Portugal Trip 2010 - July/August

[BazR]

I think its a good idea to get a heads up now regarding this epic meet.

It was organised by the Portugal Coupe owners last year and regarded as an international meeting. Myself and IrishRover and a couple of the guys from the RCOC attended and it was fantastic.
The trip involved either taking a boat from Plymouth to Santander, followed by an 8 hour drive to your destination in Portugal. Alternativly you can stretch it out and drive down France and across Spain.

I will be adding more information in due time, but for anyone thinking of attending, its time to start making some plans.

More info will be provided closer to the time with definates in regards to locations, dates, and other useful information.

[tiagojpt]

Hi!

I couldn't go to the 2008 english-portuguese Rover Coupe owners meeting but I would have all the pleasure to meet english Rover owners in a next event if I could go, of course...

Some of my friends who went to that meeting told me it was awesome!

(I'm portuguese, I ask you for sorry for my bad english.)

[Null_Byte]

I will be very much looking forward to this!! I hope the non coupe driving rover owners can also come along?

[BazR]

This latest post is the official times and dates of the Event.

Our II International Tomcat Meeting in Portugal will be during the weekend of 7th & 8th Aug 2010, in Viana do Castelo, Portugal.

Option of travel for those who wish to attend from the British Isles and the Rep. Of Ireland.

Irish Members - Preferred method of travel is by boat from Dublin to Holyhead and Continue down to Plymouth to board a Brittany Ferry to Santander. From there to Viana do Castelo will be roughly a 8 Hour drive along the top of Spain.

British Members - The above boat from Plymouth to Santander.

Cost for the boat vary and at this time a correct estimate cannot be made, but we are talking roughly 600+ with a cabin and your car, at least irrc thats a return as well.
Fuel is cheaper and it is a good idea to roll into Santander with an empty tank and fill up there.

Spanish Police are known for being a bit of a pain and indeed we caught sight of them last year and IrishRover actually enountered them. He was caught speeding and because he had not the money on him to pay an on the spot fine, they escorted him to a cash machine. So have manners or you will pay the price.

There are some new motorways in Spain which on the last outing, the Sat Nav was not aware of. I am unsure if this has been rectified, but if it has not, I am eager for us all to travel in convoy. Currently we have 3 cars attending at this early stage who are 110% coming.

Our hosts will have a weekends fun lined up for us, including meals and photoshoots. This is a big meet and not a mickey mouse affair. Last year produced Dutch members and the like who attended.

Even though this started out as a Coupe meet, we are all eager to get as many Rovers in general to attend, this is truely an International meeting.

The roads, countries, scenery is simply amazing when seen from the road and if you are tempted, now is the time to start putting away some cash.

Hotels, food, booze, fags are cheap as chips.

Again a stronger thread will be made come nearer the time, around 3 months prior to the event. This is when the boat times become available.

Thankyou for reading and any questions you may have can be put here or sent by PM.

[empsburna]

Fancy a support car to carry spares in?

I might by a £500 coupe and see if it will make the journey and sell it in Portugal!

[MarkCoupe]

I will be very much looking forward to this!! I hope the non coupe driving rover owners can also come along?

Oh i see, cant afford Scotland eh

[BazR]

Fancy a support car to carry spares in?

I might by a £500 coupe and see if it will make the journey and sell it in Portugal!

That is not a bad idea. One of the major points of this trip is to get spares down to those guys as its pretty tough for them. You will indeed get a buyer before you set off. You can come back with me if you wish.

I saw a 216 Honda for sale down there for 3700 euro.

In Jons defence, this trip has been in the pipeline for quite some time and requires a lot of forward planning to get international owners all in the same place at the same time.

[Null_Byte]

I will be very much looking forward to this!! I hope the non coupe driving rover owners can also come along?

Oh i see, cant afford Scotland eh

No Mark, indeed. I can't afford Portugal either currently. However there is an entire year between then and now in which to save up funds and prepare the Ti. Some of us have to budget for these things, hence the advanced notice of the trip

Will you be joining us in the SD1? Should be a good run!

[618ireland]

I'd be a maybe, as said it's not an insignificant amount of cash, would be a class trip though if I still have the Coupe and she proves dependable between now and then. My contract workwise is up at the beginning of April so after that I'll know if it's an option or not. Dunno about a convoy to be honest Baz, f all chance of my little 1.6 k keeping up with ye bastads in the turbos

[BazR]

lol, James. You need not think its a race, in Spain you will be driving at 70mph and thats your lot. Due to the expense of thise trip, fuel economy will factor and I'd say you are better placed than most of us thus far.

[ramraider2]

looking at the ferry times sails there on wed comes back on mondays may be worth sailing there and driving back, as had to get up at 4 am to catch ferry back last time?

[BazR]

Yeah, the Boat you took sailed at 3pm and it would have taken to around 11.30am or so by the time u got there?

I was about a day or so behind you guys on the way back, stayed in a hotel in Santander the night prior instead.

The chances of me attending this year are reducing weekly.

[618ireland]

The chances of me attending this year are reducing weekly.

My maybe is in a similar state, got a 25% rate cut at work for 2010, bastads

[carl747]

Is there more info yet i am well up for this

[BazR]

For whomever is attending, you have the option of either driving down through France and across Spain or taking the boat from Plymouth to Santander and driving the rest. Which is about 8 hours worth say.

The event is taking place on the above dates on the flyer. I am sure closer to the time some people would wish to organise some meeting points before setting off. Otherwise book yourself some lodgings, which we will advise you on closer to the time.

[mattyprice4004]

What are the majority doing? I would absolutely LOVE to do this, but I could probably tip to about £600 max, money is an issue at the moment after buying another Ti and a ZS TD.

