Cross-Country Road Trip in a '68 Barracuda

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Chained_360

Chained_360

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Hi everyone, it's been a while since I've posted here, school and a new job have been taking up pretty much all of my time. The joys of being an engineering student, right? I apologize for the lack of updates and progress on this thread here: [FOR SALE] - 1964 and 1965 Barracuda Reproduction Rocker Trim Clips . As soon as school is finished next week I'll be hopping back on the finishing touches of this project and get parts shipped out to people who want them.

In other news, I am finally working on getting my '68 Barracuda from my hometown of Anchorage, AK to my new home in Indianapolis. This has been a long time coming and I'm very excited that I finally have the resources to do this. After a lot of research, I have decided that the best way to do this is to ship the car from Anchorage to Tacoma, WA on a boat and then pick the car up in Tacoma and drive it across the country with my friend. I have family across the country that I can stay with, and I will have a co-driver so we can rotate driving if we get tired. One of the larger wins here is that I'll be able to pack most of my tools and spare parts into the trunk, and bring them with me instead of shipping them across the continent.

About the setup itself, I have a few questions. The car has a very tame 360, a 904 that's just been resealed and cleaned, and an 8 3/4" rear end with 3.23 gears. The trunk is going to be quite full of goodies: Toolbox, 4-speed, 2 bellhousings, front disc brakes and suspension parts, new calipers, intake manifold, spare Holley 650, floor jack, spare tire, maybe an electronic keyboard, and a few other odds and ends, and then two yahoos and their luggage. Total cargo weight is going to be closer to 400 lbs by my estimate. I know this is pushing the limits of what an A body coupe was meant to haul, but should I have any big concerns for a haul of this size? I'm wondering if getting a set of air shocks is a good idea to keep the rear of the car from squatting.

As someone who's only driven halfway across the country (round trip from Indy to western CO) in an '01 Miata, what are any tips or pointers you might have for someone taking a 50+ year old vehicle across the country? I don't plan on pushing it, I'm going to take my time, sit in the right lane at 65 MPH. I've done a few safety upgrades and big maintenance items, and have a few more planned. I've installed crackedback's headlight relay kit and it worked wonders, I installed a USB charger for my phone, and I have new windows seals and windshield washer parts sitting in a box under my bed. I'm going to replace the U-joints on the car, bleed and adjust the brakes, maybe replace all of the coolant hoses, and fix my defrost setting which currently doesn't work. I had the transmission out last spring and fixed two big fluid leaks on the car, so it should be good in that department. I have gear oil for the rear end, because I'm not sure it's ever been changed in its life.

Is there anything I'm missing, anything you lovely folks might recommend?
 
If the weight you are adding is more in the back seat area and less towards the back bumper I think that you will be fine. With the back seat folded down that should be possible.
For suggestions, have really good / new tires on the car, with a spare, pack a 12 v tire pump. Don’t rely on the bumper jack,get a light weight nascar floor jack.
Have you and your traveling partners on different cell phone carriers to minimize dead zones. Keep the phones charged.
Welcome to Indy, that is my hometown.
 
Sounds like a fun trip.
Suggestions: carry a spare fan belt(s), spare ballast resistor, front wheel bearings (clean and repack with new grease or replace them), blanket/cushion for the front seats, and cup holders.
 
Depending how your 360 is set up, have spare points & condensor or ecu, ballast resistor, fuses & fan belt. You said you'll have a floor jack along, which is good- but plan ahead how you pack everything. Pack the spare tire well full of stuff, put the heavy stuff toward the middle of the car, luggage on top of that. Keep the jack, spare tire, and tools in the back where you can easily access them. Last thing you want to do is have to unpack the whole car on the side of the road in order to change a flat!
Oh, and make sure your paperwork is up to date- have current registration (and plates, of course), insurance cards, and a good old-fashioned road atlas in the car with you- you never know when your cell service will cut out right when you need directions... In the immortal words of Bugs Bunny; "I KNEW I shoulda taken that left toin in Albukoikie!"
 
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I've done this with a packed car.
You are hauling an 833 AND and cast intake?
And front disc brakes and suspension parts, new calipers?
That's a lot of weight just that.
And TWO bellhousings?
Is this an original 8 3/4 to your car or have you made it wider with the aftermarket axle with the wider back spacing?
I had less weight than you and my M body 8 1/4 Duster with 215 70R15 scraped the sides on the big bumps.
With a fold down rear seat.
I was by my self.
I've fixed the rubbing by adding a leaf to the springs since then.
So, I say your rear is not going to be happy regardless.
And your car is going to be squirrelly.
I would not recommend Air Shocks over better springs anyway.
Or get a small trailer for tool boxes and heavy stuff like I did.
Weld up a bumper hitch.
A piece of plywood and straps.
That way you can carry some spare gas cans on it too through Wyoming.
If your car is an automatic either have a new starter or carry a spare for the parking lot.
upload_2021-4-28_17-12-20.jpeg
 
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So it sounds like the spares I'm missing are fan belts, a ballast resistor (or maybe two), fuses, etc. @adriver, why do you mention bringing a spare starter? Is that a towing related concern or more of a precaution from getting stranded? It was replaced with a new one in 2018 but I do have a spare I can bring with.

