We are thinking of taking our Eunos Roadster J2-Ltd on a little jaunt down into Italy in September, just wondering if anyone who has experience could give us a few pointers regarding routes and things to see along the way? Will probably take 3-4 days driving down so suggestions for overnight stops also appreciated.
Regarding the car preparations, these are in hand thanks
Dr & Mrs. Eunos 
Johnboyo
If you drive down to Italy like you did to the Ring, you might only need 1 night stop, or toss a coin and do it in one.
Roger Hawkins
Haha! I only went fast where it was nicht verboten…if you had kept your foot in long enough Roger, you would have gone past me mate - that R2-Ltd with its 4.3 diff was on the limiter in top gear at 123mph TomTom indicated lol!
You got to admit too, with only one stop at half distance in Belgium we did manage to get 2 `Ring laps in on the Thursday night mate?
The schlumpf car museum is worth a stop over on your way down. We stopped there for the night on our alps trip, then had half a day in there the next morning, but could have done with a full day. I guess it depends which route you are taking.
We did this thread last year.
http://www.mx5oc.co.uk/forum/forums/p/48703/355482.aspx#355482
Might give you a few ideas.
Nice one Nedski, some good ideas there, we are going to the Monza F1 GP once we get there but some more ideas in Italy are very welcome
we have driven to Italy two or three times, but never in the MX5, we camp and also like our comfort so have always used a larger car to fit all the junk in! However we are planning to go again next year, still camping, but to take the MX5.
We tend to drive a day, stay two nights, then drive another day etc, mostly because it saves on having to pack all of our kit away every morning, but also because that way we get to explore a bit around our stopovers. We do tend to take three weeks though to make a real trip of it! We also avoid motorway driving in both France and Italy, not just because we are stingy and do not like paying the tolls, but mostly because we find it very boring.
Our favourite stopover on the way through France is at Argentiere (about 10 miles ‘uphill’ from Chamonix), no particular specific attractions, but stunning scenery, easy access to two glaciers (Argentiere and Mer de Glace - one by cable car the other by mountain train).
in Italy we like Lake Como - again for the scenery, but there are some great driving roads around it too, we stay at a cpmpsite at Lenno, there are hotels too, and at considerably cheaper rates than those over the Lake at Bellagio! Not too far from Mona either.
We have also driven past (but not gone into - we were short of time) the Ferrari museum at Maranello, and their test rack and souvenir shop nearby - great if you are a fan of the marque!
Furthest South we have stayed and the reason for our first trip is Pisa - it is good day’s drive South of Milan, but getting to the leaning tower was worth it for me, lots of good food in that area too, and the Leonardo da Vinci museum at (of all places!) Vinci is nearby, as are lots of fantastic Tuscan villages full of old towers and fortifications, and the city of Siena - also worth a visit.
If we do go again next year we will be heading for the Stelvio pass - reputed to be one of the worlds best driving roads - here: https://maps.google.co.uk/maps?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&tab=wl (hope that works)
The Ferrari museum in Maranello is good and nearby you will be able to drive a Ferrari or Lambo for not a lot. 3 Years ago I paid Euros 100 for 10 minutes in each.
Some great ideas coming in, the trip is almost planning itself, keep `em coming
Interestingly we can get Fri/Sat/Sun weekend pass F1 tickets direct from Monza cheaper than Friday practice tickets for Silverstone GP 
Hi John,
Hope you are keeping well? I’m keeping an eye on this thread as we’re planning a trip that way around the same time!
We’re looking at the Alps for a week, then North Italy.
(from the 2011 Nurburgring trip - Mazda didn’t make it so we came in the Kia 
)
Rich
We’ve just come back from Volterra inTuscany and Bormio in the Alps. Loved driving in Italy in the MX-5, and you get a great contrast, Hot and beatiful Tuscany and the stunning Alps. If you head that way through Switzerland then go via Livigno in Italy on the swiss border, cheapest fuel in Europe I reckon, was 1.12 euro last week, its a tax free zone, you are then not far from the Stelvio Pass which is a must drive. Italian main motorways are tolls like France. Roads are okish, you just need to be careful as shoulders often are rutted and you risk grounding. Fuel in Italy generally is more money then here or say France it appeared. I can’t wait to go back… 
Haha! Yes we are very well thanks I have a photographic memory mate:
You were that greedy fella with the oversized plate of food lol!
Monza tickets are soo cheap it just has to be done…still working on our route, I want to go past Adenau as the yellow car is yet to go around the Ring but Mrs. Eunos<img border="0" title="Angel" alt="Angel" src="http://www.mx5oc.co.uk/forum/tiny_mce/plugins/emotions/img/original/emotion-13.gif" /> thinks France is more romantic`…
If you see a yellow Eunos on the next mountain then give us a loud yodel fella.
