Driving a 49 Year Old Car Across Country

Good luck.

I don't see much chance of running into any dangerous bears; let's just hope the car holds up OK.

Thanks Randall!

We are going through the forest west of DC. There are mountains and I believe bears there, but I don't plan on any mountain hikes!

I hope the car holds up too. I'll add some pictures of it.

The Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville is also a nice attraction. Plan on at least half a day to wander through and check out the exhibits if you are into it, but a couple of hours will do if you don't linger.

Thanks for the tip. I just added it to our list.

good luck,...

I had a ‘53 Chevrolet Belair 2 door sedan, I drove quite a bit,... I always believe if your going to own a ‘vintage’ car, it should be used and enjoyed, and not to be looked at and never used.

You ask for recommendations, well, with you and your wife traveling, I suggest bringing (2) skateboards along with you, so you wouldn't be stranded.

But heres my recommendation

1.) Be a AAA member and bring your card along, if you have major car trouble, towing is free in a 200 mile radius.

2.) a toolbox with some standard tools is a must. I can’t say about parts. Just keep in mind you may have to improvise because parts aren’t readily available.

3.) your going road touring, Good or bad, I always look at it as an adventure and nothing’s really bad when you look at it.

happy touring....

Thanks Phoenix!

I have towing from State Farm Car Insurance, so we're okay. I delivered a Lexus RX350 the other day and due to state laws, we had to have it towed off the property. My client was on hold for over an hour with AAA. Not good!

Toolbox - check and double check. Just basic tools like a hammer and some saws. Just kidding! A pair of needle nose vice grips, pliers, crescent wrench, phillips and slotted screw driver, paper clips, metal clothes hanger, duct tape and gloves. The car has a jack that works and a tire iron/lug wrench. Spare fuses wouldn't be a bad idea. And we're going to pick up a gallon of motor oil when we get there, along with coolant and distilled water. A hammer is too tempting when stuck on the side of the road!

We're looking forward to it. I'm expecting some sort of break down, so it'll be an adventure.

Nylons... don’t forget your nylons... not in case your fan belt blows... its because When you wear it, it makes you feel pretty.

ummmm. okay

Lol,... When you get back,... if you could, share your trip experience here, it’ll be appreciated.

I'll post on the site often. With pictures too!

Less than a week to go!

Here a tip I found out in my younger day,... you really don’t know your friends antics,... until you went on a vacation with them.

I would avoid the River Styx and any free rides from the ferryman, Charon...

Oh no! I was worried about the green skin lady who offers apples or wants me to clean/check her oven!

You made me laugh! Thanks!

The car should be fine, I'd be more worried about road hazards, you know stuff on the road, deer running in front of the car, drunk drivers, carjackers, that sort of thing....So I'd have one of those whistles on the car, be armed, and take extra care when stopping for gas, I would use cash, too many credit card skimmers....additionally have call in check points and backup plans....carry a good supply of masks, gloves and eye protection, with hand cleaner and spray disinfectant...carry emergency contact information on your person...know the restrictions in place for each state you are traveling through, and city, and town, and have alternative routes just in case...carry a tire patch kit, and battery powered tire inflator, have a roadside emergency kit, a first aid kit with space blankets , a couple of flashlights, large crowbar, fire extinguisher and anything else that will fit in the car....

I,...I,...I think I’ll stay home...

You didn’t say,... I’ll be riding with that group... trip is back on... lol

I think we can outrun them.

Thanks Solar! I forgot about the first aid kit. I bought one on our last trip.

We have two weeks to get back. My concern is that we're going to run into a problem with the car, which could leave us stuck somewhere waiting for parts (usually two days).

Last year, we did a similar trip. There were many unexpected break downs due to rust in the gas tank - clogged up the fuel filter and also killed a couple fuel pumps. Luckily, I was able to get parts at a local parts store, so we weren't stuck anywhere for days. We did visit many places that we wanted to see. Cleveland's Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, a school in Toledo (sister school to the one I'm affiliated with), my old home in Chicago, Alfa Romeo friend in Minneapolis, Mt Rushmore, a car museum in South Dakota and Lake Tahoe. We met some great people along the way and visited some incredible places. It went too fast!

