Long distance driving/traveling with vintage cars

[TTR]

19 hours ago, Ben Bruce aka First Born said:

 

 Don't despair. Planning.

 

  Ben

Thanks Ben.

I’m eagerly waiting 😀

 

In the meanwhile...

 

Friday afternoon I went to check out rides participating in ‘19 The Great Race and ended up advising/assisting one of the participants with a carburetor issue, which almost forced them to DNS. 

 

Then  later in the evening when already at home, received a phone call from another team to see if I could/would  help by providing shop facilities for an an engine swap they were contemplating that night due to some major failure on their original engine. I said I wouldn’t mind let them use my shop, which is only few miles away from their hotel and the gentleman said he’ll call me back shortly, but I never heard back from hiim/them again that evening. Apparently they opted for doing it in the hotel parking garage with enthusiastic crowd of spectators  cheering them on. 

Supposedly they got it done inabout 4.5 hrs.

 

Then Saturday, after seeing The Race take off, I went home, pack the Roadster and this morning, we drove up to Big Bear for couple of days for little R & R, higher altitude cruising, hiking and testing my newly rigged on-board driving video recording gear.

With exception of audio quality, first few clips appear much better than expected.

 

And by the last edit, we’ve racked up about 150 miles, so far...

 

Roadside “pit stop”, sometimes even the smallest shady spots are appreciated:

 

The lake in the distance:

Edited June 24, 2019 by TTR
Refining details (see edit history)

[MCHinson]

We arrived for the 36-38 Buick Club tour this afternoon. As we rolled into the host hotel in Canton, Ohio, we have now travelled a total of 665.5 miles in the 1937 Century over the past two days. The club tour starts in the morning. Attached is a quick photo that I took today to give you an idea about the type of terrain that I was driving through most of today.

[Marty Roth]

Get out and drive.

 

Year before last, we drove our 1954 Cadillac convertible 10,000 miles over a three month period,

mid-March to June, from New Orleans to show the car, and to judge the AACA show at Palm Springs, California. We then drove to Malibu to visit family, and continued up the PCH and drove the AACA Divisional Tour based just outside of Yosemite. Afterward, we continued north to visit a nephew in Portland, Oregon, as well as friends in Vancouver, Washington. We drove the Columbia River Gorge to The Dalles and back, and had intended to continue to Canada's Vancouver Island and to drive cross Canada via the CoQUahalla(?), but a dental emergency required a quick trip home. We then continued to Gettysburg to drive the Founders Tour, and then to just north of Minneapolis, before heading to Independence, Missouri to judge at the AACA Grand National.

 

A slight "miss" was noticed, and was corrected by replacing the distributor cap (we do carry typical tune-up spares, just-in-case).

 

Edited June 25, 2019 by Marty Roth (see edit history)

[Walt G]

Marty your words say it all "Get out and Drive" . I have done so for decades as have you. The 1931 Franklin Derham bodied victoria brougham I owned and restored I drove for nearly 50,000 miles under its own power. The only time the car saw a trailer was when it had a broken rear spring , or no engine in it.  My buddy Bob who now owns the car is still driving it on tours and shows it as well at concours ( which I never did as I never was into awards for anything of any kind)  Marty , like you, I carry a spare set of ignition parts and some spark plugs and fuel filter with me, but have never ever used them - did lend them to others tough so they could make the trip home under their own power.

[Marty Roth]

Although unplanned, our 1941 Cadillac cabriolet (convertible coupe) DROVE approximately 2,000 miles over an eight (8) day timeframe this past September.

 

Our 2000 Ford Excursion with the 7.3L diesel had a Turbo Failure, dumping nearly all 15 quarts of engine oil through the exhaust - this on a Saturday late morning in Wamsutta, just west of Rawlins, Wyoming en route to Twin Falls, Idaho for the 2018 Glidden Tour. We left the Ford and trailer with a towing company to be transported the following Monday to a Ford dealership for repairs and replacement of the turbocharger and its base. Backing the '41 Caddy out of the trailer, we loaded all luggage, as well as tools and spares into the trunk and back seat, and by noon we were headed west. Almost all of the 500 mile trip was Interstate Highway, and we pretty much kept up with modern traffic. The last segment of the trip meant driving a bit faster than I would have preferred so as to get to our hotel not too much after dark, since the Caddy's 6-Volt taillights don't give much warning to the big trucks coming up behind us at better than 80mph. The tour, plus our extra wanderings to enjoy the area, was an additional 1,000-plus miles, and we traveeled the last 500 mles back to retrieve our tow rig, learning the hard way on the trip home, that the replacement turbo was defective.

