Cycleguy…first welcome and early congrats on the purchase of your car…
I’m in favor of you taking the trip b/c I can sense just from you considering it that you have the right attitude and sense of adventure….”…this is about more than the $$$” <=== you said that.
It also sounds to me like you may be getting this car b/c you intend to enjoy it and not just let it take up space in your garage.
You are 59yrs old, you’ve had your share of challenges in your life to this point, your mind is conditioned to problem solve, consider risks and prepare, adapt and make do, etc. Also, you are buying this car in the US, correct? We have NAPA’s and Autozones all over the place, and you are likely considering a replica whose running gear/systems are of a rather common variety, assuming here that if something were to go wrong, you could get the part you need easily, do the repair/replace, and get back on the road with minimal hardship. A cellphone with GPS, Google, and a AAA account are good additional tools to have along with you, but I’m sure you know this already…
Watch some of these Roadkill episodes on Youtube. These guys are real car guys with a great attitude and sense of adventure…have a look at episodes 4 with the El Camino, and Episodes 13 & 14 with the Ranchero.
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?lis...C0C916CECEA3BC
Speaking of what to pack or buy at a Walmart once you pick up the car, there are threads on here that are good food for thought. Here’s one:
What tool kit do you carry?
There are guys on this site all over the country, we can help you find a car, inspect a car, give you biased/unbiased feedback, come to your rescue during your journey if need be, etc… Someone asked you where you live presently…I don’t think you answered that one.
It would be great if you would start a thread on your search for a car (if you think feedback from owners on cars you are considering would be helpful to you), then follow it up with a thread that documents your trip adventures. We need to see some full-circle stuff like that on this site. I’ll subscribe for sure.
Some things to consider:
- Take a friend along to share in the experience and the driving. (preferably a buddy that can pack everything he needs for four days in a small duffle) I’ve done a trip like this, buying a car sight unseen, and driving it home 1,600 miles, and the stories that unfolded along the trip has made it one of the most enjoyably memorable experiences of my life.
- Seek interesting things along the way to add character to the trip, like finding some muffler men, or taking in the tail of the dragon, a national park, or visiting a restaurant that Guy Fieri has featured on “Triple D”.
- Hit this forum up for feedback on cars you are considering if you have questions
- Sunscreen
- The map below:
- Allen.