New trip through Europe......

Hi guys.

Just wanted to share with you some more «work days» photos as I bring my 550 Maranello back so south of Europe from Oslo, Norway. I just had the car inspection with zero remarks and all seem to be ok.

Day one, starting from Oslo to Langesund and a four houre ferry ride over to Hirtshals at the top of Denmark. Then 740 kilometers down to Osnabrück where I found a great hotel for only 90 Euro.

Got the magic Aral Super 102 octane of course, and about 75 extra ponnies or so. This thing flies!!! Not a lot of traffic, and easily want to cruise at 200 kph. Even at 270 I still feel I have only about half throttle. I seems like 48 valves and just moderate throttle opening makes this engine very very efficient at 5.000 revs... Boosts up to 300 kph. can be done in a matter of seconds at any time, quite effortless. Autobahn A1 in north west is smooth as silk where they have refurbished the tarmac. Some road work here and there, but a fantastic «high speed track» which make travelling safe and fun.

more to come in the next days...

Erik
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I always look forward to your travel photos, Erick.

Barry

 

Is Enzo with you?

Cruise control ????

 

Hi Dave.

Enzo boy is on a farm with his girlfriend dog, because I have work to do. And it is quite hot still in south of Europe and quite dangerous to leave him in the car also only for short periods of time. It is not always practical to bring a dog in a meeting, on a speedboat or in a shopping mall... The cruise control I got from you works really great. Denmark is flat and quite boring with 130 kph. speed limit, and then it is GREAT to just tune up the stereo and relax on the cruise control around the speed limit as the Danish police can be quite aggressive if you go too fast. Also If I am on the phone, it is good to just set the speed at a level where I can actually hear who I am talking to. The road noise is still in the higher range of the scale. In Germany there are some long empty stretches with theee lanes in each direction. The trucks are impressive when they all go in a convoi in the right lane, -mid is free and left is high speed lane. So I used the cruise a few times around 200 kph. too. This car hold a stable 200 with probably only 30% throttle... I really wish the ratio was longer so the revs could be a bit lower. We adjusted the low beam height now at the annual inspection, and they light up about 150 meters in front of the car. It is not enough, beacause when there are cars or big trucks in front of me, I can’t use the high beams, and then you have not enough road in front of you lit up at medium or high speed, so I will adjust them a tad up later today.

more to come... stay safe. The fuel and kms. are consumed at an impressive rate per 24 h here. I can assure you.

 

wonderful to use these cars as design intended - great thread, thanks

 

Yep. This is what they were made for! In the nineties, people were driving faster in other countries around Europe than today. Now Germany is the only country where you can really speed up. Sometimes, I think about costs, nd flights were more expencive 25 years ago, so a good travel car would be more rational than today, but if I add up all the cost it would take to fly and take trains and taxi to all the people and places I visit, the 550 is actually not at all expencive Even today, especially when taking the efficiency of the little time spent into considderation!

 

OK, - day two - !!

first I went fill up an almost empty Maranello. The old lady behind the cashier said: «grosse Tank!» after getting 94 liters in it. I replied: «sehr schnell, sehr durstig...». She got the point.

Then into The Netherlands and to first visit Gallery Aalderingen. A most impressive classic car dealership rounded in 1975. The shop is on four floors, with probably about two hundred classic cars. One 575 Super America and three 550 Maranellos. + a stunning 365 GTC/4, a 400i, two 512 BBi, 328 +++ (I can’t remember all of them). Many old Maseratis, Mercedes and so much more. They even had their own restaurant inside on the 2nd floor. I have to attach a few pictures....
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Some more from Aaldering... All cars were unique and in a top condition.
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The rest...
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Awesome trip! Great looking 550 as well. I go to Europe every year and my best driving memories are always in a rental car lol

 

Then off to Forza Service BV, a MOST knowledgeable specialist workshop for our era of Ferraris. Alex, the owner, took me around the shop and showed me lots of interesting stuff while one of his technicians did a diagnose on my shock absorbers since I have had the shock absorber icon in the display for a while. One small gear was broken, but the rest seem to work. New ring gear is on order. Alex have serviced over three hundred 550/575 Maranellos during many years in the business. He even had a mint Titaneo/Bordeaux 550 Pininfarina Barchetta for sale with 10.000 kms. on the clock for 375.000 euro. This probably the best place to service a Maranello in Europe, and Alex have for the last thirteen years and still owns a beautiful Blu LeMans 550 Maranello! His daily driver was a 1968 BMW Coupe and had also a brand new M5 biturbo. But he told me the 550 was cheaper to run fast. He confirmed too that the revs are too high for fast Autobahn cruising... We also discussed about Fab*o exhaust and what he wanted was to get F12 sound in his 550. So I told him how he would get it. Super knowledgeable guy who work for 82 euro / houre + 19% VAT tax. That is less than the local Ferrari workshop. He also had some really nice cars in his shop. All with the prancing horse of course. See www.forzaservice.nl for more info.
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Then off to Antwerpen and check in a hotel. I understood when I parked that I had managed to get into one of these «low emission zones» that spread like a virus over Europe. Since I first thing in the morning had filled up with «Klimaneutral benzin» in Germany, I believe that my entry in the low emmission zone in Belgium was very welcome....
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Lovely pictures, thanks so much from a homebound shut-in that just had a root canal this morning

 

Great thread Erik. I'm dreaming of selling up he UK and retiring down in the South of France, this just makes me want it all to happen sooner.

