Road tripping in a classic car....?

[imported_Sam]

It's our long time dream.
Who's done it? Pros/cons? Any and all advice and shared experiences will be appreciated.
Thanks!

[Marlon]

Classic cars are classics. If you mess them up you wont forgive yourself. This subject strikes a chord. I have an 84 Camry, not a classic, but I love it. Drove it to Vegas from LA one night, for the sake of driving. After checking out Vegas for a while, we began heading back. Being tired as hell, I decided to let my buddy drive. As he opened the door, a freak wind caught it, slamming the door back against the quarter panel, bending the quarter panel, misalligining the door, pulling the hinge out of the frame, and rendering my passenger door virtually unopenable. I don't have collision. Just thinking about it pisses me off. What was I thinking?
In a classic car, in that situation, you would fix it. I wish I had a classic car to wreck and fix, whatever, my advice is, things happen, just go, and if you want, take the coolest car you have, but make sure you have good insurance, and watch out for those freak winds. That's actually positive thing in taking a classic car. They are probably more durable. Aint no wind gonna bend no hunka pre 70s Detroit door off it's frame. Have fun

[GEORGE FRANKEL]

We drive vehicles that cost us $20,000.00 to $50,000.00 thru all sorts of conditions. the worse thing you can do to a classic car is not use it. If you cannot afford to lose the car insure it. When you think of how much time we are in our cars having a classic is the best toy you can buy as you can be with it more than all the other "stuff" we have. The worst thing that ever happened to collecting classic cars and motorcycles are the books that tell you how much they are worth. They were built to use. My passion is motorcycles. We say ride them don't hide them. Enjoy your car. Enjoy the road George

I know folks who drive all over the country to shows, etc., in classic old VWs, Hudsons, T-Birds, etc. Why not? If maintained, they travel just fine.

I have drivine my 1967 Thunderbird over nearly half the country in the last 10 years. The car must be mechanically perfect. Mine is an original rust free unrestored car. It is really really nice, but has a couple of very small cosmetic flaws, but that is why I don't freak out and not drive it. It was meant to be driven!

I did rebuild the 390 V8 which now has about 20K on it. I had updated valves put in it so I can run unlead now, so roadtripping is no problem. It will burn any gas. And there is just nothing like rolling down the open road in a big block American V-8, dual pipes rumbling, and great tunes on the stereo (do get a good stereo!). In fact, If we were being invaded and I had to pick any of my cars for ultimate reliability, it would be the T-Bird!

But now we got a new toy- '75 Pontiac Grand Am with only 70K actual. Uh, these were the good Grand Ams- 400 V-8, rear wheel drive, and the cool squeezable nose. We are going to roadtrip it from Minnesota to the Lake of the Ozarks in July. Should be fun fun fun!!!