Who has dared to drive across country in a classic Mopar?

[sam dupont]

My cousin and I drove my Charger from South Dakota to Stockton California in 17 hours. Stopped for gas in Vegas. I stuck money in a one armed bandit and my cousin grabbed me. While being dragged out, I saw a huge, scowling bouncer bearing down on us. My cousin told me I would have been thrown out on my head as they can have license troubles over it. We were 18 and probably looked like we were 12

 

[Rcktmn94]

In September of 2018, I drove my 1970 Newport convertible cross country. One of my cousins flew up from Brazil and I showed him the US. We left Massachusetts and went to the Badlands National Park, Crazy Horse, and Mt. Rushmore. The following day we stopped at Devil's Tower and proceeded on a straight run to San Francisco completed in 23.5 hours. Then, we headed down to San Luis Obispo followed by L.A..
Our next stop was Las Vegas for 4 days where we took a day trip to the Grand Canyon with my wife and another couple who flew out to Vegas. The next leg was to Salt Lake City with a drive through Zion National Park. I dropped my cousin and wife off at the train station in SLC as they returned by rail and I continued back to Mass. by myself. Considering the other couple flew back from Vegas, it was our own version of Planes, Trains, and Automobiles.
I drove 8,038 miles in 16 days. And for those interested, the old girl got 14.7 mpg overall with a 383-2bbl.

Attached is a pic I took on the PCH.

 

[Kern Dog]

Hell yeah, that is great!

 

[440 4 speed]

Congratulations! Very nice to hear.

 

[HawkRod]

In September of 2018, I drove my 1970 Newport convertible cross country. One of my cousins flew up from Brazil and I showed him the US. We left Massachusetts and went to the Badlands National Park, Crazy Horse, and Mt. Rushmore. The following day we stopped at Devil's Tower and proceeded on a straight run to San Francisco completed in 23.5 hours. Then, we headed down to San Luis Obispo followed by L.A..
Our next stop was Las Vegas for 4 days where we took a day trip to the Grand Canyon with my wife and another couple who flew out to Vegas. The next leg was to Salt Lake City with a drive through Zion National Park. I dropped my cousin and wife off at the train station in SLC as they returned by rail and I continued back to Mass. by myself. Considering the other couple flew back from Vegas, it was our own version of Planes, Trains, and Automobiles.
I drove 8,038 miles in 16 days. And for those interested, the old girl got 14.7 mpg overall with a 383-2bbl.

Attached is a pic I took on the PCH.

View attachment 1932059

Right on - that's the way to do it!

I'm sure it was an awesome trip - especially driving a convertible in some of the great parks.

 

[68BabyBlue]

In an earlier post, I drove my '66 Imperial from San Diego to Chicago on its maiden voyage after I bought it in 1996. After I got it home, I then drove it from Chicago to the the Chrysler Nationals in Carlisle in 1996, '97, '98, and '99. In 2000, I moved back to Pennsylvania, and sold all my Mopars. I drove a hand me down Toyota Camry that had been my wife's car for the next seven years. After 14 years of abstinence, I got back into GTXs, and have been driving them to Carlisle for the last ten years. I don't own a car trailer.

 

[oldkimmer]

I drove my 68 dart from Unity Saskatchewan to Vancouver Island in 1988. Put on around 3200 miles. My 75 duster went from Kindersley Saskatchewan to Brandenburg Kentucky in 2006 and Memphis Tennessee. Kim

 

[autoxcuda]

From 93-97 I drove this from LA to Iowa back and forth every summer in college. No hotel stops. Usually 30-50 hours

Only used the car top carrier the last trip.

 

[Kern Dog]

Holy crap. Steve....you packed that dude tight!

 

[chargervert]

In September of 2018, I drove my 1970 Newport convertible cross country. One of my cousins flew up from Brazil and I showed him the US. We left Massachusetts and went to the Badlands National Park, Crazy Horse, and Mt. Rushmore. The following day we stopped at Devil's Tower and proceeded on a straight run to San Francisco completed in 23.5 hours. Then, we headed down to San Luis Obispo followed by L.A..
Our next stop was Las Vegas for 4 days where we took a day trip to the Grand Canyon with my wife and another couple who flew out to Vegas. The next leg was to Salt Lake City with a drive through Zion National Park. I dropped my cousin and wife off at the train station in SLC as they returned by rail and I continued back to Mass. by myself. Considering the other couple flew back from Vegas, it was our own version of Planes, Trains, and Automobiles.
I drove 8,038 miles in 16 days. And for those interested, the old girl got 14.7 mpg overall with a 383-2bbl.

Attached is a pic I took on the PCH.

