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Here, we give you a little more useful information and detail about aspects of our tours and the services we offer. However, if you have any further queries please contact us by telephone on +44 (0)1264 710375 or email [email protected] Also have a look at the FAQs section as hopefully a number of questions you may have are answered here too.

Tour Pack

Each car will be given a detailed comprehensive tour book (group tours only) and/or our excellent and easy to use app for your smartphone or iPad, which will contain:

Support Vehicles

The Classic Travelling event director and tour guide will accompany all group tours (not any self-drive, independent Classic Tours) in a classic car. At least one of the Classic Travelling crew is trained & qualified in first-aid (human, not car!). Their vehicle will have a small first-aid kit and mobile phone, to keep in contact with each car. They will also carry a basic tool kit (unless accompanied by the Tour Mechanic – see below).

Please ensure you have enough spares with you and that the car has been fully prepared for its journey. If in doubt over any part then please replace it or take a spare. The organisers’ resources are limited and may not be able to cope with a serious accident or breakdown. We strongly recommend you have European breakdown cover, including repatriation cover. This is often included with classic car insurance, so check with your insurance provider.

For tours outside Europe only (eg USA/South Africa) fully comprehensive motor insurance is included in the tour price (for cars valued up to £150,000). Breakdown cover may be available on a reciprocal basis through your normal cover (eg AA/RAC) for tours outside Europe. Please check with your provider.

For our group tours in continental Europe (not UK), we are extremely fortunate to have our trusty mechanic accompanying each group. All the cars on a group tour are entitled to basic mechanical work (up to about 30 minutes) to keep you on the road and in the event of any ‘failures to proceed’. Any extra labour, and any parts used, will be charged to you at the usual rate. However, please also have European breakdown cover (it’s often included with classic car insurance, so please check with your insurer) and repatriation cover, just in case our tour mechanic is unable to fix the problem.

For further information click here.

Vehicle Information

Car Security

You alone are responsible for the security of your car and its contents. Please take the usual precautions such as not leaving any valuables on display in your car. Obviously, we also ensure that there is suitable parking for your car, and that it is as secure as possible. This may not always be under cover or in a garage, and the parking is rarely locked, but it will be in a private car park and not on the street. We also ensure that access for our cars is appropriate, with no bad driveways, low ramps or impossibly tight corners, but the surfaces may be gravel or tarmac/concrete etc.

Legal Vehicle Requirements

This varies from country to country and is subject to change. Please click on the links below, which should provide you with the information you require. You are responsible for ensuring your car complies with regulations, but generally please ensure you have a warning triangle, high-visibility jackets for everyone in the vehicle, spare bulbs, fire extinguisher, headlamp adapters, country of origin sticker. Check the www.theaa.com for specific details. You will also need to have your vehicle registration documents and proof of insurance.

Breakdowns & Accidents

Despite the best preparation and most careful driving, breakdowns and accidents still happen. Each owner and driver are solely responsible for the maintenance and road-worthiness of their vehicle. We also suggest that you:

Vehicle Maintenance

To ensure your holiday is as hassle-free and enjoyable as possible, please ensure your car is fit for the trip and in excellent mechanical condition. We recommend a thorough service before departure. We suggest that you tell your mechanic about the tour, and the time and distances involved, and if in any doubt over any part, replace it or take a spare – Click here for our Tools & Spares List.

Power and handling are less important that robustness and reliability.

Many of the problems that clients have experienced on tours can usually be diagnosed and dealt with before departure. We recommend you at least check the following before you leave, to ensure you make the most of your holiday:

We would advise that you also bring with you:

The very best thing to prepare your car is to drive it regularly for a few weeks before you go, as this will help identify any niggles and give you time to return it before the tour starts. Ideally, drive at least 500 miles. But do get a full service as well, or at least a check-up by your regular mechanic or specialist. It is important that your mechanic knows that you’re using the car for touring (rather than weekend jaunts) and checks everything.

Brakes, cooling and tyres are some of the most important parts. At the very least give the car a full spanner check, tightening any nuts and bolts, especially on the exhaust and wing stays.

Cooling: Ensure your radiator is clean, and possibly upgrade with extra rows or a larger unit. Make sure the hoses are on good condition and that hose clips are strong. Check the rubber mountings. Pressure test the radiator cap to ensure there are no leaks. The waterless coolants are very good and work well on old monobloc engines which can run at temperatures much higher than 100C. However, it’s important to understand what temperature is too hot for your engine as, by running a coolant that won’t boil, you no longer have an alarm to let you know things are going wrong and it’s easier to do major damage. Water Wetter (available online) can be used in your cooling system. It reduces the surface tension of water and so gives it a better contact with the radiator – more efficient. Anti-freeze is also a coolant and inhibits corrosion.

