Bill and Fred's Excellent Adventure

(With apologies to Keanu Reeves and Alex Winter)
My first names William .....

Well, four and a half years after buying his Corse Stratos replica on eBay, Frederic finally has his dream car back home in Albi, France.
The big adventure started on Friday morning when Frederic arrived at Manchester Airport to collect his car from the workshop in Winsford where it has resided for the past two and a half of those years.
After a couple of previous visits during which we trial fitted Frederic into the car and seats I was still a bit concerned he would actually be able to drive it. He's a tall lad you see!
Anyway we managed to get him into both the driving and passenger seats for our shared drive south.
Setting off at 1.00pm we made our way through the M6 congestion and arrived at Portsmouth in good time for the overnight ferry to Le Havre.
Lights were a bit dim?
After security decided that two blokes driving the most conspicuous car imaginable might well have something to hide we turned the engine off while they made a cursory examination of the car.
And then it wouldn't start again!
So we push started and got on board the ferry.
Well it wouldn't start again the next morning so the good folks of Brittany Ferries brought out their starter pack and off we went.
We made good progress South through Normandy (good tank country) and arrived at Le Mans for a lunch break. Forseeing that the car might still not start we parked at the top of the hill behind the museum while we ate lunch.
Then off again to arrive at La Chateaux de La Fleunie in the Dordogne for an overnight stop.
After a peaceful night and excellent food we were off again thanks to the helpful owners of the chateaux and another jump start and good photo opportunities in the chateaux grounds.
It's not difficult to get help with one of these cars is it?
We arrived in Albi by lunchtime and tomorrow we will get to the bottom of the charging problem which is likely to be the three year old battery which has never done any work!

A few pictures from along the way.

I may add we drink good champagne ( isn't it John ) with Friends Andy Dave and your son Andrew in workshop before taking roads! We have a first stop for embracing Janet
Afternoon on the way to Portsmouth and quiet night on Channel and spent a good day yesterday on road with sunny weather to Dordogne
today after meeting hinds we drive on Occitane motorway to Albi where John and I arrive for joining another famous Lancia and John cannot resist to drive the Martini Biason 1989 Delta 16v!!

Many people deserve thanks for helping with this project.
Specifically my mates Dave and Andy from Boldlook Expositions who provided me with the workshop space and facilities for a very meagre return, gave me help and advice to keep me sane and fed me countless buttered crumpets.
Craig supplied quality parts and technical advice.
Steve Ellis deserves a special mention for helping me rescue the car for Frederic in the first place and for giving up his time to help me instal the replacement engine more recently.
John H for a replacement flywheel.
Chris J helped more than he knows by supplying the "you know what", but I can't say what it was here!
Many many people here have offered encouragement when sorely needed.
But most of all Frederic deserves congratulation for keeping the faith with his dream when he had been viciously and expensively let down at the outset.
Lionel and Sue you should be ashamed of yourselves, and probably would be if you possessed one shred of conscience or moral fibre, but you clearly do not.
'Nuff said. (For now.....)

Well done mates !!
Bravo Frédéric ; congratulations for alll , work from John , organisation and drive back !!!
If one day or another you want to use the car on a long week end drive your are welcome in "Bretagne" to visit Carnac and other nice places on the Golfe du Morbihan ( bed and food free !!! low rent for battery charger LOL !!)

Ha ha!! Thank you Michel.

Thanks Michel
sorry we cannot organize the trip together to England before
Surely we meet next Time each other with our cars

A few more pics...and adventure continue
sAttachment 8959Attachment 8961

HEyyyyy !
John is that what we use to call on pits ? quick refueling !!!!!!!!!!!!!! LOL

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by john

Chris J helped more than he knows by supplying the "you know what", but I can't say what it was here!

---

LOL
It looks great John, well done on all the hard work.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by john

Chris J helped more than he knows by supplying the "you know what", but I can't say what it was here!

---

I was trying to think what that was, then the penny dropped!

Anyhow, well done.
I think this whole thing says a lot about John D. and Frederic, and also how good this club is?

Great News !!

Well done JD for all your hard work.... Well Done Frederic for your patience !.... I am sure you will have a blast in your new car (pity it's not in Chardonnet / Chardonnay Colours !!..... hic ! LOL)

Cheers

Phil

Thanks Phil, Chris and all mates of SEC!!
After recharging battery all night, Stratie ( its new name for respecting the english tradition) is running for its first day on local campaign
and it is checked after on garage by John and I
All is right and fine after more 1000 miles;)

In the garage
Attachment 8962Attachment 8963

The Bill & Fred Adventure is continuing!

After nice driving and visiting la cité de Carcassonne, John is trying to return at home with night train to Paris and Eurostar to London by Manche tunnel!! No flight today after missing yesterday Liverpool flight!!!

Well yes Frederic. If anything could have gone wrong then it did, including right to the end in missing my flight home!
Anyway back in Blighty now.
A great trip to France rounded the job off nicely. Thanks for your hospitality!
In my red wine fuelled Oscar acceptance speech above I forgot to mention another great helper, Janet ,my missus ,who put up with me sloping off to the workshop all the time and thinking of all things Stratos far too often.. Ta babe!

In the nicest possible way...I bet you are glad to see that one gone John.

Frederic, my hat is off to you sir. Patience of a saint. Glad John was able to get the car sorted out for you in the end. Hopefully you can now finally start to enjoy the car.

Thanks Chris,
yes, in the nicest possible way I am glad that particular episode is over.
If I could have got ANYONE else who was involved in the first two years to take any responsibility for their total failures it might have eased the task, but sadly, and so far (because it ain't over just yet....in fact if any of you are reading this... it's not started yet!!), no one has.
The saving grace is that I was working for one of the nicest chaps you could hope to meet.
I do miss the old girl already tho'.......
But, I'm taking six months out of Stratos building, and at this moment I'm not totally convinced I want to go through it again.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by NoCorseChris

In the nicest possible way...I bet you are glad to see that one gone John.

Frederic, my hat is off to you sir. Patience of a saint. Glad John was able to get the car sorted out for you in the end. Hopefully you can now finally start to enjoy the car.

---

Thanks Chris

When you have a dream, waiting a long time is not a problem if you think it'll realize finally!
If a Saint is in this story his name is JD who spent almost 3 years of his life for that is becoming true!!
Hope John you don't give up and you'll build your own for driving our both cars on Turini roads!!