Drive 2,400 miles home?

[alabamatacomaguy]

Your adventure looks like it will be a good read. Take lots of pics even if just a cell phone.
That is a good looking cruiser. Good luck to you. I hope you update all of us in the future on how it goes.

 

[sggoat]

Thanks for the prop Ryan... the trip was a blast... will never, ever forget it... memories that WILL last a lifetime!

That said, I've owned my 40 for a few years, and I knew exactly what I had. If you read the thread, you will see the detailed preparations that went into it (went through all mechanical / electrical / braking systems months in advance, replaced some parts, brought extra parts, GPSs, backup GPSs, fuel and water jerry cans, phones, even bear spray!), and it was still a little nerve-wracking at times... in the Summer!!!

Breaking down... in the plains... when it gets dark early... in a beautiful 40, but one which you happen to not know much about... and in Winter (and that's The Key Factor here)?! The probability may be small, but the consequences???

But maybe I'm just a worry-wart.

So, I for one will avidly read your posts... and truly wish you all the best... but frankly, I will be a little worried too...


Hector

I just drove my 77 1700 miles to No. Al. and back to Fl to meet up with the Rally Baton coming from the North. The rig ran great the whole way--yea, only 55-58 MPH, and actually got 13.7 MPG on some of the long stretches. That slower speed gives you the time to actually SEE some of this great country(just like Hector did)
Take along your Coleman Stove and Lantern-camp stuff-incld food---Plus-jumper wires(14 ga. if you need to bypass some faulty ckt) a spare voltage reg, a meter(VOM), full set metric wrenches/sockets, oil, coolant, extra fuel, small flashlight that the Coleman can't light up, jack, port air comp., do not forget stainless wire and duct tape--there's prob lots more--
This will be a wonderful trip for you--you will find out stuff about the rig that you never thought of--some not so good, but mostly real good

 

[ginmtb]

I just purchased a 77FJ40 and drove it 1300 miles home over two days. It was a blast! The truck was running much smaller tires than you are running and I still did 65-70MPH. The 77 got about 14-16MPG, some windy areas really took the fuel. Many here have already said it, "It's all about the adventure". My wife gave me "The look" when I asked her to drop me off at the airport with my backpack but then again she knows me. The truck had 54K on the ticker and was a one owner. I stopped into a hardware stoe and purchased a gas can, (3) qts of oil, a highlift jack, an LED lamp, a bike tube and some zip ties. I carried two small pairs of channel locks, 6in1 screwdriver, tape and epoxy in my backpack. The onle real issue was my right leg position did get old. Doing this again I would definitely orchestrate some type of hand throttle. No radio and I made the trip alone but in the end I wanted to become familiar with the 40 and I did. Would I do it again? In a heartbeat!!!!!! I'm not sure when this is taking place but if you need a ride-along let me know. L

65-70mph and 14-16mpg and wind? Trip sounded epic but that is sounding like a slight miscalculation lol. I'm lucky to get 14 going downhill with a tailwind...

Good luck on the trip excited to read about your adventures!

 

[tls3601]

I sincerely hope it is an epic and safe trip but my initial voyage was kind of a nightmare. They are great vehicles and I thoroughly enjoy mine but do take some tools and emergency stuff-they are old and you will learn things about her on the trip. Mine is mostly stock but with just enough lift to run 33's on my stock steelies. At 50 mph on the speedo which is actually closer to an actual 60 mph I get about 13 mpg. She cruises real smooth at that speed. Lots of folks pass me but these things are in no way about speed and I dont want to push her as she will go faster but these are low rpm tractor engines anyway! Enjoy! If you get anywhere near Arizona PM me.

 

[LS1FJ40]

Drive it! If you can afford to spend $22k on a 40+ year old vehicle to have as a second (or third, or fourth) vehicle then you sure as hell can afford to have it towed and get it fixed along the way if she breaks down. Which she won't.

