If you were motivated, could you drive your car across country starting tomorrow?

[Kern Dog]

Wow, I am impressed. I didn’t think we had so many capable member cars. I asked this question at Moparts about 5-7 years ago and most of the responses were excuses about this or that.
I have a couple other cars that are running and driving but have not been road tested for distance.
I’ve had Ginger” on 4 round trips to Los Angeles, averaging 1000 miles each time. No mechanical failures aside from s broken tailpipe hanger.

 

[Don Frelier]

My other two would make it as well 2000 Chrysler 300 M and 93 Dakota with a 5.2 and 46RH swap.
You wouldn't even need to check the oil on either of these.

 

[barbee6043]

Back before I became a retired old man 4 years ago, I had several Dusters that I drove 60 mi every day thru the Mo, blacktops. I had a carb float stick one morning, otherwise never a hiccup!! Points too! lol

 

[Cojohnso1]

I did a Minneapolis to Vegas (About 1700 mi) in under 30 hours in my '07 Ram 3500 diesel. (Maintained 80 MPH just fine on the interstates.) This was with no load. (Picking up load in Vegas. Including trailer) I got about 17 mi/gal average. I won't do that again without a sleep stop. I felt decent that night. But I was a little goofie for a couple days after. Including an illness I never had before or sence. Had to be extreme fatigue?

 

[Darter6]

I won't do that again without a sleep stop.

Did that ,Vegas to Pa and turn around back again with my buddy's 20 year old son. He was buying Diesel pick-up's out here and taking them back to Pa.
I found out that when you are in your 50's never try to keep up with a 20 year old.NEVER !

 

[Under Pressure]

Just one change, drop down the gear and put a 3.23 in it

 

[Budnicks]

Mine has been everywhere at one point and time. The guy I bought it from use to take it on vacation. With a 5.7, 5 speed automatic, A/C, cruise control and 323 gears, it gets 23 mpg and will go till you're done.

that there is the perfect road trip car

looks cool/old but has a modern drivetrain

--------------------------------------------------

not that an old basic 60's V8 couldn't do it too

 

[Budnicks]

Here ya go...
View attachment 1191076

 

[Budnicks]

I've been back & forth between the east coast maybe
50 times, been to every state besides Maine & N. Dakota
& all point in-between, some several times a year
mostly in a Dodge D-200 or 2500 or Power Wagon W-200 or 2500
to the Nostalgia races or NHRA events or IHRA events down south
& then back to Calif.
I started in 1978 & did it until end of 2007, some years more than others...
I put 350k+ on each a 95 & 98 Power Ram/s 5.9 Cummins turbo,
towing a 35' fifth wheel, to a 43' gooseneck, Dynacraft & Featherlite trailers...

I have no reason to do it again now...

Have I ever told you;
you couldn't pay me enough, to live east of the Mississippi
I do not like the east coast much, the deep south is OK,
'but'

Would my current car make it, sure it could
would I spend that much to prove it, probably not
I have better things to spend that kind of cash on now...

would I do it with a group ?,
probably more likely I would, to share the experiences
with other like-minded people

I did a big part of the very 1st Power Tour from LA to Chicago, Rt 66
I had to turn around & cut the trip short,
I did it in a car that would run, 9.70s @ 135 N/A
(before the 300 shot of N2O in the quarter, to run into the 8's)
my old 68 Silver RR, with a stroker Low-deck 383/479cid 6bbl, 700+hp
727 M/VB 3800 stall, N2O converter so it didn't slip much in high gear
an emergency at work, I had to return home before we got to Ill.

I did cheat a lil' I had a Motorhome & trailer/support vehicle
with my dad driving it, following me/Us,
well sort of he did his own thing, we had cell phones just in case

I brought Lisa (her last road trip) & my dog
"The Duke" my 120# black lab,
at the time (sadly his last road trip too)
both loved riding in my RR
this was 1995-ish IIRC I spent $10,000+ for food, gas/fuel
& RV or camp spots to sleep
(instead of motels that don't accept dogs or hotrods)

gas was cheap back then,
nothing like the $4-$5 a gal. today
only problems I had, aside from the rough ride
(car had a full 3" exhaust/Flowmasters out the back, exhaust note wasn't bad)
was gas/fuel in some areas sucks ***,
I got water in the fuel
in both my MH & the RR, 2 times each,
what a PITA that **** was
the MH was a diesel pusher & the RR was a 6bb/tf with 3.73:1 gears
as it ran the last time down the track
I did add a better Derale Trans cooler with a 1500cfm cooling fan-assist

