Ship it or drive it....

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Oldiron440 said:
You can do what everyone else is doing by recording the adventure and posting it on youtube , you can start your own channel and make big bucks. lol
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This is exactly what my kids say haha. They are like Dad we will put you on Tick Tok. I said WTH is that haha.
 
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After driving through a snowstorm in the Rocky Mountains of British Columbia in February 1992 or 93. I had put some miles on the car before I made this trip and had no real troubles beyond a plugged heater core. Pictures were taken in Fernie, British Columbia after driving through the night. I continued on for another 400 miles or so before finally getting a hotel and some sleep. Admittedly I was a little younger then, but the memory is a very good one.
 
67Dart440GT said:
Car is near Tampa. The car has been regularly driven. Engine has about 2,000 miles on it. I don't have a truck or trailer anymore so it's either ship or drive. The owner did mention the tires look good but said they are old and should be replaced before it heads out.
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Near Tampa like Odessa or Brandon? Or near Tampa like Spring Hill, or Brooksville? Lol
 
Just remember it's a 50 year old car and you need to "drive" it all the way ..no cruise control, not very comfortable seats, no abs. Are tires great, if it hasn't been driven a lot maybe oil leaking valve covers. Sold a car some years ago to a guy from MN. picked him up at airport, we drove to my house about 15 miles, he pulled out cash and his plates and took off from NY. Called the next day and said both valve covers started leaking, and he had to buy a case of oil to make it home. He was sick from smelling the oil also. If you have the time rent a transporter and go and get it with a friend, good fun.
 
Life is an adventure..but it takes some guts and/or just craziness!!!!
I like your idea of renting the van and taking some tools. Sounds like a solid car that as the seller said, needs new tires! I have done such. I have had people that have flewn in and bought cars and drove back home 700-800 miles. And not restored cars either.
One time I had a guy flew from upstate New York in Feb to my place in Missouri to buy a 68 RoadRunner, this was bout '91 or 2 or 3?? I told him it seems! to run good, drives down the road good, but I havn't taken it out for more than maybe 30 mi. I just drug it home.. The usual deal where it had been sitting ???? for awhile> or a great while. He figured my Mo. price was a steal and he flews in and I pick him up at the airport 1 1/2 hrs away and we head to my shop. He loves what he sees, we take it down the road, whomp of it some, it doing wonderful, till we notice the heater core leaking on the floor! I said, spend the night and I will get a core and fix it. NOooooo, we bypass it and he's headed back to N.Y.! that afternoon!!! This is Feb! but he's a cold weather Yank! A snowmobile mechanic from that town they had the winter olympics.

He called 2 days later and said he made it home, no problem.!!!!
If it had been me, I would have had a bad leaky radiator, leaking wheel cylinder and blown out 2-3 old tires!!!!!
 
In 2004 I flew to Phoenix Arizona with a sleeping bag as a carry on. Picked up a 1980 Chevy truck and drove it home. I left Phoenix at 9am Monday morning , I pulled into my driveway Wednesday morning at 11:30 am. 2,250 miles in 50.5 hours. Slept in the bed of the truck the first night in Tucumcari New Mexico it was about 70 degrees. Stopped just outside Columbus Ohio the next night for a few hours it was 38 degrees and I about froze my nuts off!!!! It was an adventure I'll remember for a long time and I wouldn't be afraid to do it again.
 
Drive it. I've always wanted to do that. Pack a multimeter, ballast, on the way there; and pick up 3 gallons of water, oil, and ATF as needed in a strong container for the trip back.
 
Unless it's within a few hours I prefer to tow. Was beside this today thinking that's how I would be doing it...

JW

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Had my own trailer and drove from Colorado to Ohio to pick up my car. There in a day and a half. Came back in 19 hours (had co-drivers). Glad I did haul, as when I got home car wouldn’t go more than a mile before fuel filter plugged and overheated badly. With the condition of the fuel tank I don’t think a case of fuel filters would have got me home. Although it was a new thermostat it wouldn’t open. If you have a truck and access to a trailer I would haul it.
Yote
 
We drove my brothers 67 barracuda from Phoenix to Kenosha without any issues and one of the best experiences I've ever had driving.
 
Well, I know a guy who flew out from Tennessee to buy a Sweptline. Got here and found the trans mount was a piece of bailing wire, the tires in the back were dry rotted 16" wide Welds and the trans linkage wouldn't stay in drive. Did I mention the battery fell into the fan and took out the radiator 10 miles into the trip home from California? He ended up trailering it for about 1/2 what fuel food and lodging would have been BEFORE gas was $5.50 a gallon......Just saying. Your car sounds a little more realistic for a leisurely 2 day drive home in the summer. South to North is a little closer than coast to coast!
 
About 5 years ago I paid $800 to have a 50 year old car shipped from LosAngeles to Kansas City. It was about 1600 miles. I did not even consider driving it that far. It may turn out ok driving, but don’t romanticize it. Be realistic about the risk and cost.
 
With my current situation with shipping...drive, trailer it yourself,, or don't buy it.
 
Truck and trailer is how I've always done it but I don't have access to one anymore.
 
Demonic said:
Drive it. I've always wanted to do that. Pack a multimeter, ballast, on the way there; and pick up 3 gallons of water, oil, and ATF as needed in a strong container for the trip back.
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Man, a spare coil don't hurt! But sounds kinda like a fresh build. Even though my crap is new, I even bought an extra Blue USA ecu for the trunk... when they were in sale fo 40 bucks. Cheap insurance
 
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We drove a $400 76 Coupe D'Ville from San Diego to Chicago and we only owned the car since the night before! Started at about 10AM, hit Amarillo by about 3AM, slept for 3 hours and then drove through to Chicago. Made it there by about midnight IIRC, then a drunk in a station wagon ran a red and T-boned us. Walked away, left the Caddy to the tow truck driver. I took a train home, my buddy drove his fiancee back in a U-haul. We averaged about 85 the whole way as according to a Texas trooper who clocked us at 90 when our speedo said 70. That 500CID land yacht just cruuuuised! OKC to Chicago...that's about as boring a trip as the 5 through central Cali. And the Toll roads...? F that! One blow out/flat tire in Albequerque and no spare. drove the rim for 2 miles to a service station and bought a used tire...game on! .
 
If u drive it back u will have your whole family as support. Take a tow rope incase u need it. Good luck on your journey. Kim
 
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