Anyone driven their Vette cross country?
 

How about a 45 year old, mid 10 sec car with a carb and no OD?:D

Well....I'm about to.. :rock:

Next week my wife and I leave on vacation in the 71' heading from Houston area to Bowlingreen Kentucky to the Vette Plant and Museum, then over to Deals Gap NC to run the "Tail of the Dragon"...Finally ending up in the Smokey mountains to stay in a cabin for a few nights. This has always been a bucket list item for me to road trip an old car so...Here we go...

I've got her prepped and ready.....(I think...I hope..)
I put a new set of BFGs on it and took the drag radials off so its safer in the rain and the twisties.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...ps7sggnf3k.jpg


Restored and installed my spare tire carrier to use as tool/supply storage
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...psudp0kya4.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...pse9ltuplx.jpg




Installed my necessary travel gear.. (cup holder and phone mount for gps )
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...ps3bmptwix.jpg


Got the GoPro in for the trip and Dragon footage
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...pshhn53u9x.jpg

Rebuilt the brakes all around

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...ps1vnuo6im.jpg

And last but not least, tuned up this lump...
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...psz8v0q0by.jpg

Wish us luck!:cheers::cool:

I'll update the thread as we go along... Maybe we can meet up with some forum members along the way.:cheers:

Alan - Best of luck to you. Keep us posted, if you can. I've never heard of anyone driving a car that runs like yours on a trip like that. Those drag-week guys drive faster cars shorter distances, so maybe it equals out. BTW - with all the stuff you do with your cars, I didn't think you were married. Just sayin.

Looks like you've got the brake issue resolved (?)!!!

Keep track of your (lack) of fuel mileage. Should be interesting.

Stay safe.

dodosmike:canadaflag:

Done it a few times when we used to have Corvette Forum Cruise In's....that was fun.

You've got A/C...trumps me!

Have fun!

JIM

Car looks GREAT - ENJOY!

Sounds like a great adventure. Take lots of pics and have fun!

Drove from DC to Jax Fl. in '97 on a visit, liked the town, drove back north....4000 rpm, muncie 4 speed, 336 rear ~80 mph....10.5 hours and 24 mpg, course I had DPFI on it then.....L48 engine....

have overdrive now, automatic.....

:smash:

Drove mine from St. Louis to Calif/back once. Done a bunch of Power Tours with no a/c, :ack:
I'm impressed you're doing this in a 10 sec car. :thumbs:
Keep us updated. Best of luck.

Thanks Bruce. The car runs/drives very mild. Pretty much feels like a stock 454 corvette with a little cam, atleast until you nail it.:D Its really a pussy cat to drive, a very thirsty one. I won't be beating on the car out on the trip, I'm not that brave. I even let my wife drive it a couple weeks ago to see if she could:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...psdzmpccxr.jpg
I am bringing basic tools, electric supplies and a spare HEI, Holley parts etc. More importantly I have a Bluetooth streaming stereo in it and all kinds of music apps, Sirius XM etc etc on my phone for entertainment on the road. With the 6 gas stops I'll need before BG, we'll have plenty of time to stretch. Lol

I'll definitely track mpg, fill ups and cost, I have a fuel buddy app on my phone to log all the data in. Brakes are working, stops straight and well enough, although the pedal is still a lot spongier then I think it should be but, nothing I can do about it. I even took it to a Vintage resto shop and they bled on the brakes for 4 days after I gave up and only got them marginally better. It will still lock up the fronts but, the pedal is almost on the floor when doing it. It is what it is. I will get lots of pics/vids and update this thread as we go..:cheers:

Man THAT was a long ride.. Wow.. That's iron butt rally stuff right there.

I think after this 3k mile trip, I'll be good for a while. Lol. We have AC so hopefully we stay comfy...I'd be fine either way, but wifey don't like to sweat in a car...lol. I've never ran the AC for more then 2 hrs straight at a time so...hopefully it holds up.