 

The most enjoyable part of the trip was driving the 1941 convertible, and you can well-imagine the "thumbs-up" we got from folks along the way. Many may have incorrectly assumed that it had been upgraded, but she is still an essentially all original, unrestored car with either touch-up or some older paint work, now with a bit over 46,xxx miles from new - we bought her with around 20,000 miles on the odometer following Hurricane Katrina in 2006, and have spoken with the prior owners. She was apparently never anyone's daily driver, having been purchased by "Miss Cornelia at the Biltmore as a divorce present for her husband John, later auctioned and purchased by a gentleman in Denver who subsequently sent it through yet another Kruse auction. The next conservator owned the NAPA stores in Casper, Wyoming. After 25 years, he put it up for sale and I had the good fortune to have the late AACA President and 1941 Cadillac expert, Howard Scotland, and his wife Judy drive to Casper to check it out for me prior to purchase. It has served us well, and is real eye candy, according to our friends. 

[TTR]

We had a great couple of days up in the mountains, accumulating +/-250 miles of which less than 10% had be wasted on those dreadfully boring “conveyor belts”, commonly known as Freeways & Interstates SoCal appears to be littered with.

We even explored some very cool, higher elevation dirt/fire/forest roads above Big Bear with magnificent views and I managed to record over a dozen short (2-10 minutes each) driving video clips on some cool roads, including aforementioned ridge line dirt roads, with my newly rigged equipment.

I’ll try to make a couple of minute compilation when time allows and post here, if anyone is interested.

Edited January 3, 2020 by TTR (see edit history)

[MCHinson]

We left Canton, Ohio Friday morning. We took the "scenic route" for the first 400 miles or so on the way home. Driving the smaller roads (Google Maps really takes the "Avoid Highways" setting seriously!) including some really narrow country lanes and interesting Ohio and West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Virginia mountain roadways was quite fun. We traveled through a lot of historic small towns with interesting old buildings. We found an interesting smoke filled bar in Baker, West Virginia with really good burgers and fries. After leaving there, we discovered that following our Google maps generated "off the beaten track" pathway led us into a cellular service dead zone as we left the bar. After driving a while before I got phone service again, We decided to generate a new route. The car was driving so good that with regular gas and bathroom stops, we decided to go ahead and drive the rest of the way home. We arrived at about 1 am, making it a 16 hour or so trip covering a total of 671 miles for the day and a total of 1,502 miles for the week. It was a great trip, but I am happy to be home.

[TTR]

3 hours ago, MCHinson said:

We left Canton, Ohio Friday morning. We took the "scenic route" for the first 400 miles or so on the way home. Driving the smaller roads (Google Maps really takes the "Avoid Highways" setting seriously!) including some really narrow country lanes and interesting Ohio and West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Virginia mountain roadways was quite fun. We traveled through a lot of historic small towns with interesting old buildings. We found an interesting smoke filled bar in Baker, West Virginia with really good burgers and fries. After leaving there, we discovered that following our Google maps generated "off the beaten track" pathway led us into a cellular service dead zone as we left the bar. After driving a while before I got phone service again, We decided to generate a new route. The car was driving so good that with regular gas and bathroom stops, we decided to go ahead and drive the rest of the way home. We arrived at about 1 am, making it a 16 hour or so trip covering a total of 671 miles for the day and a total of 1,502 miles for the week. It was a great trip, but I am happy to be home.

 

😀

This is my kind of travel. 

Thanks for sharing.

 

[TTR]

I was making some preliminary plans earlier this morning for our upcoming annual Monterey Car Week trip which I usually map out using some scenic back roads and like to spend couple of days on the road to each (+/-450 miles) direction, including an overnight stop at a friends house in Santa Maria area from where he either rides with me or I ride in one of his cars, most often in his nearly 50 year old, 4-cam V12 Ferrari, though I personally prefer my Roadster. 😉

This time we’ll also have couple of younger (20 something) friends who wish to convoy up there (and back) in a ‘56(?) Chevy sedan.

Edited June 30, 2019 by TTR (see edit history)

[rodneybeauchamp]

Interesting reads here. Well here’s some stories. 

 

In 1990 we came over to the States with another family for a five week holiday. My mate bought a nice ‘78 Cadillac Coupe DeVille as he had planned. We needed transport so ended up with a  US$1300.00 1964 Buick Skylark 2 door sports coupe. California car, 300 cu inch 4 bbl. with factory air. Told the owner we wanted to drive to New York and he said it will be fine. (Was his wife’s grandfathers car and he didn’t drive anymore)

 

With our  family of four and all our luggage we ended up touring the States and Canada, from Anaheim to San Fransisco to Sacramento into Canada. Across the Rockies, to Edmonton, on to Niagara Falls on the Canadian side, then Chicago, Detroit. Drove in  peak hour in New York. Everyday we did miles, some at night, lots of 55mph stuff. Motel 6 most nights.

