the use of lower spring rates. Generally the way the shocks manage the nasty bumpy roads is simply great. We have to sort out a run where you can have a go. Wales???