Introducing Our Swedish Connection James Dresch

Hi All,
I am now back home in dark and cold Sweden. After 4 weeks on the Canaries the winter cold and darkness here makes me want to curl up in front of the fire and hibernate!
I am looking forward to seeing you all and I promise to have cleared the snow before you come.

Peter is quite right in his estimates of the distance and time taken from Esbjerg to me in Skivarp. You will be travelling almost the entire journey on the motorway and although there are quite a few nice places to stop, stretch your legs (and release the rubber band) there are hardly any motorway food services.  

Today I spoke to the customer service for the Öresunds bridge trying to get a rebate for you as a group, I suggested several alternatives but was unfortunately unsuccessful. The cheapest way for you to get across the bridge is if you get a Bro Pass for each vehicle. Considering the hassle involved I question whether it is worth the 11 Euro saving.

Should there be anything any of you wish to ask or anything you would like me to arrange prior to your visit please do not hesitate to ask (I might say no but you can always ask ;-)
All my best wishes

 

 

As an answer to an earlier question, yes all three cars have the same spec. This is a consequence of Swedish legislation that until 2006 really made kit cars a no no and my first Berlinetta was one of the first (if not the first) kit car to be approved here. The rules stipulated, among other things, that in the construction of any "amateur" built cars the front & rear suspension incl. brakes and steering and the engine had to come from the same vehicle (Koenigsegg was not allowed to sell his first series of cars in Sweden due among other things to this rule!). Hard lobbying and, believe it or not, help from the EU commission in 2006, has led to a rethink in this field and in the past 5 years or so legislation has changed significantly making freedom of choice probably easier now than in the UK (we have no rounded edges and plastic thingies on bolts etc). So all three Berlinettas are Taunus (Cortina) based with 2L normally aspirated OHC engines, 5-speed (Sierra) type 9 gearboxes and the normal quirks with unreliable fuel and water gauges and erratic rev counters (not to mention inaccurate speedo). I have put 205 Sierra unleaded engines in them but was not allowed to use the injection system. I have two complete injection systems in the attic and I could today probably get them approved but am not sure that my electronic skills would surfice and I am certainly not prepared to put catalitic converters under the wooden flooring (I've already had one fire!). Having said that, as you know, no two Berlinettas are the same. Mine are, considering the same spec, very different driving experiences due among other things to different rear axel ratios (3.89-4.11), larger tyres (205x70x15) on Blue, negative camber and a tired old engine in Green, comfortable seats and header manifold and 2" exhaust on Red etc. I would really like a Vulcan engine and 12 a gallon petrol tank in each of them but ....
Having said that I am really satisified with my cars (or I wouldn't have 3 would I!) and I do send a grateful thought to Paul Moorhouse for making my past 25 summers so enjoyable.
 

 

I read on the blogg of Pete's journey to Marakesh so thought my picture from Wahdi Rum might be fitting. My daughter says that I should stay at home as I seem to attract trouble. Whilst in Marocko (West Sahara) in the 70:s civil war broke out and I had to make a quick sorti. In 2009 I was in Honduras when something like civil war broke out and I was ousted. Finally in 2011 I was in Syria and all hell broke loose and I had to do a runner to Jordan. I promise to behave and to keep things under control here in Sweden for the Marlineers' visit!!

At the moment all three of my Marlins are in hibernation. There is a law in Sweden that makes it mandatory to use winter tyres from November to March if the temperature drops below +5 Celcius (which is almost every day). Winter tyres have deep and course treads and are cumbersome things, normally studded, so winter is the time for sleep and recouperation - my kids really do give the cars a hammering each summer (well that's my story and I'm sticking to it). 

Look forward to meeting old friends & new

Best wishes

James