Fan Belts: If your fan belt requires the pulleys to be removed to fit a new one then, if possible, have a spare fitted behind the pulley and secured out of harm’s way.

Fuel Tanks: Over time condensation collects in the bottom of fuel tanks, causing rust and corrosion. Eventually, enough water accumulates that it can be sucked into the fuel system (along with some rust). So ensure your fuel tank is clean and empty of water. And use a filter funnel or in-line fuel filter fitted before the pump.

Electrics: Get rid of choc block and scotch locks in favour of proper crimped terminals. Doing so may reveal rotten or corroded wires and bad earths. Ensure the battery and starter motor are up to the job. A high-torque starter motor may be worthwhile (if you’re changing other parts and have access). It’s worth changing from a dynamo on older cars to an alternator – particularly for lights, chargers, GPS systems etc – and especially important for countries that demand lights are on during the day too. Be sure to check the output though and look for at least 60 Amps.

Technical Data: Have the data for your car handy (this is in the manual, if you have one). Information such as points gap, ignition timing, cam timing, cylinder head torque. Also, know what has been modified (cams etc) and the data for the modifications. It’s worth marking your distributor with an advance/retard arrow, and with the firing order and direction of rotation. Also, mark up your plug leads with cylinder number. On the carburettors indicate the way to turn the screw for a richer/weaker mix.

Check list (some of this is very obvious):

Download our Tools & Spares List

Vehicle Shipping

If you need to have your vehicle shipped to a tour start location (within the UK, across Europe, or to other continents), we can recommend the following, reputable companies:

Bespoke Handling (used for our USA New England Tour and South Africa Tour)
CARS UK

Oldtimer Services (run by our trusty tour mechanic, Joe Coleman)

Insurance

Car Insurance

The owner of each vehicle is solely responsible for arranging insurance for his/her car and Classic Travelling can not accept responsibility for the consequences of failing to have in place the appropriate car insurance. Please be aware that:

Health & Travel Insurance

Each customer is solely responsible for arranging their own health and travel insurance and Classic Travelling Ltd can not accept responsibility for the consequences of failing to have in place the appropriate health insurance. We would remind you to check:

Luggage

We highly recommend having fitted luggage for your classic car. This ensures that all the available luggage space is used, and you won’t experience an explosion of small bags that have been stuffed in the little nooks and crannies (and associated arguments, and damaged fingers!!). Please see our sister website – www.classictravellingluggage.com

Be Prepared – Tips for a great tour

Sort, sort then re-sort: It will ruin your trip if you’re sorting a newly restored car during the tour. Put at least a couple of thousand miles on the car, for a good ‘shake-down’, before the tour.

Fix the quirks and niggles: Before heading out make a list of the things on the car that need attention – and fix them. Little problems get annoying on a long trip. Don’t let a carb issue, misbehaving gauge or wobbly side mirror constantly irk you.

Bring spares: Compile a spares list and kit. Things like fuses, alternators, points, plugs, fuel pumps, starters and relays can be easily replaced if you have the correct spares. Instead of waiting 24 hours plus for delivery, you may only spend 30 minutes fixing it.

Leaks are bad: This sounds so obvious, but your oil, cooling and fuel systems shouldn’t leak. You don’t want to have to keep topping up or worrying about fluid levels. And some car parks get very precious about spills and may charge you for ‘damage’. Also, none of us wish to pollute any watercourses etc.

Wear layers: Don’t be surprised when it’s cold in the morning and warm by midday. Dress in layers, especially in an open car. You may want to bring hats, gloves, scarfs (or baffles) and even goggles. Don’t forget sunglasses. Ear plugs are useful too, to stop the wind whistling around your ears.

Pack lightly: Don’t be that person struggling to carry too much luggage into the hotel each night. Pack clothes that don’t really need ironing and can be worn a few times or in different combinations – i.e. a shirt or that goes with all your trousers, or top that matches skirts. On our group tours we do ask that you dress smart-casually for group dinners – not jeans please. Don’t forget many of the hotels have laundry facilities. And remember, we’re all in the same position – little room and living out of a suitcase, so most of us will look slightly crumpled and outfits will be worn more than once, particularly on longer tours!

See www.classictravellingluggage.com for awesome bespoke cases to fit your car and make your packing much easier. Also packing cubes and garment folders etc are highly recommended too and will simplify your packing no end.

Classic Travelling also offers a range of clothing that we have found suitable for tours.