# 20 year old camper versus the Alps!!!



## 96302 (Sep 15, 2005)

we are just in the process of trying to sort out a rough plan for our trip to the continent next may-june for a few months and am just a little concerned with the camper going through the mountains. Do i need to be worried? Our van is a 1987 Talbot Express with 2 litre engine (diesel) - it runs well - cruises comfortably at 55 to 60 mph. Are there roads that are too steep/narrow that I should plan around them? If so are there any road atlases or guides which show which roads would be suitable and which not? Should I try and avoid that area all together? You will have to forgive me if this question if it is a silly one - remember im an Aussie, and we don't do mountains!!!


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## terry1956 (May 1, 2005)

*In answer*

Hi there, if you feel that your van does not have the power for this route, And having been on these roads I am with you on that, I would avoid them. the Talbot is a poor engine with not alot of go. The thing is that yes the road is steep, but also the climb is very long. This will be asking alot from an old engine. Not for me. Better if you could find someone to follow you, but I feel that you would be better off taking a better road. terry


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## Don_Madge (May 1, 2005)

philandnic said:


> we are just in the process of trying to sort out a rough plan for our trip to the continent next may-june for a few months and am just a little concerned with the camper going through the mountains. Do i need to be worried? Our van is a 1987 Talbot Express with 2 litre engine (diesel) - it runs well - cruises comfortably at 55 to 60 mph. Are there roads that are too steep/narrow that I should plan around them? If so are there any road atlases or guides which show which roads would be suitable and which not? Should I try and avoid that area all together? You will have to forgive me if this question if it is a silly one - remember im an Aussie, and we don't do mountains!!!


Give us some idea of your intended route and we might be able to help you.

Don


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## sailor (Aug 23, 2005)

Hi,

Don't blame you for having a go. Personally I suspect power is not the issue, you can always go slower!

I would make sure the brakes are up to it. Some years ago I was following an elderly campervan down an Austrian mountain pass, and it started smoking. Eventually the driver noticed and stopped in a cloud of smoke and flames, from his front brakes which were not up to the long descent. If they are power, ventilated discs you may be OK.

But if you go, I am sure you will think the experience is worth
it.

Rgds


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## 93795 (May 1, 2005)

Hi, I have a Fiat 1.9 TD in my M/H and go to the Alps in most of our holidays. Some of the hills are quite steep and some are quite narrow but we have never had a problem. It's a matter of changing down, sometimes to first gear and keeping an eye on the temperature gauge. On a very long climb the temp will go up quite a bit, especially if it is a hot summer's day. If it gets too high we just pull off the road into a layby and have a brew up and let the engine cool down a bit. As mentioned earlier the biggest problem on a long descent, with a fairly heavy vehicle pushing you down the hill, the brakes will overheat. You need to stay in a lower gear and try to keep off the brakes as much as possible. If they start to smell then again pull off the road and have a cuppa.


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## terry1956 (May 1, 2005)

*The think is*

Hi all, the think is with the long climb and a very low HP diesel engine carrying some weight. The heat build up in the engine block due to pulling the camper up a long hill may lead to the head gaskit going, This is common on old diesels under load. I take it that the brakes are OK and you would use engine braking to help out, But climbing a long hill in 1st maybe 2nd gear in an old talbot is has I SAID ASKING A BIT MUCH. If you do wish to have a go, get the engine checked out 1st, also the cooling system. terry


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## gaspode (May 9, 2005)

We did Italy last year via the Alps in a 1.9 diesel without too much trouble. Ok you have to watch the temperature and change down frequently but many HGVs have the same problem so you're unlikely to be the slowest vehicle in the line. A good tip is to get the CC and AA continental touring books, they list the passes by severity and tell you which ones to avoid when towing - this is a good guide for low powered M/Hs as well.


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## danielf (May 11, 2005)

Hi All,

I've a 1990 talbot auto-Sleeper with 2 litre petrol engine, I've been to Alps 5 times, I've never had any problems, and have done some of the biggest passes, and had to use some very steep and narrow back roads, particulary on the way to Chamonix and saw the dreaded 'deviation' sign!! It put me onto a 1 in 3 one lane road with hair pin bends!! and logging lorries coming down it!!!
After my first visit to alps I put a by pass switch into the fan circuit and switch on the radiator fan at the bottom of a steep pass, this prevents the engine getting to hot, it s easier to keep the engine cool than cool down a hot engine.
With the front wheel drive and a lot of weight far back, especially on coachbuilts you may tind traction a problem.
I aggree with others in coming down passes is worse, make sure your brakes are perfect, plenty of pad material and freshly bled brakes with replaced brake fluid, a job which should be done every 3 years at least any way, and use all the engine braking avalible. The first time I went to Alps 8 years ago in first camper, a 1974 Toyota Hi ace, With all round drum brakes and no servo was a bit hairy!!!!!


Hope that helps,

Daniel.


