# Now that's a road!



## b3ves (May 6, 2002)

Stelvio Pass, Italy - courtesy of http://www.stelvio.org.uk/


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## garyc (May 7, 2002)

Beautiful isn't it? I like to tackle it. Strong brakes needed and plenty of torque.

A GT3rs would suit nicely. As would an Elise with ABS 

Seems like quite a nice trip they are planning.


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## scoTTy (May 6, 2002)

I saw this soon after I came back from last years European trip. At the time I was all hairpined out but I'm up for some of that now!


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## garyc (May 7, 2002)

scoTTy said:


> I saw this soon after I came back from last years European trip. At the time I was all hairpined out but I'm up for some of that now!


Best get that brake upgrade sooner rather than later then. :wink:


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## gcp (Aug 8, 2002)

Live webcam on that link makes me think a snowmobile or some huskies would be more effective than a brake upgrade.


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## jgoodman00 (May 6, 2002)

There would be a speed camera on every straight if that was in Britain


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## YELLOW_TT (Feb 25, 2004)

jgoodman00 said:


> There would be a speed camera on every straight if that was in Britain


you forgot the speedhumps before every bend


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## jgoodman00 (May 6, 2002)

Oh, & even more importantly I forgot the bright red bus lane!


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## scoTTy (May 6, 2002)

garyc said:


> scoTTy said:
> 
> 
> > I saw this soon after I came back from last years European trip. At the time I was all hairpined out but I'm up for some of that now!
> ...


I'll just drive up it! :wink:


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## phil (May 7, 2002)

I had smoke coming off my brakes the last time I was in the Alps. The standard TT brakes are just not up for it.

Going uphill's a more fun drive anyway though.


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## XXMetal (Jan 20, 2004)

jgoodman00 said:


> Oh, & even more importantly I forgot the bright red bus lane!


And all that yellow stuff on the road at the corners. With signs with neon backgrounds telling you there is a corner and to turn your steering wheel. :roll: :lol:


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## b3ves (May 6, 2002)

garyc said:


> Beautiful isn't it? I like to tackle it. Strong brakes needed and plenty of torque.
> 
> A GT3rs would suit nicely. As would an Elise with ABS
> 
> Seems like quite a nice trip they are planning.


Yep and it's the Monday of the week that we go to the Nurburgring in September. Food for thought....?

Didn't Evo mag do an article with GT3 vs Challenge Stradale on the same road?

Whatever happens, I'm planning an Elise road trip via the French Alps to Italy in July to go and see my parents. Had already considered the Col d'Iseran and Col de Mont Cenis for the way out, now it'll definitely be the Stelvio Pass on the way back


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## jdn (Aug 26, 2002)

The Elise should be fine. When I bought my Elise a few years back, it came with a video of how it was designed and built. Lotus decided on choosing the Stelvio pass as the best place to test and develop the braking system. Footage of Gavin Kershaw (?) and the other Elise development engineers absolutely caning it up and down the pass several times. Mind you, that was with the expensive MMC discs the original Elise came with, but I gather from Lotus Life magazine they went back with the new model to re-test.

I would think it is a must visit spot for any Elise owner. If only I still had mine...


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## tonychurly (May 3, 2004)

Stelvio is not too heavy on brakes as there are very few straights where you can get out of 3rd.
Some of the other passes nearby such as the Passo de Rombo are much tougher.  
The original brakes on the Liz were not really up to the loads of hard driving on some of the faster passes resulted in black brake fluid and judder due to approaching delamination of the braking surface. We now run cross drilled motorsport disks and pagids and the brakes get bigger the harder you push.


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## Carlos (May 6, 2002)

There is a road quite similar to this in Majorca, down to el Torrent de Pareis (probable spelling mistakes in there). When I drove down it at Easter, it was peeing down and I was driving a Zafira diesel behind a coach that couldn't make most of the bends in one attempt. :x


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## tonychurly (May 3, 2004)

Believe me following a Coach in a Zafira on Majorca would in no way prepare you for Stelvio - check out http://members.aol.com/ottoaxel/stelvio/  
The series of 48 hairpins on the N side are beyond compare. Having said that there are other passes in the Alps which are more fun or more impressive to drive.


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## b3ves (May 6, 2002)

tonychurly said:


> Having said that there are other passes in the Alps which are more fun or more impressive to drive.


