How reliable is your hot rod on a road trip?

Pretty much every summer, I take at least one extended trip of 1,500 to 2,000 miles in my 47 aerosedan. This Summer it was to the Lead Sled nats. 350/400 turbo and 3.23 IROC rear. I built it. Aren't we supposed to drive the damn things?

 

I love all 4 of my rods,and drive them about 4 times a week,just not very far. My 27-T is my most reliable car,but most difficult to drive. I built it myself with mostly new parts.It kills me to drive more than 50 miles in it. I have driven it 175 miles in one day,resulting in a bad sunburn,and very sore muscles,the next day. My 47 has gone from Pinckney mi,to Kalamazoo twice,but not without problems. My 32 is very reliable but also hard to drive,(no leg room). The 32 was Pro shop built). 175 miles is the most I have driven it,in one day,(Woodward Cruise on Friday before).

 

Just getting it on the road, it hasnt been on to many long road trips. The longest trip so far is Hebron IN to Kalamazoo MI (240 mi round trip.) Truck didnt miss a beat. Me and my dad built it. 49 chevy pickup s10 frame swap 350/350.

Always drive it around town without a problem and plan to drive it all over the place. I built it to drive and thats what im doing.

 

We all know about you... Lucky bastard!

 

Made it 3-hours each way to HCPU #10 on a blown head gasket.

 

Dont know who would call it a "rod", but its not off topic either. 55 Ford sedan, built Y block, five speed, 3.73 rear, all work dont at home by a card carrying geezer. September saw it driven 1650 miles to Bonneville, raced the 130 club, and driven home. The car has done that four consecutive years now, increasing the speed each year. Tools and parts are carried, repairs made when needed. Top speed this year was 129.598

 

I got me a 1962 Fairlane June this year, have driven many many miles since then.

Maybe 2000 miles with only a few issues: blown header gasket, the stick shift turned loose once and 2 busted fuel-lines (I should have checked them at once when I got the car).

Drivetrain from a 1965 Mustang, 289, 4-speed manual, 8 inch rear axle. All stock except engine that has hotter cam & headers.

I just love to cruise in that car

 

Mine is a 34 Ford 5 window, 351 C & a C6 with a 9" & 3:00 gears. All homebuilt, it now has around 68K miles. Its made it to Delaware, Seattle, Phoenix. louisville,Colombus, and many other places. A couple of the long one were 4K in two weeks. Been on a Hot Rod Power Tour and a few runs back home to N.Dak & Minn. Very few problems, or road side adventures. If the weather wasnt turning or I had a heater in it, I'd like to hit the road today. But-life gets in the way.

 

old lady & me drove our 29 sedan from Indy to LA and back in 2002. son was working for a car mag in LA at the time. no car problems but had a space problem with no trunk

 

My Willys is very reliable (knock on wood). Nothing to jump in it and do a 1000 mile weekend. Have ran 7-8 hours only stopping for fuel. Being driven was the whole intentions of what it was built for!!

 

Owner built 29 chrysler sedan 440 with dual quads mass.to louisville ky.1989. still drive it today but with 392 hemi with hilborn stack injection

 

Very impressive

 

Dang, just realized it said "hot rod", guess my Fairlane doesn't fit into that category.

However, I also have a 1929 Model A Roadster Pick Up that have been very reliable.

Built by a good friend of mine. Runs a 60-hp flathead, otherwise mostly A parts. I sure have made some minor adjustments over time but nothing really big. Just to get in, turn the key and go. As it should be!

 

The farthest so far was a 900 mile round trip to the H.A.M.B. drags including racing it, this past August . This past weekend went on a 200 mile poker run and got 19.3 mpg.

 

I make fairly regular round trips at 1000 to 1200 miles. AC and cruise control are not under-rated.

After the last trip, I finally got all the known bugs worked out. My 47 truck has never failed to get me home.

 

I've driven 30K in 5yrs in my '35, never missed a beat and 28-30mpg on the highway.

 

Furthest so far in the Roadster? From Seattle to Bonneville or Pleasanton. Brake issues in altitude/heat and a busted fuel regulator. Other than that? Not a hiccup. Plus, part of the adventure is the crap you see on the side of the road or the fella in a dinky tavern who says that you (and your broken car) are "theeee perrrrtiest tomata" he's even seen.

