Projects UPDATE: Am I nuts? - I guess not after all...

If the mechanical is as good as the car appears, it should just be an enjoyable ride in a 71 year old car! Hoping it checks out well and you have a great trip home, enjoy it and take plenty of pictures to share with us!

 

To the : if the owner thinks it's a bad idea.........then maybe there is something there that's wrong?
Maybe, but I once bought a '49 JD tractor and drove it on the back roads 20 miles to my place. The fellow I bought it from basically said the same thing. So a third of the way home and me thoroughly enjoying the ride with the tractor in road gear and watching the scenery go by.......the fellow I bought it from pulls up beside me. He was just worried that I was Ok. I just gave him a big grin and a thumbs up. Made it about a mile from the house and ran out of gas!

I also bought a vehicle, '50 F1 (289,C4, 9"), in Sacramento, Ca.......from pictures only and owners word.......flew out there, met up with the owner.....drove to a branch of his bank.....did the money/title exchange......he left, I drove it back to Sioux City, Ia. Only issue......it rained on my way out of California and the (new) wiper motor failed. Got off the highway and a mile into a town found a garage who stopped everything to help me. Had another motor delivered within a few hours.....garage installed it ($50) and not another drop of rain the rest of the trip.
I really enjoyed it and would do it again.

Just think of a worst case scenario (engine blows) and have a plan to get it home.
Go for it!

 

Truck and trailer rental halfway will be cheaper than all the way.

Run it til it quits!

 

Drove and picked up three cars in my lifetime. Took someone with me and made it home every time. Worst case was when I got to the one OT car the seller told me that the tranny leaked around the rear seal. Turned out the rear bushing was bad and ate the u-joint. Seller bought a new bushing, seal and u-joint, installed them topped the tranny off, we went and completed the paperwork and I drove it home. Most people selling are aware that you have come along way and are driving it home will attempt to help you. At least that has been my experience.

 

Amen, Jim.

I sure would not want a car that could not be driven that far.

Ben

 

@Thor1 have you left yet?



Just kidding...
Have fun...great intro to a new ride...

An unforgettable journey.

My longest cruise lasted 8 hrs

I will not forget it...

Drive safe...
​

 

Nothin like a good shake down cruise.

 

We have had our 46 Plymouth with rebuilt engine from central NY to Charlotte, NC, Detroit 2x, Virginia, Maine, and several shorter trips. They built these cars to transport folks from point A to point B. Before you drive it for distance, take it to a shop, have it checked for safety items brakes, tires , shocks, steering, check the belts, hoses and fluids. Then break your return trip into manageable segments. Way I figure, if it will go 100 miles, it probably go another. Take the state highways. We stay off interstates unless it is the best way to get through a metropolitan area that would have a lot of stop and go traffic. Biggest problem we have had was a broken fan belt. Basic tools, cell phone, and join AAA. A gold membership gets you pretty near unlimited towing. You can always go the uhaul route if you encounter a failure you can't deal with.

 

I have a story about driving one home! About 10 years ago I got the bright idea to buy a fire truck because I wanted the engine for an off topic project. Found what I wanted on Ebay, 30,000 mile, just taken out of service, drive it anywhere, the auction said. Only 700 miles from me, what could go wrong? Perfect, hit the "buy it now" and I own a fire truck. Emailed back and forth with the fire company, arranged payment and a time to pick it up. Hooked a tow dolly behind my Honda sedan, picked up a buddy and set out for Kentucky. When we got to the fire house the contact guy was waiting, but I should have known something was up. First thing he asked was if I knew where the alternator was on these engines. I opened the engine cover and there was the alternator in plain sight on the rear of the engine. This is a common location on Detroit diesels)
I jumped up in the cab, hit the starter and it fired right up and idled smoothly. Cool, what a score!
Being late, we decided to wait 'till morning to start back for home, so down the street to a motel. Next morning we bolted on a makeshift bumper hitch, hooked up the tow dolly, loaded the Honda and set out for home.
Got just about 70 miles back toward home, engine just purring, then my buddy says, "you hear a rattle?" Sounded like a chain dragging, I looked in the mirror, couldn't see the back of the truck because of all the oil smoke! (It wasn't a chain dragging) Turns out that many of these small town volunteer fire departments do their own maintenance, Remember the guy that couldn't find the alternator, yeah he was the maintainer! When I finally got the truck home (close to $2000 for the semi to haul it) I found that no one bothered to change the air filter, which caused the engine to suck the shaft seals out of the blower, which caused some pistons to score. I can rebuild it for another $2000!
I will never again think of driving an unknown vehicle home, no matter how good it supposedly runs!

Trailer your new toy home and get to know it on local streets and roads.

 

I haven’t driven quite that distance in a “new” car, but it sure wouldn’t scare me- assuming you don’t have to get it done in a certain amount of time or you’ll lose your job or something like that. Too much rum currently to remember, but a previous poster had a similar problem as I with low fuel allowing a clog. A few hundred miles from home at 5 minutes till closing time of the nearest parts store (15 minutes away) and thinking the coil was going bad.. turned out to be big leafs of rusty fuel tank clogging the tank outlet. Luckily it had a sock (screen) and an enormous cap that I can stick my entire arm down into the tank and lift the junk out. Anyway, that was probably a bit rambly but just go get it and enjoy driving it home. If it breaks fix it and continue on.


