has anyone driven a large distance?

[surfnturf]

My wife and I are planning on taking this one on a 3 week excursion next spring. We'll be going from California to Idaho, Wyoming, Montana, South Dakota, and meeting other friends with classic cars in Chicago. From there, we will caravan with the other and take the entire Route 66 back to California and then back up the coast to home. My plan is to do a few smaller trips between now and then to make sure we find any weak links and work out any bugs. I'm planning on bringing a few spare parts, and a AAA card! The old Chrysler only has 37K original miles and drives like new. It seems to be up to the task as is, but I do plan on adding disc brakes before we head out.

 

[Darter6]

^^^^^^^^^ That thing is a work of art ! Great lighting and camera skills.

 

[Mid70's Chrysler Fanatic]

…We'll be going from California to Idaho, Wyoming, Montana, South Dakota, and meeting other friends with classic cars in Chicago…

View attachment 611661

What a gorgeous NY’er you have. I’m partial to ’66s because that was the year that I was born.

After installing a new Edelbrock 1906 (I need to do a thread on that) and new spark plugs, I drove mine from Omaha to my new home in South Dakota. She took to it like a duck to water. Okay, that’s only about 300 miles. My 2.4-L Caravan requires much more hounding the throttle to maintain 80 mph. (Either vehicle puts to shame the Mitsubitchy Mirage that I rented when all three of my vehicles needed repairs to be usable for an earlier trip.)

You’ll have fun attracting admirers all along the way. Here’s mine at a rest stop near the state line:

 

[toybox]

Yes sir, my 1967 New Yorker made it from northern Indiana to Washington Utah & back. Only glitch was the rubbing on the points wore a bit so I had to adjust em. I got caught up in a snow storm in the mountains but the car powered through. I have video of ice cycles hanging from the car on VHS-C. Great experience. This car has 42,000 original miles right now. Not necessarily a good thing, lots of things don't work due to lack of usage. I had to disassemble the headlight switch cause the factory grease turned hard keeping the lights inoperable. So gotta keep the blood flowing on these older vehicles

 

[surfnturf]

What a gorgeous NY’er you have. I’m partial to ’66s because that was the year that I was born.

After installing a new Edelbrock 1906 (I need to do a thread on that) and new spark plugs, I drove mine from Omaha to my new home in South Dakota. She took to it like a duck to water. Okay, that’s only about 300 miles. My 2.4-L Caravan requires much more hounding the throttle to maintain 80 mph. (Either vehicle puts to shame the Mitsubitchy Mirage that I rented when all three of my vehicles needed repairs to be usable for an earlier trip.)

You’ll have fun attracting admirers all along the way. Here’s mine at a rest stop near the state line:

View attachment 611765

Thanks! Love the "Woody" wagon. I've always thought it would be cool to have one living out on the west coast. Yours would look great with a couple surfboards strapped to the roof!!

 

[surfnturf]

Yes sir, my 1967 New Yorker made it from northern Indiana to Washington Utah & back. Only glitch was the rubbing on the points wore a bit so I had to adjust em. I got caught up in a snow storm in the mountains but the car powered through. I have video of ice cycles hanging from the car on VHS-C. Great experience. This car has 42,000 original miles right now. Not necessarily a good thing, lots of things don't work due to lack of usage. I had to disassemble the headlight switch cause the factory grease turned hard keeping the lights inoperable. So gotta keep the blood flowing on these older vehicles

Likewise.... I was a bit concerned about how few miles are on mine. I have a stack of receipts from the previous owner showing he pretty much went through everything including, brakes, tune-up, fluid changes as well as every lightbulb. I've driven it nearly every weekend since I got it and so far, so good!

 

[surfnturf]

^^^^^^^^^ That thing is a work of art ! Great lighting and camera skills.

Thanks! Picture was taken with an iphone....

 

[Just Carbs]

I drive them just like I did starting in 1974.
When I get a healthy old 60s, 70 or 80s car, it generally gets everything that's not internally lubricated, plus new u-joints, radiator and wheel bearings all around. The old parts go in the boxes and travel in the trunk.
Starter, alternator, carb, ignition, pumps, hoses, brake hydro parts, belts, ... everything.
It doesn't cost a lot of money.
What cost a lot of money is not being able to get parts and having to hold up in a motel.
Been stranded several times by post 1995 cars that either refused to tell me what was wrong with them, or the repair was too involved for me to perform on the road.
Over five decades and hundreds of thousands of miles, no old Mopar that was healthy when I left home has ever needed a repair to finish a 1000-mile trip.
Yes, they can and sometimes do become cranky, noisy and leaky on the road away from home, but none have refused to serve.

 

[Darter6]

When the wife and I did our cross country trip we were stopped and asked about the car at almost every fuel stop.
She would say, "It's a great car, and you can fix it with just a hammer and screwdriver."

 

[Just Carbs]

I get the same thing with this old Dart. I don't really understand why all the fuss about a 4-dr 75 Dart. But she goes and goes.
318, auto, a/c, ps, pb, am. Need to do something about that am.

 

[Vinny]

I would check everything up and down and make sure that motor is sound before going on a long trip. There's only so much you can do but as long as you have done your due diligence, you *should* be ok..
Always be ready for surprises.. I carry a toolkit with extra ballast resistor, coil, points, plug wires and even a battery.. there's more but I would have to look. And check that spare!

PLUS, An extra set of keys! Always.

 

[Just Carbs]

PLUS, An extra set of keys! Always.

Right, one in the wallet.

 

[timthomas]

I have spent the summer working on the car and taking small trips during the day, highway and side roads put on about 60 / day. Have put on about 800 miles since may. building up to take a bit of a longer trip.

 

[Just Carbs]

Yep, just keep fixing till the fixings done and there ain't nothing left to fix.

 

[Darter6]

there ain't nothing left to fix.

Does this day ever come ??

 

[cbarge]

Does this day ever come ??

Same situation as the " Hunny- do" list..
Like cutting the grass.. it never stops growing!

 

[david hill]

Does this day ever come ??

Not yet for me of course. I have put on Over 30000 miles since My restoration. There is always maintenance left to be done. That's what makes our cars such good drivers.

 

[patrick66]

I've been to every state West of the Mississippi in my '66 Coronet, plus BC in Canada. East of the Mississippi, I've driven the car in MN, IL, and MS. Now, that's 90K miles or so over the first half of my 43-year ownership (1980-2000). Since 2000, it's been maybe 7,000 miles in 23 years, mostly to TX, KS, CO and AR; plus four of the Hot Rod 100 events here in OK.

The Imperial will participate in her fourth HR100 in a couple of weeks. I've yet to drive it out of the State of Oklahoma since I acquired it seven years ago. I need to rectify that!

 

[Fratzog]

Been to Carlisle a couple times years ago with the Polara but nothing near that distance. If you still have points ignition I'd put in a new set and give it a general tune up. Otherwise you might be filing the points before the end of your round trip. Don't ask me how I know lol.

 

[patrick66]

Been to Carlisle a couple times years ago with the Polara but nothing near that distance. If you still have points ignition I'd put in a new set and give it a general tune up. Otherwise you might be filing the points before the end of your round trip. Don't ask me how I know lol.

Got points, condensor and a spare coil in the glove box, plus a ballast resistor.