darguy

Hey Gang!

So, work is threatening to send me on an Away Mission or two between now and the end of summer. Two locations: near Elkhart, Il and Altoona, Pa. The first puts me ~145 miles from Bloomington Gold, the second ~70 miles from Carlisle...



Now, Late June to Late August is beautiful here in Vancouver, and with our long summer nights, I'd be able to take the car out for really nice evening cruises, hang out on the beach with my Special Lady Friend, have BBQ's on the back deck, go camping, etc. I don't really want to go out of town at all, but if I have to...

How crazy would it be to drive 1750 miles in the non-PS, non-PB, non-AC, 4-spd '64 coupe in 4 days in late June to get to Bloomington Gold and have the car evaluated for possible 'Survivor' status? Then, drive the 150 miles to where I'd be working, put in my week or two, and then drive back to Vancouver?

again.

I figure approximately 28 hours at an average of 65 mph, assuming no breakdowns or delays. That would be 7 hours per day in the original vynal seats, I'm not sure my back can handle it.

Otherwise, I could just fly in and attend either of the events (depending on where I got sent).

What do you think? Would I be pushing the '44 year old unrestored car too hard (my frame is a little squishy), or would it be the adventure of a lifetime?

wmf62

there is no question, it will/would be the 'adventure of a lifetime'; i am considering driving my 62 around the US (about 6,000+ miles) in a single trip this summer. a non-a/c coupe in August will be uncomfortable (read HOT)...

i'm not sure what you mean by a 'squishy' frame, is the frame broken or rotted? if so, i wouldn't drive it around the block....

otherwise, if you've had little problem with the car, and it is in good mechanical condition (tires, brakes, hoses, belts, wheel bearings, etc....), get yourself a cell phone and a AAA card and GO FOR IT...
Bill

Donny Brass

when were the last time your rear wheel bearings were done ???

I would suggest planning your route early, then collect names and phone numbers of forum members along to route who could help in case of an emergency.........

capevettes

I bought a 64 coupe in Key West Fla 6 years ago. I drove it all the way back to Mass/Cape Cod, over 2,000 miles in February. Except for the rear wheel bearing that let go in N. Carolina it was a hell of a drive. If it's something you always wanted to do, go for it. Just make sure all the mechanicals are in order, especially wheel bearings in the summer heat. Enjoy it

Tom/99

That sounds like it could be a fantastic trip.

Chuck Gongloff

I've never taken a trip that long, but my 69 is a veteran of several NCRS Road Tours.

Went from Baltimore to Bowling Green KY.

Then, the following year, went from Baltimore to St. Louis, MO, and

then later on went from Baltimore to Montauk, LI, NY.

Problems? Only one.

Lost my brakes in Louisville, KY on the way to BG. Had TONS of help.

Was almost like a NASCAR pit stop. Out came a floor jack, 2-3 guys under the car hitting the bleeders with me pumping the pedal.

The job was done in about 15 minutes, and off we went. The brakes lasted the rest of the trip and all the way home. THEN I went with the O ring calipers.

Chuck

Frankie the Fink

Check your collector car insurance and make sure you are covered for this travel and that it has towing/roadside assistance - get an 'emergency kit' together with duct tape, tools etc and go for it.

Frankenvette 63

Cell phone, AAA card and your good to go. Just don't be in a hurry, ruins the the enjoyment of the drive!

LouieM

I'd go for it! I bought my 67 roadster in 11/04, checked the fluids, hopped in, and drove it home 2,800 miles from Michigan to Calif. Brakes needed bleeding in OK, but otherwise no problems.

I drove this car 4,700 miles in 5/04 from northern CA to Mt. Rushmore and Yellowstone and had an absolute blast. Everyone loves you when you're driving an old Vette through the Heartland. Soft top tore in a WY wind storm, odometer stopped working, tach stopped working, but nothing vital broke.

Make sure your car is up to it, pack lots of tools and supplies, and go. If the condition of the wheel bearings is unknown, I'd be the trailing arms rebuilt and grease the front bearings. Make sure the belts and hoses are OK, and the brakes, obviously. Other than that, bring a cell phone and credit card, and a list of people along the way in case of trouble.

kidvette

Go for it and keep us posted on your road trip.
The journey to the prize may be more rewarding.