I'd be up for the drive, but it seems the ferry is the common option amongst you guys, anyone driving the whole way?

Cheers!

[vince1986]

Im up for it, ill be bringing my metro though better on fuel ha ha ha! gunna have a look into ferry today at some point may even book it soon

[BazR]

Return Ferry for 2 adults and a car is....

£800

[carl747]

Return Ferry for 2 adults and a car is....

£800

Forget that i am going the long way

List

1)Carl747
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[mattyprice4004]

Carl, you want to go in Convoy? I'm going the long way too.

What's the score with accomodation, toll roads etc? Trying to plot all expenses.

Cheers
Mat

List (long way!)

1)Carl747
2)Mattyprice4004
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[BazR]

Your ferry to Calais is gonna sting you around 40 notes or so. It will take 2 days iirc to make it from that point to the destination. Involving loads of fuel stops, motorways.

The boat VS road will work out much the same I'm afraid, or not far off it.

Just sit down and work out the finances guys before you commit. I'm not even sure I can afford this year around yet. Lot of cash.

[carl747]

Carl, you want to go in Convoy? I'm going the long way too.

Yes mate be happy too

[mattyprice4004]

Everyone still in for this?

I'll have the Ti back on the road then, thank god.

[mattyprice4004]

Only 6 months to go...

Due to a calculation of finances and fuel I'll be attending in the ZS, possibly with no aircon but hopefully with.

Any newcomers looking to convoy down?

[BazR]

I am not looking too hot for this. IrishRover is definatly attending though, as well as some RCOC members. I will keep this updated as we go along anyway, regardless if I go or not.

[mattyprice4004]

No worries, good stuff. I'm still up for this finances permitting, which is pretty much 99% as long as the ZS doesn't explode again

Edit: How long before and after would I need to book off work to drive there and back? I'm thinking about 400 miles a day is doable, maybe more.

[BazR]

We spent just over 2 days travelling last time iirc, its best to space it out though dude. The change in climate and constant heat doesnt help the system.

Space it out, soak up the views and enjoy your trip.

[mattyprice4004]

I may well not have AC, so will have to take it easy, I have from the 4th August until the 13th August booked off and will be driving it the whole way.

Should be enough time

[edward22]

im prob going to come on this one .

as the ferry from portsmouth is 987 pound ill be driving i think

i have a house in france between la Rochelle and poitiers which i will be staying at for a evening.

so what i may do is drive down its about 4- 5 hours from Calais stay there for the evening. theirs a nice place for a evening meal set in a old french castle. then make my way down to Spain etc.

any one is more than welcome to join me

it should be a fun journey in a coupe with no interior a straight though system and rock hard suspension! oh and no air con just a bucket seat and a dash lol

[mattyprice4004]

I like your way of doing things.

[cfsousa]

Hello all,

most of you don´t know me... My name is Carlos Sousa and I am organizing the II International Rover Coupe Meeting in PORTUGAL to all 200 Series Coupes from Rover, the cars Rover called "Tomcats" during the project fase, just before they started to sell these kind of cars.

In 2008 I organized the I International Coupe Meeting, and this year I am organizing the II International meeting, here, in Viana do Castelo (PORTUGAL).

This meeting will take place in the 7th and 8th of August 2010, and, as I did last time, I can promisse you will find over here very friendly people, some Portuguese Coupes (I hope more than 15...), good food, nice weather, etc. (I hope Colin, BazR, Rick and H will see this topic and help me confirming what I am saying over here, because they have been here in our I International Meeting last 2008! )!

Well, I will come back here to let you know some more news about this II International Meeting here in PORTUGAL during next days...

Until there I ask you to contacto me if you have any doubt about this Meeting! If you want to contact me, please do it using the following:

Carlos Sousa - +351 96 213 89 08 (cfsousa@envc.pt and cwsousa@gmail.com).

Meanwhile I can help you confirming your stay here in Viana do Castelo reserving one Hotel (if you want) or reserving on space for a tent in a camping... Just let me know what you want (or need) and I will arrange for you to be confortable when you are here during those 2 days!

Meals are normaly in restaurants and prices are quit allright! (not expensive)

Please contact me if you want to come and make us a visit!

I am looking forward to listen from you!

Best regards, and see you soon!
Carlos Sousa

[ourafilmes]

Fancy a support car to carry spares in?

I might by a £500 coupe and see if it will make the journey and sell it in Portugal!

Great idea!
Parts here are very expensive but, worst, they are RARE!!
We believe that only 150 Coupes ever arrived here (and only ± 30 2.0 turbo)! Less than 80 in the streets now so it is VERY rare here indeed!
If you can, do it! Swap then the inside parts and bring it with a mint full black leather interior (90£ maximum) and I´ll take it (the leather interior, not the car)! I am restoring a coupe I bought 3 months ago and I also need other parts but I´ll post it later!

And people! Come on! Join 2 or 3 owners in a car and drive! Much cheaper that way! I know many of you can´t bring your car but we want owners here! This is, above all, a meeting of people that loves the Rover Coupe! We gathered about 25 coupes last time in 2008! It would be nice to reach 30 this time!

Cheers from warm Portugal!

[munky]

less than 80, and you have two?

well thats just selfish...


If this show is still going in two or three years, I will add it to my destination list on my planned pan-european roadtrip.

(I'll be in a bmw, so I'll park down the road)

[ourafilmes]

less than 80, and you have two?

well thats just selfish...

???

[munky]

less than 80, and you have two?

well thats just selfish...

???

Out of 80 Rover Coupés in Portugal, you own 2.

So you own 2.5% of your nations rover coupes.

That, and I dont mean this in a bad way at all, is just greedy.