So, if you were going to drive acorss the country..

I plan to do this, someday. Fly out and drive home in something like a 65-67 Mustang, 64-65 Falcon or pretty much any Corvair. Why?

Adventure. Fun. Importation of a rust-free car to the east. And, I expect to meet and have conversations with any number of folks over the interesting ride. The Fords I can fix with a bit of barbed wire fence and some duct tape. The Corvair I'm not so sure about not potentially leaving me stranded in the middle of Nebraska, nearby AutoZone or not.

The 60s Caddy is a good choice, but I prefer something that gets around 20 mpg and I would actually want to own once the trip is over.

My E28 BMW 535is. Or any mid size sedan with at least a 6 cyl. or a drop top sporty car.

Town Car all the way, roomy, comfy, fits 6 inside and at least 4 in the trunk, gets better than 20 mpg. Easy to work on, reliable, cheap to buy, RWD V8 goodness...if you want less comfort and more handling go with the P71....ha beat you P71.

Another vote for vintage caddy. I'll be piloting this monster 1500 miles on BABE (and another 1500 home)

$500 runs and drives had to drop a few bux into new brakes but its worth it. As another poster said vintage 60s and 70s caddys are severely undervalued right now and they are perfect highway cruisers.

You guys are all a bunch of girls...

I am doing BABE in a convertible topless convertible 1992 mustang lx 2.3. (people always say, "what if it rains", to which I respond, "then we get wet")

and once I graduate, it has been a dream of mine to build a diesel powered locost, and drive it from New York to L.A.

maroon92 wrote: You guys are all a bunch of girls... I am doing BABE in a convertible topless convertible 1992 mustang lx 2.3. (people always say, "what if it rains", to which I respond, "then we get wet")

If it rains, drive faster.

I am building my 82 924 turbo for just such a trip. nothing better than a wide body, turbo charged GT for a cross country adventure. it will also be outfitted with navigation, scanner, and a host of other modern electronics...

I didnt say i was going to go slow.....

if your after adventure pick something old and british.

fun fun id go with a miata or a P71. I may be partial since i own both (i own the two most popular GRM cars...no 3 series yet) but both are a hoot to drive. The Vic is great for highway and is comfy for 5, blah blah blah. The Miata is sporty, fun, blah blah blah.

I have yet to get out of either car without a stupid grin on my face. They are too much fun!

1989 ford f-150 4.9 six 5 speed, pulling a 1966 scotty camper! Now thats fun!

Oh, I have done down country trips, and up country trips in a Ford Crown Vic, 12 hrs north for the Lake Superior Pro Rally, 12 hours south to see my dad in Atlanta (twice), and a 24 hour southward trek to see the 24 hours of Daytona, then another 24 hour trek home. Friday down, Sat/Sun in Daytona, and Sun/Mon back up....Red Bull was my friend.

However, it was very very boring driving, though comfy...A bit like driving a maroon velour couch down the interstate.

LA to Ohio 2500 miles in a 75 Plymouth Fury with a badly tuned 318, the Turd as it was christened by my wife when she first sighted it.

Crown Vic or Volvo wagon/sedan. Volvos have great seats.

Money no object, I'd probably pick a late model Jaguar XKR.

maroon92 wrote: You guys are all a bunch of girls... I am doing BABE in a convertible topless convertible 1992 mustang lx 2.3. (people always say, "what if it rains", to which I respond, "then we get wet") and once I graduate, it has been a dream of mine to build a diesel powered locost, and drive it from New York to L.A.

Its been done....with a V8 our 2nd place car from last year The top was there but useless.

There was also a team in a spitfire with a blue tarp as a "roof" in case of rain and a team from 06 with an MG miget with no top and we had the WORST torrential downpours all through day 2 in Virginia, they mustered through just fine.

If you are looking to set a new bar for suffering on BABE you have a LOOOOONG way to go ;)

If I wanted to beat my record of 3.5 days (Cocoa Beach, FL to Bellingham, WA, Mapquest it) I'd pic a P71, hands down. I'd make it in killer time, get good enough mileage, and still have a back when I got there because it's comfy. If you're wondering I did it in a 92 SHO with no radio...

