General Preparations for roadtrip

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General Preparations for roadtrip

Albert Alfvag

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Joined
Jun 30, 2015
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136
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Location
Uppsala
Hello.
I have had the idea in mind for a few years to drive my camel trophy panda 4x4 down to Italy for the summer holiday, but have never actually gone through with it.

This year though it looks like the plans may actually come to fruition, mostly because I havn't booked a flight.
Therefore I'm wondering if there's any forum wisdom about recommended preparations for the car before I go, and any specific panda problems that may arrise when embarking on long journeys?
I'm in Stockholm and the place me and my family always go to is a town called Imperia in Liguria, so it's about a 2000km drive.

I have alot of previous roadtrip experience because we drove this very route with our family of nine in a 1990 VW bus between 2013 and 2017, but my dad was the one driving then. So I guess I'm more asking for specific panda advice.

And one final thing. I was thinking it may be a good idea to replace the carbon brushes in the alternator before I go (they hade to be changed in a parking lot on the bus one time) but havn't found any replacement ones on any spares supplier (ricambio and the likes). Any advice there?

All the best,
Albert
 
Hello.
I have had the idea in mind for a few years to drive my camel trophy panda 4x4 down to Italy for the summer holiday, but have never actually gone through with it.

This year though it looks like the plans may actually come to fruition, mostly because I havn't booked a flight.
Therefore I'm wondering if there's any forum wisdom about recommended preparations for the car before I go, and any specific panda problems that may arrise when embarking on long journeys?
I'm in Stockholm and the place me and my family always go to is a town called Imperia in Liguria, so it's about a 2000km drive.

I have alot of previous roadtrip experience because we drove this very route with our family of nine in a 1990 VW bus between 2013 and 2017, but my dad was the one driving then. So I guess I'm more asking for specific panda advice.

And one final thing. I was thinking it may be a good idea to replace the carbon brushes in the alternator before I go (they hade to be changed in a parking lot on the bus one time) but havn't found any replacement ones on any spares supplier (ricambio and the likes). Any advice there?

All the best,
Albert
I'd think about disconnecting the prop shaft from the rear diff. Wire it up and keep the bolts safe. -10 minute job if 4 wheel drive not needed for 2k kms.
Cooling system is statistically most likely to cause issues so either; take spares, confirm freshness or renew before departure as a precaution.
Mental preparation equally important to mechanical preparation for me. - Perhaps consider break downs as all part of the fun and nothing to worry about. These are simple cars and wherever you are, friendly mechanics will try to help and give you good memories, so try to relax and enjoy the trip as much as you can.
Cable ties, duct tape, 10mm spanner and you're unstoppable.
Enjoy the journey Albert.
 
I drove a Panda 4x4 based kit car from the UK to Venice a few years ago and pretty much all the issues I had were due to me not checking the perishable rubber parts on the car well enough: slipping alternator belt, a gear linkage bush fell apart (fixed with some cable ties!) and a split\leaking driveshaft boot/gaiter.
That was my experience over the 2000+km anyway, have fun on the Italian hills and mountains!
 
I'd think about disconnecting the prop shaft from the rear diff. Wire it up and keep the bolts safe. -10 minute job if 4 wheel drive not needed for 2k kms.
Cooling system is statistically most likely to cause issues so either; take spares, confirm freshness or renew before departure as a precaution.
Mental preparation equally important to mechanical preparation for me. - Perhaps consider break downs as all part of the fun and nothing to worry about. These are simple cars and wherever you are, friendly mechanics will try to help and give you good memories, so try to relax and enjoy the trip as much as you can.
Cable ties, duct tape, 10mm spanner and you're unstoppable.
Enjoy the journey Albert.
Thank you Andy.
My cooling system could use a few new hoses I guess since I have a couple of places fixed with flex tape (from the radiator being in contact with it and melting through), but it has been that way for a few years.
And thank you for mentioning mental preparation as well, I have a tendancy to overthink this kind of thing so I appreciate that reminder.
 
I'm in Stockholm and the place me and my family always go to is a town called Imperia in Liguria, so it's about a 2000km drive.
Hi Albert, hope you have experienced a wonderful stay in Imperia. I live in Diano Marina, which you will almost certainly know :) the world is very small, as they say.
Next time you come here with your Panda, let me know so we can take pictures of our 141 4x4s together :D

Pier Paolo
 
Hi Albert,

Did you make the journey? how did the Panda perform? I've only just come across your post and would have added, change/check or remove the thermostat.

I drove my Panda to Les Gets in France for a ski week and then across to Limoges and finally to Calais, on the last leg the head gasket went! after being pushed onto the ferry and left for a couple of hours it started and we made it home. I've still not got around to doing the repair which was more than 10 years ago and the Panda remains in my garage on 22,000 miles.

It's a job I must get on with!
 

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