Which ones, which ones??? 

Thanks for the info Tony. I really wish I could join you this year, but unfortunately I can't get the extra time off* We are off to the Nurburgring the following weekend and that's organised around the track public opening times, so can't be moved. I'm definitely taking the Elise down to Italy in July though and I'll make sure I take lots of high res piccies once I get to the bottom/top of the pass. Here's the question - which way's best to drive the Stelvio pass?

*Unless I postpone the trip to see my parents in Italy until September and make it a 2 weeker to take in the 'ring the following weekend. That's got me thinking...

Cheers,
Rob


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## tonychurly (May 3, 2004)

b3ves said:


> *Unless I postpone the trip to see my parents in Italy until September and make it a 2 weeker to take in the 'ring the following weekend. That's got me thinking...
> 
> Cheers,
> Rob


Alps in July are a nighmare - too full of fat Germans in motorcampers and slow bikers.
September is has all the agro types back at work and the wearther still fair and little/no snow on the BIG passes.
Go for your tempting option and sign up to do all the best passes with a crowd of other mad elises. The crack at supper time is almost as good as the driving during the day. 
Give me a ring in the evening if you wish on 01328 863350 but make up your mind soon as we are finding it hard to hang onto hotel rooms after this w/e ... but we'll try!


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## tonychurly (May 3, 2004)

b3ves said:


> *Unless I postpone the trip to see my parents in Italy until September and make it a 2 weeker to take in the 'ring the following weekend. That's got me thinking...
> 
> Cheers,
> Rob


Alps in July are a nighmare - too full of fat Germans in motorcampers and slow bikers.
September is has all the agro types back at work and the wearther still fair and little/no snow on the BIG passes.
Go for your tempting option and sign up to do all the best passes with a crowd of other mad elises. The crack at supper time is almost as good as the driving during the day. 
Give me a ring in the evening if you wish on 01328 863350 but make up your mind soon as we are finding it hard to hang onto hotel rooms after this w/e ... but we'll try!


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## scoTTy (May 6, 2002)

Some of us without Elise's would still be grateful for the info unless you don't mind car's weighing about twice the amount coming along?


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## tonychurly (May 3, 2004)

scoTTy said:


> Some of us without Elise's would still be grateful for the info unless you don't mind car's weighing about twice the amount coming along?


roads in no particular order
Passo di Gavia
Col de la Cayolle
Passo de Rombo
Col de Vence
Gorge de la Bachelard
Col d'Izouard
Gorge de Dalius
Col de Turini
Puget Teniers to Gillette via Roquesteron
Col de la Vacca Muerta (Corsica) (pass of the dead cow!)
Col de la Petit San Bernard
I could go on ..... in all honesty it does depend on what types of road you favour. My all time favourites are rough bumpy twisty and with big drops ... in a word .. technical. The sort of roads where you have to dab the brakes just prior to each crest to make sure you dont fly too far or land too heavily. The sort of road where you never see too much of the road ahead and have to adjust your line and speed constanly and the car is never travelling straight. 
If however, what rings your bell are open sweepy roads where you can see well ahead and the surface is smooth; then I'm afraid I get a little nervous as when you carry 100 mph plus through a bend and make an error it can be pretty drastic. I had the back step out at over 120 once in the Pyrenees and it sure as hell grabbed my attention.


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## scoTTy (May 6, 2002)

So I take it I'm not invited!! :wink: :lol:

Many thanks. That seems like a tick list to me.

I'll need to check off the ones I've done. I loved the Col de Turini last Easter follow by another 8 hours in the mountains! I had the Mrs taking the p155 out of my silly grin all day!

Thanks again. :wink:


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## tonychurly (May 3, 2004)

scoTTy said:


> So I take it I'm not invited!! :wink: :lol:
> quote]
> SoB is a Lotus only event but if you folks would like to think about it I could organise a similar 1 or 2 week package for next year.


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## b3ves (May 6, 2002)

tonychurly said:


> b3ves said:
> 
> 
> > *Unless I postpone the trip to see my parents in Italy until September and make it a 2 weeker to take in the 'ring the following weekend. That's got me thinking...
> ...


Thanks Tony

Decision made - will email and call you to confirm and sort out next steps 

....ScoTTY and other non Lotus owning 'ringers, I'll meet you in Nurburg on Friday 17th


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