For the payload, It's an aluminum-cased A833, two aluminum bellhousings (one V8 and one slant 6), an aluminum Holley strip dominator, a Holley 650 vacuum secondary, and knuckles, rotors, old calipers, UCAs, and new calipers for a 73+ A body front suspension. Maybe a Yamaha Piano if there's room. The car was originally a 7 1/4 car, but the previous owner put in an original A body 8 3/4 from a wrecked '67 Formula S car.

That's my biggest question, is the load capacity. I can definitely figure out other shipping options for some of the parts if it's gonna be too much weight. I can fit the 4 Barrel, calipers, and other smaller parts in their own separate USPS flat rate boxes to take weight out of the car. The big items I really want to bring are the 4-speed and V8 bellhousing, the disc brakes, and my toolbox. Everything else can stay behind or get shipped later if necessary.

@clementine, thank you for the offer on the shop and parts! That is a very generous offer and I will let you know if I need it. I'm hoping to get the car squared away before it gets on the boat but if anything goes contrary to that I will let you know.
 
Chained_360 said:
So it sounds like the spares I'm missing are fan belts, a ballast resistor (or maybe two), fuses, etc. @adriver, why do you mention bringing a spare starter? Is that a towing related concern or more of a precaution from getting stranded? It was replaced with a new one in 2018 but I do have a spare I can bring with.

For the payload, It's an aluminum-cased A833, two aluminum bellhousings (one V8 and one slant 6), an aluminum Holley strip dominator, a Holley 650 vacuum secondary, and knuckles, rotors, old calipers, UCAs, and new calipers for a 73+ A body front suspension. Maybe a Yamaha Piano if there's room. The car was originally a 7 1/4 car, but the previous owner put in an original A body 8 3/4 from a wrecked '67 Formula S car.

That's my biggest question, is the load capacity. I can definitely figure out other shipping options for some of the parts if it's gonna be too much weight. I can fit the 4 Barrel, calipers, and other smaller parts in their own separate USPS flat rate boxes to take weight out of the car. The big items I really want to bring are the 4-speed and V8 bellhousing, the disc brakes, and my toolbox. Everything else can stay behind or get shipped later if necessary.

@clementine, thank you for the offer on the shop and parts! That is a very generous offer and I will let you know if I need it. I'm hoping to get the car squared away before it gets on the boat but if anything goes contrary to that I will let you know.
Click to expand...

It's just that a starter takes up very little room and if you come out of the motel on a Sunday night it's nice to know you can get the car started if you don't mind changing it.
You know now on the older cars the autoparts store on the corner may have to get it the next day.
They may not have one on the shelf.
 
Spare ign wiper and headlight switches. Oh hazard too. All jugs of fluids for the car. Fix a flat in a spray can....deodorant and **** tickets.
HAVE FUN!:thumbsup:
 
Yes. He can pigtail a new ignition switch under the column if it fails.

Not likely but can't hurt.
I did that for years till I got around to replacing the original one.
Changing a headlight switch can be a PITA.
But the work around is get off the road after dark.
That was my rule anyway for safety.
Night driving is exponentially more dangerous.
 
Sounds like a good trip. Do try to save weight on non-essentials like clothes and snacks <grin>. I think the spare starter is bit much — it weighs a ton and you can buy one anywhere in the US. If you are dubious about the starter, replace it before you start. Definitely carry some other kind of jack — with that much weight in the car the bumper jack would pretzel the bumper before it got a wheel off the ground. I don't think I've ever done a road trip quite that heavy, but I did take 4 people with 4 days luggage plus spares and a toolbox over the high Sierra passes in my fastback. Be kind to your brakes on the downhills is my advice.
 
Chained_360 said:
Hi everyone, it's been a while since I've posted here, school and a new job have been taking up pretty much all of my time. The joys of being an engineering student, right? I apologize for the lack of updates and progress on this thread here: [FOR SALE] - 1964 and 1965 Barracuda Reproduction Rocker Trim Clips . As soon as school is finished next week I'll be hopping back on the finishing touches of this project and get parts shipped out to people who want them.

In other news, I am finally working on getting my '68 Barracuda from my hometown of Anchorage, AK to my new home in Indianapolis. This has been a long time coming and I'm very excited that I finally have the resources to do this. After a lot of research, I have decided that the best way to do this is to ship the car from Anchorage to Tacoma, WA on a boat and then pick the car up in Tacoma and drive it across the country with my friend. I have family across the country that I can stay with, and I will have a co-driver so we can rotate driving if we get tired. One of the larger wins here is that I'll be able to pack most of my tools and spare parts into the trunk, and bring them with me instead of shipping them across the continent.

