Am i crazy (Driving 69 Satellite from Kentucky to Oregon)?

[Gort]

THe safest cheap route would be to fly down and rent a Uhaul truck and one of their nice little car haulers...Don't tell em your putting a big car on it...Tell em it's a compact car of some kind...

The fun and awesome route is to try to drive it back...Get AAA+...It's get you 100 miles of a free tow...If the car breaks down you can always tow to NEAR the Uhaul that has the truck and trailer and then drag her home...Either way it'll be a great story and life experience...

Nobody usually shares the wild story about how they had a car delivered...

I mention misleading the Uhal people cause I've had too many Uhaul employees tell me a 73 Charger is too big for their dual axle car hauler but they're wrong...It fits just fine...

Good luck either way...

 

[1 Wild R/T]

If the car breaks down you can always tow to NEAR the Uhaul that has the truck and trailer and then drag her home...Either way it'll be a great story and life experience...

Nobody usually shares the wild story about how they had a car delivered...

Good luck either way...

And that right there is why you drive the car....

 

[Sam69sat]

Thanks for all the advice. Lots of things to think about but i have some time. The car is insured through Hagerty as a classic and the guy i bought it from says it isn't bothering him. I would love to get it though and start working on it.

I think i'll have the local guy that initially looked at if for me do a more thorough check and see what it would take to get it road worthy for a long trip. If things check out i'll make sure to have some spare parts on hand for the drive.

Looks like i can fly down for around $225. My expenses other than gas (bar any major breakdowns) would be pretty low since i won't stay in motels or eat in restaurants. A sleeping bag, cooler of food and drinks is more my style. I've backpacked through the third world and also up in the high country locally so it's nothing for me to sleep in a car. Not sure what type of mileage a 318 satellite would get but i'm hoping the gas bill would be quite a bit less than $800 even if i stay south on the longer fair weather route.

 

[rumcustom]

It’s not a Mopar but my wife and I went to pick up a 67 Mustang that we bought a few years ago and drove it home 600 miles. The seller said it should be OK and we took his word for it. I had him bring a floor jack out of his garage and I checked the fluid in the rear, checked everything else out that I could thatI thought I would be concerned about on the highway, and I did bring extra oil, several gallons of water for the radiator, tools, bailing wire, and anything else that I thought I would need along the road. After our first stop for fuel the car wouldn’t start because the battery was dying (driving at night with the headlights on). We pushed the car off to the side and charged the battery with her car for 20 minutes and off we went. We did this along the interstate at rest stops repeatedly until we got home. We laughed every time we had to stop to charge the battery and it was a memorable trip that we will never forget. It turned out to be a bad connector on the voltage regulator and I fixed it quickly once we got home. It was her car and she really wanted to take it to work the next day to show it off. Despite me saying that I needed to go over the whole car to be sure it was safe she demanded to take it to work and I kind of don’t blame her, so she did. On her way home from work the master cylinder went out and she lost the brakes and went through a red light. She was lucky that she got the car stopped without causing thousands of dollars worth of damage, or worse, killing herself or anyone else. I was lucky also on that 600 mile trip that nothing else let go before I could check it out In my shop.
I guess my point is you have to ask yourself is the cost savings from not transporting the car home worth the risk of driving it before you can check it out completely?

 

[mopar 3 B]

Also to consider? Route? I'm assuming southern route 66? I towed my car back from Vegas once in winter. Decided to go over Colorado mountains. Its faster and more scenic. WILL NEVER DO ANYTHING THAT STUPID AGAIN!

You have never been threw Oklahoma in the winter time? Yes it snows there also. Not to mention the ice storms and that yellow mud crap they like to put down. So to the OP if you plan on driving no matter which way you go plan on some extra time and just park it if the weather gets bad.

 

[1 Wild R/T]

Fuel costs vary & under the incoming administration its pretty clear they are going up... But it'll take at least a week so you have a window but you might wanna hurry...

