Good day!
Yesterday Constantine Mandilas (www.melbournetomoscow.com) arrived to Tula - 200km to Moscow left.
He will stay for 5-6 days here, and then finish in Moscow. Now I think he has an opportunity to write some words himself, if he want to.
Some pics:
Good to see some T guys getting together. I wonder how many tires Constantine has used on this trip.
When he completes this wonderful trip there are some things I'd like to see, A list of all the parts that were replaced, All the photo's he took and a detailed map of the trip.
I agree...would love to see a map of the route.
ANd I have to admit to being curious as to the overall cost of such an endeavour.
Look at that Danial...... >>> http://melbournetomoscow.com/engroute.html
12 years after the break down of the wall and ironcurtain, we see this meeting of follow T'ers from the "West" and Russia. 20 years ago you would have laughed if someone would claim this would once happen!
Thanks Craig. What a journey!
Fan-damn-tastic!
...or, as my boss from New Zealand used to say, fan-bloody-tastic!
I like yours better.
Micheal,
Absolutely fantastic that someone can travel to the other side of the world and enjoy a great welcome and hospitality from fellow model T enthusiasts . Well done. Constantine, congratulatulaions on an awesome trip. We look forward to catching up with you when you arrive back in Australia.
Warwick.
What a guy!
I'm going to have to stop whining when somebody wants to go for a two hundred mile drive in a T!
Also...I like the shop pictures.
It looks like a friendly place to stop.
Warwick and everyone else, thanks very much for your kind words.
I still have 200km to go, so much can happen; but hopefully my luck will last long enough to allow me to drive the T onto the cobble stones behind Red Square and Saint Basil's Cathedral. It hasn't sunk in yet that I'm so close...I've covered 10000 miles since leaving Melbourne so it will be like a dream to finally see the Kremlin which marks the finish line.
I've received incredible hospitality from Michael Gotesman here in Tula, and from other old car guys in Voronezh and Rostov. Thank you very much Michael. It's a real pleasure to spend time with people who appreciate antique cars.
I've just added new photos to my website for those who are interested.
Constantine Mandylas
Constantine you deserve a medal! you are an inspiration to anyone who has a Model T Ford.
What Constantine has done should show all those "Doubting Thomas's" that a guy with the a Model T Ford which is in good condition is capable of driving thousands of miles from A to B and the car will do it easily.
What Constantine has done is up the odds by travelling through hostile, primitive countries on really bad roads in extreme temperatures with only minor problems. Just doing the trip in a modern vehicle on good roads would be enough for most people.
I think one thing that he will probably be able to confirm is that because he is in the Model T he has a free pass on lots on lots of occasions. I don't think anyone would be willing to help a stranger as much in a foreign country if they were in a normal car. Add the Model T Ford and people will go out of their way to talk, advise and help you as Constantine has had happen.
We all have lots of questions about his problems and lack of them and I'm sure Constantine will let us know the answer when he has the chance. We wait for the experiences!!
I want to know where that rear fender ended up?
Constantine.....along with everyone else I've watched your HEROIC venture with interest.......
I realize you're adventure has taken you 10,000 miles but how many were actually driven?
Regardless what the number is your trip is certainly a testament as to how tough a T really is!
Constantine,
Thank you for keeping us up to date.
This is quite the adventure that most people only think about and you have accomplished.
The question is how do you get the car back home?
or you only half way through your adventure?
Thanks again Les.....
Constantine, you truly are an inspiration. Wednesday I'm going to find myself taking off from my house on a journey I would never have tried a few months ago. But my knowledge of my model t and my feel for its mechanical integrity I'm ready to try it. Though it pales when considering your endeavors it's still a large step for me. My journey will only take me about 80 miles away for an overnight trip and then back home I'm extremely exited to do it without a companion. If this trip proves successful my next planned trip will be 160 miles up to my old home town where I grew up and back home again. I keep going through my mental checklist to be sure I don't forget anything. Toolbox, spare tire, extra set of coils, oil, coolant and snickers bars plus my clothes. Currently the forecast for Wednesday shows a 40% chance of rain. But there's no way that's going to stop me. I'll be driving my '22 touring car which by the way doesn't have a top yet. During the few hours I'm on the road I know you'll be coming to mind Constantine. Good luck on reaching your finish line and God bless.
