One less 5 Gordini in the UK

[tarquini]

After a long boat ride of 10 days my Gordini finally arrived on U.S. soil! Funny, it was loaded with Rolls Royce Phantoms and Ghosts. It no longer starts so perhaps felt intimidated by the other passengers More likely has something to do with the mechanic who gave it a service ahead of its voyage overfilling the oil. It's an inch above max level. Need to drain but have encountered my first problem with importing something never made here, cannot source a sump plug socket!! Will get one sent over from the UK but before I do, can someone confirm that 8mm is right size?

 

[tarquini]

It was an 8mm, and was used by old Volvos and Saabs, so have found an ebay seller in Connecticut who has the socket.

Looking over the car today think it will a need full exhaust (again! as put a new one on 6 years ago and 5 of those the car were dry stored, what crap metal!). Will probably just get a new one made up rather than attempt to get one sent over. If anyone has experience of this route, please share?

 

[Goldini]

does this mean mine has gone up in value?

 

[podders]

This is very, very cool. Have you managed to get her up and running yet? Would be great to see some pictures of the R5 out & about in the States. Wow.

 

[tarquini]

Yes she started following an oil drain and a recharged battery. Felt great to hear it start and run smoothly as I worried with these things being fragile that it would damaged being moved around port etc (new cars are limited rev and speed wise during transit to avoid damage by bored port loaders).
I wont use until next summer as winter here would kill it, even then don't want to add miles since only done 30200 from new. Shall just pamper it , keep it serviced, perhaps take it to some shows. Plan to move to California next year but there it would not pass smog, so at that point would become a so called "garage queen".