If you were motivated, could you drive your car across country starting tomorrow?

68BabyBlue · Nov 9, 2021

In 1996 I drove a 1966 Imperial from San Diego to Chicago, trip of a lifetime, car ran perfectly, was my daily driver for the next four years. Twenty years later, I drove my last '69 GTX from Waterloo, Iowa to State College, PA via Frederick, MD, nearly 2000 miles. No troubles on that one either, but the 3:54 rear didn't make for pleasant highway cruising. In 1996, gas was cheap, and the Imperial had a 2.94 rear. The gas bill for the GTX wasn't pretty.

Triplegreen500 · Nov 9, 2021

my '70 has 2.74 (I think) gears - perfect for the highway. No tach, but it's....relaxed, to say the least! Once I get the alignment sorted I could do it. Probably wouldn't until I get the dronemasters off...but I could.

I took my '72 Satellite wagon from MD to FL repeatedly in college (90's). Last college trip in '95 we had six people in there, as well as all the "stuff" for the convoy (including an '89 Daytona Shelby, an '86 Cutlass Ciera, and an '87 Shadow ES). I had luggage space, they didn't. 3.23 factory SG behind the original 318 with 340 cam and a 4bbl, manifolds and dual exhaust...splitting fuel six ways I guess it wasn't too bad lol.

Dennis H · Nov 9, 2021

Again?

440 4 speed · Nov 9, 2021

Cliff Ramsdell said:
I would do this in my GTS. Swap the bias ply tires and hit the road.

We go out on the weekends and do a couple hundred miles checking out “places”

We have done the US trip in the past, Connecticut to California and back, down through the south, back across the top home. 28 days, 27 states, 7400 miles.

Cliff Ramsdell
View attachment 1191048 View attachment 1191049 View attachment 1191050 View attachment 1191051

You are someone who really enjoys your car!! Good to hear about cars being used for what they were intended.
Can’t do it now, because it is all a part. We have driven to two shows in Missouri one in South Dakota, Illinois, Detroit and a few 350-400 mile trips.
Hope to be back on the road next summer.

440+6 · Nov 9, 2021

I'm sure mine would make it cross country.
Owned it for 42 years and never once left me on the side of the road.
Everything I have done to this car has been done with the idea of extreme dependability.
70 gtx 440+6, track pack (hemi 4 speed, dana 3.54).
I put quite a few miles on it and some long trips every year.
Never realy put it away for the winter, if it's a nice day and roads are clean, I'm driving it!

Dodge 330 · Nov 9, 2021

I've driven mine to small towns 30-40 miles away and back in the same day. I've put well over 7,000 miles since I built the 505 for it back in 2015. It also gets lots of dragstrip passes at test and tunes and nostalgia events. It's stone reliable and I drive it to work regularly. Did it yesterday in fact.

I originally built it to do events like Drag Week but have since reconsidered due to getting time off and the expense of these events.

So to answer the question, yes, I would drive it across country without issue. Then line up and rip off a few low 10's.

Darter6 · Nov 9, 2021

YES and have with many old Mopars
Photo is a round trip from Vegas to Nashville. Drove my 65 a few times,Duster once and my (2) 67 Darts twice.
Wife and I did a coast to cost in my 67 Dart (photo)

Bb70charger500 · Nov 9, 2021

Yup my 64 300k vert would go anywhere

dart4forte · Nov 9, 2021

My 52 is on its way to being a cross country cruiser. I have a 46RE sitting on a cart waiting for install. Not sur how comfortable but I’ll do some mid range trips to sort that out. Nice thing about the Phoenix area is that it’s a good starting point.

themechanic · Nov 9, 2021

Dennis H said:
Again?

Is that what Mrs. Harris said?

themechanic · Nov 9, 2021

Reminds me of what used car salesmen used to say back in the day, "Why, you can drive her from here to California."

Cliff Ramsdell · Nov 9, 2021

patrick66 said:
In my Imperial ragtop? Gas that up and hit the road now!

My Coronet? Any time.

My D300? With the flatbed on the back and 4.10 gearing, it'll be a slow ride (cue Foghat!), but it would probably do a 1,000 mile trip without much drama.