 

We we had a rear wheel bearing fail on about the second or third day and a few weeks  later had a rear tyre blowout on a busy freeway late in the day. That bumper jack was interesting.

 

Anyway we did over 5,500 miles in just under 5 weeks in that Buick, which was really just an old original car with 78,000 on the clock. 

 

Shipped it out of Philadelphia to Australia and started my love affair with Buicks. In 1994, it became our daily driver, to and from work, shopping and everywhere else. It got painted and trimmed and a burnt valve turned into a major engine overhaul that I never completed.

 

Here it is here, being photographed for sale nearly four years ago with the engine still on a stand.

[TTR]

While not quite “long distance” Touring, I/we managed 260 miles yesterday* on our 6th(?) annual** tradition of  “Welcoming the New Year in Joshua Tree at sunrise drive & hike”, though latter got omitted from this years activities. 

Started in Palm Springs before dawn and got to the Park through the south entrance shortly before sunrise, which turned out quite beautiful around 06:40am.

Then we spent couple of hours cruising around the Park, taking in the beautiful scenery and shot some pictures (+ driving videos).

Returned to Palm springs via Yucca & Morongo Valleys, check out of the (small boutique, mid-century modern architecture & decor) Hotel, after which missus got into her daily driver, headed straight back to home, while I decided to take the more scenic route (Hwy 74) over the San Jacinto Mountains.

 

 

 

*Drove another +/-60 miles Tuesday from home to Palm Springs, but that was rather uneventful ride, mostly on conveyor belts, i.e. Freeways/Interstates.

 

**We skipped the driving tour through Joshua Tree last year due to idiotic federal funding cuts.

Edited January 2, 2020 by TTR (see edit history)

[TTR]

P.S. Again, if anyone has cool, personal (preferably recent) long distance antique/classic/vintage driving experiences or memories to share, don't be shy.

[Dynaflash8]

On 5/30/2019 at 5:44 PM, TTR said:

Hi, I’m new here but not to antique/classic/vintage vehicles.

I also wish to apologize if any of my content in this topic offends some members/readers here.

 

Actually I’ve been seriously involved with them for over 40 years as an enthusiast/hobbyist/owner (of dozens) and professionally +/-35 years.

More than anything, including rebuilding or restoring them or their components, I’ve always loved driving classic/vintage cars, a lot, and have probably racked up at least 200.000-300.000 miles between all I’ve driven and/or driven in past 4+ decades.

 

I’ve driven 10 or so trips across the continental U.S. and maybe another 10 or more with half that distance in vintage cars from early ‘30s to early ‘70s, although latter I view more like a “modern” cars.

 

When younger (late teens-to-forties), I preferred cruising in large ‘50s/’60s American “land yachts”, but in past ten or so years I’ve gone back to my original, early teen years interests of ‘50s and older sports cars and early Hot Rods, driving them “spiritedly” on scenic, twisty countryside back roads or 2-lane mountain highways, etc. for which my “weapon of choice” has been my ‘32 Plymouth PB Sports Roadster I built to a “period correct*" early-‘50s Hot Rod close to 30 years + tens of thousands of miles ago. 

 

In past few years I’ve also done several long distance leisure road trips with it, including a 15 day/2750 mile (SoCal to Yellowstone and back) vacation with the wife and we’re now preparing for another +/- 3 weeks/3000+ mile trip this summer.

 

So my question is, are there many members here that actually enjoy to drive their early-‘50s or older, especially pre-war cars extensively for private leisure travel, i.e. without participating in some organized antique/classic car event, show or tour, etc. ?

 

*Pretty much every component or technological feature in this car is something that was or would’ve been available in the early ‘50s, incl. 6Volt electrical system, bias-ply tires w/tubes, no creature comforts or power assist of any kind, etc.

Only noticeable deviation from “period correct” might be a pair of (lap-type) seat belts, although those too existed in period and before..

Other “period correct Hot Rod” modifications include ‘52 DeSoto 276, ‘49/‘52 Dodge 3-spd, ‘51 Dodge rear axle, ‘37 Plymouth steering gear+ wheel, custom-/hand-built (by yours truly) alloy-bucket seats and (hydraulic) telescopic shocks.

