Coast to coast four times and counting. The first time was in a Jetta. Wasn't very comfortable, but I made it. The rest of the times it was in a Ford truck.

Second time made it from Buffalo, NY to California in three days. Drive 16 hours, sleep 8, repeat. Never sped much, didn't need to. I was making great time. It was October, and the country was in a cold spell. The first night, just as I was getting ready to stop, I finally figured out what was irritating me so much. The dash lights were too dim. I tried to turn them up - they were! Then I noticed the battery light on the dash. Ended up changing an alternator in a motel parking lot at 11 at night. It was about 5 degrees outside. My hands were NUMB by the time I was done. That was in Iowa. Nice folks at the Autozone there stayed late to sell me an alternator.

Second night took me to Rock Springs, Wyoming. It was even COLDER. I stopped and bought a warm hat because if something happened to the truck, I was a dead man. There was no traffic, and -10 temps didn't give me long in the cold. Fortunately, the truck didn't let me down.

Third night, and I was home.

 

I don't know why it is - but some folks drive all the way across country, and the only gas and grub stops they make are at convenience store/gas stations like Love's, Exxon, etc... Where is the adventure in that? Its like driving across from one seven eleven to another.

So, as I watched the miles to Oak city get smaller and smaller, I kept an eye peeled for a truck stop. Truck stops are fun places, and they have some of the best souvenirs of all. I've never gone on a long drive without adding at least one new die-cast model to my collection...

So here comes a T/A stop, off the ramp I go. It's time for a cheese burger plate at least (reason number TWO for truck stops - the food is fantastic, as opposed to overpriced microwave burrito's and such), so I parked it, went in and had a real dinner, came back out intending to fire up and roll on to the gas pumps...

Rrrr-Rrr... (click)
Second attempt - (click)
Followed by the empty sound of nothing happening.

This was bad. Very bad. Town was a long way off, and they don't have Datsun parts at truck stops, or parts stores period. My guts started tightening up...

But I had my tools, and I pulled the starter. Opened it up, and found the rotor and windings had gotten scored. I used sand paper to get the scores out and cleaned it up, then reassembled it.

Ten minutes later -
RRrrrRRrr... (click)

I went through this three more times before I realised finally that the bushings were shot in that motor. (Shaft moves to the side, rotor scrapes the casing, instant trashed rotor). It had to be replaced. But how? Looking around, I was getting a real sick feeling inside. I did not have all that much cash to begin with. I needed to hitch a ride into town.

About then, I met a bunch of young guys who had been touring the western states in Mom and Dads El Camino, on Mom and Dads credit cards. They gave me a lift to the parts house and back to the Truck Stop.

But at the parts store another problem came up. NO Datsun 1200 starters. None.
It would take several days to order one, and I did not have several days...

But I made a lucky guess, I asked if they had starters for a Toyota of the same engine size, and asked to see one. Comparing the two - the bolt holes were in the same place, the gear was the same diameter, and the shaft housing was about the same length. So I gambled...

Two hours later, Oklahoma City was fading away behind me. It had fit and worked like a champ. I was suprised - by comparison, this was almost like substituting a GM starter if a Ford starter was not available. I don't know if that could be done, but then, why would you?

Around sundown, I began looking for a "JAMMER" truck. I did not have a CB, or a Radar Detector, so I had no way of knowing where or if the Mounties were waiting. But the big rigs had all the latest goodies I knew, and the drivers knew every speed trap in the country.

The first truck went by at 75 mph. The national speed limit was 55 at the time. I pulled out behind it and followed....

The next truck was doing eighty, the one that passed IT was doing ninety. By nine PM there was a line of us cooking up the east coast at 120 miles per hour! We covered the distance from aproximately Nashville to Charlotte West Virginia sometime after midnight, when I finally had to get off at a gas&grub.

I wheeled into Washington DC right about dawn. Three hours later I pulled into the driveway of my Moms rented house in Wheaton Maryland.

 

My first trip was when I was 19 years old (excluding greyhound). Flew to Minnesota from North Carolina to pick up the Camaro I had bought before I moved (it was stuck in a snowbank when I moved to NC).

We left Minnesota with a vengence after a night of gambling at Grand Casino in Mil Lacs. Broke down in Altoona, Wisconsin. Stripped the distibutor gear but was back up & running in just a few hours.

I-39 was completed not long before this trip & I was having fun driving down the road with a broken spedo, broken window, plates off a Monte, & no Insurance (remember I was still young with no responsibilities). Gave Illinios state police a run for there money, we were running the tach at 4200 rpm's with 3:42 gears so I can only guess we were up around the 120-130 range. They either gave up or I got lucky.

Met some young girls around our age that was doing a similiar road trip of their own. Ended up spending the night with them in Normal, Il. I'm still trying to figure out what is so normal about Normal, Il.

We detoured down through Arkansas to go inot Memphis & was pulled over by Arkansas finest & searched for drug.

Had a blown Mustang try to race us on I-40 just east of Knoxville.

Coasted down the east side of Black Mountain setting off all the flashy yellow lights to warn trucks that they were going to fast.

And fortunatly made it home to Charlotte alive & in 1 peice. There was alot more detail about that trip, but most of it was illegal so I am now going to start pleading the fifth.

 

yep............summer of 1974. We had just graduated high school. My buddy reg & i decide the thing to do would be to hitchike to Colorado (from omaha).
Thankfully the statute of limitations has run out on that trip
Suffice it to say we had fun, best month of my life

 

My first trip was last year with one of my buddies that lives in Tampa, FL. We drove from Chicago to Tampa together, and then I drove back myself.

I am leaving again tomorrow for almost the same trip, but we are stopping in Greenville, SC first to go hiking.