Ok lets start with a little tongue in cheek humour - Whats the difference between an English man and an American man?? An American man thinks a hundred years is a long time, and an Englishman thinks a hundred miles is a long way! Sooooo... I was reading Bass' post about his long trip in his hemi powered A, and it set me thinking.. I have a roadster, and do not do many long journeys, but recently did a 120 mile trip using only secondary roads, (no motorways) and at the end I felt pretty tired. This was at the end of a weekend show, including beer and late nights, so that would also be a factor. But my real question is, is a long journey less tiring in a coupe (or any closed car, I suppose) than a roadster, or is it me being a wimp and an Englishman?? Mart.
Wind hitting you, plus wind noise and road noises like other cars and trucks passing, will tire anybody out. I tried wind wings and even with the top up, i did not enjoy it. I sold it in 85 and will never own another roadster. signed; the wimp with cabriolet and conv sedan projects.
Good question!-----A stock height coupe OR chopped?? -----An open roadster OR running the top???? I have enjoyed driving my roadster across the USA 5 times,----With top. Whenever possible, local driving, without top. Either way, since finishing & building the car in 1968, accumulated milege is now 300,000 happy miles traveled.----------Don
Hi Mart. More on the subject in this thread. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=459472&highlight=closed+open+coupe+roadster
About the most distance I have done in a topless roadster in a weekend is around 450 to 500 miles,,sun and rain,, I haven't logged any miles in my coupe but have logged 450 miles in one day in my 32 pickup and did manage to stay a lot drier! HRP
There are a lot of variables. I own a coupe and a '32 roadster and enjoy them both, long or short trips. Both cars have been on rides over 600 miles and I really enjoy the differences of both. No top on the roadster and no heat or air in either car. The coupe is a hot rod with a 400 hp sbc, 4-speed, disc brakes and a dana posi '58 Olds rear. The roadster is a 250 hp 283, '39 trans and a Columbia rear axle. I built both cars and although they are very different they both are comfortable. So it really is the issue of the car, the comfort and reliability factor. I have a friend who drives over 700 miles from New Mexico to L.A. in a '32 roadster to drive the Pasadena Roadster Run, he drives, not on a trailer. We all drive the 130 mile PRCRR and he turns around and goes home. There are coupes and roadsters that are built that you wouldn't want to drive 5 miles in because of suspension, noise, mechanical issues, ect. That's just my opinion.
That's kind of a dumb question! But a good dumb question, right? A decent ride in a roadster will definitely rattle your brains lots worse than the same trip in a coupe. But that's also part of the fun. I live in one of the hottest cities on the planet. I have not missed L.A Roadster Show in about 22 or 23 years now. About half of those years have been traveling to and from in the month of June in a roadster. Generally, You can expect the temp through the desert portion of this trip to be right about 105 - 110 degrees. You get beat senseless by what feels like a hair dryer on high for wind, sun burnt, Dehydrated, and generally worn out. This trip is approximately 375 miles, and takes about 5 hrs to do. But when you get to the show, and people see the Arizona plates and realize you just made this trip - well, there are a certain amount of "cool" points you collect that those who did it in a closed car or trailered don't. The funniest comments come from those that just drove three thousand miles from the eastern seaboard, who just drove several hundred miles out of they're way to go a more Northerly route to avoid the desert. The most shocking difference though, was last year when I rode over with a friend of mine in his '35 Phaeton. Top up, only a 100 degrees or so, there really wasn't much difference between that and doing the closed car thing! Really different to get there be able to pull into the show, and not be half dead by the time you did!. I got a kick out your bit of humor to kick this off with. It is true. I'm also into old British bikes, and all the good magazines come out of there, to hear these stories of day long epic journeys and realize they just traveled a shorter distance than I'm used to driving to work some days... That's a cool small country you guys got there! Hope to visit someday soon! Thought I would throw a quick addendum in here as well. You mentioned Bass and his trip in his car. You might note that a coupe at the proper "HOT ROD" tune level will beat the living crap out of you as well! Big engine, noise, small cab, lotsa vibration and wind noise will leave you after a day in the saddle pretty spent as well. I take some crap around here for having an air conditioned " hot rod", But in my climate, if your going to drive it, it needs it. And drive it I have, about 200,000 miles now, and about 14 years of daily driver status!