My question is, if you are not mechanically inclined, like me, and your car breaks down far from home, what do you do?  I carry some simple stuff like points & condenser, distributor cap, water pump, and I have an electric fuel pump in line on a switch in case I have to use Ethanol.  I even carry a spare fuel pump, because you don't want to run too far on the electric pump if the mechanical fails.  I carry a master cylinder and wheel cylinders just in case.  On a tour with a '48 Buick the master cylinder started to leak bad.  A kit was available from NAPA, but no mechanic at the Buick Garage knew how to rebuild one and in the end I had to buy a reamer for the mechanic who thought he could.  They they didn't have a tool to bleed the brakes because the master cylinder was on the frame.  On a Tour to Ohio with our 1971 Riviera the points went up, and I couldn't find a modern mechanic who knew how to install points & condenser.  So, when I got home I had an electronic ignition installed..problem solved.  So I got one for my 1939 Buick and it wouldn't work because the engine area got to hot for the thing to function.  Home again, I had a new rebuilt distributor installed with points & condenser and went back to it.  Even if you carry new obvious breakdown parts there are no older mechanics left who ever learned how to install them.  And NOW, IF you have a pre-1961 Buick with the torque tube drive train, you can forget finding somebody to install a clutch, u-joint or any rear end parts, including wheel bearings and seals.  You can restore all you want, but parts, especially NOS parts, can often fail and leave on the side of the road (maybe at 25 degrees or 100 degrees) and that is no fun.  I use a trailer with a modern truck (Suburban is still a truck to me).  That way I have AC and I can get the puller fixed if I have to.  And that has happened twice, once with each Suburban I've owned.

 

[PFitz]

Last year, Jim completed about a 9,000 mile round circuit of the country in his, mostly original 1919 Franklin touring.  

 

 

 

 

 

Including some fun on a drag racing track.

 

The car has been in his family for a long time. 

 

There have been many Franklins doing cross-country trips. One of my customers put on close to 10,000 miles on his 31 Sedan by the time he got done going coast-to-coast to a Club tour of several days length and visiting family and friends spread all across the country. Only problems were, a broken Bendix spring (mailed a rebuilt starter to his motel) and where to get oil changes done. 

 

Paul

Edited January 2, 2020 by PFitz (see edit history)

[TTR]

12 minutes ago, Dynaflash8 said:

My question is, if you are not mechanically inclined, like me, and your car breaks down far from home, what do you do?  I carry some simple stuff like points & condenser, distributor cap, water pump, and I have an electric fuel pump in line on a switch in case I have to use Ethanol.  I even carry a spare fuel pump, because you don't want to run too far on the electric pump if the mechanical fails.  I carry a master cylinder and wheel cylinders just in case.  On a tour with a '48 Buick the master cylinder started to leak bad.  A kit was available from NAPA, but no mechanic at the Buick Garage knew how to rebuild one and in the end I had to buy a reamer for the mechanic who thought he could.  They they didn't have a tool to bleed the brakes because the master cylinder was on the frame.  On a Tour to Ohio with our 1971 Riviera the points went up, and I couldn't find a modern mechanic who knew how to install points & condenser.  So, when I got home I had an electronic ignition installed..problem solved.  So I got one for my 1939 Buick and it wouldn't work because the engine area got to hot for the thing to function.  Home again, I had a new rebuilt distributor installed with points & condenser and went back to it.  Even if you carry new obvious breakdown parts there are no older mechanics left who ever learned how to install them.  And NOW, IF you have a pre-1961 Buick with the torque tube drive train, you can forget finding somebody to install a clutch, u-joint or any rear end parts, including wheel bearings and seals.  You can restore all you want, but parts, especially NOS parts, can often fail and leave on the side of the road (maybe at 25 degrees or 100 degrees) and that is no fun.  I use a trailer with a modern truck (Suburban is still a truck to me).  That way I have AC and I can get the puller fixed if I have to.  And that has happened twice, once with each Suburban I've owned.

 

Great question and I'm sorry to hear/read about your misfortunate experiences, but these are good examples* why my first advise (see below) is most important.

 

First and foremost, I would recommend either by rebuilding/restoring a car to mechanically reliable condition or buying/obtaining one already in such shape, then drive/maintain/service it frequently and often enough to become fully comfortable with it.

I tend drive my vintage cars at least once or twice a month for 100+ miles per each outing to stay on top of them and their maintenance.

If/when planning a long distance trip or participation of a tour,  it's very important to inspect/service/test all mechanical features 

 

Secondly, while I do have mechanical abilities to repair (and have) most things on the road and carry service kits/spare parts + selection of useful tools, I also have AAA and Classic Car Insurance tow services or I'm prepared to pay out of pocket if needed + I keep a list of friends I can call for advise/assistance/etc. Some of these friends I contact already when making travel plans, just to inquire about their ability/schedule to offer assistance should a need arise somewhere near them. 

 

Perhaps it's just me, but driving/using them as much as possible is what I consider somewhat minimum requirement to qualify as a real vintage car guy. 

