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

Not a classic at the time - it was just my daily driver - but in April of '83, I drove my '70 GTX from WI to Santa Clara, CA by myself. No credit cards or phone, just traveler's checks and paper maps. No issues. I spent the summer there sleeping on my brother's couch. I returned in August that same year. On the return trip, short on money, I slept in the car in a rest stop in Wyoming for a few hours. The car was full of my stuff so I laid across the the bucket seats with my feet sticking out the passenger door window. It was a 4-speed car, too. That trip today would cost a small fortune in gas.




These days, I do drive my Satellite a couple of hundred miles round trip to Mopar shows in the Milwaukee area a couple of times a year. I think that's pretty good. It does annoy me when the long distance award goes to a 2020 Challenger, though.

Did it in a 76 Toyota Corona I bought for $200 in 1991. It had a license plate under the floor mat to cover the big *** hole in the floor board.

Dennis H said:

Hello. Allentown, Gulfport…San Jose, Los Angeles.

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And Oklahoma City!

I drove out to New Mexico, to Alamaguardo, to meet a guy I had become friends with. He linked me up with people who had rust free parts and I hit junkyards, etc. Bought fenders, grilles, some quarter panels, inner fenders. You name it. My 'friend' I went out there with(long story), decided he wanted to go back home to the Cincy area. He took my 72 New Yorker and drove it home. I was stuck in New Mexico, but I had found a 73 340 4 spd Duster. I bought it, did the quickie tune up, made my first ever trip to Pep Boys and had them put 4 new tires on it. I rented a Uhaul trailer and bumper hitch, and proceeded to make the rounds picking up all the parts I had bought. I had zero tools, just lots of ignorance and determination. I drove that duster from Alamaguardo NM all the way back to Cincy with no mufflers on it. I think I lost 30% of my hearing that trip. Beautiful drive, but man, was I beat when I made it home. I think I drove 18 to 20 hours a day, it was 55 mph then, so it took FOREVER! But it was an adventure and anyone that knows me knows that's my spice of life. I miss that duster. One thing I will say is, you will grow very attached to your car after a trip like that. It was really tough for me to let it go whwn I did sell it.
I travelled all over the country in my 72 New Yorker, I hauled a car trailer or a tow dolley with it, depending on where I was going and what I was going to get. So I guess I put 12k miles or more on that NY, it was a cool old C body. Very trouble free and reliable. From NM to Louisiana, to Florida, to Missouri, I drug stuff all over the place.

Kern Dog said:

I could say that is was presented with a dare, a challenge to drive across the country from California to Pennsylvania next year for the Carlisle Mopar Nationals.
It sounds tempting but we all know how easy it is to say yes to something that is a just an idea and not yet a reality.
I’ve driven this car long distances in California.

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I’ve made the trip from north to south and back 5 or 6 times, racking up just shy of 1000 miles each time with zero breakdowns but drive across country? It is approximately 2500 miles from the Sacramento area to middle Pennsylvania. That is another animal!
I thought that there was a thread on the forum a few years back where a younger than average FBBO member from Oregon flew to South Carolina or somewhere around there and bought either a Belvedere or Coronet and drove it back all by himself. He posted pictures and updated the thread during the drive back.
Aside from well known guys like HawkRod and his two epic journeys, who else has dared to do this?

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I'll fly out and co-pilot, always wanted to do this. And I'm handy with a wrench and electrical.

Kern Dog said:

That is GREAT!
I love hearing of how people overcame their breakdowns.

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Not a breakdown, but set this scenario in your mind. Driving an original straight six, 3-on-the-tree, 6volt electrical 53 GMC pickup in March 1975. Truck was l-o-a-d-e-d like the Beverly Hillbillies truck. Now, I'm driving through the Rocky Mountains and this thing is puffin', huffin', and a-chuggin' up the mountainous inclines. Just me and a dog in the cab, listening to Doobie Bros. Black Water on the radio, wondering if this truck is gonna wheeze out at any minute. Never did. I did feel better when I hit the flat plains in eastern New Mexico toward Amarillo. Oh... the truck is alive and well to this day owned by a family member. Still the same.

64BEL said:

Not a classic at the time - it was just my daily driver - but in April of '83, I drove my '70 GTX from WI to Santa Clara, CA by myself. No credit cards or phone, just traveler's checks and paper maps. No issues. I spent the summer there sleeping on my brother's couch. I returned in August that same year. On the return trip, short on money, I slept in the car in a rest stop in Wyoming for a few hours. The car was full of my stuff so I laid across the the bucket seats with my feet sticking out the passenger door window. It was a 4-speed car, too. That trip today would cost a small fortune in gas.

