With all of the car shows, wrenching, racing, and just general automotive hijinks that get the most attention both online and offline within our collective automotive culture, I sometimes feel like one of the most fundamental elements that makes the automobile special is often ignored and neglected, that element being The Roadtrip.
Sure, you may go for a “drive” on nice days, one that may even be a few hours in duration between you, a few friends (Always optional), and your vehicle of choice, but when is the last time that you set out for a drive that wasn’t measured with a watch, but with a calendar instead?
This is where Scott Fisher and his 1967 Datsun Roadster come in. Just a few short weeks ago, Scott finished a 268 day/37,850 mile roadtrip where he and the little Datsun crossed through forty-eight states, seven Canadian Provinces, and even fought (And won against) a deer. Aside from that epic battle, Scott also had to handle a few oil leaks and other various small mechanical problems, but the car never left him stranded; this in its own special way is yet another victory, as there are ten year old vehicles that couldn’t muster a 37,000 mile roadtrip, let alone one that is 47 years old.
Of course, swapping in a five speed manual transmission from a later year car and upgrading the radiator and ignition also helped from a reliability standpoint, but that’s just using your noggin in my opinion.
Whether a Datsun 1600 roadster is your ideal roadtrip companion or not, you can’t deny the pure automotive experience that is Man, his vehicle, and the open road. Preferably with the top down, of course.
Check out the video below, and afterwards bookmark Scott’s roadtrip blog that details all of his travels and stops along the way HERE.
Cool little car. One of my best friends had a 65 1500 Fairlady (and a 72 pickup he put a 2.2 and 5 speed in) and they are neat cars. The windshield is a tad too low and at 6′ 5″ I was comfortable in the car, without a top. It looks like this guy is about 6’4″ or so. I hope he does the Japan trip, that would be epic!
As a broke college student in the mid 80’s I found my ’72 Datsun 240z to be a reliable and thirsty road trip companion. Now I have a ’71 TR6 and I wouldn’t know where to begin preparations to make a continental trip with it. Thrust washers, switches, fuel lines, fan belt, radiator, headlight relay, conversion to dot 5 brake fluid and so on. Odds are a Datsun’s a better choice – but hey! – Nissan rewarded him with perks, I’ll bet Triumph would similarly … oh wait …
WOW! A car guy that gets it. Do what you love and take the ones that you love with you. No matter what your ride is, no matter what the reason, Live Mas