67-427ci

If your car is up to it, go for it. It will be a trip you will not forget. I drove my 67 Coupe to Corpus Christi, TX last September (5,500 miles round trip). Had a blast and no problems with my car. April 4th we leave for a Route 66 cruise to CA and will return through Vancouver and the northern states (around 7,100 miles total and 6 weeks). You only live once!
Roy

darguy

Thanks everyone for the feedback, advice and encouragement. Hearing the other long-haul stories is encouraging!



Bill, this is what I mean by 'squishy': I was putting the car up on jack-stands (for only the 3rd time since I bought it), and that time there was some sinkage of the frame on the rt side before the kick-up as I took the weight off the jack. I relocated the jack-stand and got under for a look. Obvioulsy, I missed this during the pre-purchase inspection - and have beat myself up for it on many occations since then...

Left Frame Rail:



Right Frame Rail:



Right Side, Detail:



I decided to keep to my original game plan, which was to fix what was broken and replace with 'correct' what has been Bubba'd over the last 44 years (not much on both accounts), and get it 'officially inspected' by the NCRS/Bloomington for possible Bowtie/Survivor status. The rest of the car is quite good, not as good as some 'Survivors' I've seen posts of, but it gets me around quite nicely.

I've driven the car probably 200-300 miles since getting everything back together after fixing the fuel leak at the tank, it's been very dependable and feels pretty solid all things considered.

I am deninately going to drive it the 750 mile round-trip to Bend, Or for the Regional meet there in September, but 3500 miles may be a different thing.

Part of my motivation for the inspections is to help me decide if I should be repairing the original frame and leaving as much un-touched as possible, or if I go somewhere along the sliding scale of resto-mod. I had a post about it a while back.

Good question, I don't know. The PO did brakes with wheel cylenders, flex hoses, the lines that needed attention, master cylender, and one set of bearings at least (he's long gone, so I can't ask). I had assumed that the fronts were done 'cause they're easy. I'll need to check that out. The PO also put a new water pump on it (I wish he'd rebuilt the original, same with the master cylender...), new hoses, new exhaust, and tires. Since I picked it up in August I've repaired a leaking fuel tank, rebuilt the carburator, rebuilt the alternator, replaced the voltage regulator, and replaced the battery. Plus a few minor non-roadtrip stopping items. I'm also going to be going through the ignition system to bring it back to orig specs before the winter project season ends.

If I can address the rear bearings I think I'd be in pretty good shape (other than the squishy frame, perhaps).

That is a fine idea about the route plan and Forum members nearby, I hadn't thought of that. What a swell bunch of folks!

Yeah, I was wondering about the extent of the coverage out of country. I'd definately have to look into that.

Not exactly sure what work is going to ask of me yet, where and when they're going to want me to go - or for how long... But I'll keep everyone posted.

Bill Irwin

Seeing your pictures, DON'T TAKE THE TRIP. Bill Irwin

wmf62

unless you're 'handy' and have the stuff to do it with, i'd replace the frame with a reproduction of the original...

drive to Bend & back; inspect it closely before you go, and when you get back. that will give you an idea of whether it will make 3500 miles...
Bill

dkleather

C2Driver

Darguy, it's difficult to determine the real degree of rust damage from those photos. Having said that, it really does look significant. I don't want to come across as an alarmist, but before going any significant distance (read that Elkhart or Bend), I'd strongly recommend that you take it to the nearest, reputable Corvette shop and have them assess it's roadworthiness. We wouldn't want you and your 'Special Lady Friend' to be harmed during such an epic adventure. We'd far rather have the car labelled a Survivor, than hear that you two were Survivors of a terrible crash. Food for Thought. My 2 cents. - Pat

Frankie the Fink

Yeah - I rescind my former posting now that I've seen the pics; I would forego any lengthy trips until this damage is assessed.

Now that you have knowledge of it ("disclosed" it on this forum and maybe elsewhere) if something unfortunate did happen your insurance company might have grounds to dance around on you if you need to file a claim. Could make a case that you took the vehicle on a long road trip knowing it had a safety issue. I was part owner of a car dealership in the '70s and you wouldn't believe how creative insurers can get when the bills roll in or, God forbid, somebody gets hurt.

mrg

Those pics look to be a serious deal breaker. . As already mentioned you are best advised have an experienced hand check things out. . .. WOW ..

Mike Ward

I never realised till this minute that it was you and your car Chuck. That was quite a scene! I was parked a few rows away and wondered what the commotion was.

BTW- I've done NCRS road tours that were just short of 5500 miles round trip. Piece of cake.

LouieM

After seeing the rusty frame, I too take back what I said about making a long trip in this car. Scary.