Projects Fly in, Drive home in my late Dads car. Attempting 2000 miles

The first thing the fan bearing will do if its starting to go is make a moaning sound for minute or so when started cold. If its not doing that now, it should make it home OK. On the other hand, I've seen them moan cold for years without going bad !

 

Keep 'er between the ditches!

 

Safe Travels to you and your son I'm sure your Dad with be with you all the way beautiful story RIP Dad Godspeed

 

Sorry about your dad , RIP

 

Good choice of route. Especially the southern part. I am envious.

ENJOY!

Ben

 

Have a safe trip and hopefully some good memories made along the way.

 

Joel,
may you have fun, safe, trouble free journey...but if it takes a different turn, my offer stands
god speed (except thru residential areas, kids are unpredictable)

 

Don’t go thru Colorado.
You can visit relatives another time.

Personally - I don’t think you should be
attempting this trip in this vehicle in
it’s current condition ….

That said - I would take I-40 east to
Tucumcari, NM.

Then the two lane up to Kansas City, Kansas
combined with I-35.

Then to Minnesota.

I don’t know where you live in Minnesota
so I picked Minneapolis as a destination.


Jim


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We there yet?

Good luck and safe travels

 

Since it's the weekend now, construction conditions might be better. Or worse. Either way, google maps "traffic" can tell you...and it looks clear, at this early time of morning.

 

Leaving its desert home. Thanks for all the well wishes!

 

@Hemi Joel

Wish you a good safe trip, The WX shows to be good driving today.. Put that top down and NJOY !

 

I'm prepared for anything.

 

I hope you brought an extra thermostat and an extra radiator cap. I understand these items are rather scarce!

 

May your Dad rest in peace. This is an enviable experience and life long memory for both of you that will keep his soul alive. Safe travels...

 

Praying for a safe and good trip home.

 

Made it to globe Arizona so far with no issues. I'm not sure the elevation here but I did see a 4,000 ft sign along the way.

 

That almost sounds like you're fishing for a load to haul.

Joel has spent several days going over the car, fixing anything he could find that was questionable. The beautiful little black Corvair is probably in better shape than a lot of the crap on the road these days.

 

Since your son couldn’t make it, are you telling all the clerks at stops “I can’t believe I’m really doing this”?

 

Go man, go! I’m envious of your adventure right about now as I make just a short trip to town in my 56.

 

Following along on Google Earth Satellite view. Pretty amazing terrain that the intrepid Corvair is traversing!
Tom McCahill, back in the day, was able to test the new 1960 Corvair, but he never was able to do a road test/sentimental journey, like this one that Joel is doing !
Full speed ahead Joel !

 

you are my hero for getting out of the chair and doing something like this. as theodore roosevelt said
"it is not the critic that counts, the credit belongs to the man who is in the arena"

 

Just finished reading through this thread, and I'll join everyone else in offering condolences on your dad's passing. What you're doing, I think, might be therapy; "alone time" can be a welcome thing at times like this. It's unfortunate that your son couldn't join you but you're still enjoying the world that your dad introduced you to. Savor the memories and enjoy making new ones. Oh, and good call on taking time to visit your uncle.
All the best to you on the road home.

 

Good luck with your trip.








Bones

 

Lots of Hambers around the Wichita area if you need anything. Good Luck and God speed.

 

Thanks for the virtual ride along! I have faith that this will be The Little 'Vair that Could.

 

Fuel mileage seem to be ok?

 

Funny story about that. 1972 ish I had a neighbor that bought a corvair. With in a week the father stopped by and asked if I would come over and check out the car, won’t start.

Talking to the daughter she said all was fine with the car but the day before she noticed the coolant was low and filled it up with water since it was summer.

You can imagine my concern being a fellow corvair owner and I asked where she filled the radiator, you know the “rest of the story”

Cliff Ramsdell

 

Many Corvair buyers "Fly-in-drive home", Powertrains are tough! Usually all "Big problems" are the owners! I remember one car losing 56 qts of oil to make it 2,200 miles. When asked if they added straight 30 wt, guy said he didn't know they still made it! Was using "The best" Mobil 5-30!!!!

 

I had my first breakdown. I stopped on the east end of globe at the McDonald's to grab a little breakfast and use the bathroom. When I pulled out of there, heading uphill out of town I got about a quarter of a mile at the engine stalled, just like it ran out of gas. I made a quick U-turn and used coasting power to go back to town. Luckily the light at the bottom of the hill turned green just as I approached and I was able to shoot straight through into the gas station parking lot. My first line of thinking was either fuel filter or vapor lock. I gave it a shot of starting fluid and it fired up on that but quickly died out. Feeling the fuel pump, I found that it had got kind of heat soaked while the car was parked at McDonald's. I probably made it as far as I did on the fuel that was in the two carburetors. Using some bottled water and an ice pack from the cooler, I got the fuel pump cooled down, and with a couple of attempts at starting with the starting fluid it took off. I carefully left town, prepared for it to stall again but it did not. Seems to be running fine so far.