The other part of the adventure was the unknown. Would a 46 year old Italian car make it across country? What if it died in the middle of nowhere? What's that noise? Why won't it go any faster? ...

We're definitely going to stop and smell the roses. We love finding neat places to spend time together and a drive across country is perfect for that!

There is a local "rally" that is a celebrity fundraiser over a few thousand km held in Aus annually. I believe that to enter, the car must be older than 50 years. Cars fitted with extras like sirens, extra decoration and such. One is for the Variety club of Australia and the other for the kidney foundation. Almost every car makes it to the end and they do some serious cross country travel.

Enjoy.

A suggestion I gave here before. I would try to find any old dealers or any clubs for your vehicle along the route, or even change the route to keep you closer to any parts dealers, etc. Touch base with them ahead of time, tell them your plans and timeline. Since your vehicle is not run of the mill, they may be able to help with parts or local mechanics should you need either. On another note, I am envious! Safe travels!

Thanks for the tip. I'm in contact with the guys at Alfabb and I have contact information for AROC chapters in areas where we're headed.

Watch for our updates!

...then to Kingman, AZ and see Area 66.

I think you mean Route 66. (Unless you meant Area 51, but that is in Nevada.)

Beautiful car and loved reading about your last adventure.

Well! I stand corrected! I shall tuck my tail and show myself out.

I was thinking about Roswell, but I decided against it. Maybe on the next trip?

Beat me to it!

Thank you!

It's actually Area 66. In Yucca, AZ.

We're excited. Leaving in less than a week. We'll post along the way!

Sounds like a good trip but a lot to do in a short period of time.

I'm surprised that you can walk the Smithsonian with any detail in only part of a day, or are you focusing on a specific area?

I assume you are referencing Bandelier for the Indian dwellings? A good choice.

In the SE leg, I would loop north and visit the KY bourbon trail (a full day to day and a half depending on the number of distilleries visited), then drop to Bowling Green and see the Corvettes and look for my stolen vehicle ('82 Collectors edition walked in 1884 at the first open house of the plant).

Which brings me to theft. With a good looking vehicle (at least from the picture), what precautions do you take to insure it's still in the lot the next morning?

In addition to the workhorse duct tape, I would also take a roll of electrical tape and the self binding/fusing repair tape that's now available. And don't forget the camera (or phone, or both)!

Enjoy your trip!

We've been through most of the Smithsonian Museums, but we missed the American History Museum, so we're hitting that one.

We're either going to see Bandelier or Chaco - depends if they're both open.

My sister told me to go to Mammoth Caves area, so we're heading up to Kentucky. The bourbon trail sounds like something we'll like to see - a detour is very possible! I wanted to see the Corvette factory and the museum, but it's closed. Maybe it'll be open in a week?

Theft is an issue. These cars are easy to steal. What we did last time was to park near a doorway to the hotel - so there was always someone walking by. No parking in a dark corner of the lot! Our last car had a kill switch - I don't think this one does. I may install one if I feel we need it.

Electrical tape and silicone tape is a good idea. I added it to my list.

Thanks for the tips!

"Theft is an issue. These cars are easy to steal."

Would taking the HT leads to the hotel overnight be a daft idea?

That's actually a great idea. I was thinking of pulling the negative cable, but pulling the coil HT wire would be a better idea. I don't think a thief would have a spare sitting around.

I'd pull the whole dist cap, but it's hard to get back on. The clips are tough to get at ... but that's on the SPICA motor. Maybe with carbs it might be accessible ...

Tomorrow morning, we're leaving our house and heading off on our next adventure! We're super excited - I'm trying to close out some last minute business and I'll be ready for my trip!

We'll post here often.