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These days, I do drive my Satellite a couple of hundred miles round trip to Mopar shows in the Milwaukee area a couple of times a year. I think that's pretty good. It does annoy me when the long distance award goes to a 2020 Challenger, though.

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What annoys me is someone arriving at a car show in their 100,000more motor home and car on a trailer. Expecting a distant award. True award should go to the ones that actually drove their car there. Or make an an award for driven and another for those who haul their trailer queen.QUOTE="64BEL, post: 913176417, member: 2991"]
Not a classic at the time - it was just my daily driver - but in April of '83, I drove my '70 GTX from WI to Santa Clara, CA by myself. No credit cards or phone, just traveler's checks and paper maps. No issues. I spent the summer there sleeping on my brother's couch. I returned in August that same year. On the return trip, short on money, I slept in the car in a rest stop in Wyoming for a few hours. The car was full of my stuff so I laid across the the bucket seats with my feet sticking out the passenger door window. It was a 4-speed car, too. That trip today would cost a small fortune in gas.

View attachment 1884570


These days, I do drive my Satellite a couple of hundred miles round trip to Mopar shows in the Milwaukee area a couple of times a year. I think that's pretty good. It does annoy me when the long distance award goes to a 2020 Challenger, though.
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I haven't dared drive across country yet, but I wouldn't be against it. I took my Belvedere from Springfield Oregon to Reno Nevada after it sat in the garage for almost a decade collecting dust, nearly a 1000 mile trip. It was a very comfortable trip the bench seat to me is better than any new car crap I've sat in. I can't stand any Japanese car interiors for long drives. Only hiccup for me was some vapor lock idling in construction in Susanville California. I wanna drive Route 66 eventually.

Cross country road trips have been done since 1903.

The Original Cross-Country Road Trip | Field Ethos

My PT cruise was a "what the heck" trip. Darren's truck was a no go, so I offered up the wagon. It was my first long drive other than 3 hour shots to shows, races etc. It was fun.

Can’t control conditions. Weather. Traffic. And on. 100 miles from Carlisle to Allentown to rescue Linda from the “kids. First 81N to 78E. Cluster Foxtrot. Lane closure and heavy downpour. This in a MODERN CAR but have done this many times in the 69. Risk overheating or getting rear ended.
Make sure your ride is ready and enjoy alternates. After 30 miles, the other 70 were on “old 22 adjacent to 78. Fast moving with a few small Towns on the way. Add the gorgeous Pennsylvania countryside.

I am a genuine optimist that often bites off far more than I can chew. I often don’t think the bad things will happen because historically, they haven’t. I’ve had good fortune in my life and not had the burdens cast upon me that many others have had.
I may appear to have a naive approach to big projects, one that to others, seems ill informed and overly positive. I can’t help being who I am. I do not want to be the negative guy that is afraid to take risks for fear of inconvenience.

440 4 speed said:

They were looking for any speeders, not exclusively tourists>

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I noticed you used the trail duster to tow, made me think of our towing experience.
February of 1991we bought two 1966 Chargers about 400 miles away. My brother and family were on the way back from skiing in British Columbia and met us.
We had a 76 full time 4x4 Blazer. My wife drove one, and I flat towed the other. She had our son and a nephew with her. I was in the lead then my wife and then my brother and sister in law.
I came to a long valley, straight wide road. Going down the tail started shaking the dog, coming down the opposite side was 72-74 full size Mercury. I was using up the whole highway trying to make sure if I hit the rhubarb I would go straight in and not roll. The Merc had slowed down as we met the driver gave us a thumbs up and the passenger wiped her brow.
It got dark and the alternator quit on the car that my wife was driving. Luckily there was a full moon and lots of snow. She tucked in behind me and my brother closed in on her. Between my taillights and his headlights we got to a small town about 130 miles from Saskatoon. Took the battery out of the Blazer, put it in the Charger boosted the Blazer. Got coffee’s and carried on. She couldn’t use the heater fan. About-15F. Got home about midnight night. Close to 12 hours.
Adults had a couple of well deserved beverages.
After that we got a new Toyota 4Runner in December, special ordered from Japan.
Since then any tow vehicle has always had a longer wheel base than track. The Blazer almost had the same wheel base as track.

Kern Dog said:

I am a genuine optimist that often bites off far more than I can chew. I often don’t think the bad things will happen because historically, they haven’t. I’ve had good fortune in my life and not had the burdens cast upon me that many others have had.
I may appear to have a naive approach to big projects, one that to others, seems ill informed and overly positive. I can’t help being who I am. I do t want to be the negative guy that is afraid to take risks for fear of inconvenience.

