Introduction and Distance Driving Question

[scott]

... - whats the best stuff to carry along? Any issues using regular coolant? I know there are threads on oil, I'll check them accordingly.

Once again - thanks for letting me hijack a thread, this group knows how to ask the right questions!

castrol 90 wt, gallons of it. that's what's in the sterring box, steering relay, swivelballs, diffs, tranny, transfer case, overdrive. bring a funnel with about 18" of tubing on the end of it and you should be able to hit all the fill ports. i also carry the quart bottles with the little pointy thing caps that the 18" of tubing fits on. my rear tail ights have the cages and i found that my tubing stores there nicely. loops up one side and down the other.

[MSmyth]

Brought mine back from Baltimore a couple months ago (300+ miles)... took my traveling tool kit but didn't need it. I checked the fluids and steering lash and had a flawless drive home.

What did come in handy was three fleece jackets I had in my chase vehicle (I never travel without the Mountain Hardwear). Balled/rolled/stuffed around my various body parts for the ride back was a lifesaver, especially the lower back and to pad the odd angle your accelerator foot tends to ride.

Earplugs? Hey, if I wanted quiet I'd buy an H3 (joke).

[South Larry]

Make sure to exercise your left arm for a week before the trip!!! Everyone coming anywhere near the vehicle wants to wave wildly!! (especially if you come across another of our band of Series crazzzies!!) and you'll need to have built up your waving muscles!!
Keep the windows and vents open and ENJOY mother natures free air conditioning

[SafeAirOne]

You've probably driven the rover home by now, but driving to work today reminded me of handy items to have--A rain coat and rain pants. I got absolutely drenched on the drive to work today during a torrential downpour. These items are even more important if your handbrake boot is in poor condition, as I found out mine was.

[graniterover]

You've probably driven the rover home by now, but driving to work today reminded me of handy items to have--A rain coat and rain pants. I got absolutely drenched on the drive to work today during a torrential downpour. These items are even more important if your handbrake boot is in poor condition, as I found out mine was.

At least you have door tops. ;-)

[LaneRover]

At least you have door tops. ;-)

I find that quite often my doortops seems to funnel the leak right onto my left knee.

[slorocco]

Really helpful thread - thanks guys!
I'm headed to Baltimore to pick up my Series III next week and will have a 150 mile trip back home. I've already got a tool kit sorted, but decided to pull the trigger on a hi-lift jack even though this one has street tires currently.

I've decided on a compermise regarding ear plugs - shure in-ear earphones, in one ear only... otherewise I might go insane before I get home.

Regarding fluids and levels - whats the best stuff to carry along? Any issues using regular coolant? I know there are threads on oil, I'll check them accordingly.

Once again - thanks for letting me hijack a thread, this group knows how to ask the right questions!

I'm about half way in between B'more and Richmond. If you run in to problems give me a call. I've got a truck and trailer and may be able to help if you need it. I'll PM you my phone number.

[NickDawson]

I'm about half way in between B'more and Richmond. If you run in to problems give me a call. I've got a truck and trailer and may be able to help if you need it. I'll PM you my phone number.

Gotta love that about this group - thanks Slorocco!

[scott]

Gotta love that about this group - thanks Slorocco!

just so you don't go getting the idea that we're all this kind...if you get stuck cuz you flat and don't have a jack call me and i'll laugh, just like the tow truck driver did as he charged me a c note to come out in the middle of the night in the middle of oklahoma jack mine up on my 700 mile drive home after purchase.

[NickDawson]

just so you don't go getting the idea that we're all this kind...if you get stuck cuz you flat and don't have a jack call me and i'll laugh

I'll do you one better and send a picture of me sitting on the side of the road...

Since I've already hijacked this thread, might as well ask:
This truck has fairly mild all terrain road-like tires and parabolics. Any reason the car jack from my chase vehicle won't work in a pinch? My hi-lift is on order but won't be here in time.

[Tim Smith]

...Since I've already hijacked this thread, might as well ask:
This truck has fairly mild all terrain road-like tires and parabolics. Any reason the car jack from my chase vehicle won't work in a pinch? My hi-lift is on order but won't be here in time.

So long as it's not one of those jacks that just links up with a hole on the side of the car (seen a bunch of European cars like that) and has enough reach to lift the tire from between the axle shackle and the ground, you should be fine. If you are not sure on the reach then bring a couple pieces of wood to prop it up with.

[Andrew IIA]

I'll do you one better and send a picture of me sitting on the side of the road...

Since I've already hijacked this thread, might as well ask:
This truck has fairly mild all terrain road-like tires and parabolics. Any reason the car jack from my chase vehicle won't work in a pinch? My hi-lift is on order but won't be here in time.

Welcome to living the Dream !! everything will be fine as long as you have a sense of humor

Looking forward to the pics. You have the paper towels, yes ?

Best regards, Andrew
'63 IIA 88" SW

[mechman]

It's kinda funny, but nobody mentioned bringing tools. I have a fairly basic Craftsman tool kit in one of those black plastic cases that I've added a few bits to (small voltmeter, a couple extra wrenches, crescent wrenches, pliers, etc) that I always carry in the truck with me. I zip tie it closed when I have to bring it on a plane. It's saved my hide more times than I can count - replacing a worn rocker arm and bent pushrod in Oregon, rebuilding a carb at 2am on the side of the PA Turnpike, tightening a loose tow ball in Salina, Kansas at 1am, adjusting the timing and mixture "on the fly" in my '78 Chevy van as I crawled over Vail Pass in a snowstorm, rebuilding a 1965 Citroen in a motel parking lot in Oklahoma, and on and on... If I didn't have my tools, I'd have been sunk more times than I can count.

If a car I purchased doesn't have a jack, usually my first stop before I hit the road is a local junkyard. I grab a scissors jack from an older Chevy truck (works under the axle housings) for $5 or so. It only takes a few minutes to stop and grab one, but it can save you TONS of headaches later. And you never know when that jack might come in handy later - I once used one to jack up a broken floor joist.

300 miles should be a cake walk of a trip though. That's a local trip, for me. I drove over 3000 miles on one trip in a truck with no brakes and a bad alternator - Oklahoma City to Tucson (master cylinder blew outside Amarillo), then back through OKC on the way to Dearborn.

Frank

[NickDawson]

Well the adventure has begun... On my way to the pick up

[MSmyth]

Well the adventure has begun... On my way to the pick up

Remember Nick... downtown first!