But I have no interest in that, I want a 2-week adventure! While fixing a clunker can be fun, I think the more reliable the car the better and a convertible is a MUST! If style was the most important I'd go with a 1959 Buick Electra 225 'Vert. I don't think any $3000 ones will be all that nice though, so I second the Caddy's. I got to Florida road-trip a 66 'Vert and it was awesome. For the Ace-in-the-hole though I'd look at AMC and Rambler 'Verts. They can be had much cheaper then comparable models and still have tons of character and coolness. Make mine a 67 Rebel SST in Commodore Blue Metallic!

maroon92 wrote: Oh, I have done down country trips, and up country trips in a Ford Crown Vic, 12 hrs north... However, it was very very boring driving, though comfy...A bit like driving a maroon velour couch down the interstate.

Like my child hood, me and my 2 older sisters in the back of an '85 Gran Marquie from Southern VA to up state NY, At least two trips a year.

edit I think I would get a late model Taurus, boring but comfy, or any low buck 10-15 Y.O. domestic luxo cruiser

Early Lexus LS400

ddavidv wrote: I plan to do this, someday. Fly out and drive home in something like a 65-67 Mustang, 64-65 Falcon or pretty much any Corvair. Why? Adventure. Fun. Importation of a rust-free car to the east. And, I expect to meet and have conversations with any number of folks over the interesting ride. The Fords I can fix with a bit of barbed wire fence and some duct tape. The Corvair I'm not so sure about not potentially leaving me stranded in the middle of Nebraska, nearby AutoZone or not. The 60s Caddy is a good choice, but I prefer something that gets around 20 mpg and I would actually want to own once the trip is over.

My wife and I hope to do this within the next couple years, for all those reasons. We're not too particular about what we pick up on the West coast, only that it be a car that's rare here, unique, and fun to drive...

If I was planning a budget road trip, I'd pick up a Chrysler Mini, rip out the back seats, and call it an RV. :)

there is nothing more crazier than hauling down an interstate doing 75mph, passing cars and mudder tires screaming, all while getting 9 mpg. Diesel locost?

I traveled out west in a '73 4x4 wth 38" ground hawgs. and 3 gas tanks, including one inside the cab....

yes, I think I busted the $3000 budget.

billy3esq wrote: Volvos have great seats.

FTW. Seriously. Everybody else uses Car Seat Designers to design car seats. Volvo uses Orthopaedic Surgeons.

Two years ago, I packed everything I owned into a (then) 23-year-old '84 Volvo 245 Diesel wagon. Moved my life 2000 miles across country, at 40mpg and no exhaustion.

"...Hondas answer to a question no one in the 1990s was asking."

Do you self a favor and read through these trips. Detroit to San Diego http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=265019 and San Diego to Anchorage the following year (this year.) http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=362853

Keith pretty much covered my answer at the start - can't beat big ol' 'merican cars for vacuuming up the interstate. I still covet the 89 Lincoln Continental I had as my first car.

But I like the distinction between a trip and an adventure. For a trip, I'd take a CB7 (91-93 I believe) Honda Accord. Readily available for 3K, will get 35 mpg on the way and you can sell it for 3K when you arrive.

For an adventure, assuming the used caddy market has dried up, I'd take an E30. Great car, plenty of room for stuff in the boxlike structure and decent on gas. Plus it becomes a racecar when you get where you're going.

i'll chime in with something thats just occurred to me.

lincoln mark VIII

5.4l dohc v-8, air suspension and big comfy seats. almost like its a modern version of the classic caddillac

I want to do it in a 2wd/auto pick up, sleep in the bed over night, or across the bench seat if the weather is bad. When you fold flat the rear seat in my '93 f150 ex cab, it is the PERFECT place to lay a foam camp pad

P71 wrote: If I wanted to beat my record of 3.5 days (Cocoa Beach, FL to Bellingham, WA, Mapquest it) I'd pic a P71, hands down. I'd make it in killer time, get good enough mileage, and still have a back when I got there because it's comfy. If you're wondering I did it in a 92 SHO with no radio... But I have no interest in that, I want a 2-week adventure! While fixing a clunker can be fun, I think the more reliable the car the better and a convertible is a MUST! If style was the most important I'd go with a 1959 Buick Electra 225 'Vert. I don't think any $3000 ones will be all that nice though, so I second the Caddy's. I got to Florida road-trip a 66 'Vert and it was awesome. For the Ace-in-the-hole though I'd look at AMC and Rambler 'Verts. They can be had much cheaper then comparable models and still have tons of character and coolness. Make mine a 67 Rebel SST in Commodore Blue Metallic!

I did google the trip, and it says its a 48 hour drive. Add in two 8 hour sleep periods, and 4 hours of pit stops, and that only comes to 68 hours, or 2.8 days.

You can do better! Get your P71 out there!

Joey

I did it in 86 in a 70 Pinto.