 

Let’s say you work 50% the last 3 years, then you need to travel up and down with your car(s) a bit, and you then need to work the other 50% after you actually should retire. That is six years of 50% retirement. All with salery. Best of both worlds.

 

Erik, you ought to take a drive to see this. It's about 4 hours from Nice.

 

You haven't seen his warehouse yet...
Full of special cars in less than showroom condition but all the more appealing to guys like me. And everything is for sale.
Very impressive.

 

Ok, day 3.

First went to Bernico Powerboats in Antwerpen where I sent a 50 foot Nor-Tech to from Cannes in July. We take out the three 850 hp blower engines, and put in two newer 1.350 hp. turbo engines. Very exciting project for one of my customers. So now when the check clears, the Maranello will get some upgrades and more paint work done.

Then off to Switzerland to meet another customer of mine who owns two big high power catamaran powerboats. More business is waiting.

The 770 kms. were no way near as fun as the first stretch in north west Germany. Lots of road work (even though I couldn’t see a lot of workers). A huge amount of trucks, but the last few 200 kms. past Stuttgart, the landscape is much more interesting, and the Germans drive quite amazingly fast on these twisty Autobahns... An Audi RS6 and Cayenne was doing some impressive passing.. I did more easy speeding due to some traffic.

Erik
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Next, -day 4.

And what a day it have been!!

First a short drive from Sankt Gallen in east-Switzerland close to the border to Austria, up to the very scenic village «Appenzell» Then into the valley where I missed one turn and got into a more and more narrow road. Up and up... All of a sudden, about 300 cattles were approaching, and it was too late to start back up. I just had to sit in the car and hope they passed without any «violence». Luckily the only thing I got was some slime from the biggest ox onto the rear wing... The closest ones were about two feet from my head and the windows went up pretty quick, yet knowing a window can not withstand the power of those cattles when going bananas!! All went well and after a while, I found the station for the «Luftseilbahn» or «gondola» as they say in Italy. Way up on a mountain cliff, I got the best view possible and a great meal. Later some photos of the car (again!) and then into Austria and a dinner at a great mexican restaurant in Bregenz by the most beautiful Bodensee lake. The atmosphare and people here are just great! HealthY, well behaving, talks fluid English with a charging accent, and makes fantastic food. Lots of cool cars and motorcycles cruise around and everybody enjoy the magnificent nature. So peaceful, and so beautiful that it can take your breath away... Norwegians always know they are from the «best» country, but this is in another league. I just LOVE it. Being here is like driving around in a green paradise. The temp is great too. Low sun and 25 degrees. And I want to go back during mid winter too!! While I was wiring the car dry after the daily morning wash, about ten Ferraris were passing in a blast. At least two Maranellos were in the line. Great to see others enjoy these late summer days!

Erik
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Mini photoshoot...
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I'm jealous...we used to do this kind of trip a lot when I was young (Paris-Vienna was always great). I dream of shipping the 456 over one day and following in your footsteps (or should that be tire tracks). Enjoy!

 

Fantastic thread as per usual, Erik! Looking forward to the next update.

 

Erik, this is a great real time tale and reminds me of one of those Euro drive stories the great British auto magazines used to do when they had budgets.

you and I may cross paths. I am currently sitting on a hotel terrace in Germany, visiting clients here and I am driving through Europe rather than flying, while dodging UK-quarantine countries. I didn’t take a Ferrari this time, as Porsche gave me a press car (992 C4S cabrio). You have a V12 Ferrari gated shift and pure style! Look forward to more.

I was always intrigued by Gallery Aalderling also.

 

Thanks for your visit, Eric.

Kind regards, Daniel

 

Sounds good!

Driving takes a bit more time, but it also gives a unique freedom to do what you want to do when you want to do it!! After this last day with a trip starting from Austria, via a visit to Daniel (DZ-96)’s spectacular garage along the German border, through Switzerland and Liechtenstaein, continuing through Italy to France and MC, -it appears that the journey is priority nr. 1, and a cool car is nr. 2. Daniel showed me his 550 with 6-1 headers and I must say, that car sounds about 2-3 times better than mine!!! He also had a beautiful 599 GTB and no less than five Maserati cars. Theee Ghibli II (1992-2000) and one Biturbo S (very cool early «Sport» model) and his fathers 1990 2.24v. and some spare engines etc.... The weather was beautiful and after work all summer, it was well worth the time and money to just spend time on the travel itself as I want the 550 in France where I live most of the year. Because of the Corona-situation, I had no friends who could take time or had the willingness to take a week off, as all Norwegians who have been outside the country have to be in home-quaranteen for minimum ten days when they return.... But it was just fine and I met both friends and business partners along the way. Here are a few pics from Daniel this morning! These Ghiblis are exceptional cars when in good condition, and he even have an American Jeep as is daily driver, as myself (mine is a Chevrolet Avalanche). Many cars are good!
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