The preparations have started early, can you tell what it is yet? :
I have sprayed my spare bootlid yellow to go on the J2-Ltd for Italy, but a new twist for the spare wheel and boot rack.
The bootlid was previously drilled to allow direct bolting of the feet of the rack so now it is getting a further hole in the middle to allow a space-saver spare to be bolted through the lid separately, the big alloy bar will be taper turned to make 4of cones to mount the rack higher and drilled to accept the high-tensile 4" bolts coming trough the boot lid.
I already have very heavy duty side clamps so will also use these along with some longer 8mm threaded bars so 6 mounting points in total. Of course the idea for this is that we will enjoy much more boot space (many of the spare parts will be fitted inside the spare wheel and an alloy disc will fit inside the cover to keep them protected) if we do have a puncture the full size wheel will be on Mrs Eunos` lap
As a motorcyclist I have been used to traveling light. My wife has got used to not taking the kitchen sink.
If it wont fit in the boot it aint needed.
Cable ties, gaffer tape, some electrical bits such as connectors wire and fuses, wd 40 or such, and my RAC card with rescue and recovery for the continental trip is all I take.
If the RAC can’t fix it then it comes home on the back of a low loader.
Of course have it serviced a week or so before you leave and make sure it is up to standard.
Neil, I always take a spare coilpack, CAS sensor, cambelt, aux belts, leads, plugs, hoses, fuel pump sets of relays and fuses bulbs etc and of course a fairly comprehensive tool kit, tow rope, jump-leads, tyre mousse, 5L emergency fuel, oil, bug remover spay, extra pre-mixed washer fluid (top-tip here, plenty of extra room on LHS of engine bay for a 1.5L Coke bottle full of washer fluid) tyre compressor etc, etc…
Then there is the problem of where to store all the grappa, wine, cheese, champagne from Reims, mouldy old hams and other treasures to bring home
To be honest, we struggle for luggage space even on a 5 day Nurburgring trip so 10-12 days could be challenging, lol!
We try to enjoy the holiday rather than the prospect of an early ride home on a flat-bed truck, one of my best tips for anyone taking an elderly Roadster or Mk1 / 2 etc is to replace all your hoses before you head to continental Europe or beyond, especially on a 1.8 NA/NB - your oil cooler hoses and the No1 heater hose (single silicone items are available from MX5Parts) and take a few litres of spare engine oil with you as it can be very expensive to top-up on the way.
Not having space for all the treasures to bring home has saved me money over the years. Please dont tell her you have space for these or she will expect me to do the same.
We eat too much on holiday anyway and have enough crap at home as it is with out bring any more home.
Good idea about the hoses and spare engine oil if only for peace of mind.
Our last two trips to the passes were on my R1200RT but the next will be in the Mx5 as the trip to Pitlochry showed us how practical the car is. Stop to look at the view, to eat etc, now means stop car and get out, lock it and go, rather than stop bike, get her off, me off, strip helmet and gloves off, jacket off and then have to lock helmets to the bike or have to carry them around. So much faffing around and in the heat I turn grumpy with the extra hassle.
Hi
Just returned from a road trip through Germany, into Austria and Lake Garda. The drive over the Alps through south Germany and into Austria was breathtaking in itself. We had a Merc SLK for the journey and it was fab - especially on the autobahns. There is a toll going into Austria which is about 8 euros. You will also need a permit to drive through Austria again is about 8 euros. The Autostradas in Italy also have tolls, again around 8 or so euros.
Our route took us from Frankfurt, headed north to visit relatives, before heading south to Garmisch and beyond. Excellent easy driving, great food and drink. The weather was pretty good too - once we were in Italy.
Well the rack was fitted some weeks ago and following some serious aero testing and chassis tweaking we are very happy with the results. Not sure if this has ever been done on an MX5 before but here is the rack and spare wheel fitted:
An uprated rear anti-roll-bar has also been fitted to cope with the higher CofG with the mass of the wheel and case being raised. Here it is in comparison to the skinny OE item:
Rear visibility is surprisingly good from the rear view mirror as you are effectively looking below the case and either side of the spare wheel, of course being a JDM Eunos Roadster J2-Ltd the car is equipped with electric door mirrors so this also helps with driver changes.
Only a week and a bit till our 3000 mile odessey begins…
Been busy with the preparations, new radiator fitted today with new genuine Mazda supercoolant, CD-less Ipod stereo system, new speakers and BMW E30 cubby/analogue clock installed, Oris wind-blocker installed, air-con re-gassed, drilled and grooved brake rotors with Axxis ceramic-biased pads, beam deflectors, yellow hi-viz vests, breathalysers, and Tom-Tom updated to fall in line with France`s stupid new laws, DRL (day running lights) fitted, gearbox, engine, diff oils changed, new HT leads fitted, phew!