For me, vintage cars have been close to a full time pre-occupation for over 4 decades now and even after several hundred thousand miles behind their steering wheels during that time, if anything, I just wish I had time/money to drive them more than I do or have done.

 

* Also, as proven with your above examples, just because someone has restoration credentials/shop/etc., doesn't mean they are capable of repairing/restoring anything, so choose you service provider(s) wisely.

 

 

[JACK M]

Regarding carrying spares.

We all know that the parts we carry wont be the ones to fail.

 

[TTR]

1 hour ago, JACK M said:

Regarding carrying spares.

We all know that the parts we carry wont be the ones to fail.

 

I take it you’re yet to experience a tire failure on the road ? 😉

 

Edited January 2, 2020 by TTR (see edit history)

[MCHinson]

4 hours ago, JACK M said:

Regarding carrying spares.

We all know that the parts we carry wont be the ones to fail.

 

 

On our last 36-38 Buick Club Tour, we had a club member who had a wheel bearing fail as he was arriving at the first stop on the first day of the tour. (He had driven the car to Ohio from Canada). In less than 30 minutes, members on the tour had the car jacked up, the wheel off, wheel bearing removed, a new bearing greased and installed, the wheel reinstalled, the jack lowered, and the white wall tire cleaned. The club members drive their cars and between several of us, all of the necessary tools and spare parts to enable that car to continue the tour where on hand. The worst failure on the tour, which just happened to be another car that had been driven from Canada was a starter failure. The starter was removed, taken to a local starter/generator repair shop, rebuilt and re-installed that evening. The car missed a small amount of one day of the tour, but was repaired and able to be driven back to Canada at the end of the tour. If you drive them often, and have a reasonable understanding of what can go wrong, you should be able to stock the parts and tools that you are most likely to need. While it was easier to find parts on the road when the cars were new, with a little bit of planning, you can still drive them as intended.      

[Dynaflash8]

5 hours ago, TTR said:

Great question and I'm sorry to hear/read about your misfortunate experiences, but these are good examples* why my first advise (see below) is most important.

 

First and foremost, I would recommend either by rebuilding/restoring a car to mechanically reliable condition or buying/obtaining one already in such shape, then drive/maintain/service it frequently and often enough to become fully comfortable with it.

I tend drive my vintage cars at least once or twice a month for 100+ miles per each outing to stay on top of them and their maintenance.

If/when planning a long distance trip or participation of a tour,  it's very important to inspect/service/test all mechanical features 

 

Secondly, while I do have mechanical abilities to repair (and have) most things on the road and carry service kits/spare parts + selection of useful tools, I also have AAA and Classic Car Insurance tow services or I'm prepared to pay out of pocket if needed + I keep a list of friends I can call for advise/assistance/etc. Some of these friends I contact already when making travel plans, just to inquire about their ability/schedule to offer assistance should a need arise somewhere near them. 

 

Perhaps it's just me, but driving/using them as much as possible is what I consider somewhat minimum requirement to qualify as a real vintage car guy. 

For me, vintage cars have been close to a full time pre-occupation for over 4 decades now and even after several hundred thousand miles behind their steering wheels during that time, if anything, I just wish I had time/money to drive them more than I do or have done.

 

* Also, as proven with your above examples, just because someone has restoration credentials/shop/etc., doesn't mean they are capable of repairing/restoring anything, so choose you service provider(s) wisely.

 

 

My cars are restored, but they are old and NOS parts are old....sometimes gone bad on the shelf.  You just can't trust any car, new or old, but newer cars can be fixed on the road with readily available parts and younger mechanics taught or who have experience repairing them.  For the most part they have no idea what to do on an old car with ancient technology.  You've proven your own words, you have mechanical ability.  For years I had friends readily available to help, as you say.  Now that I'm 81, most of them are dead or incapacitated.  For that matter I'm somewhat incapacitated now myself.  I'm not sure I can change a tire anymore after recent major surgeries.  The deal with the 71Rivvie is a real case in point.

[Dynaflash8]

3 hours ago, TTR said:

I take it you’re yet to experience a tire failure on the road ? 😉

 

Oh yes, last year on the Sentimental Tour in Mississippi.  The bank on the side of the road was so steep I almost turned the car over; but I can still drive pretty good.  Other members on the tour jacked the car up, pulled the wheel and put on the spare.  The backup driver luckily had a rope and tow hitch on his pickup truck and pulled my car back up the road out of the muddy shoulder.  The restored car was very muddy underneath.  He took the tire to a tire shop and they installed a new tube in side patch in case I needed it.  It was a new tire that ran over a nail and I had to run flat on it to get off the road, but it was insured and Coker replaced it.  This could have happened to any modern car.  Other tourists tried to install new points and condenser in the 71 Rivvie on that trip, but the NAPA condenser wasn't any good and didn't last 30 miles out of town, but replacement I had bought on the tour held up until I got home but a bad ignition NOS "show" wire caused a miss for the whole 350 miles.  I stopped at a huge repair garage at the end of the PA turnpike before Rt. 70 south and the 30-something mechanic had no idea what to do with the distributor so I limped back to VA on a wing and a prayer.  I'm too old for that kind of nervous strain.

