Advice for a long roadtrip?

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1973Guppie said:
driving home in the middle of the night from college, when I was much younger, my throttle cable snapped in half.
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I had that happen to me in my 1979 SAAB. I tied my shoe strings together, ran them through the vent in the hood, through the window, and pulled on the string for a throttle. Hard to do while driving a manual transmission.

But another suggestion for a long trip is more about you than the truck. Do bring a blanket and emergency food and what not just in case. Getting stuck in the Rockies with no food and what not would suck.

Have a great trip! Take lots of pictures!
 
You are in a Cruiser, you won't break down!
I would just go over it with a fine toothed comb and fix or address anything that looks suspicious. Check and top off all your fluids, carry a gallon of H2O, some hand tools, a few extra spare parts and GO! Watch your temp gauge and keep it at 65 or below.

I took my 55 on a 6,000 mile road trip about 5 years ago. The only thing that went wrong was that a plug came out of my intake manifold. It was a plug for a desmog that I did and it just worked its way out. I had to keep the gas pedal to the floor board for it to even run. I limped it about 5 miles to a podunk town in Montana and found a NAPA. Found a 1/4" pipe plug that fit and put it in. The guys at NAPA loved the old PIG and let me use their lock tite. Come to think of it, I don't even remember paying for the plug. That plug is still in the manifold.

Oh, and I just drove that same 55 on a 1,200 mile road trip when I bought it back. I had some vacuum lines on the carb crumble to dust. I limped it into a truck stop where I wedged some tooth picks into the carb ports. I then taped them with electrical tape and on I went.... for another 1,000 miles.

If you find yourself in trouble, feel free to call the shop. I am an employee of Proffitt's Cruisers (located in Delta, CO) and we would be glad to help in any way that we can.
1-877-PROFFITT

Good luck. You'll be fine.
 
In one of my other 55's in college we took a spring break roadtrip to Missoula, Mt; somehow we took a wrong turn and ended up in Vegas then Hunnington Beach, Ca- We started in Wa.!!! Seven states, 3,000+ miles in 5 Days. Topped off fluids and fixed a loose spark plug wire in Nv.

Get ready for all the stares and thumbs up! Have a blast, you have a great community here to back you up!
 
I am so psyched to start this trip now. I just wish it was happening sooner.

:bounce::steer::bounce2:



Toothpicks and electrical tape. That is RAD.
 
2 coast to coast trips in the early 90's in a '70, then a 3000 mile Southwest vacation pulling a 15' travel trailer with 3 kids and a dog in the '79 a few years back. No repairs to the 70 on the trips , but a fuel filter for the '79 in Klamath Falls Oregon. Just point in the direction you wanna go! It will be a blast. :cool:
 
Elyse,

How did the 1000 mile trip go???
 
From a Trip to a Journey

Dave I am sorry I did not see your post. No I have not taken the trip... Yet. I have been working to get the parts, never mind save the funds, and also the funds for the parts (omg, the window seals! But thank god they're even available), all the pieces in place so the work on my pig can get started.

That's why I'm driving to CO. It's for a body restoration and that's where the work will take place. It's kind of a big deal so I didn't want to be like a dork and talk it before I could walk it.

But now all is ready.

I will be heading out come May 14th. Taking the direct route - I15 to the 70, through the desert and over the hills. Thanks to the good advice here I will be checking the cooling system, incl belts, hoses, changing the points, filters, oil, all that stuff - and bringing along tools for simple stuff, an extra set of points, hoses, clamps, some duct tape and wire. Extra oil and coolant, and of course, water.

My dad will be coming with me (father-daughter bonding trip, never mind that I'm over 40) and I am glad to see that Proffitt's is about mid-way on our route. Of course I won't have any major problems, but it's nice to know...

So any add'l advice on a long road trip - bring it on!

:steer:
 
Elyse LC said:
So any add'l advice on a long road trip - bring it on!

:steer:
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Y'know what I might do, were I you? I might make time to drive by Mark A.'s shop and have him take a quick look at your Pig. I would feel better if a real knowledgeable 'Cruiserhead took a look before you hit the road. He is particularly well-versed in long LandCruiser roadtrips. If he says you'll make it, you'll make it.
 
That sounds good. I've been going to Richard at K&H in Canoga Park (SoCal) since I got the pig in '94 - but it would be nice to get to know another specialist.

Where's Marc A?
 
The big thing is to bring a big sense of adventure and a bigger sense of humor. 20 years ago, a friend and I drove an old Land R*&er from Seattle to Vermont. It was a fun adventure, there were breakdowns and foul ups, but it left me with memories for a lifetime. Pack the basics, put some good books on tape on your Ipod and strike out. X2 on Having Mark check out your rig, he is in Burbank.
 
Good to be reminded of that. Really anything could happen on such a long road trip. I'm good with adventure, I just have to work on that angle w/my dad. But I think he'll be able to roll with it.

How to contact Marc A? Is he on this board?
 
txjake said:
20 years ago, a friend and I drove an old Land R*&er from Seattle to Vermont. It was a fun adventure, there were breakdowns and foul ups, but it left me with memories for a lifetime.
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The problem with that trip is the vehicle. A Land Rover is NOT a reliable vehicle, a Toyota is.
 
cruiser_guy said:
The problem with that trip is the vehicle. A Land Rover is NOT a reliable vehicle, a Toyota is.
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You certainly have that right! It was a 1960 109 Wagon, diesel. The most trouble was electrical as you might imagine. The point is to make an adventure of this rather than a task... Long road trips are an esssential part of a car nuts life....
 
txjake said:
The point is to make an adventure of this rather than a task... Long road trips are an esssential part of a car nuts life....
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That's the difference between a Rover owner and a 'Cruiser owner. The 'Cruiser owners actually get to experience culture and wild places, the Rover owners get to make friends with mechanics everywhere! Check out this Current Trip for what can happen if you decide to travel with a Rover (I did almost this exact trip with the 'Cruiser at about the same time).
 
I believe you. I don't own Rovers any longer (been about 15 years). The reliability factor killing the "Wild Kingdom" factor ;)

The adventure point I was making was meeting folks along the way and seeing things that are off the beaten path. You know, things that you would not usually see. Taking time to stop and check stuff out. Toyotas are great for that. It is not always the destination, but the journey.....:cheers:

And yes that is a good story and a point of caution if you decide to trek by Rover. I bet your trip was mechanically uneventful...
 
I sincerely hope mine is (mechanically uneventful). And the way back too, when the work is done. Since we are only going 270-300 miles/day there will be time to hang out a bit.

Our overnight stops are: Las Vegas (the Sahara - rooms were 31 bucks!). Then Beaver, Utah (behave) at a family owned motel called the Eagles Landing. Grand Junction, at a place called the Prospector Motel, another family owned place. And finally Fort Collins where the work will be done.

That's "my plan." Of course the "real plan" will only be known once the trip begins. Then all bets (and room resos) are off.

If anyone has any good diners or local roadside attractions on interastates 15 and 70, I'm all ears.

Now off to leave a message for Mark. Anyone know how much his inspection$ run?
 
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