I did bring spares of stuff I thought I may need
cap, rotor, belts, plugs, coil & a few wires
you'd be stupid to not bring them

I made the trip from Concord Calif. & later another from San Jose Ca.
to Anchorage Alaska via the AlCan hwy thru BC & Yukon Terr.
to Toke Junction Ak, then down to Anchorage & back the same way
in a 68 Sport Satellite day-2 383 4bbl 4 speed 3.23:1 typical mods
cam CEI ignition headers etc., the 1st time
(like 1979-80-ish) to visit my sister & her kids,
she was in the USAF, stationed at Elmendorf AFB
& a 84 Toyota SR5 4x4 10x33" tires & 4.56:1 gears
the second time (1988-89-ish) on vacation

Alaska trip both are carbureted cars/vehicles,
fuel was sketchy at best, especially for the Satellite
but made it in both, up 2,100+ miles
to the Alaska Entry/US Border crossing
something like 600+ (IIRC) to Anchorage from there
we drove all over the state after getting there
went from Anchorage to Fairbanks from Fairbanks to
Denali Park/Mt. McKinley & did a few side trips to Kenia Penn.
fishings etc.
so 2,700+ miles each way, just to get there
thru back then, what was then just wide open country
most of the trip or almost 1/2 wasn't even paved yet
gravel roads at best

Let alone miles for fuel between stops,
I had an extra 5gal.s in the Satellite in 2x2.5gal. containers
& tools, spare parts/stuff in the trunk
(It's paved the whole way today)
I carried a 5gal. Gery can in the Yota, surprisingly the Yota
fuel was more an issue than the old Satellite

Been there done that
I have no need to do it in that kind of ride again
I'd rather tow something & enjoy the ride
& unload when I get to a destination & beat on the car & not worry
but I was a racer at heart, not just a cruiser...

Excuses ?, no
Real reasoning, logic & critical thinking, yes

 

[Steven Bowers]

Just said goodbye to my 69 today…..after 43 years of ownership it’s moving on to Vegas Baby…..

 

[oldbee]

Well, my '68 did it in '70 from Oh.to Cal. in August (no a/c) and no spare parts! Now I would need a tool chest& spare parts. Not as trusting these days.And that was when Rt.66 was still there in total smoothness. AND the rear seat filled with my wife's shoe boxes.(why do they need so many?!!!)

 

[Cojohnso1]

Did that ,Vegas to Pa and turn around back again with my buddy's 20 year old son. He was buying Diesel pick-up's out here and taking them back to Pa.
I found out that when you are in your 50's never try to keep up with a 20 year old.NEVER !

It was close a few years ago. But still about 50. And yup. Not a good idea.

 

[Scott Engelhardt]

After the day I had today let me run over they guy I worked with and I will head out!!
Mike I will pick up a bottle of bourbon and we could have one when we shut the cars down for the evening!
I think these 2 would want to go.

 

[qkcuda]

I wouldn't have considered it it my previous cuda with a 500 stroker, but this warmed up 361 Charger with 2.94's cruises so well I am considering driving it to Carlisle next summer. It is a little under 400 miles each way.

 

[64BEL]

I wouldn't with the '64 Belvedere, but I could. Yes I could and would with the '66 Hemi Satellite. I usually drive that car 2-3 times a year 80-110 miles to SE WI for car shows I like to go to. It rides like a dream down the highway. It would be expensive, though!

In '83 I drove my '70 GTX (440+6, 4-speed) from WI to northern California in April, drove it daily and worked out there (slept on my brother's couch) for 4 months, then drove it back to WI in August. No problems other than almost running out of gas near Omaha at 3am on the trip back to WI. I even slept in it at a rest stop in Utah one night on the return trip. Layed across the front buckets (all my stuff was in the back seat) with my legs sticking out the passenger side window. THAT part I wouldn't do again - LOL.

 

[Cojohnso1]

Wouldn't a B-body Cannonball run be awesome? 2 drivers. Car must be 50 years or older and B-body. $5k buy in. Winner takes all. Atlantic City to Vegas.

Except for the illegal part. And flat-out dangerous. And classic cars are not ideal for a young man's endurance venture. And putting self, public and emergency response at risk during a pandemic. Ok. Maybe not a good idea.

 

[440 4 speed]

I've been back & forth between the east coast maybe
50 times, been to every state besides Maine & N. Dakota
& all point in-between, some several times a year
mostly in a Dodge D-200 or 2500 or Power Wagon W-200 or 2500
to the Nostalgia races or NHRA events or IHRA events down south
& then back to Calif.
I started in 1978 & did it until end of 2007, some years more than others...
I put 350k+ on each a 95 & 98 Power Ram/s 5.9 Cummins turbo,
towing a 35' fifth wheel, to a 43' gooseneck, Dynacraft & Featherlite trailers...

