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How far will your Elky make it ?

  • Cross country (Route 66 from Chicago to San Bernardino)

    Votes: 19 61.3%
  • The Bandit run (Atlanta to Texarkana)

    Votes: 5 16.1%
  • Car show, cruise (Local car hop stop)

    Votes: 5 16.1%
  • Beer run ( Not the Bandit run )

    Votes: 2 6.5%
  • From the garage to driveway ( as soon as I figure out what box the carbs in )

    Votes: 1 3.2%

How far will your Elky make it ?

8K views 91 replies 30 participants last post by  Kamino60 
#1 ·
Ok so remember the poll questions are just to start the conversation, even when they are lame like this one. What made me think of this one was a couple of things, I would like to get my Elky in good enough shape to take some road trips and what is good enough shape ! As a kid we travel a lot by car, truck camper, travel trailer and then after my parents retired they travel doing antique shows( I went some till I got married). For the most part they never had many problems on the road even knowing they never drove new cars. For the most part is was older Chevy's when I was a kid but remember that 60s cars with 60,000 miles where high mileage for the day. I bet my dad drove over a million miles in his life time, out and back to California from NY when we moved for couple of years in the early 60s, dozens on trips from NY to Florida, many trips up and down the east coast and I don't ever remember being stuck on the side of the road. Of course no super highways back in the day, I remember traveling with my dad a couple years before he died and I was driving on I-95 somewhere in the Carolina's and he would yell at me if I was going over 55 !
Ok so back to the question, so how good of shape does our 40 year car have to be in to run up and down the interstate at 70 or 80 mph? Of course it needs to stop and steer, well as well as a 40+ year old car can, wheel bearing are also very important to keep the wheels from flying off in to the woods. Then there is the engine, tranny, rear end oh yeah and wiring. The question is what could you fix on the side of the road, piston through the block is a no, bent push rod, maybe, slush box not moving in drive or any gear, better call a rollback. I have never seen anyone break a ring and pinon or axle just cruising up the highway.
I started watch roadkill back in the day because they would make on some road side repairs on some very questionable vehicles, today with all the production crews and unlimited budgets it takes some of the reality out of the show. Of course our age thing always enters the conversation any more, can us older folks lay out in a parking lot trying to put a tranny back in? Of course you could buy, rent or lease a new wonder box to cruise down Route 66 but is it the same ? Hope to read some great stories about the time you drove home with a ratchet strap holding you lower ball joint together ! (True story)
 
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#4 ·
I don't know how far mine will go. I've had some leaks and put a used transmission in it. I think the leaks are fixed, but not sure about the transmission yet. It shifts and drives great. I haven't driven it very far yet, I didn't want to get stuck on the road far from home. I think it's getting closer to test it out.
 
#6 ·
I don't know that I could do RT66, but it sure would be fun. I used to drive semi trucks from L.A. to Texas, seen 8 SW states, and would enjoy that portion of 66 for sure. My Caballero has proven to be a very reliable vehicle thus far, but the longest trip I have taken in the last few years has been from Seattle to Vancouver, Wa. and back on the same day, about 150 each way, in about a 7-1/2 to 8 hour time frame. That was the day last January when I met my brother at his friend's house to transfer a 2.3 liter turbo Ford engine from the back of his pickup to my Caballero for my 1974 Ford Pinto project. My brother lives in southern Oregon, and found the engine on Craigslist, and went over checked it out, paid the guy, and picked it up for me. He was going up to visit his friend because he was going to pack up his daughter's belongings in Portland, and move her back down to his place. That saved me an extra 250 miles each way.
 
#28 ·
That must be a beautiful trip down the pacific coast highway! A 300 mile trip is a great way to find any bugs and not be to far from home. I have said before my In-laws drove long haul for Dailey Express for over 20 years and loved being out west. Did you ever get your Pinto project done ?
 
#7 · (Edited)
My health limits me some. Personal fluid management is a reality that needs to be followed and well planned.

I have taken the El Camino from sea level, up to 6,600 feet to the Wrightwood Mountain High Car Show. That is about 90 miles one way.
I have to watch the thin air, because it can cause my sea level adjusted carb to stall the truck needing more air.