View attachment 1191083 View attachment 1191084 View attachment 1191085 View attachment 1191115

Patrick,
In the D300, nice. I did the same thing but the ‘64 had 4.88’s and a poly 318.

Connecticut to Florida three times at a top speed of like 55 mph.

Cliff Ramsdell

Cojohnso1 · Nov 9, 2021

I have posted before of a retirement fantasy of touring as many tracks as possible towing a car (maybe even two) across the US. I crunched some preliminary cost projection? And it turns out I would be broke after the first year? Possibly with in that first year? WTH! I guess a man can't even have a simple dream anymore? Lol. (At least not sponcerless?)

Cliff Ramsdell · Nov 9, 2021

440 4 speed said:
You are someone who really enjoys your car!! Good to hear about cars being used for what they were intended.
Can’t do it now, because it is all a part. We have driven to two shows in Missouri one in South Dakota, Illinois, Detroit and a few 350-400 mile trips.
Hope to be back on the road next summer.

I have a buddy with an original ‘68 hemi super bee. 727, 3.23’s. Repainted once and had mags and radials. He drives his car all over New England and said he got 15/16mpg heading to Carlisle this year.

Drive those cars everyone, it’s a short life and once we are gone who knows what fate awaits our beloved cars.

Cliff Ramsdell

Cojohnso1 · Nov 9, 2021

The record between NY to LA is 25 hours 39 min. A 2016 Audi S6. With modified 45 gal fuel cell. Averaging 112 MPH.

If I added a gal fiberglass fuel cell into the truck of my GTX? Giving a total of roughly 51 gal capacity? I wonder? Could it be possible? (Would probably need a new Gen III Hemi setup.) No turbo or supercharger power adder setup. Would use way too much fuel. A very well built and balanced 5.7 or 6.1 NA engine. Built to around 600 HP with lightweight internals would get the power required. (And of course a trans OD would be required.) A B-body 500 body style would probably be a better choice? With a Daytona/Superbird nose. (Lose the rear wing. Don't need that drag.)

What could go wrong?

66Satellite47 · Nov 9, 2021

My Satellite is not a long range vehicle 500 or 512 w/4.10 gears. In my youth my '70 Barracuda 383 2bbl or 4bbl, 3.23 was a fairly long distance car. Routinely drove 150 to 220 miles in day to get to a ski race. As far as St Paul to Kalamazoo MI. My '76 van did a run from St Paul to Gunnison CO in one day to pick up a tube drag car chassis.
In 1973 with my Barracuda, I made a trip from Rochester MN to St Paul in about 60 minutes, 110 miles. Lucky no State Troopers were on the highway.

wagonman · Nov 9, 2021

When I rescued my Dads 70 Charger I put tires belts,hoses ect and drove from L.I.N.Y. to Vegas That was 1986. Fixed it up and put about 50K on it driving all over the West. Wish I still had it. Have had my wagon since 1979 and rolled the clock over twice. The 68 R/R has about 10K on it since being finished and is ready to do a Florida trip to my Brothers new place. Just got back from Oregon in the 92 Dodge D250, time to change the oil again. Ready Set Lets GO. I think the Charger belongs to a Member here.

747mopar · Nov 9, 2021

Yes, wouldn't even sweat it.

Darter6 · Nov 9, 2021

Cojohnso1 said:
I have posted before of a retirement fantasy of touring as many tracks as possible towing a car (maybe even two) across the US. I crunched some preliminary cost protections

Been there.Costs $$$$ but worth every penny. I miss those days. Good times.

copper67sat · Nov 9, 2021

I am just starting to prep my 67 for a Thanksgiving trip to Daytona Beach, about 400 miles round trip of mostly highway miles. Finish off a small dash wiring project and reinstall the cluster, change the oil, check fluids, etc. and I could be on the road tomorrow with a high probability it will get me wherever I want to go whether it's crosstown or cross-country.

If you were motivated, could you drive your car across country starting tomorrow?

FBBO Gold Member

FBBO Gold Member

FBBO Gold Member

FBBO Gold Member

FBBO Gold Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

FBBO Gold Member

Oklahoma is OK

Oklahoma is OK

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

FBBO Gold Member

Similar threads