BRITISH CAR CLUB MEETING 2013
The British Car Club Meeting is a nice event scheduled every year in July in one of the favourite mountain resorts of Anna and myself, Sankt Moritz. This year we decided to visit the BCCM and meet some good friends like Dominik Fischlin, a real vintage-car 'guru' and renowned FIVA steward, with whom we shared a nice Martini thurday afternoon at the Davidoff Bar of the Badrutt's Palace. Being our 1966 Bristol too 'young', we were refused admission at the BCCM, so we were just spectators, but it was a nice show all the same
The trip to Sankt Moritz, via Chiasso, Locarno, was pleasant...
...but climbing up to the 2284 meters of the Julierpass put in evidence a serious problem of tuning, the mixture being fat too rich for the altitude
Carved from a single tree? The awesome dashboard of a Facel-bodied Bentley
A magnificent 1933 Alvis Firefly
Nice cars were everywhere, but this 'Airline' Bentley was one of my favorites
We enjoyed a glorious weather on Friday, so we decided to visit the Albula-Hospiz, 2315 meters high
This is a splendid scenery and you must have a picnic there. A classic hamper is mandatory
The road to the Albula is striking, great scenery all around and a road surface as perfect as only the Swiss, and maybe the Germans, can master. Small wonder that there were dozens of fast bikes racing up and down: I had to wait several minutes before being able to get an 'empty' picture of the road snaking to the Albula Hospiz. The cars of the BCCM went up the Albula Saturday
Seen from above, the 409 looks very sleek
The great old walls of the Badrutt's Palace are a perfect background for classic British cars
A toast to the classic car enthusiasts, and to the Martini lovers, from the Davidoff Bar of the Badrutt's Palace....
...and an awesome Riley parked in front of this grand old establishment. One of the most beautiful British cars that I have ever seen, perfect in every detail
Chesa Salis, in Bever, is a cozy little but quite luxurious 'Romantik Hotel'. The owners and manager(s) must be the friendlier bunch in the Engadina, and we really love it. Sunshine at breakfast in this part of the Alps is a precious commodity even in July and we didn't miss the opportunity to enjoy it
SUMMARY
The Bologna-Sankt Moritz-Interalpen-Bologna trip was 850 miles long (1300 kms) and it was enjoyable, but a unpleasant knocking noise during the return trip signalled a failure of three Clevite CB481P bearings fitted new 2 years ago
I've also found that the normal setting of the 409's Carter carb, a trifle 'rich', was a mess when we got over 1000 meters and performance was severely impaired.'d recommend anyone wishing to visit the higher Alp passes with a V8 Bristol to check their carb(s) for this detail before departing
c