The most fun I've ever had was driving from Albuquerque to LA across the desert in the 100 degree temp in my old roadster with no top. A buddy I was with had his son-in-law drive his roadster so he could ride in the rumble seat! Roadsters all the way.
A roadster is like a 4 wheeld Harley , a coupe is like a four wheeld Harley with a full face helmet on. You still bouunce around, get blasted into the other lane by passing semis etc.........
I've done both. Been driving my '40 Ford coupe since '67, my '29 hiboy since '82. Done long cross-country shots in both. Coupe is more comfortable, roadster is more fun. Topless roadster brings more bragging rights. Pick your poison and have fun with it.
I have two Model A's, roadster and a sedan.The roadster is way more fun to drive, most of the time. But on long trips, it beats the hell out of me, especially on crowded expressways and turnpikes, where it is not fun.
"Only a roadster driver knows why a dog sticks his head out the window." Up here in the Pacific NW we are a LONG way from everyone else in the country. Take a good look at a USA map and you'll see. If we're going to go to CA or Bonneville, much less anywhere east, we gotta go a far piece. We try to do 500 + miles a day on a real long trip. Most of the guys I travel with all drive roadsters. Windblown & sunburned...yes but we wouldn't have it any other way.
I am fortunate enough to have BOTH a 32 Coupe and a 32 Roadster I actually like my 32 Roadster more ... Both have the same engine combinations and suspension setups. The two cars are identail except the 3W coupe has A/C and a 700R4 ... where the Roadster has a 400 Turbo transmission. The coupe is better if you get away from home ... and it goes to raining But I actually prefer the openess of the roadster ... the sights, sounds and smells you get with it verus a closed car. .
I drive a roadster and sometimes with a top. The feeling of being part of the elements is what does it for me. I have other cars with roll up windows and a roof, but my roadster is my favorite. I drove the roadster to 49 states in 8 days, 16 hours & 48 min. in 2009 for a charity run for Ronald McDonald House averaging 1,100 miles a day. But I like to drive !! I would say 500 to 600 miles is a nice drive on average.
I drove 350 miles last Sunday. Up the 15- across Angeles Crest Highway out to Acton- out to Camarillo & back home. No top- pretty warm out & wouldn't do it any other way. Stop for lunch Friend shot this.
Several of my friends and I just did a little run from from SoCal to Victoria B.C. for the Northwest Deuce Days event . All in roadsters and most without tops . We did about 3500 mi. round trip and can't wait to go back.
Thanks for the feedback fellas, I did enjoy the ride, and being open topped only added to the experience, I travelled lovely leafy lanes and through quaint villages - it was a blast! So, from what I experienced, and what I have read above, and bearing in mind in the UK heat isn't generally a problem, the main factor for making it tiring is the wind buffeting. Maybe I'll get one of those light leather flying helmets just to save my neck and ears from the buffeting. I think that will make a difference. Enjoyed the road trip tales above - thanks again. My roadster has a little 21stud flatty, a 3 speed and 4:11 gears so major long distances are not being considered, but I think in a 150-200 mile run (one way) wearing a light WW1 type flying helmet might make a difference. Anyone tried anything like that? Mart.
In 1961, I drove my '40 Ford convertible (with the top up)from Toledo to Windsor and back one winter night, no problem. In 2004, I drove my '40 Chevy two-door from Cleveland to Toledo to Kalamazoo and back over two days in 90+ temperature, no problem. In 1967, I drove my '29 Ford Roadster from Chicago to Toledo on a pleasant afternoon. IT TOOK ME TWO DAYS TO GET OVER THE WINDBURN AND LOSS OF HEARING.
I've done 450 miles in my old TR3 roadster without any problem. Brit roads are far more demanding than most US roads...narrow and winding. But there's nothing in the world to match the wind in your hair..(if you have any!).
I do alot of driving in my roadster,just did a part of the streetrodder road tour,to syracuse NY,and did some of it with the top in the trunk.But no top is more fun.
Being a Brit (now living over 'ere), I really understand Marts humour. Can't comment on the long distance roadster drive thing, but I drove this (see picture below) over 10,000 miles thru 26 states in 3 months!!! That was 18 years ago and the smile has only just started to fade!!! Cheers, Stewart.
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