I upped AAA to 100 mile towing for trips to shows.
However after 19 years with AAA Insurance for all of my cars and home, Friday they just sent me a cancellation notice.
That's 19 years with 3 policies and not one single claim.
I live 1 mile from the ocean. I removed all but one 16 foot tall tree, and have two 12 foot high bushes. I removed the associations high fire plants from the bank between my home and my neighbor's home. One rose bush is 5 feet high. All other plants have been thinned and under 3 feet tall. The HOA spent more than $1 million on fire fuel reduction over the last five years for 80 homes.
Yet, too bad. AAA is not going to insure you anymore.
 
#9 ·
My health limits me some. Personal fluid management is a reality that needs to be followed and well planned.

I have taken the El Camino from sea level, up to 6,600 feet to the Wrightwood Mountain High Car Show. That is about 90 miles one way.
I have to watch the thin air, because it can cause my sea level adjusted carb to stall the truck needing more air.

I upped AAA to 100 mile towing for trips to shows.
However after 19 years with AAA Insurance for all of my cars and home, Friday they just sent me a cancellation notice.
That's 19 years with 3 policies and not one single claim.
I live 1 mile from the ocean. I removed all but one 16 foot tall tree, and have two 12 foot high bushes. I removed the associations high fire plants from the bank between my home and my neighbor's home. One rose bush is 5 feet high. All other plants have been thinned and under 3 feet tall. The HOA spent more than $1 million on fire fuel reduction over the last three years for 80 homes.
Yet, too bad. AAA is not going to insure you anymore.
Old Bear, YOU get a thumbs up, but your AAA agent gets a thumbs down.
 
#15 ·
I've only 300 miles on my Caballero, so far and that has been 15 miles or less at a time. Everything is new (with the exception of the inspected transmission and rear end) so I'm hopeful that we will drive it from San Diego to Ohio next year to participate in the Hot Rod Power Tour. Planning to drive it to Reno in August 2022 for Hot August Nights.
A series of shorter trips first and we'll see about the longer ones.
 
#77 ·
I've only 300 miles on my Caballero, so far and that has been 15 miles or less at a time. Everything is new (with the exception of the inspected transmission and rear end) so I'm hopeful that we will drive it from San Diego to Ohio next year to participate in the Hot Rod Power Tour. Planning to drive it to Reno in August 2022 for Hot August Nights.
A series of shorter trips first and we'll see about the longer ones.
Joe - what part of Ohio? I'm in Dayton
 
#16 ·
My 283 is an oil burner (too much smoke) but it is good to down shift when someone tailgates. If everything goes right it will have a crate 350 by next spring. I love the security of knowing if it doesn't start I can roll it and pop the clutch. It still has drum brakes so driving at break neck speeds isn't a habit but I did upgrade the master cylinder from single to dual. Plus it is manual steering, I had forgotten what that was like 💪
 
#17 ·
It currently isn't going anywhere because it's up on stands without a transmission. Until 1st gear went though, I probably put 500 miles on it in the month or so I've had it.

Hoping that the transmission job (and some other "while you're at it" work) will be done around the end of October, and at that point I'll have a nice overdrive gear to make highway cruising a lot more enjoyable.
 
#19 ·
One comment regarding brakes; once I got tags & felt safe enough to take the wife for a ride, we had a quick lesson on driving a truck w/o ABS. She (the Mrs) was settling in and getting comfortable after about 15 minutes in the Caballero. I was rolling along 50+ mph and the traffic light ahead turned yellow. Because she was with me, I didn't speed up and blow through the light. No, it was time for brake testing!
I have converted my Caballero to 4 wheel disc brakes and they did as designed. The wheels stopped rotating. The Mrs was no longer comfortable.
So, I got off of the brakes as quickly as I had applied them and went through the intersection. She wanted to go home and NOT ride in that truck again.
I've been married 38 years. I really had to consider her statement, not riding in that truck again, before responding. The brakes are awesome and worked as they should. The driver needs to remember they are not anti-lock brakes. They will lock up, given enough petal pressure.
She has since ridden with me....
 
#26 ·
The longest mine has been to Palm Beach which I guess is about 200 miles each way. However, the last trip was half that and I had overheating problems. i would be afraid to go on a cross country trip. I do want to get it in good shape to make 1500 mile one way trip.
 
