Marlow May Fayre

The seven 2 CV cars were assembled together for the first time in Higginson Park, Marlow, for the Round Table Marlow May Fayre. Accompanied by the 2 motor cycle out riders all the cars looked stunning in their new white 118 118 livery.

The two 118 actors joined us for the day and there were a lot of confused looking people as they hung out of the top of a 2CV for a four car procession through Marlow. Even the dog of one of the pilots joined in by donning an 118 T-shirt!

There are loads more pictures on the new Rosbifs & Snails photos website (click here)

All the 7s

Earlier today I took the Marlow Donkey down to Evans Graphics to have its Rosbifs & Snails and 118118 logos applied. We'd done about 7 miles when my daughter Beci noticed the speedo and took this photo. 77,777 miles travelled in a car that cost £777 and will be taking Jeremy and me down the N7 to the South of France over a 7 day period. I wonder how many times we are going to break down?

The first two cars are Branded

Andy sent me a few pictures of the first two cars to be branded with the Rosbifs and Snails and 118118 logos. Both Andy and Nigel's 2CV and Mark and John's 2CV were already white so theirs were the first to have the stickers applied. This was done on Friday and they took these photos on friday afternoon.

Re-Spray Update

On Friday morning I collected the re-sprayed Marlow Donkey from Holly Coach Works and took the opportunity to take a few photos of the 5 cars that were up there. Both the Marlow Donkey and the Boite de Peu were finished and parked outside ready for collection. The Red Duke of Cambridge had been cleaned and was being prepared for painting whilst Amelie II was waiting for her turn.
The other red car, Mangy Moose was parked at the back of the pound in much the same position as I saw her when I delivered my car for painting 10 days ago. Has she been forgotten?

The cars will be all white

Over the weekend, the process of repainting the cars started in earnest. Following the deal with 118118, all of the cars will be white and will be branded with the well know 118 red stripe logo. I popped up to the paint shop with Craig and he took these photos of my and Jeremy's car ready for painting and of Richard and Robert's car being cleaned. These two cars should be complete within the next day or so ready for display at the Marlow May Fayre on Saturday the 26th May.

2 of the 7 cars are already white meaning that there are 5 cars that need to be painted. The remaining 3 should be done by the end of this week. The guys up at Holly Coach Works in Stokenchurch are doing the respray and will be applying the logos which have been produced for us by Evans Graphics in Maidenhead.

County Life Magazine feature

County Life Magazine feature the Rosbifs and Snails Tour in their May / June Edition. Andy Ackermann and Nigel Bowater are featured with their car "Aly".

118118 to Sponsor The Tour

The Number UK, better known as 118118, have provided a significant donation to the event and become the tour's main sponsor. All of the 2CV cars will be painted white and branded with the well known 118 red stripe logo. Mark Horgan, CEO of The Number UK commented:

“As soon as we heard of the Tour, we knew it was something we had to be involved in. It’s such a great idea, and a really enjoyable way to raise much needed funds for an excellent cause. Those involved are investing a lot of their own time and money in this event, and the least we could do is help out with a contribution. We wish them luck – having seen the cars I think they’ll need it!”.

Press Release - The Number UK Becomes Major Sponsor for Charity 2CV Tour

MEDIA INFORMATION

Monday 14th May 2007

The Number UK becomes major sponsor for charity 2CV Tour

118 118 supports ‘Rosbifs & Snails’ event in aid of Air Ambulance

The Number UK is to be the major sponsor of the 2007 ‘Rosbifs & Snails’ Route du Soleil event – a charity car tour to the South of France in aid of the Thames Valley & Chiltern Air Ambulance.

On Saturday 23rd June, seven teams of two businessmen from the Thames Valley area will depart from Marlow, Bucks, in old Citroen 2CV’s that cost no more than £777 each. They will head for Paris and then on to the South of France via the route that the N6 and N7 previously took before being declassified and replaced by the Autoroutes. The tour arrives in Monaco on Friday 29th June after a journey of 1000 miles.

The aim of the Tour is to raise in excess of £75,000 for the Thames Valley & Chiltern Air Ambulance Trust. As well as providing a car, each team is expected to raise a significant amount for the cause via personal sponsorship. 118 118 has made a significant contribution to the fund, and as such each car will be branded 118 118, with the drivers dressed in the trademark ‘mullet’ wigs, moustaches and 118 118 race suits.

The branded cars (and the 118 Boys) will make their first appearance at the Marlow May Fayre on Saturday 26th May, and then at the Marlow Town Regatta and Festival on Saturday 16th June. The tour will then leave the Compleat Angler Hotel in Marlow at 9.00am on Saturday the 23rd of June.

Commenting on the sponsorship, Richard Lambert, Tour Secretary said: “The idea of the tour started in the pub but has gained a life all of its own. We now have a major sponsor and expect to raise a significant amount of money for the Air Ambulance. It’s a great cause and the backing of 118 118 means a huge amount to us.”

Mark Horgan, CEO of The Number UK commented: “As soon as we heard of the Tour we knew it was something we had to be involved in. It’s such a great idea, and a really enjoyable way to raise much needed funds for an excellent cause. Those involved are investing a lot of their own time and money in this event, and the least we could do is help out with a contribution. We wish them luck – having seen the cars I think they’ll need it!” 

The Tour website at www.rosbifsandsnails.com includes information on the cars and tour and will shortly also have a link to a Blog which will be kept up to date as the tour progresses. The tour logo can be downloaded from the website. For further information please contact David Hudson on: press@rosbifsandsnails.com.

Leaking Betty 2CV

Brendan McGinty writes:

Betty is the car Tim and I bought. At the moment we are not sure whether or not we keep this name. At 4 o'clock this morning my wife woke me to say there was a terrible smell of petrol. Still dark I opened my back door to be met with horrendous petrol fumes, £20 of petrol was now leaking on my drive. What do I do? got the hose pipe and ran water under the car to dampen the fumes, 5 o'clock pushed car out to the end of my drive to let the petrol leak on road. hose pipe still under car to dilute the fuel.
7 o'clock: I am writing this e-mail, £20 of fuel down the drain. Anyway, I assume this is just a rubber fuel pipe and can be fixed cheaply?
Brendan.