Driving an old car on a 180 mile journey - mental?

[MK2VR6]

I know plenty of peeps on here have old cars which they regularly do long journeys in. However, my retro ownership may be about to change significantly as I appear to have won a rather special little old 6 cylinder, British motor on the bay of E. Problem is, its 180 miles away, the twin carbs aren't set up right (it runs reasonably well when warm apparently), it hasn't done much in the way of miles for at least 10 years, the brakes are poor as the rear brakes have been newly fitted but need adjustment, it needs a service and it's generally an unknown but motd quantity. The seller, when asked outright if it would be ok for a steady journey back from Swindon to Cornwall said he personally would use recovery rather than risk it.
I have since read a couple of horror stories about engines with carb setups which are too lean/ rich and damage to the motor on a longer journey.
Now, I've driven some sheds in my time and I love a calculated risk.
However, is this one doomed to end in failure though, if I bite the bullet and drive it? Hmm...

[Lopez]

Purchase one of the short term insurance and breakdown cover policies from companies like Dayinsure (can't remember who I used specifically)

Then drive it back and use the breakdown cover if the going gets rough?

[xrmike]

Just get AA cover. £11 a month roadside relay.

[Deleted]

Twin carbs and 6 cylinders. Triumph? MGC?

There's calculated risks and calculated risks. What car is it? I drove my T back 150 miles and that's a mishmash of 30's, 40's and 50's running gear, but I knew it was a car that could do the distance. Essentially, if you're in doubt, take a toolbox full of the sorts of things that will get you out of trouble. Take your normal tools, brake adjusting spanner, a tube of instant gasket, a selection of cable ties, gaffer tape, a selection of crimp terminals and a small roll of wire, small bottle or scissor jack. Just be prepared for a stop or two to iron out a few bugs and keep an eye and an ear open. And make sure you have relay cover

In a word*, unless the carbs are completely and utterly kenked, it is unlikely they will cause any damage. Misbalanced carbs make the engine idle badly and there might be a slight difference in throttle position at the top end. It might annoy you in traffic but it's unlikely to make any difference on A roads or motorway. You're not going to be tanking it along at what, anyway.

*lots of words

[akku]

I have free AA cover with my classic insurance. Boy is that worth it!

who knows, could be fine, could splutter to its death at the road side. I always assume the latter, then getting home is a nice surprise

[skinnylew]

try it, see what happens, report back with photos and a story

Personally I'd give it a go if only to see how far it makes it before calling out a mate/the RAC/international rescue etc

[Seth]

What J69 said. Our Hillman had just gone to the MOT station and back for 5 years before we bought it and did several hundred miles in the first two weeks of ownership. Sun-Tor had been off the road for 10 years or so, got treated to new brake parts and a spot of welding where it was, was MOT'd and then driven home to London from Herefordshire.

May even be worth taking some new ignition bits with you just in case.

[Mystery Machine]

Hero points of the day must go to Raoul Duke who collected this Fiesta earlier and drove it home.

(crappy phone shot of the car just leaving Bristol)


Sold as a non-runner, the car hadn't run or been used for well over a year (sat outside most of that time), he fitted a new dizzy, new fuel lines and HT leads helped by James and Rich...I checked the brakes were all free, topped up all the fluids, pumped up the tyres and he drove it home on a pre-booked MOT.

250+ miles to Anglesey! (with no breakdown cover!!!!) I had a text just now to say he made it back and is chuffed to bits with the car.

180 miles you say? Take out some breakdown cover and you'll be fine.

[MK2VR6]

I could have guessed the response! Cheers for the heads up guys. I'm keeping tight lipped over what the car is, but someone just up above is darn close (manufacturer correct). I'm with the AA already, but would prefer not to do the journey holding every other breath wondering if she'll splutter and die, or something will drop off. It doesn't help that I'm not massively handy with the spanners - I have a basic understanding and am pretty good at problem solving, but new challenges tend to take me longer to solve!
Having said that, I like a challenge and am getting the feeling I should just get on with it!
Watch this space...
Meant to add, I haven't told the missus yet, the car is going to cost me waaay too much money (can't particularly afford it or justify it) and I will have to move the gsi on to make space for it.
Do I get 100 retro rides points for all of the above?!

[Brian Damaged]

In 1993 my mate swapped a Metro for a '59 100E that had been in a garage since it ran its big-ends. In 1976.

It was only 45 miles, but after sweeping the dust off the windows with a t-shirt and making sure the lights worked we drove it all the way home in the dark, crankshaft knocking its gonads off, with a tax disc in the window reading '28.2.77'.

He's still got it, never been repainted though now it's rocking a 1760cc pre-Crossflow.

Enjoy the roadtrip, and don't forget the pics!!! ;D

[ChasR]

Of course it can be done .

Whilst I bought the Dolomite Sprint back on a 100 mile trip, I did once do a 150 mile in a very ropey Escort Cabrio without a hitch.

[Lawsy]

i picked up my bug and drove it home the 125 miles through the centre of london, complete with full spare interior wedged in, no tools, not even a spare..

have faith and take the plunge

[stefan]

I agree with AKKU I always expect it to catch fire on the way home so if it makes it un scorched by flame its all good and if not, well I expected it. Part of the fun of buying curse word along way a way is driving with you bum hole doing 5p 50p every time you hear a noise

[speedy88]

Jul 4, 2012 17:26:38 GMT MK2VR6 said:

Do I get 100 retro rides points for all of the above?!

Points granted ;D

Personally I'd make sure I travelled when the roads are quiet, like between 10am and 2pm. Ish.

[pompeypaul]

go for it all apart of the retro adventure ;D

[ThePollitt]

Do the vital checks and just go for it.

If it 'expires' it'll simply become a great story. If it makes it, you can give yourself and the car a pat on the back/boot lid.

Chris

[Mystery Machine]

^^ Said with that feeling of joy still very much fresh in your mind Chris ^^

To prove the point, here is a little video I took of Pollitt driving his completely random eBay mega purchase back home yesterday. I don't think there was a single person expecting it to make it back under its own power....least of all Pollitt himself. But it did. ;D

[PandaSelecta]

Once drove a £100 1981 panda 45 all the way from Oxford to Newcastle, and all i had was a mobile phone and the AA card. So my advice - do the same and you cant go wrong

[guz]

'89 polo i paid £120 for, Bath to Nottingham with what
i was told a knackered headgasket so carried gallons
of water, used no water but had curse word-all oil left when
i hit home, engine got swapped out for GT conversion.

[simes]

A few years ago we drove a 1951 Austin Somerset from Birmingham to Normandy. It hadn't done more than 11 miles in 10 years until that day.
The day is littered with stories of rebuilding the fuel pump more than once, getting a puncture repaired in the middle of the Cotswolds on a Saturday afternoon and a further 11 breakdowns. A great day of bonding with my dad.
Still it made it to the ferry, which it incidently got towed onto!!

We repeated that journey a few years later when my dad bought another A40 Somerset from York.
This time the brakes binded on 30 miles south of York. I called the AA and they took us all the way to Portsmouth Ferry Terminal!