[mercer09]

My question is, if you are not mechanically inclined, like me, and your car breaks down far from home, what do you do?

 

AAA is around 100. a year for plus. gives you 4 free 100 mile tows. wouldnt be wo it!

[TTR]

3 hours ago, mercer09 said:

My question is, if you are not mechanically inclined, like me, and your car breaks down far from home, what do you do?

With all due respect, but this has been asked and answered, more than once I believe, but simply put, just prepare your ride and travel plans accordingly, including taking in to account any/all potential breakdowns, delays & detours OR stay home without exposing yourself to exiting & wonderful antique/classic/vintage car guy adventures.

 

I do have other non-complimentary(?) ideas or suggestions not directed at anyone specifically, but offering them publicly would likely get me banned, so let’s instead just focus on the original subject of this discussion/thread and share cool vintage car related long distance travel experiences, memories and/or stories, preferably personal, first hand recounts, not those already existing in books, film, magazines or online sources.

Edited January 3, 2020 by TTR (see edit history)

[ted sweet]

i drive my late 60s cars all over the county but nobody seems to car about anything post 1940 here

[auburnseeker]

14 minutes ago, ted sweet said:

i drive my late 60s cars all over the county but nobody seems to car about anything post 1940 here

You have to admit that the challenges of driving a teens or 20's car long distance as opposed to driving a 60's or even 50's car is quite different as is the comfort level.  In 94 my car was a 68 Pontiac stripped 4 door sedan and it was the Pontiac version so it was a 6 with a powerglide.  Not much of an experience as compared to an old car. I drove it year round in the winter and didn't give it one thought as to how bold I was being. 

[TTR]

24 minutes ago, ted sweet said:

i drive my late 60s cars all over the county but nobody seems to car about anything post 1940 here

Try me. 😉

 

While I’m admittedly personally more interested hearing/reading long distance travel experiences in pre-war cars, I’ve also done a lot in mid-‘50s to early-‘70s cars and would consider anything over 40–45 years old worthy of “vintage”-moniker.

 

Only thing I would find objectionable to qualify on this thread is older/vintage cars featuring mostly late model/modern, catalog-type (aftermarket) mechanical/electrical/convenience/etc technology upgrades. 

 

Edited January 3, 2020 by TTR (see edit history)

[JACK M]

22 hours ago, TTR said:

I take it you’re yet to experience a tire failure on the road ? 😉

 

Not lately, (knock on wood).

I have a plan with good Sam that will help me if that were to happen. My flat tires seem to happen on my trailer and they will send a guy out to change it. However I am prepared to do that myself.

I did have them change out the spare a few years ago when the doc told me not to lift anything heavier than a gallon of milk.

Maybe the exception is spare tires for the trailer. I now carry two and don't have flats any more. Go figure. 

 

 

5 hours ago, mercer09 said:

My question is, if you are not mechanically inclined, like me, and your car breaks down far from home, what do you do?

 

AAA is around 100. a year for plus. gives you 4 free 100 mile tows. wouldnt be wo it!

 

My comment here is if a hundred bucks doesn't seem the worth you are in the wrong hobby.

Traveling in a group would indeed be more convenient, built in help.

My neighbor the Model A guy talks about this all the time. Traveling with 10 or 15 VERY SIMILAR cars.

I rarely if ever travel in a group though.

I find that the journey is usually more fun than the destination and I rather enjoy to travel by myself. 

If I spent all my time worrying about break downs I wouldn't enjoy that journey.

If there is ever a failure it seems to work itself out in one way or another.

[TTR]

39 minutes ago, JACK M said:

My comment here is if a hundred bucks doesn't seem the worth you are in the wrong hobby.

I find that the journey is usually more fun than the destination and I rather enjoy to travel by myself. 

If I spent all my time worrying about break downs I wouldn't enjoy that journey.

I tend to agree with these comments.

 

Now let's get back to the topic of this thread...

Who's next ?

Edited January 3, 2020 by TTR (see edit history)

[Guest]

I never had a serious breakdown (something that I could not fix on the side of the road) in any prewar car that I owned. (only had 28-31 Pontiacs and 26 Studebaker).  My one real problem was with a 74 Toyota (one year old at the time), on a trip back from Disneyland.  Points broke, not even a parts store in Banff.  Lady filling station operator phoned Calgary and had one sent out by bus.  She installed the new points, total charge $18.00 for part, shipping and labour.