That said I was in Texas a month ago & fuel was under $2 a gallon.. Hopefully most of the free world is similar... Here in Commifornia it's nearly double that... But even at that level $800 will take you 2000 miles if you get 10 MPG... The only small block Mopar I ever drove for more than an hour was a Challenger with a 360 & it got 16 MPG pretty regularly.. So yeah, I don't see you burning that much fuel..

2100 miles @ 15 mpg = 140 gallons
2100 miles @ 12 mpg = 175 gallons

 

[Jeremiah]

If Covid restrictions were not in place and it was not winter I would do it. All things considered skip the headache and have them send it.

 

[mopar 3 B]

If Covid restrictions were not in place and it was not winter I would do it. All things considered skip the headache and have them send it.

What you think getting in and out of Oregon will be a problem? Can not comment beyond that.

 

[oldbee]

The brotherhood needs time & routes to help you on your way. I'm sure there's a bunch on your way there, you might even get a free mattress & floor to sleep on? Might be a shed/barn but heck, there's Covid going on! You might be pleasantly surprised.

 

[Runcharger]

Delay to March if possible. How old is the fuel tank and fuel lines? Rust in the fuel system is not fun to deal with on a highway trip. Ignition components can be found along the way if needed. I brought this home on glare ice this time of year, 426 Hemi, bald N50's. It gives you something to talk about when you get old.

 

[NJRR]

About 10 years ago, I sold my 70 Satellite drop top to a guy in Florida. He flew up to NJ and drove it 1200 miles to Florida in 2 days. Burned a quart of oil and that was it. He had some tools with him and a few basic items mentioned in a previous post. It was a 318 auto also. Granted, the car was in great shape and I took good care of it. If you have mechanical skills and the car passes a serious once over, I say go for it, especially if you're up for the adventure !!!

 

[myk r sanchez]

Since you dont know the actual mechanical health of the car its going to be a gamble for sure. If you decide to drive it back make sure you have AAA in your pocket. I have a friend who drove a blue 69 Charger R/T from New York all the way back to San diego last year; I thought it was crazy considering the somewhat rough condition of the car. But, he and the car made it...

 

[1 Wild R/T]

It tells you allot about the hobby when so many would rather throw the car on a trailer or a transporter... These things we play with are cars... They were meant to be driven... If you can't keep an old car running long enough to drive cross country maybe you should consider a new Mustang...

 

[myk r sanchez]

Agreed! But personally, i would only take a chance if I know the car thoroughly. I've owned my cars over an average of 18 years each and I would have no trouble driving cross country with any of them. Well, except for the 97 Camaro because that thing is nothing but trouble. But considering the OP doesn't know the car, the trip can go either way...

 

[1 Wild R/T]

Agreed! But personally, i would only take a chance if I know the car thoroughly. I've owned my cars over an average of 18 years each and I would have no trouble driving cross country with any of them. Well, except for the 97 Camaro because that thing is nothing but trouble. But considering the OP doesn't know the car, the trip can go either way...

True, but for me jumping in a car you know nothing about has always been part of the adventure... then again, I might be better at keeping junk running than some... I got through high school with $75 beaters.... My stuff always ran, if it didn't it would be soon... I still like the challenge of driving junk more than most...

 

[66 Sat]

Mate, when I was 23 I flew to Miami, first time.in the USA. Bought a $800 Cadilliac heap of **** and drove it to San Diego. It was December when I left, snowed in for a week in El Paso, had a blow out in the middle of Arizona.
Best trip of my life. No regrets.
Fly there, drive home.

 

[Sam69sat]

Thanks everyone for the great stories, advice, and support. This forum is amazing!

 

[Slap Stick]

Dont forget to license the vehicle.

 

[1 Wild R/T]

Roadkill Road Trip..

 

[Sam69sat]

Dont forget to license the vehicle.

Yep, good advice. Dmv said i'd need to get a temp permit to drive it since they won't title it under my name until they do an in person vin check. Good thing is i can get one online.