We left Wednesday morning from home and arrived at the Sierra Madre Villa Metro Gold Line station at 5:15 am. Took the 5:20 am train to Union Station in downtown LA. Jumped on the Flyaway bus to LAX. The bus dropped us off at the Alaska Airlines Terminal and we boarded flight 512 to Newark, NJ with a scheduled arrival 3:50 pm. We arrived early and we were going to walk to the Marriott Hotel, but it started drizzing!!! So we took the Marriott shuttle bus to the hotel and met the seller with his son and our new 1971 Alfa Romeo Spider! She's a real beauty and she drives so nicely. I took her for a drive around the block - but I got lost and exited the airport and drove on some expressways and roads. Now I grew up in Chicago and I know how to drive in the city, but New Jersey expressways are much different. I finally did get back to the airport, we traded title for cash and we talked for a while. Said our goodbyes and thank yous and we headed off for dinner! I turned the key and the starter turned, but wouldn't grab the flex plate! Not a free spinning sound, but more of a clicking sound, though not a click like a low battery. I think something is turning and there isn't a grinding noise either. Oh no!!! A couple turns of the key and she started. Whew - now we're on our way. I have a feeling I'm going to be under the car putting a new starter in. My guess is a solenoid.

We went to Neptune, NJ and had a thin crust pizza at Pete and Elda's. We also ordered some baked ziti too. I drank a Coke and she had some sort of sweet martini - she really liked it. We devoured the French Bread and delicious butter! Pizza was good and baked ziti was different from what we usually get, but it was good. We took leftovers with us as we headed to the Valley Forge area for a good night's sleep.

Here's a picture under the canopy of the Marriott Hotel, Newark NJ. I am one happy man!

Bon voyage!

That's strange:

I can't see the picture in the post, but, I can see an icon in the view above this edit area:-

Sorry about that. I'll try saving it to my computer and linking it to this site.

Photo after I just purchased my new 1971 Alfa Spider!

Sunday night update:

Our new baby drives like a dream. The suspension isn't too stiff, so pot holes aren't jarring. The shocks were just changed with hydraulic ones (not gas charged). New Vredstein tires too! The carbs are phenomenal, but they make the motor thirsty! 22 mpg on 93 octane. 264 miles on a 12 gallon tank - that's pretty bad. I think the yellow car got close to 27 mpg on our trip last year. And this one has a 1750 cc motor, so it's a little smaller displacement. Though I've been driving much faster this trip, so that may have something to do with it.

We're in Jackson, TN tonight.

Where I left off:

We stayed the night near Valley Forge at a Holiday Inn. We woke up the next day very late and drove to Valley Forge. We had a great talk with the ranger at the visitor's center. He told us about some bug that's an unwanted invader - he said it sucks the sap from the trees. They're in a couple counties and they're spreading. We saw them all over the buildings!

We saw Washington's headquarters - the building is still there. We saw the wood buildings Washington's special guards stayed in - it's unbelievable how rough the quarters were! We also went to a post office just outside of Valley Forge. Next door is a Baptist church and for some reason, we have an interest in graveyards - this one is behind the church, so we roamed and read the gravestones. We mistakenly took a very short video. I was talking and she was holding the phone/camera. When I played it back, there was a long drawn out middle section - like a slow motion. When I listened to the audio, I could hear a dog bark - very faintly. Then at the end, another dog barked and the video went back to normal speed. When I downloaded the video to my laptop (Lenovo PC type), it ran at normal speed. When I airdropped it to her iPhone, it did the same thing as on my phone. I have no idea how this happened or exactly what happened, but all I can say is that it's not normal.

We had a coal fired pizza in a small pizza joint right outside of Valley Forge - HG Coal Fired Pizza. We had some chicken noodle soup - also very good. Then we drove to Alexandria, VA.

The next morning, we took the train to Arlington Cemetery and saw JFK's grave, a 2000+ grave of Civil War casualties (a single grave of unknown soldiers) and we walked up to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, but it was closed! We left Arlington and walked to the Jefferson Memorial. There was scaffolding around the memorial and I thought we struck out again. Then I saw someone coming out of the building and he told me they're open! We went inside and were awestruck by the huge statue and chamber. When we were leaving, we sat on the steps and watched a wedding in front of the Tidal Pool with the Washington Memorial in the background. The bride and groom came up the steps for pictures and we got to congratulate them and had a few pleasant exchanges. Fully recharged, we walked to the food area nearby. I thought the fish market had tables to eat at, but it's only a fish market. We walked around and nothing sounded good. We saw a Shake Shack and neither of us have had it, so we went for it. Wow, that's a juicy mess of a burger! And the shakes are thick and tasty! $30 for a double burger, 6 pc chicken nuggets, chocolate malt and black cow! Pricey.