Edited January 3, 2020 by Guest (see edit history)

[60FlatTop]

7 hours ago, mercer09 said:

AAA is around 100. a year for plus. gives you 4 free 100 mile tows. wouldnt be wo it!

 

We added the AAA extended towing back around the turn of the century. I had bought my first older Jaguar. Very serious and convincingly I told her anyone with a Jaguar really needed it. She doesn't have much of a sense of humor, but she's right there to tell me I only used it twice and both times the '60 Electra came home on a flatbed.

[Bloo]

I don't plan to break down. I plan not to break down.

 

I sort the car the best I can, do the best work I can, and rarely break down on the road. Prewar cars like my Pontiac weren't ever intended to be serviced by parts replacement anyway. Small assemblies are meant to be adjusted or rebuilt, used up slowly, and rarely if ever replaced.

 

People who are new to old cars often ask about parts availability today. I don't really know how to answer that, because it is the wrong question. Before the war, there were probably 100 or more makes. Before WW1, thousands. It would be silly to think that all these makers had a dealership or an agent in every little town in America (or Canada or anywhere else). Auto parts dealers could not have been stocking parts for all those makes. People still drove.

 

Start out with a well sorted car, carry basic tools, and tweak little things if you need to. One thing that could sink you today is a tire. Modern radial tires have really spoiled us. Every time I go to the junkyard I see rows and rows of cars with mini-spares that have never been on the ground. Many prewar tire sizes have no modern equivalent that is even close enough to go on the rim. You probably would have to wait for a tire to be shipped in if you needed one. If I had to cross the country on tube-type bias ply tires, I would find some way to carry a second spare, and luggage space in most prewar cars is scarce.

 

Bigger problems than mechanical breakdown are finding highways that run at appropriate speeds, and the lack of hotels and service stations in every little burg. People made less progress per day on prewar roads.

 

I am planning a trip from Washington to Wisconsin in the 1936 Pontiac later this year. We'll see how that goes.

 

Edited January 3, 2020 by Bloo (see edit history)

[Marty Roth]

2 hours ago, JACK M said:

Not lately, (knock on wood).

 .

Maybe the exception is spare tires for the trailer. I now carry two and don't have flats any more. Go figure. 

 

 

If you ever check our larger enclosed car hauler trailer you'll likely find three, or even four mounted spares for that trailer, and probably a couple for the other trailer which carries a different size wheel/tire. That way we can help other folks who may not have planned ahead. Sometimes there will also be one or more unmounted new tires for backup - or for loaners

Tire failures typically don't happen in convenient locations or at convenient times, 

More likely you'll be on a desolate stretch of remote highway - just 10 minutes after the tire store closed for the weekend.

Carrying a 2nd, 3rd, or more spare ensures avoiding a potential source of "Transportus-Interruptus" so you can arrange for a replacement when and where it is convenient, affordable, and with tires sporting a more current Date-Code than might be found otherwise. You can always phone ahead to a dealer or a wholesale club to have fresh tires delivered to your interim destination, a few days down the road. Running without a backup spare is an exercise in potential waste of time, and sometimes a recipe for disaster when that 2nd tire decides to separate  the tread, or pick up a chunk of shrapnel. 

 

BLOO noted above, that he does not plan to break down, he plans NOT to break down.

I agree that is an excellent approach, and try to do the same. 

I do, however, subscribe to AAA Premium, with RV coverage for us and for our grandson,

planning never to need it, but knowing it is there for that rare occasion. 

We have used it a few times for a tow vehicle, and a trailer haul,

including the Ford Diesel blown Turbo on last September's jaunt from New Orleans to Twin Falls, Idaho.

Peace of mind does go a long way-

beside my own tools, skill, and experience,

having our AAA card and a credit card are also decent things to have in our "tool box". 

Edited January 3, 2020 by Marty Roth (see edit history)

[TTR]

Here's how I prepared for our honeymoon road trip of 15 days and 2756 miles to Grand Tetons and Yellowstone couple of years ago.

 

All items on the table in front of the car are either actual gear, luggage, spares. tools or simulate it, like the cardboard boxes equating her luggage. Only thing not pictured is the duffel bag filled with my clothing, etc tied to frame rails in front of radiator can be seen in other photos.

The car received a full inspection & service along with set of new tires & tubes. Two different size (used) spare tires were strapped on the modified OEM spare tire bracket. 

 

+/- 1000 miles into it.

