cross country trip

[Ryan.C]

I plan to drive my beautifully restored '66 Chrysler 300 from Ohio to where I live now Boise,ID the second week in May. The car has 7,500 miles on it since it was restored back in the '90's. It is entirely stock except the car has 1970 town and country front spindles and brakes, mopar electronic ignition and radial tires. It has been sitting since 2012. I will have three days to prep the car for this 2,000 trip. What would you do? spare parts? tools? ECT. As much fun as those guys have I do not want this to turn into a Roadkill episode when im passing through nowhereville USA. 

[moparjohn]

first off relax and enjoy the trip. Second get a spare ballast resistor, belts and maybe alternator, Tennessee and I have been to Tx and back twice, hope you enjoy the open road as we did!

[6bblgt]

How many of those miles did you put on it, or did you recently purchase it?  Newer than '90s tires?

[Chargerguy74]

Polywideblock posted this link in another thread http://www.moparaction.com/tech/archive/roadside.html

I did the same thing with a '73 Charger 3 years ago. Drove it from Ohio to Alberta, roughly 2000 miles. The car was far from restored, but I made it without having to touch a tool.It was a blast! Have fun!

[Back N Black]

This is what i carry in the trunk.
Voltage regulator
Ballest resistor
orange box (ECU)
fuel pump and push rod
starter relay
Coil
coolant
oil
tool box

[ITSA426]

I used to carry a trunk full of parts.  Now I carry a cell phone and credit card.  You might want to pack a couple member's phone numbers that are on the planned route so you have a place to stop for dinner.  Enjoy the drive.  You would have done it fearlessly in 1966.

[Ryan.C]

How many of those miles did you put on it, or did you recently purchase it?  Newer than '90s tires?

I purchased the car in 2002 or 2003. At the time it had 5,200 on the resto. I bought new tires for it in 2005 and about the same time installed a top end engine gasket kit. Both front calipers, master cyl and boster were replaced in 2010. I put stabilizer in the tank when I parked it in july of 2012 and havent touched it since.

[Mopar Nut]

This is what i carry in the trunk.
Voltage regulator
Ballest resistor
orange box (ECU)
fuel pump and push rod
starter relay
Coil
coolant
oil
tool box

I would add, Hoses, most common ones (radiator). Has the brake fluid been changed?
Fuel filter.
Fire extinguisher

[Ryan.C]

This is what i carry in the trunk.
Voltage regulator
Ballest resistor
orange box (ECU)
fuel pump and push rod
starter relay
Coil
coolant
oil
tool box

The brake fluid was changed out when I did the master cyl. but is most likely due for another change. Thanks for all the advise so far. If you guys think of anything else please post! 

I would add, Hoses, most common ones (radiator). Has the brake fluid been changed?
Fuel filter.
Fire extinguisher

[RallyeMike]

If not already in your tool box:

Baling wire.
Duct tape.
Plastic tie straps.
Hammer.

Always:

A spare ignition key in your other pocket, or your co-pilots pocket.

[stripedelete]

I made the almost the exact same trip in the opposite direction 30 years ago with my first Charger.  It was no creampuff.   Lots of unexpected problems that I doubt you will have with your car.

I can only say, LUGNUTS!  I had a brand new spare tire on a conventional rim. a.k.a Steelie.
The car had Cragers on the front and some kind of DOH turbine looking things on the rear.  When the front tire "went" the spare could not be secured with the Crager lug nuts.   This may be a non-issue for you, however,  I'm willing to bet there more than a couple members that have the same issue.  They just don't know it,,,, yet.

I can't remember if I left from Spokane or Pullman, but,  I ran into a blizzard in the mountains in Idaho.  It was June.  I'm sure you have better tires.

As mentioned above, a credit card, AAA card, some ignition parts.  Be careful your teeth don't crack from smiling  too hard.

[NHCharger]

I would try to do a quick shake down run, maybe 50 miles, before the long trip.

[Ryan.C]

well I got back from my cross country trip yesterday. It took 3 days and 2,054 miles from driveway to driveway. Before the trip I replaced a leaking trans pan and installed a new mini starter (sold new at the parts store for a 1988 dodge ram 318 fits great, cost about $100) I left Elyria, OH and just about the time I got into IOWA the 383 sprung an oil leak from the top of the engine, im guessing its the valley pan. From Iowa to IDAHO it took 6 qts of oil, HA. The bottom of my car has been rust proofed forever! other than that the car performed really well and runs smooth 75 and 80 mph. BTW the back seat is actually fairly comfortable to sleep on. I just got out my sleeping bag,locked the doors and chambered a round, good to go.   

[myk]

Now that's a man and his car taking care of business!

[stripedelete]

Will the last one to leave Lorain County please turn out the lights.

[Ryan.C]

Will the last one to leave Lorain County please turn out the lights.

HA, seems to be going that way.

[ws23rt]

This topic brings a smile.----We drove these cars (for the most part) (back in their day ) like we drive cars today.

We jumped in the car, put gas in it (sometimes checked the oil level) and were on a road trip.

So what is the difference today???  Is it lack of attention to the car and it's design needs??  

In the early eighties I drove a 68 hemi RR 370 miles round trip every week for two years. It used less than one qt. of oil per oil change and one change of spark plugs in those two years.  (the plugs may not have needed a change).

Do we have a distorted memory of how dependable these cars are?---or can be?

Edit-- I'm still thinking about this topic
Todays cars go well over 100k with nothing more than a jiffy lube now and then. Our old cars generally needed attention to more than just an oil change over that mile span but if all systems are sound they work quite well.

As for a road trip in an (old school) car.----I see part of the adventure is the way it was.---We do have cell phones today (which we didn't have then).

Another thought is---do we prepare for a road trip with a current car as though their will be no break down?   The new cars do fail from time to time. When they do there is little that can be done to fix them on the road as opposed to many simple fixes that can get us going again with the old cars.

[Ryan.C]

maybe your right but I got my drivers license in 1999. Our family cars growing up were a '65 Chrysler newport and a '73 IMP. Both of which were high mileage and were in need of frequent repair. from my point of view these cars(old mopars)are awesome and fun to drive but are not the most reliable comparative to modern vehicles. so that is why I was nervous about the drive. even though these cars can be repaired easily enough with basic hand tools finding a parts store that has stock on the shelf for an emergency en route repair would be challenging and not the scenario I want to deal with.

[Ryan.C]

Will the last one to leave Lorain County please turn out the lights.

fellow lorain county resident?

[stripedelete]

Will the last one to leave Lorain County please turn out the lights.

fellow lorain county resident?

Grew up Oberlin/South Amherst.  I have a home in Vermilion now.

Very sad to see. Extremely sad to see if you're old enough to remember back-in-the-day.   Lorain is a crater and Elyria is sliding into it.