Yesterday, we went to Manassas to walk the battlefield. If you haven't been, it's a must! Gorgeous country with rolling hills, trees and streams - paradise. We saw the stone house - it's pre-Civil War. When we saw it - there's a cannon ball imbedded in the mortar/stone next to the front door (facing the street). The waste of lives from not one, but two battles! And we were fighting ourselves!

Then a long drive to Knoxville with a lot of rain from the hurricane. It rained pretty heavily and being a 1971 convertible, the top leaked and we got some water inside.

"When I played it back, there was a long drawn out middle section - like a slow motion."

I've always thought it was strange how in films ghosts and ancient evil entities seem to have knowlrdge of, and power over modern tech. Maybe there's something in it.

So,... there’s hope yet for our grandparents to record their favorite shows on tv...

Have you tried ordering fast food sling blade style....

Might make a good video....

We're in Deming, NM near Hatch (known for those wonderful Hatch chili peppers!) tonight. I'll backtrack to catch everyone up. Sorry, but I'm having trouble with picture downloads, so I'll add pics when I get back to my home computer.

Today: We stayed the night in Carlsbad, NM at an inn called the Karbani Inn. It's made from shipping containers - five rooms per shipping container. Super nice people own the place, price is right and it's not too far from Carlsbad Caverns (our destination). We drove to Carlsbad Caverns and had a phenomenal day. It's the first time we've been in a real cave system and we were in awe! The park rangers are awesome there and they answer all your questions. If you haven't been, I highly recommend it! We were planning to go to Mammoth Caves in Kentucky, but the remnants of the hurricane (lots of rain) didn't give us a warm and fuzzy going under ground, so we passed. After a great day at Carlsbad, we drove to El Paso, TX for dinner at the Great American Steak House. I had a delicious cheeseburger with Hatch chili peppers - I loved it! The misses had Salmon (great smoky flavor), which she loved! We left El Paso very tired and decided to drive to Deming (a little over an hour drive) and spend the night.

Yesterday: We stayed the night in Abilene, TX. We were passing through a small town named Post, TX and we saw a sign for the best beef jerky, so we gave it a try. Jackson Brothers Meat Locker - that's the business and it's in an industrial area about a block from the main strip. They butcher live animals there and sell the meat wholesale. The jerky is the best I've ever had. We also bought smoked cheddar cheese, which we haven't opened yet. After the jerky place, we wanted to have lunch, so we drove through town and felt a bit discouraged - Pizza Hut, Sonic, McD's - then we saw a bbq place called the Wagon. We stepped inside and we knew we were at the right place. I ordered the 2 meat plate and she had a Frito Pie. Our food arrived and we jumped in. I usually grab some fries first, which I did yesterday. These fries are made from scratch (they cut the potatoes and then throw them in the deep fryer). Delicious - maybe the best I've ever had! They are that good! The sausage is super flavorful and has the snap as I bit through the skin. Not greasy, just great flavor! Next the beef brisket. Super tender and great smoky flavor. He told me he smokes the meat in a style called slow and low - it makes the meat so tender! He smokes it in Mesquite and I tasted it. Delicious. She loved her Frito pie - the juices soak into the Frito chips, which softens them up. Delicious! We had a great talk with the owners and other patrons. I felt like I was talking to good friends I've known for years. We said goodbye and left for Roswell. It was a huge let down - hokey tourist trap! Then to Carlsbad to our hotel.

