Before we start the trip, if you want to see the other posts, here they are: Here is the map of where Varese is located.\u00a0 Not very far away from Milan.\u00a0 Varese is on one of 7 beautiful lakes in the area. Lots of industry and business activity in the region. \u00a0George Clooney lives nearby.<\/p>\n The trip map – with Varese highlighted. The best place to be for a breakdown!<\/p><\/div>\n \u2018The Drive\u2019:<\/strong><\/p>\n Varese.\u00a0 I love Varese and have been here 5 times.\u00a0 The reason I have come here is Aermacchi motorcycles were made here, and I am a big fan of Aermacchi.\u00a0 MV Agusta has taken over the factory and the MV Agusta bikes are all made there, right on the shore of Lake Varese in 100+-year-old original Aermacchi buildings. There is an annual Aermacchi meeting put on by my good friend Enrico.<\/p>\n I think Varese is one of the nicest spots on the planet. Why? Mountains.\u00a0 Lakes.\u00a0 Clean air.\u00a0 Plenty of industry and commerce.\u00a0 Switzerland is close.\u00a0 So is France and Germany.\u00a0 Many museums, culture and activities. Car and motorcycle culture is deeply rooted here with Alfa Romeo, Aermacchi, MV Agusta, Moto Guzzi, and just about every other legendary Italian machine all made within 100km of Varese. Milan is a major airport. \u00a0 ‘Lovely place, easy access, plenty of smart people, and so much to do’\u2122.\u00a0 Perhaps I should trademark the previous sentence, for the Varese Tourist Authority?<\/p>\n [irp posts=”637″ name=”Reverse engineering an Aermacchi CRTT frame”]<\/p>\n We left the amazingly picturesque Manarola and drove north to Varese.\u00a0 I was surprised at the mountains and plenty of tunnels. Jake helped me wash the windows, and fill up the car.\u00a0 Easy drive.<\/p>\n I am sure there is a tunnel ahead.<\/p><\/div>\n Tunnels are everywhere!<\/p><\/div>\n 95 Unleaded? Fill it up?<\/p><\/div>\n Getting the windows cleaned up.<\/p><\/div>\n Full-service work from Jake.<\/p><\/div>\n Many milk trucks on the highways. See our reflection?<\/p><\/div>\n In public bathrooms in Italy, they never have a seat. Makes your thighs strong.<\/p><\/div>\n \u2018Liberty style of Varese\u2019:<\/strong><\/p>\n I did not get to document very much, as I was busy fixing the car.\u00a0 But there is plenty of pictures on the internet to see the style.\u00a0 One of the hotels we stayed at, \u2018The Palace Grand Hotel\u2019 (http:\/\/www.palacevarese.com\/), is a fantastic example of this style, and we do share these pictures. \u00a0You can see the style on the outside of the hotel, along with the iron work of the staircase, and an old house that was a little overgrown but had a lot of charm.<\/p>\n [irp posts=”659″ name=”3D laser scan of King Naresuan”]<\/p>\n The Palace Grand Hotel, Varese, Italy. Great entrance.<\/p><\/div>\n Liberty style iron work #1<\/p><\/div>\n Liberty style iron work #2<\/p><\/div>\n Looking up at the staircase at the Palace Grand Hotel, Varese. M.C. Escher must have had his hand in this!<\/p><\/div>\n I like houses that have had a lot of life and are a bit tired. \u00a0This one must be great inside. Next time I come I need to go with Enrico and hunt down some more Liberty examples.<\/p>\n Perhaps not typical Varese ‘Liberty style’, but wonderful.<\/p><\/div>\n The hotels; \u2018Art Hote<\/em>l\u2019 and \u2018Palace Grand Hotel<\/em>\u2019:<\/strong><\/p>\n We booked 1 night at the Art Hotel, as we did not know what the car repair diagnosis was going to be. \u00a0They were fully booked after the first night, so we needed to move. \u00a0Luckily the\u00a0Palace Grand Hotel had vacancies, so we move there for the next 2 nights. \u00a0The pictures make it look like we are living in 5-star hotels, but they are modestly priced. \u00a0The Art Hotel was $120\/night and the\u00a0Palace Grand Hotel was $110.<\/p>\n First, we will take a look at the Art Hotel<\/strong><\/em>. \u00a0Looks old and is old, but the inside is very new and a mix of modern and vintage. \u00a0Extremely tasteful. \u00a0This is booked for many events and car\/motorcycle clubs.<\/p>\n My second favourite hotel – The Art Hotel, Varese.<\/p><\/div>\n My second favourite hotel – The Art Hotel, Varese, #2.<\/p><\/div>\n Nice room at the Art Hotel, Varese, #3.<\/p><\/div>\n Nice room at the Art Hotel, Varese, #1.