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Drove to Pensacola Fl for a 60 Impalla vertva few years back. Rust bucket! pics didn't depict this. After driving thousands of miles...we baught it any way. It did have a factory upgraded 4 spd, 348 with triple carbs. Basically need to know where the car in question was stored. This is a damp salty air state. Huge rust is a big issue!

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Lots of guys drive their cars locally a couple thousand miles over a summer with no issues but wouldn't think of driving that far in one shot. What's the difference?

If you like what you see when you get there and are familiar with the mechanicals on that car, drive it! Ship some spares ahead to be with the car, bring a tool kit and go for it! What's the worst that could happen, you have to get towed a short distance to a place that can make a repair for you? It's not life or death.

 

Dont forget a fan belt. But if it has been restored and maintained properly it should be fine. If ny issues get trucked from where it stops. Sounds like an adventure. In Australia we have a roadside break down service club that will give you a free tow. Incase of a break down. Do you have a similar club in the usa?

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Bought a 53 Ranch Wagon that had set in a garage for 10 years. Bought it site unseen picked it up .Packed the wheel bearings , replaced the plugs ,points and condenser. Changed the oil and bought a set of tires and drove it from Tn. to Jax, fl. Drove in the day time because the generator was not putting out enough to keep up with the headlights. Stopped and bought an extra battery just in case.
Made it home o.k. I say you are nutless if you don't do it. Just carry some tools and drive it until it breaks and then get a u haul. Make sure your road service policy is up to date just in case.
People drove old pieces of shit across the country during the dust bowl with everything they owned tied on and on bad roads.
Think of it as one of life's great adventures . Try and stay off the interstate and see America.
My brother drove his 59 Chevy pickup from Mi. to Arizona and towed a Monte Carlo back home over the rockies with a 6 cylinder 3 speed. He paid $ 800 for the truck and drove it for 15 years and put 200,000 miles on it with the original 6 cylinder in it.
Old vehicles are like old horses, don't run them too hard and they will go a long ways ,run them hard like a modern car and they will lay down and die.

 

Subscribed, looking to see updated on how it goes.

 

I've got this t-shirt! Trust me, trailer it home...more than likely you will be anyway.
Good luck!


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I got a slew of spare parts I keep when road tripping a long way....distributor, coil, generator, starter, carb, belts, fuel pump, fuses, wire, hoses, wheel bearings, brake line, wheel cylinder, and lots of tools. Last road trip was planning to go to Symco. Loaded up headed to the gas station to filler up. Bam! Master cylinder goes. Only things I do not have are a master cylinder, water pump, and voltage regulator. Nurse it back to the house. Take my daily driver to the show. What a bummer. Basically you cannot be too prepared nor can you predict everything. Are you nuts? Certainly! But then again we all are here on the HAMB! That's what makes this place and guys like you great! I say go for it! It will be an adventure that most certainly will have a great story regardless of what happens. As long as you have the time, don't mind spending extra money if there is a breakdown, and it won't discourage your passion for the project, go for it! Be safe. Good luck! Can't wait to hear the story.

 

Road Trip

If you have the time - a good roadside assistance plan that offers more than one tow - friends along the way - a fat wallet for emergencies.


Jim

 

I have driven half a dozen cars from over a 1000 miles, and I love the adventure. I fly in with a one way ticket to see the car and rent a car at the airport. And go and see the car. After I look over the car and decide to make the deal I use the car to drop the rental off. This could take 10 minutes or 30 but it is a good shake down and I can see if I want to continue.
If all is well I drive to a local parts store to pick up expendables like oil and gas. I also buy a small jack but don't open it until you need it.
I usually pack a small tool case and some parts that I know I can't easily get that may give me some problems in my checked luggage. You can't have them in carry on. Also make sure you have a good spare. If not stop by
I usually hit the road in the afternoon. And drive in 30 minute spurts stopping to make sure everything is ok.
The next day I try to start early and continue driving in longer intervals but no more than an hour.
Will you have problems, maybe, and you may have to open that jack to try to fix them.
What happens if something catastrophic happens. Well it has never happened to me but my plan is to have the car towed to a storage unit, then go rent a car and drive home and get my truck and trailer put the rental on the trailer and go get the car. This is a great incentive to keep going on the road. The farther you go the less you tow.
So why you may ask why don't you just drive the truck and trailer to pick up the car. Well I have walked away from half the cars that I flew in to see, and it cost less to fly, both in terms of time and money than taking the truck and trailer.
Driving the car home is not only great fun but you also develop a list of faults that need to be rectified.
Break downs - Yeah I have had them, the most common are flat tires followed by thrown belts. I have lost a coolant hose and I have had bearings that I have worried about. I have loosened fan belts to save water pump bearings and balanced that with enough force to turn the water pump. It is an interesting game but you end up feeling like an endurance racer coaxing the car home.