Two days ago: We stayed in Dallas near the airport. Then went to the Sixth Floor Museum and found out we needed to buy tickets on line. The first slot was later in the afternoon, so we bought our tickets and left for the Museum of Illusions. More tickets on line, which we did, then we went in for a cool, hands on experience. There's a lot to see - some are easily explained or I've sen, but there were others that I haven't seen or I've seen, but never experienced personally. We had an absolute blast and when I get the pics up, I think you'll enjoy them. Next, we tried to go to BofA (they have a big high rise office building there) to make a deposit and the branch was closed! We left the car parked there and walked to the Sixth Floor Museum. We checked out the JFK Memorial and then walked Dealey Plaza. Being there gave me a great perspective of the possibility of Lee Harvey Oswald being the lone shooter. Next, we went to the museum. Their "social distancing" policy is pretty bad. It took almost a 1/2 hour to get in the elevator. We finally got up to the Sixth Floor - there's a very educational set of displays. I had no idea JFK had a 59% approval rating at the time of the shooting. I had always thought he was at the peak of his approval. We also got to see where LHO sat as he took the shots. Looking out the window, I was amazed how close it was and knowing he was a sharpshooter, it left me with the belief that he did it. Up to this point, I thought there was some sort of multiple shooter conspiracy. Now I believe it was one delusional man who did it. After the museum, we walked to a steakhouse called YO Ranch and met a friend for dinner. It was a great night, a delicious steak dinner and then we said our goodbyes and headed out for Abilene.

Three days ago: We stayed in Hot Spings, AR. We wanted to go the old bathhouse for a soak in a hot spring fed tub, but we needed a reservation and there was nothing available. So we walked the hiking trail, saw the hot springs and enjoyed walking around. We made our way back to the car and headed off for Dallas. We stopped at a BBQ place in Texarkana on the Arkansas side. It was good and we enjoyed the meal. We had a deep fried pie for dessert - it was phenomenal. We ordered two more and took them for a next day snack. Our trip to Hot Spings felt like a let down, but when we hit the trails, we were pleasantly surprised and we really enjoyed our afternoon there. You'll see some cool stuff in the picture.

Four days ago: We stayed in Jackson, TN and drove to Memphis. We were going to see Graceland, but tics are very pricey and since neither of us are big Elvis fans, we passed. Instead, we toured Sun Records - it seemed to be a tourist trap at first, but our tour guide did a great job and we enjoyed it. Then we went to Central BBQ for lunch. There was a decent size line and we were told it's worth the wait, so we waited. We ordered a three meat plate, chicken, beef brisket and pulled pork. Oh my! The best BBQ we've had on our trip. Delicious! And the people were super nice and so polite. We enjoyed our lunch, then decided to see the Civil Rights Muesum. It's at the location where Martin Luther King was shot - the motel was made into a museum. Some things were very educational (I learned a lot), but many of the displays had a very one sided message. I have a new understanding of what happened and I have a new belief of what happened and why it did. I don't want to get into politics here, so I won't discuss this any further.

Sorry about the pictures, but more to come. Next stop Phoenix, AZ for a few days, then back home.

As you may have noticed, we're winging it. We decided to see Roswell and Carlsbad. We skipped some of the DC stuff and we didn't go north out of Nashville for Mammoth Caves. We decided to skip Albuquerque and all the things in northern Arizona.

And the car! She's running great! What a rewarding car to drive. This is the only year Alfa put the 1750 motor in a Series 2 Spider. 1972 and on came with the 2.0L motor. For some reason, the 1750 revs better and is more fun to drive. I also like how the dual Webers feel vs the mechanical FI system (SPICA). I feel the throttle response is quicker with the carbs and the motor feels more responsive.

For the first part of the trip, we fed her 93 octane no ethanol gas. She loved it! The last few stops we had to use 90 octane - nothing higher available. I can feel the difference!

What a fun trip! Now to the auto parts store to return the case of fuel filters you brought in case this car behaved like the prior one.

I wasn't under the car one time during this trip! I bought some cheap tools at a local Walmart - I took two out of the packages, a box cutter and a vice grip. I broke the handle of the window crank, so I used vice grips to turn the stubby handle. I used the box cutter to cut the cap of the Lucas oil treatment bottle.

The owner told me that the gas tank was cleaned and epoxy coated, so I didn't buy any fuel filters!

It was a lot different this time. I didn't worry about the red low fuel pressure light turning on. That sure relieved a lot of stress!

An update: Our '71 is driving great! She's going to need a top soon - the old one isn't too happy. I think I'll put a cloth top on her vs vinyl.

And we have a new sister for her. We just added a 1993 to our family. A 22 year old younger sister. Green with a tan top and tan seats. 20K original miles. Drives like a dream. We bought her in Phoenix on June 28th and drove her home.