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I think you should make the trip, even though everything Dennis outlined in the previous post will happen to you on steroids in a long haul from coast to coast. I drove I-80 from New York to California in a tractor trailer in the 80s, and learned that even if things go well, you need to be ready to manage detours around big cities in daylight hours, prepare for delays from wrecks and construction. Driving to Carlisle in July, you will be fighting lane closures the whole way across the rust belt, as the winter damage gets repaired in the summer.

You are at the age when it is still doable. I drove that GTX home when I was 62, knowing the curtain was starting to come down. I had your energy and physical prowess when I was your age. Use it while you still can. I was perhaps overly optimistic when I drove the Imperial cross country in 1996. I presented the story to show that sometimes you get away with being optimistic.

The trip I made in 2016 went well, but I still lost unpredictable amounts of time trying to visit people along the way. The fact you're retired is a huge plus. You will be fine if you allow plenty of surplus time. If you get in early, you can stay at my place. It's a great staging area for Carlisle. Dennis stayed with me two years ago.

We take mostly State highways in the Chargers, see more and most of the time someone comes to talk when you stop for fuel.Also more history and scenery. Drive about 9:00am-3:00pm.
When taking the B van we would drive longer.

I would love to do it. But dont think I could now. Unless it was updated to some modern convivences. AC would be a HUGE requirement IMO.
I would love to do it in my 66 Satellite. But it would all depend on time of year and the route. Across country to either Carlisle or the Nats would be brutal
WILL I ever do it ?, Not likely

I do know a few people who have done it. But they were years ago
Friend of mine drove his Superbird from northern Ky to Southern Ca and back, 6 barrel 4spd car. But this was done late 70s - very early 80s time frame. That same car now has 175k miles on it and is one one owner

Another drove his new to him 1966 Hemi Coronet purchase from Southern Ca to Ontario Canada ( one way trip ) early 80s time frame.
He drove his new to him late 2000s ZO6 Corvette maybe 2 years ago from Phoenix to Ontario Canada. But that car was A LOT newer and well equipped to comfortably make such a trip

Marvin Hughes drove his 1966 hemi Belvedere conv from Florida to MI and back to FL for the very first Chrysler Car Club convention, But that was 1981


All this said, I would love to do such a trip and have given thoughts to do the west coast power tour. I would stock up on a spare dist, Alternator , voltage regulator and maybe a water pump. Take a carb kit with spare floats just in case

Issue could see is NO ONE stocks anything for vintage muscle Mopars , Now factor in hemi car and you are looking at days to have anything specific shipped in

In 2006, the wife and I drove this:




.....from here in Granite Bay across Nevada, Utah, Northeast up into the bottom edge of Wyoming on I-80, south through Colorado, I-70 through Kansas and then to Oklahoma where we joined in on Route 66.
I'm lucky that we get along great. When you spend that much time in a vehicle with another person, you really need to have something in common.

Kern Dog said:

I could say that is was presented with a dare, a challenge to drive across the country from California to Pennsylvania next year for the Carlisle Mopar Nationals.
It sounds tempting but we all know how easy it is to say yes to something that is a just an idea and not yet a reality.
I’ve driven this car long distances in California.

View attachment 1884250

I’ve made the trip from north to south and back 5 or 6 times, racking up just shy of 1000 miles each time with zero breakdowns but drive across country? It is approximately 2500 miles from the Sacramento area to middle Pennsylvania. That is another animal!
I thought that there was a thread on the forum a few years back where a younger than average FBBO member from Oregon flew to South Carolina or somewhere around there and bought either a Belvedere or Coronet and drove it back all by himself. He posted pictures and updated the thread during the drive back.
Aside from well known guys like HawkRod and his two epic journeys, who else has dared to do this?

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Yeah, I think you mean me that "presented" the dare.

I'll cover some other comments below, but let me tell you, the two big trips I have made are some of the most epic things I have done EVER in my life. If you have an opportunity, you really should.

PlymCrazy said:

Not me, but I’d love to do that.
Any classic car would be cool to me.
A tool box, some spare parts and a set of jumper cables…
Just like the good old days of dad and his cars we’d have to keep running just for his few-hour-long Sunday drives with the family.

