Team Adventure
Matt Tomkins relates an epic adventure
Matt Tomkins leads a convoy of Morris Minors through Europe.
The Morris Minor Owners Club has organised a fabulous week on the continent for its members every year since 1984. Dubbed ‘Minors on Tour’ (MOT for short), it is regularly attended by over 80 cars and 2016 was no exception. The adventure started well. I would be in Tom Morris’ modified convertible (1275cc engine, Type 9 gearbox, telescopic dampers and 15in Minilites) and Craig Mccarthy and Bobbie Norton, (recently engaged) would be in ‘Cilla’, Craig’s 948 four-door saloon (disc brakes, 1098cc head, HS4 SU carb and modified exhaust). Having pulled out all the stops to get both cars ready, with a week to go we were confident that we’d remembered everything. Then came the phone-call. Craig was at the British Embassy having misplaced his passport.
So we stole his car and his fiance and headed to the ferry, listening intently to the radio for any update on the French fuel strikes. A slight clonking from the brakes made itself heard as we got closer to the boat, but we were running late and it was still stopping well. Once on foreign soil, we decided to run with it and hit the Autoroute west from Dunkirk.
When we eventually checked out the clonk we discovered the bolts that held the brake caliper mounting bracket to the stub axle had begun to work themselves loose. Eek. Out came the tools and picnic and we set to removing the hub and disc to enable us to access the bolt heads.
To the Beaches
First overnight stop was Martragny on the Normandy coastline. A beautiful campsite became our base for a couple of days exploring the D-day landing beaches. The coastline is scattered with museums, memorials and German bunkers which serve as a reminder of how much was sacrificed here. It was while parked alongside Utah Beach,