 

+/-2000 miles into it

 

Also, it might be worth keep in mind that the car was (re)built to this configuration about 30 years and tens of thousands of miles ago from a literal "basket case" missing half of its coach work and almost all running gear (it had been someone else's parts car) by somewhat inexperienced, but rather enthusiastic hobbyist with hardly any tools or equipment, let alone a shop and with exception of paint work (which was done about a year or so later) it got done in about one year, even with only couple of hours allotted/dedicated to it few nights a week.

 

Oh, and the car has pretty much nothing electrical or mechanical features that weren't available or introduced by early-'50s (1952/-53?).

Edited June 5, 2020 by TTR (see edit history)

[mercer09]

when you break down, knowing AAA is in your back pocket, you can have the assurance that the worst that can happen is you get to ride in a tow truck all the way home!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

not a bad feeling.

 

used it on my 2000 silverado when the fuel pump went out. they towed me 200 miles, and I had a free 200 mile tow included in my package. yes, free is a misnomer...........

 

at least I didnt have to call anyone up, get them out of bed and bother them.  I dealt with the fuel pump the next day.

[Ben Bruce aka First Born]

You tha man, TTR,   .  I would be honored to shake your hand and exchange a little grease and grime.

 

  Ben

[PFitz]

And, AAA is more than just towing, or bringing a gas can. They offer lots of discounts to help make trips more affordable.

 

And other discounts when not traveling. The misses recently had to get an eye exam and new glasses. The AAA discount at her eye doctor/eye glass place saved her more than the cost of several years of our AAA dues.

 

Paul

[Marty Roth]

Don't forget their TRIP-TIK assistance, State & City Maps, hotel booking, vacation planning, etc-

all this can be tied into enjoying your old car, but your preparation is still the key to being able to enjoy cross-country travel.

 

I rarely have to depend on my AAA membership,

but am glad my daughter and grandson have it when they're on the road-

 

And please remember that AAA is the primary sponsor of the annual Revival Glidden Tour

[TTR]

Thanks Ben.

 

Just get on that road and hopefully our paths will cross, so we can share a meal and drink while swapping vintage car travel memories & other related stories. 

😋

 

Besides, for me, the real hero on these trips in recent years is my wife for her ability/willingness to put up with lack of creature comforts/conveniences & other nonsense of an 88 year old jalopy.

 

She even occasionally makes quite convincing claims to her family, friends and others that these road trips wouldn’t have been half as fun or memorable in some less exciting or modern vehicle, although she keeps reminding me to finish the ‘57 New Yorker Convertible as she wouldn’t mind a trip or two in it someday.

She even claims it’s something she wouldn’t also mind driving on those occasions. 

 

Not bad from someone who, before tangling up with me, didn’t acknowledge or afforded thoughts on old cars much beyond the previous make/model she periodically traded in for a new one.

Edited January 4, 2020 by TTR (see edit history)

[rodneybeauchamp]

Saturday March 3rd 2018 we were in Dandenong Victoria to finalise the purchase of “Black Beauty” , my 1938 Buick.  Getting her home was an 800km (500mile) one way trip to Encounter Bay, with a short visit to “Riviera Lane” ( Tom Kunek) to check out his ‘65 Riviera restoration before starting our way home.

 

We had had driven over the night before in my Subaru, and my mate Darryl was to follow me back, so we had a Plan B if something happened. We had a few tools, oil and water.

 

Apart from the fuel and lunch stops, everything went fine, cruising on about 45mph, meaning it took a bit longer to get home. I learnt that the steering lock worked and more importantly, how to get it unlocked if your stuck in the petrol station 😃😃😃😃

 

I also learnt that  the 1938 original headlights and dash lights were dreadful, pretty scary in fact, as the last part of the journey was at night, which slowed us down considerably. Needless to say they got on the priority list to fix when home.

 

But we got home safely in the early hours of Sunday morning, pretty tired from the drive. Apart from the headlight issue, the journey went well which really helps inspire confidence in your vehicle.

 

And the drive was an adventure and one you don’t forget easily.

 

Rodney 😀😀😀😀😀😀

 

 

[padgett]

+1 on AAA - Platinum  for me is $132 and includes a 250 mile tow. That covers most of Florida from Orlando.

The 88 Reatta is a great road car, 70 mph is 1900 rpm, has a sunroof, AC, and can carry as much as shown on the table though just has one spare, and is 32.

 

Considering all of the marque forums, perhaps the General Discussion should be split in two: pre and post war (your choice of wars) ?

 

[TTR]

8 hours ago, rodneybeauchamp said:

And the drive was an adventure and one you don’t forget easily.

 

Rodney 😀😀😀😀😀😀

 

Now all you got to do is go out there with it for more adventures and great memories. 👍

Just don't forget to share them here. 😉