We are definitely excited about the trip. We leave here Tuesday at 4 am, planning to be at the Vette Museum on Thursday.

Stay tuned..:D:lurk:

Congrats and enjoy the trip,

Keep us posted if possible

This is on my list of things I need to do also

Neal

Like you I don't run with a spare tire but I run with a tire plug kit and 12v air compressor ala Z06. But you're probably doing the same. I do need to reinstall my spare tire tub like you did for the extra storage room. The wife and I just visted the Corvette museum and did the plant tour about 3 weeks ago. Good luck.

Yeah I'm taking a plug kit, mini compressor, Green Slime fix a flat and the tires are all brand new as of last week so hopefully I have the tire part covered.:D

Only parts I am taking are a spare MSD HEI and wires, some misc Holley parts/jets/gaskets and a spool of MSD spark plug wire and connectors/ends/boots in case I cook a wire or something stupid.

Other then that, what is has is what it has...everything on the car has been replaced within the last 5 years, 14k miles so...hopefully we are in good shape.

I am a little concerned about gas stops and fuel range, I can only go about 150 miles on a tank safely, so hopefully gas stations are plentiful. :willy:

Thanks Neal, on the way back we'll probably be sailing thru your neck of the woods.. Maybe we can meet up if timing is good.

I will never understand why so many people think you can't drive these cars long distances. Of course, you have to have a decent car, but 1500 miles is nothing more than 150 ten mile trips. And remember, in the 60's and 70's, that all there was. Same with old motorcycles. Modern cars are reliable, but so is any well maintained machine, no matter how old. Again, it has to be a well maintained car, new or old.

Car looks great and I'm sure you will have a blast. I drove my chopped model a coupe from SoCal to my new home in Mi when I moved, absolutely no creature comforts. It was the most fun trip of my life! I plan to drive my Vette to California next summer to visit family. What size tires are you running? I am curious as to how big a tire can be run before they effect wheel bearing life. Have fun number one. Can't wait to follow along on your trip. Mike

Sounds good, drop by anytime

Heck come by on the way out and we can pull the 200R out of mine and drop it in yours. That way you'll have OD for the trip, may help a little with gas.

Neal :thumbs:

My dream is for my C3 to either not BURN (engine oil) or LEAK (transmission) oil.

It would open such road-trip possibilities... :thumbs:

Perhaps I will prepare the vette for a "2016 Hot Rod Power Tour" :cheers:

Or, a Car Craft 'anti-tour'...

OR, just a damn Corvette ROADTRIP!!!

PERHAPS WE NEED TO START a "CF ROADTRIP" independent of some damn rag... Who needs HR or CC for that matter?!?

Maybe, I should just toss my case of engine/trans oil, tent and bed roll in the back and hit the OPEN ROAD!!!

You see the gallon of oil in my tire tub right? LOL.. Mine uses some oil on long highway runs for sure.. And the trans leaks some as well... Not enough to hit the ground but it seaps from every seal on the trans... Lol no biggie.

I will have to stay on top of the oil level like a hawk tho... I can only run 5.5 qts in my 7qt pan due to crank windage so...I'll likely be topping the oil off every morning.

I wanted to do the HR Power tour this year but the dates/locations didn't work for me. So I created my own little tour. It would have been fun to have another Vette/couple go with us but, it's hard enough to plan it all out just for us, let alone another group.

I'm trying to decide if I should book the cabin in Deals Gap now or just wait til we get there so our schedule is flexible. I like doing stuff on the fly but, if the cabins are sold out, wifey gonna be pissed.. :D

I'm sure we'll just wing it.

Is that the Vette with a Mark Jones Motor?

If so, I'm sure it'll be fine. :D

Yes, its Mark's hyd roller 496. One of his early ones.:cheers:

I'm sure I've done more torture testing and reliability testing for him then anyone has... Its been the best engine I have ever bought/built.