 

So far, 800 miles round trip to tennessee (including sight seeing). I put 300+ on it every week since feb driving to work everyday. Planning a 4000 mile round trip to spokane next year. Its a 58 ford custom 300 with stock 223 and 3 speed with 3.50 gears.


-LUKEY-

 

I just got this on the road for a shake down, and have about 1800 miles on it, maybe more
hopefully going in for paint this winter
It hasent left me stranded yet

oh almost forgot..sbc offy 3x2, 2gcs- 700r4- ford 8" 3.55

 

Just did a 500+ mile weekend to HCPU #10 in my 31 Tudor without a problem. Owner built (and driven the s**t out of) with a 3 duece 348, th350 and 3.42 gears.

 

Been on several 300+ mile round trips in my '52 Ford. Many of which I have taken off after work friday night on a 2 lane road through towns the majority of which roll the sidewalks up at 4pm or so. Basically stock flathead with 84k, I tossed in an overdrive trans out of a '53, and keep up on maintenance. I do carry a toolbox along, but the only trouble Ive ever had was a piece of something working through the fuel filter and holding the needle and seat open in the carb, fixed it on the off-ramp where I slowed enough for it to flood out and was back on the road 15 minutes later. Try that with a new car! As has been said, I would have no problem hopping in and driving cross-country and back with it given time off and cash for gas.

 

1600 miles or so to Bonneville and back, 90+ with AC no problems in the Studebaker. 350/350 Ford 8"

 

In 2006 my husband Ron and I in our 32 Roadster (with our friend Scot following us with his 32 - 2 Door Sedan) left for a cross country trip from Wallingford, CT to the LA Roadster Show, Pomona, CA. The only thing both rods broke was the tail pipe hangers because of some rough roads. We will do it again in a few years...can't wait!!!

 

55 ford panel 350/ TH400 / 9inch rear built by me.
New York to Daytona Turkey Run and back, driven daily since,

AND IT TOWS the falcon race car all over the Northeast for the past 2 years.

that's dependable !!!

 

bob's statement pretty much sums it up..
in march I drove my 1940 ford wagon to Michigan and back in without issue.. (about 1200 miles). left at 3pm on Friday 15th and was home by midnight Saturday the 16th..


but....

last weekend I wasn't able to get my car to a show 3 miles from home thanks to a bad wheel bearing.

 

have Had my '41 ford since '94. put about 100,000 miles on it and has never left me stranded. Bent an axle shaft, had a loose battery cable but always got home.
NY-FLA and back. NY - Mich and back, NY - Missouri and back. Home built.

 

I dont know my 34 isnt road ready yet. Maybe a different story in a month.

 

The longest trip was from Mammoth Spring, AR to Louisville, KY....900 and change. Went to Tulsa a couple times that same month. I've put about 10,000 miles on it in the last 12 months. It's been very reliable so far. I'm going to freshen it up a bit and run it to LA next June with fingers crossed.

It's running a 36 LB flathead (NOT stock) but NOT exotic, 39 ford transmission, original 32 rearend, mechanical brakes and original 32 radiator....runs 165-180 all day long....never seen it over 180 even in 105+ heat this summer...and yes both my temp guages are calibrated by me with a precision 300 degree thermometer. Stock clutch clutch and pressure plate that would be ok if I could keep the oil from coming out the rear main and getting all over it. Also running 6V stock generator.

 

Well my buddy an me an' our wives turned over 4242 miles round trip this past summer.... from our home in Saskatchewan , Canada to the Goodguys show in Pleasanton, Ca. Problems .... my buddy lost his speedo somewhere in Wyoming an' I got a huge rock in the windshield of my '32 in Montana on the way home. Other than that the hot rods worked perfect and we ended up with some great memories . Oh yea this is the second trip to Pleasanton in our '32 with no problems.....

Calistoga , Ca on the way home .....


Vista House overlooking the Columbia river in Oregon

 

Perfect....... I mean Perfect!!! I love every aspect of this Roadster!