When I bought my last LC (a 93 80 series with 312k on it) last March, I drove out to LA and picked it up from @NLXTACY's house (he had picked it up for me). We changed the belts, checked diff fluids, installed a temp gauge, ate some mexican, picked up a basic sampling of tools from Lowe's (unofficial home improvement retailer of Mud, and my employer), grabbed some distilled water and duct tape, and I left. I drove a vehicle with an unknown service history across Death Valley, up through Nevada, nearly ran out of gas (I'd recommend a jerry can of fuel) in the middle of Nevada with no cell phone service and hadn't seen anyone for 80 miles. I bathed in hot springs, slept in my 80 series that had an interior that looked like raccoons had had an orgy in it, work up with a mountain lion on my hood, wheeled a fairly tame off road trail on some BLM land in Nevada by myself (I know!), met up with @reevesci in Green River, WY and got some cool stuff for my truck. Drove across Wyoming through the mountains, in a blizzard, across Nebraska (nothing in Nebraska, it sucks) and back home to Iowa.

My only regrets, I didn't take more time, bring my son, and bring my fishing gear.

It made absolutely no sense in the world to do it. I enjoyed every minute of it. My guess is that you are like many of us on here. You live a common sense filled life of practicality and boringness. FAWK IT! Live. Make memories. See some sh!t! Get back to work and tell everyone at the accounting firm or law office or wherever how awesome it was and know your life doesn't suck as much as everyone else's.

 

[LeRoy Cordova]

65-70mph and 14-16mpg and wind? Trip sounded epic but that is sounding like a slight miscalculation lol. I'm lucky to get 14 going downhill with a tailwind...

Good luck on the trip excited to read about your adventures!

These numbers are correct. I calculated the numbers with a MPH app so it did very well. Probably helped that the tires are not aggressive?

 

[Guambomb]

Good choice on driving it home. In 05, I bought a 'sight unseen' 66 Bronco, and after making the flight/drive to Logan Utah, I headed out on an eleven hundred mile trip home to OKC right as darkness quickly fell. I remember the dim headlights bouncing erratically as I drove what seemed like forever (only passing about 2 cars in 3 hours - and zero open gas stations) as I made my initial trek on backroads, towards a major interstate.

I also fondly remember the roar of the 6 super swampers as I rolled 70/75 down the freeway for hours at a time the next day. I remember snarky stares and laughter from yuppie hipster types as they passed me in their BMW's and thumbs up/smiles from road warrior Biker types. My blinkers and brake lights went out as I entered northern Colorado; I managed with hand signals and by turning on my lights/running lights whenever I needed to brake or switch lanes. I only had a a bikini top and one working windshield wiper - which eventually turned into no windshield wiper as major storm/downdraft sucked my remaining blade into the sky (felt like a small Tornado). With half a quart of oil, some good luck and unforgettable memories, I made it home.

Enjoy the trip and take lots of pics!

 

[Spike Strip]

 

[CharlestonG8R]

Oh man, she is pretty! Can't wait to see all of the pictures from your adventure! Let's have a 40 meet up when you get back in town.

 

[lawdawg]

Good choice on driving it home. In 05, I bought a 'sight unseen' 66 Bronco, and after making the flight/drive to Logan Utah, I headed out on an eleven hundred mile trip home to OKC right as darkness quickly fell. I remember the dim headlights bouncing erratically as I drove what seemed like forever (only passing about 2 cars in 3 hours - and zero open gas stations) as I made my initial trek on backroads, towards a major interstate.

I also fondly remember the roar of the 6 super swampers as I rolled 70/75 down the freeway for hours at a time the next day. I remember snarky stares and laughter from yuppie hipster types as they passed me in their BMW's and thumbs up/smiles from road warrior Biker types. My blinkers and brake lights went out as I entered northern Colorado; I managed with hand signals and by turning on my lights/running lights whenever I needed to brake or switch lanes. I only had a a bikini top and one working windshield wiper - which eventually turned into no windshield wiper as major storm/downdraft sucked my remaining blade into the sky (felt like a small Tornado). With half a quart of oil, some good luck and unforgettable memories, I made it home.

Enjoy the trip and take lots of pics!

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that is a great story!
Thanks to all the awesome adventures people have shared on this thread, I hope to add one to the list.

 

[Varty Yo]

Is today the day this journey starts????

 

[pawleymack]

Makes picking up my FJ40 in Atlanta and driving to Pawleys Island seem like a walk in the park! Enjoy the trip and take lots of pictures.

 

[Varty Yo]

Ok this has to be underway!!!!

 

[ginmtb]

I'm thinking he may be figuring out why it's known as "Whyoming". Why did I choose to do this? Why? Why?! Why?!!