<\/p><\/div>\n Nice room at the Art Hotel, Varese, #2.<\/p><\/div>\n The Palace Grand Hotel<\/strong><\/em>\u00a0is an iconic hotel in Varese, located high on a hill with a large amount of land with nothing but hotel facilities like a pool and tennis courts. \u00a0The road going up to it is all switchbacks and turns with just trees and grass on either side, and you are literally in the middle of Varese. \u00a0Quite rare.<\/p>\n Nice car and hotel. The kid is pretty special too. The Palace Grand Hotel, Varese.<\/p><\/div>\n Hey kid, get in!<\/p><\/div>\n Tiny car, actually.<\/p><\/div>\n Jake in the room, with a nice view of the lake.<\/p>\n Our room view at the Palace Grand Hotel, Varese. We see the lake.<\/p><\/div>\n I took a nap on this couch earlier in the day, at the Palace Grand Hotel, Varese.<\/p><\/div>\n A little bit of heaven #1 – Palace Grand Hotel, Varese.<\/p><\/div>\n A little bit of heaven #2 – Palace Grand Hotel, Varese.<\/p><\/div>\n The gardens are full of beautiful cedar and pine trees hovering over the outdoor lounge areas, and it is just so quiet and peaceful.<\/p>\n A little bit of heaven #3 – Palace Grand Hotel, Varese.<\/p><\/div>\n \u2018Car repairs\u2019:<\/strong><\/p>\n In Greece and in Southern Italy, I noticed the brakes were not very good, and sometimes would pull to the right.\u00a0 There was also a \u2018clunk\u2019 when turning the steering wheel lock-to-lock when you are parking. I was filling the tires on the left-hand side of the car with air every day.\u00a0 These things were unsafe and I needed to get them fixed.<\/p>\n Varese is the mid-point on the trip. It is a good place to make repairs.\u00a0 Luckily, I have been to Varese a few times and knew a great car\/motorcycle enthusiast there, his name is Enrico.\u00a0 I discovered Enrico really knows everyone and found me a friend that took care of all the repairs.\u00a0 His name was Mario and he specialised in high-end Porsches.<\/p>\n I was escorted to Mario, tailing Enrico and his convertible Beetle.\u00a0 I handed Mario the keys and he diagnosed the various clunks and the brake issues. Mario was kind enough to put his other customers work aside and put my car on a lift and we looked at the various systems.\u00a0 Without going into all the details, we decided:<\/p>\n I think most of you are gasping at this moment, but these items are relatively easy to repair.<\/p>\n For the next 2 days, my car was on Mario\u2019s lift.\u00a0 Enrico and I drove around dropping off callipers to get rebuilt, dropping of wheels to get new tires fitted.<\/p>\n The brake disks were a little more elusive. Mario was calling around for 50-year-old NOS disks (new old stock).\u00a0 The rears were easy to find.\u00a0 The front disks were another issue entirely, and after a day of calling Mario found \u2018the last 2 left in Italy\u2019 and were at a premium price \u2013 I said \u2018OK, let\u2019s do it correctly\u2019.<\/p>\n [irp posts=”583″ name=”Creaform Metra car scan at Riding Cafe”]<\/p>\n For the last stage of the repair, I needed to drive the car back to the tire shop, and get a \u2018front end alignment\u2019 because we replaced the tie rod ends and we wanted the wheels to be perfectly aligned.\u00a0 The alignment shop was very modern with very nice new computerised equipment. \u00a0They gave me a nice computerised report of the alignment.<\/p>\n I do not blame the seller for these issues of the breakdowns and repairs. Antonis (seller) gave very clear and accurate information about the car. \u00a0I bought with eyes wide open a 51-year-old car.\u00a0 The car had been sitting for 10 years on an older restoration, so things like the tires and the brakes were issues from lack of use. \u00a0I should have known better and asked for new brakes and tires (and battery, fuses, top up all liquids, etc…). \u00a0Whenever I buy an old car, I typically replace a lot of parts immediately, as they will eventually break and strand you, ultimately costing you more. \u00a0This car somehow made me forget all that!<\/p>\n Enrico is pretty cool driving a convertible Beetle. I follow him to Mario’s shop.<\/p><\/div>\n Mario’s garage. Only one Alfa Romeo here!<\/p><\/div>\n We are still having fun.<\/p><\/div>\n I am getting used to this view!<\/p><\/div>\n Mario and Enrico wrestle the front brake disk off the axle.