#34 ·
YEP.
I later found that I have have a cracked head (wife says it matches the drivers head). It's in the shop now. I almost had a 383 installed. But, by the time everything was added, things like labor ($2800), headers, removing the computer and a whole bunch of other stuff, it came to $8,000. Wife said that when you bought the El Camino, you said it needs nothing and you have already spent another $5,000 changing it. You need your head examined. Taking all that inconsideration, I decided to keep peace in the house and fix the 305.
:cool:
 
#35 ·
Hello,

My trips immediately after reviving the EC were short but they have gotten progressively longer. It takes a while to de-louse a vehicle that had been dead since the early 80's but I now have quite a few trips in the 100-200 mile round trip range. I have not had any surprises with the vehicle or had to be towed home in quite a while but I always try to be ready for that - AAA towing insurance helps.

I carry the high failure probability set of parts such as extra coil packs, plug wires and fuses plus a good collection of tools. And since this is an LS swap that uses radiator hoses, serpentine belts, power steering pump hoses and other things that have no standard parts list relevance to the LS donor vehicle or a 1970 El Camino, I keep a parts number list of these oddball parts stored on a print out in the glove box. This list will help me acquire spare parts to fix a break down on any long trip while also helping the next person who will some day own this El Camino to keep it alive and moving.

Rick
 
#41 ·
Years ago I made several runs from n fla to sw Louisiana, logging approx 2000 miles including the driving around there in a few days, no issues. Last trip in 1999' included some way backroad high speed runs with a tachometer/math calculation of over 150 mph. That was with the old modified tpi350/5speed & fresh tires.
The LS1/double overdrive 6 speed is even more reliable & calm at speed, not reaching 2000 rpm in 6th till almost 90mph right now. Rotten bald rear tires & a little maintenance is all that holds it back from being able to drive anywhere.
 
#42 ·
That is definitely a advantage to using a LS motor, reliability for sure and if you use a factory tune with an OB2 plug you could have GM diagnose any issue's. As much as I would love to go LS is just to darn expensive for me and most of us ! On the plus side I feel older 350 small blocks take outs are cheaper option these day. The manual conversion all and all is properly more reliable then a slush box and you usually can limp home with a manual if something breaks on the road !
 
#44 ·
I'm some where between beer run, and car hop cruise!
Having a 200 c trans, 3 speed with o.d.
(7-11 slushy)
highway driving isint too enjoyable. Although city driving is o.k. leaks a little from the gear selector shaft o-ring. But learned this is normal for the trans. 85k + 30 +yrs old, you can't complain much. The trans shifts early into 3 when totally warmed. Don't know enough about trans to know what that means,(I've had Other Chevy trans that did same) but I've considered add on trans cooler to help since it only does when thoroughly warmed. Other then that the car is dependable. Frequent drives of 10-30miles. Each drive is a little longer/further to build confidence and get to know the strength/weakness of the car. Mine is stock , so driving on the highway with 30 year old stock everything,( except tires/shocks) is overwhelming trying to keep up with everyone else. 3 speed doesn't help either. But I prefer the highway. It's healthy for the car to be driven high speeds,last gear,,under load ,for a period. A healthy ,low impact (workout). Just like us,lol. Being far from home is stressful as the cost for tow rises substantially. As does risk.(Yes I have AAA.) Personally I only let flatbeds tow me, as the hitch method is too damaging to vehicles,let alone a 30 yr old car. As soon as more things get updated,(A.C.,exhaust) my car will go from beer run/ car cruise ,to being able to take substantial trips. I look forward to it. And wish the same for everyone else too. It's a step-by-step process. Mine started in the garage. Many small things later it was in driveway. Then around the block,then town,then highways. Weather or not yours is running, or still stuck in garage, you will get there. Just do what I'm doing.....keep at it. Safe driving💨
 
#47 ·
It quit running back in 1996, so I just pushed it into the garage where it sat for 24 years before pulling it back out 4th of July weekend of 2020. It sat in the driveway for nearly a year before I finally pulled the engine/transmission out for a swap. My brother ran across a 2.3 liter turbo T-bird engine/trans and did a cursory check on it, then picked it up for me to drop into the Pinto. I began the swap by pulling the old engine/trans over this last Memorial Day weekend. Initially, I am setting this motor up as a N/A engine using the old intake/exhaust manifolds and a brand new carburetor. After running it that way for a while, and while I study on how to tune and maintenance a turbo/EFI engine, I will convert it back into it's original turbo/EFI form. At that point, it should be a really fun car.
 
#51 ·
I saw a 68-69 firebird at a show in Florida that had the Pontiac letters on the trunk rearranged to spell anticop
 
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