I have no reason to do it again now...

Have I ever told you;
you couldn't pay me enough, to live east of the Mississippi
I do not like the east coast much, the deep south is OK,
'but'

Would my current car make it, sure it could
would I spend that much to prove it, probably not
I have better things to spend that kind of cash on now...

would I do it with a group ?,
probably more likely I would, to share the experiences
with other like-minded people

I did a big part of the very 1st Power Tour from LA to Chicago, Rt 66
I had to turn around & cut the trip short,
I did it in a car that would run, 9.70s @ 135 N/A
(before the 300 shot of N2O in the quarter, to run into the 8's)
my old 68 Silver RR, with a stroker Low-deck 383/479cid 6bbl, 700+hp
727 M/VB 3800 stall, N2O converter so it didn't slip much in high gear
an emergency at work, I had to return home before we got to Ill.

I did cheat a lil' I had a Motorhome & trailer/support vehicle
with my dad driving it, following me/Us,
well sort of he did his own thing, we had cell phones just in case

I brought Lisa (her last road trip) & my dog
"The Duke" my 120# black lab,
at the time (sadly his last road trip too)
both loved riding in my RR
this was 1995-ish IIRC I spent $10,000+ for food, gas/fuel
& RV or camp spots to sleep
(instead of motels that don't accept dogs or hotrods)

gas was cheap back then,
nothing like the $4-$5 a gal. today
only problems I had, aside from the rough ride
(car had a full 3" exhaust/Flowmasters out the back, exhaust note wasn't bad)
was gas/fuel in some areas sucks ***,
I got water in the fuel
in both my MH & the RR, 2 times each,
what a PITA that **** was
the MH was a diesel pusher & the RR was a 6bb/tf with 3.73:1 gears
as it ran the last time down the track
I did add a better Derale Trans cooler with a 1500cfm cooling fan-assist

I did bring spares of stuff I thought I may need
cap, rotor, belts, plugs, coil & a few wires
you'd be stupid to not bring them

I made the trip from Concord Calif. & later another from San Jose Ca.
to Anchorage Alaska via the AlCan hwy thru BC & Yukon Terr.
to Toke Junction Ak, then down to Anchorage & back the same way
in a 68 Sport Satellite day-2 383 4bbl 4 speed 3.23:1 typical mods
cam CEI ignition headers etc., the 1st time
(like 1979-80-ish) to visit my sister & her kids,
she was in the USAF, stationed at Elmendorf AFB
& a 84 Toyota SR5 4x4 10x33" tires & 4.56:1 gears
the second time (1988-89-ish) on vacation

Alaska trip both are carbureted cars/vehicles,
fuel was sketchy at best, especially for the Satellite
but made it in both, up 2,100+ miles
to the Alaska Entry/US Border crossing
something like 600+ (IIRC) to Anchorage from there
we drove all over the state after getting there
went from Anchorage to Fairbanks from Fairbanks to
Denali Park/Mt. McKinley & did a few side trips to Kenia Penn.
fishings etc.
so 2,700+ miles each way, just to get there
thru back then, what was then just wide open country
most of the trip or almost 1/2 wasn't even paved yet
gravel roads at best

Let alone miles for fuel between stops,
I had an extra 5gal.s in the Satellite in 2x2.5gal. containers
& tools, spare parts/stuff in the trunk
(It's paved the whole way today)
I carried a 5gal. Gery can in the Yota, surprisingly the Yota
fuel was more an issue than the old Satellite

Been there done that
I have no need to do it in that kind of ride again
I'd rather tow something & enjoy the ride
& unload when I get to a destination & beat on the car & not worry
but I was a racer at heart, not just a cruiser...

Excuses ?, no
Real reasoning, logic & critical thinking, yes

View attachment 1191283

WOW! Good for you!! You did it, and should be proud. That is something that hardly anyone did back then, you are one of the rare ones that did that kind of a trip

 

[440 4 speed]

WOW! Good for you!! You did it, and should be proud. That is something that hardly anyone did back then, you are one of the rare ones that did that kind of a trip

 

[Nate S]

My Sport Fury would do it comfortably but I have to say I really prefer the back roads. Drove home tonight in the dark and just love the secondary roads at night at about 45-55. Always loved those rides, especially with the magical dash in a 66-67 charger but the SF is still very nice. That stock 426-S quietly humming away as the woods go by.

 

[dadsbee]

When do we leave....