The Book

Here is the story about a dream, a dream that first appeared soon after buying the first of many Austin 7’s in 1966.

Inspired by Tschiffely's Ride (Buenos AIres to New York in 1925 with horses and mules), Coleman's Drive (Buenos Aires to New York in a 1925 Austin 7, 1959-60) and Austins over the Andes by Vince Leek.

It tells of the designing, building and planning of the journey from Baltimore to Alaska and onto Punta Arenas in a 1936/28 Austin 7 during 2012/13 by the Authors. It takes the form of a diary:

Eunice wrote a blog on the website and Guy used Facebook as a daily record.

To reflect on the immense generosity of the many people without whom this would never have happened ALL the proceeds of the sales of the book are being donated to Dame Hannah Rogers Trust (www.discoverhannahs.org).

The Book about a Austin 7 traveling Around the Americas

Meet us under the egg in Vegreville. Photo by Chris Bamford 15-08-2012.jpg

07-10-2012 Arriving at Michael and Candice’s for a barbeque Michael Andrews.jpg

Picture Lake reflects Mount Baker; just south of Bellingham. 07-09-2012.jpg

Outside the LeMay, America’s Car Museum with Renee Crist and Michael Craft. 17-09-2012.j

Photoshoot at the base of the Space Needle, Seattle. Photo by Michael Craft. 13-09-2012

The remoteness of Alaska requires that you can fly to survive. 22-08-2012.jpg

The SPace Needle, Seattle; the view from Lowell’s guest room window 13-09-2012.jpg

Book Orders

Copies of the book may be ordered from;

Guy Butcher, Unit 17, Moorlands Industrial Estate,
Forge Lane, Saltash PL12 6LX

Email - bespkinfo@gmail.com
Tel no - +44 (0)7974 024499

Book Biography

How do you build an 80 year old car with the idea of attempting to drive it the equivalent of circumnavigating the world (24,860 miles/40,007 km)?

You ask a friend. In this case John Sutton. Having written the specification out you circulate it to knowledgeable friends. After a surprisingly brief time you hear from Vince Leek who’s found just the car. Having bought the car, you take it to bits and rebuild it as (effectively) a new car to optimise the chances of reliability. Remember you’re on your own! Attempts are made to identify any weaknesses before it’s placed in a container to be delivered to the USA. Collecting the car in Baltimore; following a route that appears roughly like a reversed 7 you drive to Alaska, catch the Ferry down the Inner Passage to Bellingham. Urgent repairs are completed before heading south along the Pacific coast of the USA. A race across Central America, to escape very challenging border crossings, with arrival in Panama. With more very generous help the car is placed into another container for transportation to Ecuador. Meanwhile we visit the Galapagos Islands.

Unpackaged in Guayaquil, the adventure continues south through; Ecuador, Peru, Chile, Argentina, before ending in Punta Arenas. We missed the turning to Tierra del Fuego!