Cool vintage vehicle road trips... | FerrariChat

Cool vintage vehicle road trips...

Discussion in 'Travel' started by TTR, Jul 26, 2017.

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  1. TTR

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    #1 TTR, Jul 26, 2017
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
    I'll start.
    Following is a carry over from my replies to "Vintage"-section thread "Ferrari 250 TdF 0895gt rally from London to Maranello"

    So far, so good.

    2352 miles so far in 13 days through 6 States, 4 National Parks, altitudes ranging from below sea level to almost 11K feet, temperatures ranging from low 40's to over 110 degrees, thunderstorms on muddy dirt roads, speeds ranging from "walking" (i.e. behind & next to bisons) to 80mph (on I-80 in Northern Nevada).

    Several encounters with wild life included some where large bison(s) was/were in the middle of the narrow road, just couple of arm lengths from the car, curiously/nervously eyeing & listening the low/slow rumble of a 65 year old Hemi with straight pipes, perhaps wondering whether to let us by or not.
    Most nerve wrecking moment came when slowly driving through large, 40+ head herd on both sides of the road and several calves suddenly became spooked by the sound the idling engine.

    Only problems encountered so far have been slightly misbehaving carburetor at altitudes above 6000 feet and an idiotic SUV driver we almost had a head on collision with on a narrow, two-lane Yellowstone road at a curvy section clearly marked with solid double yellow centerline, when, right before a blind left turn he had decided to pass a pick-up truck pulling a long horse trailer, creating somewhat hair raising moment.

    Having done many longer, similar & shorter length road trips with various cars, both modern and vintage, over the years/decades, this has been by far the best.
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  2. Texas Forever

    Texas Forever Seven Time F1 World Champ
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    I betcha you have gotten a few attaboys along the way, huh?
     
  3. TTR

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    #3 TTR, Jul 26, 2017
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    My pre-war vintage, pocket-watch style German altimeter appear to be needing calibration.
    It only showed around 9600 at alleged 10320 ft.
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  4. TTR

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    #4 TTR, Jul 27, 2017
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    Having had owned it for almost 30 years and driven/toured it fairly extensively (20-30K miles) in past 5-6, not mention many other vintage cars I've owned/driven/toured with even more extensively (at least 200-300K combined miles) in past four decades, I'm sort of used to the attention it/they receive, but my wife (we recently married) has been quite amazed and somewhat overwhelmed by the constant flow of positive attention, commentary & requests for photos/pictures the car and we receive from all walks of life, be they little kids, great grandmothers, gas station attendants or hotel/resort/restaurant staff whom many seem to treat us like we're some kind of celebrities or nobility everywhere we stop, even if just briefly.

    And all this for an old hot rod roadster I (deliberately) nickled & dimed together from a box/crate full of parts I bought sight unseen from Rochester, NY area about 30 years ago.
    I can only imagine how much more exiting & fun trips like this would be if I could afford some real Grand Touring pre-war car, like an Alfa, Bugatti or V-12 Packard roadster. Or an early vintage Ferrari. Oh well, maybe in my next life.

    It can even be almost funny when the valets at resorts or restaurants can't believe I'm actually instructing them how to drive/operate it when they would rather just leave it up front or wherever I prefer to park it. Some even claim it's the coolest thing they've ever encountered in that job and start reciting makes & models of exotic cars they've seen in it previously.
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  5. Texas Forever

    Texas Forever Seven Time F1 World Champ
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    Very cool car. If only the seating was bigger. :) Plus, I'd probably put fenders on here in Texas. Straight pipes, you say?
     
  6. of2worlds

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    Amazing road trip and reporting Timo! Thank you for sharing here.

    Though I suppose the Daytona project cars are sulking back at the shop...
     
  7. TTR

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    #7 TTR, Jul 27, 2017
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    We're both 5'11" and not with slimmest midriff, yet fit comfortably, probably because the cabin is a lot roomier than let's say '32 or even '34 Ford roadster or Packard for that matter.

    Fenders ? Who needs fenders ? Real Hot Rods don't have fenders (see photo) OR any other unnecessary weight. Only reason I'm carrying the top and two spare tires is probably because I've become a bit of a pu**y in my old age and after marriage ;-).

    Yes, straight pipes with no mufflers, but full lenght all the way back and not too large dia., so when driven casually or even mildly spiritedly not ear drum piercing or headache inducing.
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  8. Texas Forever

    Texas Forever Seven Time F1 World Champ
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    Love it! The reason I mentioned fenders is we get a lot of rain in Texas, but then again, the car doesn't have a roof!
     
  9. TTR

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    #9 TTR, Jul 27, 2017
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    Yes, Daytonas and other projects can wait a little more. They'll get my full attention again next week.
    We just spent part of this morning enjoying some hill climbing on Virginia City, NV area roads. More fun than shop. ;-)
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  10. TTR

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    #10 TTR, Jul 29, 2017
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    15 days, 2756 miles later back home.

    Overall better than hoped for trip with only noticeable mechanical casualty being headlight switch knob rod breaking off when rushing to turn lights off at home in attempt to get to bathroom quickly.

    Most surprising thing mechanically was the oil consumption, or lack of it.
    In past 10+ years the engine has developed quite noticeable leaks, which I really haven't spent much time "studying", but now on this nearly 3000 mile trip I needed to replenish capacity with only about 3 pints total !?!

