Greatest Road Trip (story time)

[73-Charger-Canada]

Hey guys, I got to live my Charger dream a little while ago, and wanted to tell you folks about it! I bought my 1973 Charger about 3 years ago as a roller. Since then I've totally rebuilt a 440 for it, rebuilt a A833 4 speed for it, and got everything tuned up. I live in southern Ontario, Canada, and a friend of mine was getting married in northern Michigan at the end of September this year, so I knew that I wanted to take the Charger for that drive! It was about 660 km one way, and it was absolutely beautiful driving up to the top of the Michigan thumb (Lake Leelanau if anyone knows it!). Cruising with the girlfriend, 440, bench seat, 4 speed, just can't be beat. It was a big moment after all the blood, sweat and tears of getting the car ready over 3 years, truly felt like a triumph. Of course being an old car, there were things to prepare for. Brought tools, jack, spare belts and fuses, fluids, etc, but luckily with our cars the trunks go on for days! Only two hiccups the whole way. Threw a fan belt about 3/4 of the way there, two minutes on the side of the road and we were back at it. On the way back (after grabbing another spare belt from your trusty autozone) again we made it about 3/4 of the way back, and my throttle return spring broke going 65 mph! Got lucky that there was an off ramp coming up, so took the car out of gear and turned the ignition to accessory so I could coast it in safe. Turns out just the end hook had broken off, so I bent a new hook with some pliers, reattached the spring, and took the car all the way home! Almost like the time I had to fix a bad vacuum leak with a ziploc bag and a hair tie, but that's a story for another time. Anyway, long story long, is after wrenching and toiling on this thing for 3 years, we had an amazing road trip that felt like a million bucks. 

I would love to hear about your road trips guys! the more we drive'em, the better

Ian

[Mytur Binsdirti]

I would love to hear about your road trips guys!

Twice in the early 80's, I drove from Massachusetts to the Mopar Nats at the Chrysler Proving Grounds and back in my 68 Hemi Charger.

The end.

[moparjohn]

In 2005 I drove my Charger from NJ, down to Lexington Va, met up with Wayne Wooten and drove to Madison Wisconsin .  That weekend we has a TDC met there.  Sunday night 7 Chargers started the drive south to Boerne Texas!!   We got there for the following weekend and had another TDC met in the town square. and then drove home to NJ, NO ISSUES!!!! great trip!

[Petebell68]

Drove to Carlise and back this year about 7 hours each way with my two boys and other than a couple of flats we had a blast .
Kids need to know what long drives in cars used to be like .

Your trip sounds amazing glad your car ran well and you had fun .

[BDF]

I'm glad you had a great trip!
I've taken 2 road trips this year. 1st to LA, Ca. (700+ miles, 3 HOURS stop/go to do 30 miles in 100* heat).
2nd trip was up 1/101 to Oregon for salmon then inland & up to Portland and all over the place (1000 miles).
I had to detour home because I5 was on fire so that added a couple hundred more than I had planned on.
I can't post pics here but the trip was documented as ROAD TRIP @ FBBO. Is it OK to say that here?
The only issue either time was a flat tire in Cave Junction, OR that I sustained while trying to minimize attention.
That didn't work out so well...

[Kern Dog]

I would love to hear about your road trips guys!

Twice in the early 80's, I drove from Massachusetts to the Mopar Nats at the Chrysler Proving Grounds and back in my 68 Hemi Charger.

The end.

Christ...How OLD are you? Those cars were never cheap. In the early 80s I was in high school. I thought we were the same age.

[RallyeMike]

I hope the best is yet to come, however so far I'd say it was the first road race I did in the 72. It was 850 miles Seattle to West Wendover NV, won my class, and back home again. Everyone thought we were nuts to drive a (then) 30+ year old car that far and expect to run it for an hour at triple digits and still make it back home. They were probably right.

[73-Charger-Canada]

Guys these are amazing stories! To travel that far AND race the car when you got there is wild! Let alone win!

That trip was really a capstone for the build (even though I see people had much longer ones!) It was really the first chance I had to stretch the legs of the charger after I put it all together. Also my first complete engine rebuild and trans refresh, so the smile on my face was huge when everything worked perfectly the whole time.

Like someone said above, hopefully the best is still yet to come. I had to put the cars away yesterday, it's getting pretty winter-y up here, sad day. But, I at least drove the Charger to storage for one last ride of the year, and the C*maro got trailered.

Drive them any chance you get!

[74Rallye]

In 1980 I flipped a coin for North or South. Spent 4 months on I-95 North leaving from VA. Cops asked me leave NJ, I ran from NYC after a wrong exit and Connecticut was by far the friendliest state in the North East. Slept in my car, sometimes a tiny pup tent and under picnic tables in parks when I needed to stretch out. Bathed in swimming pools at night. I rented a room and spent 2 months in CT odd jobbing. I returned South after the weather started getting cold and I realized I didn't have a coat and I couldn't afford one. That was the last time I was skinny with long hair. Truly a great time.

[stripedelete]

In 1984, a friend and I, drove a $600 69 Charger from Pullman, Washington, to Oberlin, Ohio. We still can, and do, make a room laugh so hard they pee when we regale them with our adventure.

Thirty five years of a charmed life later, the trip is still in my "top five".

Btw, I probably overpaid for the car by about $300.