About the setup itself, I have a few questions. The car has a very tame 360, a 904 that's just been resealed and cleaned, and an 8 3/4" rear end with 3.23 gears. The trunk is going to be quite full of goodies: Toolbox, 4-speed, 2 bellhousings, front disc brakes and suspension parts, new calipers, intake manifold, spare Holley 650, floor jack, spare tire, maybe an electronic keyboard, and a few other odds and ends, and then two yahoos and their luggage. Total cargo weight is going to be closer to 400 lbs by my estimate. I know this is pushing the limits of what an A body coupe was meant to haul, but should I have any big concerns for a haul of this size? I'm wondering if getting a set of air shocks is a good idea to keep the rear of the car from squatting.

As someone who's only driven halfway across the country (round trip from Indy to western CO) in an '01 Miata, what are any tips or pointers you might have for someone taking a 50+ year old vehicle across the country? I don't plan on pushing it, I'm going to take my time, sit in the right lane at 65 MPH. I've done a few safety upgrades and big maintenance items, and have a few more planned. I've installed crackedback's headlight relay kit and it worked wonders, I installed a USB charger for my phone, and I have new windows seals and windshield washer parts sitting in a box under my bed. I'm going to replace the U-joints on the car, bleed and adjust the brakes, maybe replace all of the coolant hoses, and fix my defrost setting which currently doesn't work. I had the transmission out last spring and fixed two big fluid leaks on the car, so it should be good in that department. I have gear oil for the rear end, because I'm not sure it's ever been changed in its life.

Is there anything I'm missing, anything you lovely folks might recommend?
Click to expand...
Trip sounds like a blast! Might I suggest AAA or some other roadside assistance plan just in case you get stuck with something you can’t handle on the side of the road. You don’t want to be at the mercy of a sketchy tow company giving you a wallet flush.RJ
 
Alright, so I'll replace the ignition switch before the trip! I've had issues with it suddenly losing wipers and turn signals, and then coming back if I wiggle the ignition switch under the dash so a new one sounds like a good idea. I do have USAA, free 200 mile towing so I should *theoretically* be okay if something truly goes wrong. I'll have fluids and an actual floorjack, and a jerrycan to prevent getting totally stranded as well. Thanks for all the feedback everyone, I'll keep you all updated!
 
67-9 ign switches can be swapped very easily. They are plug and play, BUT years will not interchange.
Make sure your spare is keyed to the one you currently use.
I have one for our 67. Stays in glovebox just like a ballast resistor.
Chained_360 said:
Alright, so I'll replace the ignition switch before the trip! I've had issues with it suddenly losing wipers and turn signals, and then coming back if I wiggle the ignition switch under the dash so a new one sounds like a good idea. I do have USAA, free 200 mile towing so I should *theoretically* be okay if something truly goes wrong. I'll have fluids and an actual floorjack, and a jerrycan to prevent getting totally stranded as well. Thanks for all the feedback everyone, I'll keep you all updated!
Click to expand...
 
Lots of great advice, don't think I can add anything to the list. If you have a change of plans and end up driving it the whole way, I'm in Southern Alberta and will be glad to help in any way I can if you need. Good luck with your trip and stay safe.
 
I drove across Canada and back in the summer of 2011 in my stock 73 Swinger with a full trunk, a full cargo bag on top, wife in the front, three teenagers in the back. No problem. I say go for it and don’t think about it. My advice, get a CAA membership, AAA for you yanks.
 
Remember these cars made many trips like this for years. It should happen without alot of troubles. Watch the youtube channel visegripgarage and you will see he has recently taken cars that have sit for 20 years in a field for hundreds of miles after getting them fired up.
 
I've done several long trips in old cars, biggest thing is be prepared for as many things as you can think of. Went from Winnipeg Man. to Kissimmee Fla. in my recently rebuilt 70 Dart, 5200 mi round trip, no problems with the car.
 
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I have regularly taken road trips in my old cars- and some are far from pristine examples. 500 miles each way up to the Boundary Waters and back is not uncommon- haven't had a major issue yet. Then again, I've had days when I didn't make it around the block... really no more risky than some "modern" cars, as long as you go prepared.
 
Nothing wrong with air shocks. Measure how high the rear of the car sits before you load it. Load it, and bring it back up to where it was when you measured empty. You don't have to put 150 p.s.i. of air in them.
 
I took my 69 Dart Swinger 340 from Ohio to Colorado followed by a girlfriend in her Maverick, somewhere close to Colorado the water pump pulley sheared off just behind where it bolts onto the W/pump. Saved by the Maverick. : . (
 
Sounds like a fun trip. Enjoy!! Back in 94 I drove my 68 fastback from South Dakota to Pennsylvania with all my crap but what I shipped to Germany. Didn't take spare anything, just jumped in and went. Young, dumb, and lucky I guess but made it without a problem.
 
@missing linc , I will be sure to let you know if the route deviates that way, and I greatly appreciate the offer!

Here's the route I'm taking, I've planned it this way because I can stop and see family along the way. I'm planning on taking extra jets with me for the Holley as we go through the mountains and then back down onto the great plains.
Route.JPG
 
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