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## 96691 (Nov 11, 2005)

I have a 1982 aircooled VW which aren't known for their high performance. I've taken mine all through the Alps, Tatras, etc. There were many 2000m
+ passes which we just plodded up not ragging it at 25mph with no problem in second gear. 

As many others have said worry more about going back down. Take it dead easy, gear down, and don't do what I did on one big pass (fly down a pass at high speed then try and stop on the hill for a hairpin). It may well result in severe brake fade. 

Richard


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## 96088 (Aug 22, 2005)

My 1988 Talbot Pilote took on the Alps this year with no real problems.

It is a 2.5 litre though, and it got warm so we gave it plenty of breaks during the tough bits.

Brakes were as good as gold as they had been serviced before we set out.

Many years ago we took a Fiat 850 van on the same route and were glad to get off the mountain alive due to a complete failure after the brakes had caught fire.:firestarter:


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## 91929 (May 1, 2005)

Plenty of advicw here for you 

Living amongst the Pennines for most of my life And on top of a 2 miles long 10% hill 
You get used to changeing down & listening to the engine - still listen now when I have a rev counter

Good brakes for descending 
& make sure the cooling system is up to it - Hoses & clips (used to carry spares

Get the CC Caravaning Europe It has all the major mountain routes listed Gradeient, width , road surface 

Also we always aim for an early start on the major climb of the day - so as to get away befroe the queues

Think ! My old van would have been 20 years old now & about 150,000 - 200,000+ miles old

We used to take that over the Peninnes until we sold it & they are about the longest/ steepest in this country


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## Bagshanty (Jul 24, 2005)

Mostly, you should have no problem. The hills are generally long (very long) rather than steep (some exceptions). Be prepared to take rests both up and down, use the same gear and speed coming down as you did going up.

The Alps are a doddle compared to Norway's Trollstiggen!

Excellent site at Inertkirchen (Camping Grund) (well we loved it anyway) good walk into Meiringhem (Reichenbach Falls), train to interlaken and Lucerne


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## Texas (May 9, 2005)

My van, VW 2ltr air cooled, is 26 in January, we made it up Mont Ventoux (2962mtrs?)in July, plus loads of hairpin bends.

We were down to second gear at times and had to pull in to let faster vehicles pass, but we made it to the top non the less.

We also 'did' the Verdon gorge a few times.

Go for it!

Texas


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## 96302 (Sep 15, 2005)

thanx for all the advice..... i think we will get everything checked proir to leaving and give the mountains a go! if anyone passes a smoking talbot on the side of a swiss mountain road - stop in and say hi!


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## 93795 (May 1, 2005)

Hi philandnic, I'll be touring Switzerland and the Italian Lakes in May and June so I'll keep an eye out for you.
One other thing that I did not mention earlier, you will find that the main roads and motorways over, through and along the Alps are not usually steep or narrow. There are, however, some very long climbs and descents over some of the passes, for example the Brenner Pass. It is only when you leave the main roads or motorways that you come across particularly steep and narrow roads that might cause you problems.


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## 91929 (May 1, 2005)

There are two Brenner roads 
The Pass and the Brenner Autoroute (M way toll road)

I have not taken either as we used the Grossglocknerhochalpenstrabb (8200+Ft)

That is not too steep from the south but steeper (10%) from the North mind this steep bit is close to the bottom and there are some pull ins 

Open May/June till OCt/Nov depending on the weather


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## 93795 (May 1, 2005)

Mmmm the GrossGlockner, I've been over that road both ways 4 times, twice by car ( an Automatic, so not much engine braking ) and twice in the van. Managed to boil the brakes every time, even though I went sooo careful.     Never overheated though, I suppose the scenery is so magnificent that every one is going quite slow on the way up admiring the views and stopping every few hundred yards ( ooops metres :!: :!: ) to take photos and videos. 8) 8)


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## 91929 (May 1, 2005)

Hi Phil
The road had been closed 3 days before we went over (Sept) and closed for winter (Oct) 2 days after we crossed

We put a cam-corder on the Dash & took a film of the trip

Set off early morning (well 09:00hr) 

Intend to do it in reverse sometime

Perhaps Franz Josephs House will be open again
It had been on fire when we went


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## 93795 (May 1, 2005)

Hi Pete, I didn't know they closed it during the winter. I've been over when it was snowing, but that was in June :!: :!: 
Another time the snow on either side of the road was, I guess, about 10 feet high and we were virtually following the snow ploughs as they kept the road clear. Great fun, wouldn't have missed it for the world. 
I would certainly recommend anyone to try and visit, even if it's only to go into the multistorey carpark at the top.
Last time there we ( inadvertently   ) went past a sign we couldn't understand and went to the top of the Edelweissspitze, much to the annoyance of all the car drivers who gesticulated wildly at us because the sign said 'NO MOTORHOMES' or something like that. 8) 8)


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