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Have the seller take you for a ride at highway speeds. If you like it, go for it. Forget all the horror stories if you do, and have some fun. I would do this in a New York minute, even if I was scared that the trunk latch might fail. I'll be watching

 

This looks like fun.
Good luck.Have fun.Be safe.
Leo

 

Drive it like you stole it, Uhaul is a national company

 

Go for it! Like others have said, if need be you have U-haul, AAA or whatever the case maybe... you'll make it.

Live a little.... If you don't do it you will just be mad at yourself later in life.

I found this on craigslist in Denver, I was working in California and flew in to check it out. Drove it around for a couple of hours, bought it and drove it home to Ohio on a Labor Day weekend.




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No way would I drive a car that far that I knew nothing about. I've got 95K on my "34 so it's for sure a road car. I bought it as an unfinished but drivable about 700 miles from home. It came home on a trailer. Good thing too after I got it home it was little scary underneath. Good car just hadn't been maintained.

 

Extra, Battery, Ignition Switch, Dist, Coil, Water Pumps, Carb, 2 Fuel pumps and pump rods, Clutch & Trans, 2 rear cage wheel berings, steering stabilizer, 2 spare tires, 10 Gal of oil, 5 Gal of water, 2 floor jacks, 1 Scissor jack, 1 old army blanket, 2 big flashlights. Then it'll be a snap. You'll need all the extra stuff anyhow. JW

 

You guys are telling me that a restored old car shouldn't be driven except to local car shows ?
You allow a couple of days to check out the car for mechanical soundness . Carry some tools and a few parts and a road service card and a credit card to rent a truck and trailer and live the adventure.
Just think of the stories you can tell your car buddies when you get home. Or just buy the car and call a transport company and complain about the money you spent having them deliver it to your house.
Better yet, try and get one of your buddies to go with you and enjoy the ride or hold the flashlight when your broke down .
You guys that said no, Do you look at the maintenance log on an airplane when you book a flight ?
Or do you wear suspenders and a belt ?

 

If you have the time then of course you should drive it. What better way to get to know your new ride and enjoy this great country?

 

I've done similar things in the past. Drive down with a buddy that owns a pickup (I've always owned a pickup and trailer so he's usually just along for the ride but in your case you surely have a friend that's up for an adventure). Buy the gas, food and pay for the motels on the trip. That way you have help if needed and a place to carry tools and spare parts. Big plus if your friend is a good mechanic!

He can follow you home. If you have problems you can rent a trailer along the way if needed. Let him drive your new car part of the time while you follow along admiring your buy. I actually let my buddy drive the first leg so I can watch for odd things from behind. Sometimes for 20 miles to a gas stop, sometimes for several hours. Life is an adventure you get one chance to live.

It's a nice looking car, see what the current owner honestly has for concerns on why it may not make the trip. If it's something "it's pretty old for a trip like that" or "something might go wrong" or "I've never driven it that far at once" I would make the trip. If it's "the xyz has been acting odd" or "the muffler bearings are on their last legs and I haven't replaced them" or "sometimes it gets hot out on the highway" I would take the part if it's easy to change or a trailer if it's an absolute drive killer.

I drive all over buying parts, the trip is the biggest part of the fun.

JMO,
SPark

 

Well here's the latest. I have been thinking about it long and hard and I have considered the advice I have gotten in this thread and from people I have talked to in person both for and against driving a 70 year old car on a 1300 mile trip. With all of that in mind I have decided to go for it. I do recognize the wisdom in those folks that recommended trailering the car home. If the car goes "sneakers up" along the way I will be doing just that courtesy of UHaul. But as foolish as it may sound, I am being drawn by the adventure of the whole thing. Like my boss told me - whether the trip goes well or whether i goes poorly, either way you're going to have a story to tell.

It's getting a little later in the year than I would have liked. There were some delays that needed to be worked through but tomorrow morning at the butt crack of dawn I am flying to Pensacola. If everything works out, early tomorrow afternoon I am going to be on the road and headed north out of Florida and pointed toward Wisconsin in a '47 Ford long door coupe. It's an early '47 so it has the '46 trim, hubcaps, parking lights, dash etc.

The owner had the coupe serviced and tuned up this past week. I signed up for Triple A and I will have my phone and laptop with me. I am no where near as prepared as I probably should be but that's never stopped me before. I will try to keep you guys updated as I go and as much as I hope I won't need to, I may need to lean on the hospitality and the support of the HAMB along the way.

I will be heading pretty much due north for the whole trip. I will be heading north out of Florida and will then cross over into Alabama. After that I head into Mississippi and then Tennessee. I will be crossing the western-most tip of Kentucky and then will cross briefly into Illinois, From Illinois I head into Missouri near Cape Girardeau and will cross most of Missouri from south to north. After that I will cross into Iowa on Highway 27 and then will cross Iowa from south to north before I head into southern Minnesota.

I'm not going to go nuts but I hope to be back home Wednesday afternoon. I hope the car...and the driver...are up for the task.

 

Looking forward to the details on how it goes.