FE-FC Holden Discussion Forum

I said I would post some more pics of the journey back from England with the FC a couple of weeks ago and so, here goes.

We arrived in sunny London, England (that's a joke!) and we got collected and bought back to the workshop. This guy is a Toyota 4x4 specialist and the first order of business was coffee. Then we went out and got the FC on the hoist for me to have look see and make sure everything was OK before I handed over the cash.

First some pics of the side and front:

(http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y134/ballymackibbot/rack1.jpg)

(http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y134/ballymackibbot/rack2.jpg)

(http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y134/ballymackibbot/rack3.jpg)

Then a few of the underneath - when I say pristine and no rust you can sort of see why:

(http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y134/ballymackibbot/underfc1.jpg)

(http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y134/ballymackibbot/underfc2.jpg)

(http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y134/ballymackibbot/underfc3.jpg)

We then got underway and headed for the ferry. The original plan was to take our time and that gave us 24 hours to get to the ferry port. After only about 30 mins on the road we decided we would take the earlier ferry and so we had less than 12 hours to get there. Considering it was about 300 miles or so to the ferry, we didn't want to drive more than about an hour or so at a stretch so we didn't overdo things. We didn't have much time to hang around, so after about an hour we stopped at our first pub in Buckingham for a nice counter lunch.

(http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y134/ballymackibbot/buckingham.jpg)

We kept on driving cross country and kept off the motorways as long as we could. Hit the motorway just near the Severn Bridge where you cross over from England to Wales.

A pic of the crossing of the Severn:

(http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y134/ballymackibbot/severnbridge1.jpg)

Eventually, we got to Pembroke where we had to get the ferry. We stopped at pub #5 and for the first time, we relaxed and had a couple of beers. We had to drive 500m down the street to catch the ferry.

Coincidently, the pub was called "The Bush Tavern", pretty apt I thought:

(http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y134/ballymackibbot/bushtavern1.jpg)

Then on down to the ferry port and queue up to baord the ferry:

(http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y134/ballymackibbot/ferry1.jpg)

And another one after we were loaded and ready to sail:

(http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y134/ballymackibbot/ferry2.jpg)

Its only about 4 hours on the ferry to Ireland, and given that we boarded at 0230 in the morning, we had a kip and caught up on some winks - well about 20 of them anyway. Bought some brekky and headed on the home stretch. Got to Waterford City and got stuck in a traffic jam, so I went for a walk and took a couple of pics while we sat there:

(http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y134/ballymackibbot/traffic1.jpg)

One of my favourite pics of the trip was as we hit the roundabout, the FC just looks cool leading the traffic:

(http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y134/ballymackibbot/traffic2.jpg)

We finally got home and the first thing to do was, to coin a phrase, to do the old "out with the old and in with the new" so out went this old 56 model:

(http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y134/ballymackibbot/out.jpg)

And in went the newer, younger 58 model:

(http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y134/ballymackibbot/in.jpg)

I hope you managed to get through all of this and enjoyed the tale. We certainly had a great time and enjoyed the trip immensely. There are a few small things I would like to do like badges and chrome trim and stuff, but overall the FC will be taken out at least once a week for a drive and off to the odd show. It turns heads when I drive anywhere but that doesn't bother me in the least - I really get a kick out of it.

Cheers, Paul.

Fantastic photos - and have a look at the number plate on the car next to you at the first pub photo.

That's a journey no Holden is ever likely to have done before.

I've really enjoyed your posts, so keep them coming.

Cheers,
David

Hi Paul,
                 I have been enjoying you and your cars journey from purchase to the final outcome of getting it home, good stuff.

The picture of you crossing the bridge, there is something stuck on your windscreen under the rear view mirror, just wondering if that is a Nasco option cause it sure looks period. :D

Enjoy it for a long time to come,   Michael

Wow - never noticed the number plate. Well spotted.

Great story and great pics.
Please keep them coming and share the future exploits of yourself and your ute.
Regards
Alex

That looks nice matey,and what a great little story.Best of luck with it and hope you enjoy it.

I was asked if I had taken any more pics - I took loads but didn't want to overdo the post.

Anyway, one of just driving along:

(http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y134/ballymackibbot/country1.jpg)

One overlooking Dungarvan on Co. Waterford, about 20 minutes from where I live (Yes - I have a few Akubra's and I was wearing one on the trip back):

(http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y134/ballymackibbot/dungarvan1.jpg)

And I forgot to add - part of the deal was I got all the spares that this guy had. Included were some bits that are definitely not FC. However, one of the things I will load up is an original heater, never fitted, that goes under the dash somewhere..... It is a Tudor Twinfan - maybe someone will point to how to put this in. If there is something I am going to need over here - it's heat!

(http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y134/ballymackibbot/spares.jpg)

Enjoy.

Nice work.......I'm the stock of Irish immigrants. Nice to see a little culture going back the other way. Cheers JFK

That's a great story.  Thanks for sharing

Great story and pics Paul
( you can never have to many pics  :D)

 8) 8) 8)