Duct tape and baling wire always come in useful for emergency repairs
not to mention cable ties
always good to carry in any car! A wire coat hanger is a reasonable alternative to bailing wire as it can be used to fashion exhaust brackets etc..
For EU don't forget multiple hi-viz, spare bulbs and warning triangle (you may as well carry it at all times). You don't have to use a mobile phone abroad but it's worth to take one for emergencies and if doing so make sure you have an EU compatible roaming tariff before you find out the hard way.
If you set off on a major adventure in a car that's literally just been put back on the road after decades of slumber then you should expect some teething trouble (been there, done that, done it again.. never short of anecdotes )
If the car is well maintained and regularly used, there is far less chance of having any issues. If you need new parts fit them sooner rather than later and dont just take them with you.
You can get torches that flash/pulse a red light - breaking down in the dark on a fast road without hazard lights can be frightening whatever country you may be in, so as much warning as possible is good.
Other than keeping your previous working plug set, leads & dizzy cap & points with you and a new spare inline fuel filter, a good spare wheel, scissor jack and a gallon of oil & gallon of radiator water I would
only recommend to have a very thorough service 4 to 6 weeks before going and use the car regularly after the service to give it a good shake down.
e.g.
Not much need for carrying a spare fuel pump if you have an SU and check the pump points are good during the prior service and check again before going.
If you have a dynamo, check the brushes are good during the service. If you have an alternator, good luck.
If your exhaust straps are perished don't wait until they fail.
If a propshaft UJ has some slack... you can guess the answer.
Dizzy points in good condition and checked regularly tend to be more reliable that worn out points that were never looked at..
If the brake shoes are well worn, it's best to replace well before you go rather than find out coming down the Pyrenese!*
However engine braking is a good skill to have!
*I had a brake m/c seal fail coming down the Pyrenese. My co-driver was in the driving seat to start with and thought the brakes were playing up but then they were fine later on so he forgot about it (due to being very tired). I took over driving before we dropped down into the town that evening and got a nasty surprise to find them rather intermittent!
The next morning we ordered some mail order to the hotel we were going to stay at next before leaving Europe. We had to wait an extra day in Algeceras (near Gibraltar) for a replacement complete m/c from UK. It arrived Christmas eve and we made it straight to the ferry and fitted it in Morrocco in the sun. The entire braking system had been transferred from a daily use car and I'd replaced the m/c seals only as a precaution (much to my regret). One of the replacement seal was faulty, and this was one of the very rare cases where a problem took a few months to appear.
If your brakes have been recently rebuilt don't worry - if not then as an extreme precaution I'd make sure all the brake pipe fittings will unscrew (probably just my paranoia). If they don't come apart then fix things now now rather than try to work it out later away from home. In my case I knew it would all come apart so didn't bat an eyelid at changing then m/c in a Morocco camp site!
Many of the uk parts suppliers will do next day shipping to EU. Therefore don't try and carry everything as you can predict the unpredictable.
Anything from a couple of tyres to brake parts, seals, engine parts etc..
We were doing a lot of off roading in West Africa so took many spare wheels - in European tarmac, this shouldn't be an issue.
Someone I knew had a classic Land Rover and broke down in Spain. Their recovery service towed them to the Land Rover main dealer in the nearest major city. The main dealer didn't have much interest in fixing a 30 year old car and they gave up and flew fly home, and 9 months later when I heard the story they didn't know what happened to the Landy
Therefore if you think a recovery service is a get out of jail free card, check the fine print. Even "European Relay" has limitations. Some other friends of mine broke down in the first part of their holiday (in a modern car) and as parts were not available in 48 hours their options were to be brought home (which they did).
If you can DIY then it's worth to consider a very broad tool kit. If not then only carry the basics, and for anything serious you'll have to find a "simple-car friendly" garage. If you're of the well-prepared inclination, try and log some 'local' contacts before you go (e.g. classic car clubs) and see if they can help by at least getting someone to talk to a garage on your behalf if your language skills are limited.
A good set of spanners/screwdrivers, 2 ltr bottle of water, oil, plugs, points, good jack, spare windscreen wiper blades. If you run on standard morris tyres these can be hard to find in Europe so if you can squeeze in a spare tyre do so.