For a while, a good 50 years ago, my winter storage was 80 miles away, so I made that trip twice a year. The longest trip I made was 280 miles from Oslo to Vasterås and 280 miles back. On the way there I had to put a new band on low. Used the wood guard rail as support when driving in and splitting the rivets. The trip back was done in one day in driving rain. Trying to setting up a tent under those conditions would have been an exercise in futility.
Roar
Wow Roar, that had to be quite the case of field expediency. I'm finding out being a model t mechanic is one thing but being able to fix things on the fly is really important too. These cars are a little elderly and need to be treated as such. I've done what I could over the last year to turn my 90 year old Model T touring car into something I could have some fun with. When I leave my house tomorrow morning I feel I'm more than ready to go. The old car has got a couple of clicks and knocks that are capable of making me nervous but they've been there for a lot of miles, I've gotten use to listening to them and after this next trip I think, unless something lets go, the sound might end up becoming the sounds of a motor running and I'll start to feel a sense of comfort hearing them. Roar, your story is enlightening and has served to make me excited to go. Thank you. Mike
Good luck, Mike!
I hope Constantine does write a book.
Drive carefully, and enjoy, W2
Thanks Wayne, So far so good. I did the run in a little over 2 hours. Pulled in the parking lot with a flat tire. Glad I built up those spares before I left. 80 miles burned 3 1/2 gallons gas, no oil or coolant loss. Mechanicals worked without a hitch. One stop to relieve myself in a cornfield was truly a welcome experience. Tomorrow I'm doing the return run.
If the book happens i think i might read it.
Me too
But I'll have to learn how to read first
Me too
But I'll have to learn how to read first
Fred, most people only learn how to read once during their lifetime.
The ride home was uneventful. The car ran great. No more flat tires. I came very close at one time to becoming a hood ornament for an old mid-70's farm truck. I could hear his brakeshoes squealing against the drums as his back bumper disappeared under the back of my car. But he got it slowed down in time. As he went around me he blew his horn and when he cleared the front of my car I noticed he only had one tail light and it was broken. After my heart slowed down I once again found comfort in a cornfield. After that the rest of the ride was great.
Man Mike, that must have been some fancy driving to get his rear bumper up to the rear of your car. No wonder it was exciting.
Sorry Doug, I should have said that when I looked in my mirror I couldn't see his "FRONT" bumper. And please understand I was driving my touring and the back seat sits up high enough he could have still been a safe distance behind me but it looked to me like he was way to close for comfort. And now that I think of it, I got shook up enough I think it was his rear bumper that I saw. And It was a straight truck with a dump grain box on it and it didn't have a rear bumper and I swear I still saw it. I'm tellin ya, I was shook up!!!! ;-)
HAHA, I understand, I was just teasing.
Mike, I am quite relieved that you and the T are okay. Congratulations on a trip well done!
Drive carefully (a little prayer for the bone-brains doesn't hurt), and enjoy, W2
Hi Guys.
Thanks very much for your congratulations and kind words.
Peter Kable is correct; a good T is a tough and reliable car and if maintained and driven correctly can handle long and tough transcontinental and intercontinental trips. It's a great car for Africa because it's easy to find the source of a problem and to make repairs.
I'm glad to hear I've inspired people to drive their cars.
Nice to hear from you again
Are you still riding the T somewhere in eastern europe?
Will you be writing a book about your adventures?
Hi Roger,
I'm in Crimea, Ukraine.
Write a book? Perhaps one day...for the moment though I'd rather focus my time and energy on new project idea I have.