    And yes, that's Yellowstone in So Cal.
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  11. Streetsurfer

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    #11 Streetsurfer, Jul 29, 2017
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  12. TTR

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    #12 TTR, Jul 30, 2017
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    Thanks for posting. While your ride may not be quite what I had in mind, the location is very appropriate and cool.

    I try to do scenic, vintage driving day trips at least once or twice month, often incorporating another stress relieving interest, scenic hiking.

    On our aforementioned trip I had, first time in many years, an opportunity to experience road side fill up from a pump without a card reader and digital metering display.
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  13. TTR

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    #13 TTR, Jul 31, 2017
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    For anyone who might be interested in what and how to pack for extended road trip with a vintage car, here's what we brought along for our two weeks of Grand Touring around western U.S.:

    - The 3 cardboard boxes simulate sizes & shapes of about two weeks worth of personal luggage for two passengers, but doesn't include the duffel bag (with mostly my stuff) seen in earlier pictures.
    - Both cooler chests were kept filled with (cold) drinking water and snacks through out the entire trip.
    - Milk crate on the left contains mostly spare parts like wheel bearings & seals, service kits for carburetor, distributor, generator, fuel & water pumps, extra inner tubes, voltage regulator and small array of light bulbs and other electrical spares, etc. + 2 Gallons of water, 2 flashlights, fuel additives, hand cleaner, 2 rain suits, umbrella (came handy couple of times when we got stuck on road construction waiting lines with the top down and no other shade) and few other small items.
    - White canvas bag contains driving clothing/gear accommodating to variety of climate/weather conditions from summer/desert to winter/mountains, etc.
    - Black plastic container in the front middle of the table has snow chains (it had snowed in Yellowstone three weeks prior to our departure, so I wanted to be prepared even for that).
    - Gas can size is 2 Gallons, enough to get the car extra 25-35 miles further if needed.
    - Toolbox contains about 70 lbs of hand tools, equipment & service supplies to take care of almost every potential mechanical problem one might encounter with a car of this age, excluding of course any severe failures of some of the major running gear components.
    - Other items include a mechanical jack, a fire extinguisher, infrared thermometer, a moving blanket, insulated overalls, 2 beach towel, variety of smaller towels & rags, tow strap, roll of duct tape, cable ties, 2 extra ratchet straps, "The Club" and long bicycle lock cable for theft deterrence, 2 bear sprays, etc...
    - Missing from the pictures are 2 pairs of sneakers, 2 pairs of hiking boots and perhaps few other smaller items.

    All the above (shown in picture on the table) except the fire extinguisher, was carried in the trunk.
    The car cover (not in pictures) was stowed behind the seats and, as mentioned & shown previously, one large duffel bag strapped to front of the radiator grille.
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  14. TTR

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    #14 TTR, Jul 31, 2017
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  15. TTR

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    #15 TTR, Jul 31, 2017
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  16. flat_plane_eddie

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    Wow this is awesome and very inspirational!
     
  17. TTR

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    Thanks.

    To all: Don't get me wrong, organized (vintage) rallies and tours are nice and convenient way to experience extended driving, but in my view they don't offer the sense of freedom I associate with going about it on your own.

    Yes, things can go wrong and cars can break down, even modern ones, but I consciously take that into account and consider the prospect as part of the adventure.
    In fact, I can't recall how often during this trip I was asked if we've encountered any car problems to which I was able to reply by saying "Yes, several times we've seen cars with some problem or another on the side of the road, but most appeared to be more modern types I'd be nervous or reluctant to drive any distance" ;-)
     
  18. Texas Forever

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    #18 Texas Forever, Aug 1, 2017
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    NFW, you got all that in the trunk. :)

    I suppose your next trip will look like this?
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  19. TTR

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    Actually, I've always dreamt of doing some extended "Grand Touring" with a 1750 Zagato Spyder, SWB or some other similarly cool "GT" packed to the hilt, including some "strap ons". :)

    But first, I have to conduct some serious savings and in the meanwhile my Roadster will have to do.
    I recently studied potential ways to mount my mountain bike on to it, even though the bike is one of those "modern" fangled things. ;-)
     
  20. Texas Forever

    Texas Forever Seven Time F1 World Champ
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    Somewhere in the foggy part of my mind, I see a picture of a 275 GTB pulling a race car on a trailer. Now, that's class!
     
  21. TTR

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    Maybe 20-30 years ago there was an early thirties open coach Maybach trailering an older ('50s/'60s ?) single seater formula car of some sort to vintage racing/track events in Finland.
    And IIRC, at that time the Maybach was still in same family ownership since new or nearly new.
    That was pretty cool sight too.
     
  22. Texas Forever

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    What would you drive on a trip up to Alaska?
     
  23. TTR

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    Me ?
    If the trip is for leaisure, see my earlier photos 😉...
    ... or anything similarily interesting.
    IMO, life is too short for boring (i.e. modern) DD type cars for pleasures of Grand Touring.
     
  24. Texas Forever

    Texas Forever Seven Time F1 World Champ
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    Well in one of my more insane moments, I did think about driving a Maranello..
     
  25. TTR

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    And what happened ?
    You realized needing something cool & exciting to drive instead to make the trip worth awhile and memorable ? ;-)
     

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