View attachment 1932059

Kinda like the movie Joyride!

 

[autoxcuda]

Holy crap. Steve....you packed that dude tight!

It weighed 3500 lbs on grain elevator scale with me in it.

When it was packed like that, it weighed 5600 lbs with me in it. I had to run air shocks all the way pumped up. And look how low it still looks!

I broke the K-member LCA hole welds out coming home, because I didn't raise the Torsion bars in the front and I didn't have lower control arm bumpers.

 

[Kern Dog]

dang....you can see a negative arch in the springs!

 

[autoxcuda]

dang....you can see a negative arch in the springs!

Before I put the the air shocks on, the muffler was only one inch from the ground.

That picture might be before I put enough air in the shocks. The typical tire filler pumps only go up to like 50-60lbs? That didn't cut it. I needed full auto shop air compressor pressure.

 

[Kern Dog]

Knowing how flimsy the shackle mounts are in these cars, that is really risky!

 

[Budnicks]

In September of 2018, I drove my 1970 Newport convertible cross country. One of my cousins flew up from Brazil and I showed him the US. We left Massachusetts and went to the Badlands National Park, Crazy Horse, and Mt. Rushmore. The following day we stopped at Devil's Tower and proceeded on a straight run to San Francisco completed in 23.5 hours. Then, we headed down to San Luis Obispo followed by L.A..
Our next stop was Las Vegas for 4 days where we took a day trip to the Grand Canyon with my wife and another couple who flew out to Vegas. The next leg was to Salt Lake City with a drive through Zion National Park. I dropped my cousin and wife off at the train station in SLC as they returned by rail and I continued back to Mass. by myself. Considering the other couple flew back from Vegas, it was our own version of Planes, Trains, and Automobiles.
I drove 8,038 miles in 16 days. And for those interested, the old girl got 14.7 mpg overall with a 383-2bbl.

Attached is a pic I took on the PCH.

View attachment 1932059

Very cool...

 

[Sixpactogo]

Back when I was a kid with my first car, I had a 57 Ford Convertible. That car always got me where I wanted to go and half way home. Thank God those days are gone. I can't say I have driven any of my classic cars across country but wouldn't hesitate if the need arose. I have taken them from Wisconsin to the Mopar Nationals in Ohio many times with zero break-downs. Met Don Garlits in August at the Nationals in 1997 and he invited us and our 60 Dart Phoenix to his show in Ocala Fla in November. Between the round trip to Ohio and the round trip to Ocala Fla. that year would have been close to 5,000 miles with nothing but gas, food and motel stops. In 1985, I bought my 65 Fury sight unseen. I flew to Montana to get it. Half way home in Jamestown N Dakota it ate the front bearing on the crank shaft. I had to rent a Ryder truck and dolly to get it home. The only other failure I recall was my own doing. Back in the early 90's I swapped an electronic ignition in my 65 Sport Fury and knew nothing about the need for a good case ground on the ECU. It took 3 or 4 shut-downs along side the road with no spark before I figured out what the problem was. Since then, the only vehicle that made me walk was my wife's 2000 Durango when the crank sensor took a dump. Luckily I was only a couple miles from home. I credit my good luck to preventative maintenance even though I know the old saying. "**** Happens!"

 

[Budnicks]

It weighed 3500 lbs on grain elevator scale with me in it.

When it was packed like that, it weighed 5600 lbs with me in it. I had to run air shocks all the way pumped up. And look how low it still looks!

I broke the K-member LCA hole welds out coming home, because I didn't raise the Torsion bars in the front and I didn't have lower control arm bumpers.



View attachment 1932351

View attachment 1932352



View attachment 1932350

strati-quickly packed, dang that's a load inside

 

[mmissile]

Before car transport companies, I made a business out of driving mopar-muscle from LA to Detroit. I drove across the country, MANY times. It was lucrative, till the truckers figured out there was money in moving old cars.
My biggest draw was when I had one for sale, and someone asked "if the car was reliable". When I told them I drove it 2500 miles to my driveway, they sold, quickly.

 

[autoxcuda]

Before car transport companies, I made a business out of driving mopar-muscle from LA to Detroit. I drove across the country, MANY times. It was lucrative, till the truckers figured out there was money in moving old cars.
My biggest draw was when I had one for sale, and someone asked "if the car was reliable". When I told them I drove it 2500 miles to my driveway, they sold, quickly.

Did you bring them for Dean Herron. He used to poach Mopars from So Cal back in the day.

 

[mmissile]

Nope. All for me. I had 2 friends who hunted for me. One friend still lives out there. [how sad]
I always had 2 cars in rotation.