<\/p><\/div>\n Rebuilt callipers in 24 hours – Enrico made magic happen.<\/p><\/div>\n Sweet.<\/p><\/div>\n Old disk (left), and the last of the NOS disks (right). Very rare.<\/p><\/div>\n New rubber brake hoses.<\/p><\/div>\n New tie rods. Much nicer.<\/p><\/div>\n Old brake pads, rubber lines and other bits and pieces.<\/p><\/div>\n Old disks, photos from the seller.<\/p><\/div>\n New disks fill me with confidence. Wow, what a difference.<\/p><\/div>\n The wheels went with Enrico and I to the tire place, and we got new tires. \u00a0This is a picture a day later with the car re-assembled, going for the front end alignment.\u00a0 I think this car has never been so accurately aligned in its entire life.<\/p>\n Tires. This shop had huge stock and the best equipment.<\/p><\/div>\n Computerised high-tech front end alignment.<\/p><\/div>\n Computerised high-tech front end alignment #2.<\/p><\/div>\n Mario also installed a special electronic distributor for me, from the good folks at 123ignition.com. \u00a0Perhaps it is psychological, but the car runs much better, the grass is greener and the sky is bluer, colours are more vibrant, and there is a spring in my step. \u00a0Pretty good value for just a replacement distributor! \u00a0But seriously, it cleans up all the vagueness of a mechanical advance distributor. \u00a0The distributor I had in the Alfa Romeo was supposed to be a mechanical advance, but it also had a vacuum on the side, so it was not original. \u00a0The new distributor also has Bluetooth built in, so you download an app for the iPhone and you can change the ignition and MAP curves, and you get a pretty cool digital dashboard for the car! \u00a0 This is a screenshot of this Alfa Romeo’s engine running, as we ascend up the Alps. \u00a0I will write up more on this topic in the future.<\/p>\n Note: \u00a0Some will see the GPS speed is 0 km\/h, and that is because this phone did not have a roaming connection to a cell provider.<\/p>\n New digital dashboard for a car made in 1966.<\/p><\/div>\n \u2018Moving on\u2019:<\/strong><\/p>\n We spent 3 days in Varese, a little longer than planned. But we enjoyed it as we saw friends, and got to sleep in the same bed a few nights in a row. \u00a0Did some laundry in the sink!<\/p>\n Travelling light. \ud83d\ude42<\/p><\/div>\n Surprisingly, it all fits.<\/p><\/div>\n We very much enjoyed Domenico, who has worked at the Palace Grand Hotel for a long time. \u00a0He was really superb at taking care of all the guest and making everyone feel special. \u00a0He has a\u00a0real gift.<\/p>\n Our wonderful waiter, Domenico – Palace Grand Hotel, Varese.<\/p><\/div>\n Giant colossal special thanks to Enrico, for all the help. \u00a0Without Enrico, I would be booking a school for the fall semester for Jake, in Varese. \u00a0Honestly, I could not have finished the work without his help. \u00a0The next big annual Aermacchi meeting is at the MV Agusta factory on 3rd of September. \u00a0Hope I can make it, but more importantly, I hope some of you take the trip. \u00a0Here is Enrico’s website. http:\/\/www.aermacchimoto.com\/<\/p>\n I really love this guy. Enrico is a wonderful person.<\/p><\/div>\n Jake at Lake Varese, on a nice walk with Enrico.<\/p><\/div>\n Funny thing is, we told people we were taking a ferry from Italy to Switzerland, and they wondered how that worked! \u00a0I will leave you with a parting photo of the ferry that crosses Lake Maggiore, and then just a short drive you are in Switzerland. \u00a0Hope you can join us for that part of the trip.<\/p>\n This is the ferry coming to pick us up and take us across Lake Maggiore. Gateway to Switzerland.<\/p><\/div>\n [irp posts=”583″ name=”Creaform Metra car scan at Riding Cafe”]<\/p>\n Please remember to “LIKE” us on Facebook <\/a>or sign up for our newsletter on the right-hand side of this page.<\/p>\n
\n1966 Alfa Romeo – Road Trip<\/a><\/strong><\/em>
\n 1966 Alfa Romeo – Vesuvius and Pomepii<\/em><\/a><\/strong>
\n1966 Alfa Romeo – Perugia<\/a><\/strong><\/em>
\n1966 Alfa Romeo – Pisa & Manarola<\/a><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.globaldimension.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/map_varese_compressed-1024x839.jpg\")
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\n
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