North Cape - V8 Experiences
Claus Esser
The speedometer of the V8 (Damask 1721) was showing 88,722 miles when Theo and myself left the Rhineland on 6th May. Our aim was to reach the northernmost point of Europe: North Cape. We reached the Danish border around 1am driving via Bremen, Hamburg and Flensburg and, following the E45 northwards, took a break after nearly 1000km just as day was breaking at the Hirtshals lighthouse. MS Color Festival left harbour with us on board on the dot at 10 towards Oslo. The 8 hour crossing was calm and we arrived well rested in the Norwegian capital at 6pm.

On the beach at Hirtshals - Damask 1721 - owned by Theo Klick

With Norwegian ground under the wheels of our 31 year old V8, we left the labyrinth of Oslo on the E6. The first impressions of Scandinavia were collected at 60 mph on the way to a camping ground at Tangen. The camp huts, which are usually very comfortable, make an excellent alternative to the simple but expensive hotels beside the E6. Our first day on Scandinavian soil was celebrated with one of the few bier cans which we had brought with us (max. 2ltr per person!). The V8 started perfectly the following morning and we continued on past the Olympic town of Lillehammer. Dombras greeted us with light hail and a series of hairpins took us up to the 1700 Meter plateau of Dovrefjell. The hail had meanwhile turned to a full-scale snowstorm which continued to make for a slow drive through a winter-wonderland past Oppdal. The snow eased off and we arrived at Trondheim with clear skies in the late afternoon. An amazing view of Trondheim fjord more than made up for the drive through snow and fog. We crossed latitude 64 at Steinkjer and settled for a simple motel on the banks of the Snasavatnet.

Early the following morning, we drove along the E6 past rocks, forest and lakes, the road elegantly following the northern curves. The V8 was really in its element here and at 2500 rpm, felt very responsive. As the car ate up the kilometers, we were reminded of the emptiness of the Alaska Highway, but that is another story….

We filled up again in Mo-I-Rana and approached the Polar circle around late afternoon. The countryside vanished under white snowfields which at this time of year still cover large areas of Norway. Then, in the middle of nowhere, the Polar Circle Centre appeared. We crossed the Polar circle at 66°33' in beautiful sunshine. Theo gave me the ultimate "Arctic-Circle" needle for my club cap before continuing on beside the ice-free Skjerstad fjords. A comfortable hut at Morsviksbotn was our night stop. Of course, the sun doesn't set at this time of year north of the Polar circle, so a series of never-ending days followed. The fjords gave us 1001 impressions of snow and ice with seemingly endless pine and birch forests. A new picture postcard view awaited us around every corner. The road finished in Bognes at Tys fjord and again with clear skies and windstill, we crossed to Skarberget. We reached Narvik, a famous port where iron ore from the Swedish mines at Kiruna is loaded. The E6 continues beyond Narvik up through snow covered passes and the weather became changeable with a mixture of sun, snow and rain. The empty roads and the V8 engine stretched the old chassis design from Abingdon to the limit on the poor road surface. We passed Tromso and stayed for the night at a simple campsite with a lovely view over Kvaenang fjord at Nordeisa. Driving along Alta fjord we reached the Finnmark (northernmost region of Norway) with the V8 purring. Again we were offered fantastic scenery formed by glaciers during the last ice age. In overdrive at nearly 80 mph we crossed latitude 70 and the Sennalandet plateau. In order to visit Hammerfest, the most northerly town of the world, we briefly left the E6 and spent the night in Skaidi.

Theo gave me the honour of driving the V8 with glorious weather and empty roads to our destination: the northernmost tip of continental Europe. We reached Mageroy island through a 200m deep tunnel. We arrived after 6 days and 3500km around lunchtime at the North Cape in bright sunshine and parked "Damask 1721" (perfectly prepared by Rainer Pfeiffer) in front of the granite column of the modern North Cape Centre. At this point (71°10'21''N), with a bitter North wind blowing, we unfolded our OVFW-Club flag and slowly got ready for departure. After a short visit to the idyllic fishing village of Honningsvag, we dropped into the "American-Car-Club Nordkapp" then left Mageroy island. However, a sudden judder from the V8 stopped our journey in the middle of nowhere. A handful of reindeer watched our repair