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What should I take?

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  • What should I take?

    I have some building to do, and it has to be on a budget because my dad, my chopper flying brother, and I are planning to make a trip with our muscle cars from Detroit to Amarillo.

    Dad needs a ride but is looking at a 74 Challenger with a 360x4, a 74 Cuda 340x6 turned into a lime green AAR clone, and a 64 Sport Fury like the one he had back in the 60s that he bought new off the showroom floor, just without the 426 wedge.

    My brother has a 73 Cuda in addition to his 70 Challenger, but the Cuda is a driver he bought after moving back to Alabama.

    My dilemma, I have the 70 GTO that needs a bit of work but could be drivable in a week with minimal effort, just not nice inside. The 65 LeMans just needs a drivetrain swap, and some freshening of things like the brakes, easily doable, but I know very little about the car and it could end up needing everything under it replaced, but it does have a nice patina. Then there is the 67 Cougar, my first car, it needs the most work but honestly two weeks of work and about $1k and its a driver with the 351C I built back in 07 but never started, or swap in a 5.0 from one of my trucks.

    The 70 will only run on E85, so I need to check for stations carrying it, and drag along a few jugs of fuel. The 65 I can put any engine in, so it would probably be the old 455 from the 70 that will run on camel whiz easily and with an OD + 2.93 gears gets low 20s mpg. It would be nice to run the high compression engine and the OD trans to do some real world mileage testing with my combination, but that depends on the fuel stations along the way.

    Or I can take the easy way out, and drive the 98 Formula with its power everything, AC, 30mpg, but its an appliance that would just blend into the background.

  • #2
    i vote for the one thats easiest and cheapest to get on the road and also easiest one to get parts for if something was to come up
    Charles W - BS Photographer at large

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    • #3
      I vote for the 70 Goat. I always liked them. Had a coupe of early 70's T/a's but there was a thumpin blue 70 Judge in my area that was awesome.

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      • #4
        Vol stang from Tenn. or East Tn.?

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        • #5
          Take the '70

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          • #6
            Originally posted by Thumpin455 View Post
            The 65 I can put any engine in, so it would probably be the old 455 from the 70 that will run on camel whiz easily and with an OD + 2.93 gears gets low 20s mpg.
            I'd give this one a good lookover, and see if you could build it quick like this.
            My fabulous web page

            "If it don't go, chrome it!" --Stroker McGurk

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            • #7
              Sounds like a great family event. I vote for Cougar since it is your first car it would fit right in with the nostalgia feel of this adventure.

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              • #8
                I agree with JRoberts I have always dug the Cougers my best friends dad had one I really enjoy the look plus you cant beat your first car.
                GF:Did you motor blow up?
                Me:No i took the rod and shoved it through my block on purpose...

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                • #9
                  Actually, I think this is a tough question. Either way (except for the Formula) you're in for a bunch of work. But we know that you're up to that!

                  I'd vote for the Cougar if only for the sentiment - but I don't have to do the deed on it. Besides, you won't run into another one at every rest stop. Second choice would be the '65 but you would need enough time to drive it and find the weak spots before heading out on the road - I'd say AT LEAST 2 weeks for shake-down.

                  Best of luck on this and I'm glad that you're getting out and about!
                  Dan

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                  • #10
                    I think the thing to do is get the 65 GTO done. Then get as far as I possibly can on the 70 and LeMans. If both of them are running well, then attack the Cougar since it needs the most work. That way I have a choice, as long as I dont run myself broke so I cant afford gas. Probably still going to have to camp out of my car, rooms will be booked and expensive. So one with a big back seat is preferable. Sleeping in the Cougar would suck, its tiny inside.

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                    • #11
                      Why are you going to Amarillo ?
                      sigpic

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                      • #12
                        Sorry its Arlington, not Ammorillo. Really want to do the Power Tour this year, might be the last time my brother, dad and I can do anything like this, or it could be the first year we start doing something fun together. We hardly had any time with dad that was fun growing up, I can think of two instances, the rest was things I dont like to think about. Since dad has been looking at E bodies lately, I figured we should do this, my brother agreed since he has a cool driver now.

                        Looks like 3,800 miles for me to do it. Fuel cost will be at least $665 on gas unless I take the Formula.
                        Last edited by Thumpin455; January 15, 2012, 02:45 PM.

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                        • #13
                          Thats why I asked that , Amarillo is way, way over -----> there .

                          Good luck with your trip !
                          sigpic

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                          • #14
                            I would say take whatever you will be comfortable in for more then a week. You're going to be spending a bunch of time in it so you might as well as enjoy it. When I got home last year from PT after being on the road for 2 weeks, I didn't even look at the Lightning for about a month.
                            I R Bob
                            You can't drink all day unless you start in the morning!
                            2007 LH, 2008 LH, 2009 LH, 2010 LH, 2011 LH, 2012 DNF/BLOW'D UP, 2013 LH, 2014 LH

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                            • #15
                              Originally posted by BluLightning View Post
                              I would say take whatever you will be comfortable in for more then a week. You're going to be spending a bunch of time in it so you might as well as enjoy it. When I got home last year from PT after being on the road for 2 weeks, I didn't even look at the Lightning for about a month.
                              Bob nailed it, that's why we took a 99 z28 last year. Comfortable enough to survive a week, didn't kill us in gas, and still fast enough to earn a hell of a speeding ticket on the way home.
                              GM G-bodies, because I can't afford a 69 Camaro.

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