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As you state, the key is to have a few tools and key spare parts that (a) are most likely to fail and (b) are hard to get quickly and (c) relatively small so they can be brought along.
I don't worry about tires (I had one fail and replaced two tires on my 2022 trip - 275/60 took just a 1/2 day to get) or things like alternators and most brake parts. Believe it or not, they are fairly readily available. I DID have a spare coil and electronic ignition modules for my 2022 trip, plus some key fuel injection system stuff in 2015 in case I had a problem.

Richard Cranium said:

I did drive my 68 Hemi Charger from Massachusetts to the Chrysler Proving Grounds for the Mopar Nats twice back in the day and that’s as far as I’ve gone in the old junk.

In 2 weeks time, I drove cross country and back in my 84 Dodge Daytona way back in 1984. That car would qualify as an antique today.

Being used to the comfort of today’s cars, with air conditioning, I can’t imagine driving close to 6,000 miles round trip in one of our old beaters.

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I agree that the key is to make sure a few things are ready to do the trip.
I really think some type of overdrive (or a 2.76 rear) are a must to do a long trip. If your car sounds like a race car, that might not be too good either. You don't want a loud drone for hours in the car. For me, A/C is very high on the list of "wants", but when mine crapped out (sprung a leak) in my 73 Road Runner on my 2022 trip, we just left it broken. My good ol' Thermoquad worked fine for our 2022 trip, but a FI converted car really does work better when dealing with both sea level and 14,000 foot passes.
Overall though, these cars are very comfortable. With A/C and overdrive (or 2.76 rear), you can very comfortable do it. Just make sure your car is well sorted.

1 Wild R/T said:

You know it won't be a direct route... There are places along the way that must be visited that will pull you off your route... So, the 5200 mile trip will be 6000-6500... You could dream about averaging 500 miles a day but honestly most days 350 would be realistic & there are gonna be days spent going to museums or racetracks... Or the Grand Canyon, or visiting FBBO members... Or dealing with car issues...

Figure a minimum of 25 days on the road not counting hitting Carlisle... Or possibly hitting the Mopar nationals along the way...

Now, lets consider the weather, seems like I was reading about a member trying to get home from Carlisle yesterday that had to detour around a few floods... How many crazy weather incidences would you catch spending a month driving coast to coast and back?

I love my 150-400 mile vintage car adventures... A two three day 1000 mile adventure is great...

6000 miles of not the best seats, $4 a gallon gas, sleeping in the car or a tent, questionable hotels & food poisoning...

I've been coast to coast a few times in old cars it was a blast but I'm not sure I would want to do it again...

I have the upmost respect & admiration for Hawk having done the trip a few times in recent years...

Sorry, I guess I'm not being much of a ray of sunshine...

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I did 5,800 miles in 2015 (70 Road Runner - cross country one way), 11,057 miles in 2022 (73 Road Runner - cross country both ways) and 2,200 miles in 2023 (70 Road Runner - Hot Rod Power Tour). Plus other much smaller trips.

For long cross country trips, if you are just trying to get it done then the trip will likely be a chore. For both of my cross country trips we tried to target an average of 4 hours of driving per day. More than that and it gets to be a chore. Plus, we also tried to check out something cool at our stops. LOTS of great stuff to see in this country!

I said this earlier - these trips were awesome, and the next big trip is planned to be Barry's 67 GTX. But I'll keep driving my cars and enjoying them.
Maybe try a 4 day trip at some point - you don't make memories with these cars sitting in the garage!

Nxcoupe said:

I'll fly out and co-pilot, always wanted to do this. And I'm handy with a wrench and electrical.

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I'll second that.
Having a co-pilot (or two) is almost a must. I think it would suck to do it all alone.

Kern Dog said:

I am a genuine optimist that often bites off far more than I can chew. I often don’t think the bad things will happen because historically, they haven’t. I’ve had good fortune in my life and not had the burdens cast upon me that many others have had.
I may appear to have a naive approach to big projects, one that to others, seems ill informed and overly positive. I can’t help being who I am. I do not want to be the negative guy that is afraid to take risks for fear of inconvenience.

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You have good mechanical aptitude, a very nicely built car, and the capability to deal with things as needed. There is no reason you can't do this.

Especially in 2015, I felt like I had all of FBBO as a "sag wagon". When I started having transmission issues, members came out of the woodwork to offer me parts, places to work, etc. If we, as a FBBO community, follow along with people's trips, we can do a lot to help if something DOES happen.

davek said:

Drove my charger from Rochester NY to Houston Texas when I was young and in love had a water bed tied to the top

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You really have to be in love if you're doin' it on the roof!

Coelacanth said:

You really have to be in love if you're doin' it on the roof!

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Was it Love at 21?