What's the longest trip you've made in your Z?

[Sean240Z]

Some of the responses to my post on our upcoming return trip to Canada (http://www.classiczcars.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=26355) has made me wonder how many of you have taken really long road trips in your Z? What year Z did you drive? When was the trip? How far did you go? Did anything significant / unforgettable happen on your trip?

For me, my longest trip to date was from Monterey, CA to Cold Lake, AB (1,913 miles) in 2000. I drove me 240Z and my wife drove our Honda Accord. Right up until two weeks before we left Monterey, my 6-month old son would fall asleep whenever we started driving. Two weeks prior to departure he changed from loving the car...to hating the car. Whenever we strapped him in to his seat, he started wailing. In order to make any headway in peace, I had to swing him to sleep. We've got pictures of me, legs straddled holding my son's car seat (one of those basket deals which clips into the base in the car or the stroller) with one arm and swinging him up and back, up and back, trying to get him to sleep. Once he fell asleep, I'd carefully click his seat into the Z, carefully close the door and then drive like hell until he woke up.

The kids travel much better nowadays and we're looking forward to our 9-day, 3,000 mile return trip to Canada.

Cheers,

Sean

[Fun_in_my_z]

I drove mine 600 miles

[Darrel]

2 4200 mile RT from denver to seattle and back in my 82 zxt. On the way back I took 101 then PCH all the way down the coast to san fran.

I took my 73 240 to long beach and back for the '04 nat'l convention.

[Art@NissanSport]

4000 RT, Denver to Rockaway Beach, NY, 1973 240Z, Dead of Winter, snowstorms and all.

[Hrududu]

I don't think i've ever gone more than 140 miles round trip in my Z. Its not that I don't trust it, i just tend to use cars that are more comfortable or do better on gas. If i ever make it to Branson Z Fest, that will become the longest trip.

[GunnerRob]

1100 miles from Orange, Ca. to Olympia, Wa. in June, 1982. Worked in Seattle 3 mos., then back down To Ventura, Ca. The first night of trip to Olympia spent in a KOA camp where I slept in the Z ('78 280).

Did you know there are some old parts of Olympia that aren't on a map anywhere? Amazingly enough my friend lived in a house built in the 40's on a street that didn't appear on any local maps!

[zpizzaman20]

Jacksonville, Florida to Whidbey Island Washington. 5 days, my butt hurt.

[sblake01]

About 2100 miles round trip. Upland, Ca. to Portland, Or. and back about eight years ago. The most miserable drive I ever took in a Datsun was from West Covina, Ca. to Goodyear, Arizona and back in my 1964 L320 pickup. About 700 miles round trip.

[Carl Beck]

Spokane Washington across the top of the US... to the Chicago, then down around the great lakes to Columbus, Ohio. Five days in Columbus, then off to Daytona Beach for a couple days. Daytona Beach to Denver for a couple days, then back to Spokane from Denver. Make that loop in 1970 and again in 71 and 72. Spokane to Columbus in 36 hours. Columbus to Daytona in 14 hours. Did the loop in my 70 240-Z for 1970 and 1971 - then in my 72 240-Z for 1972. Didn't record the exact mileage... but I did put 69K miles on my 70 Z in 18 months.

Got married in 72 - We drove from Spokane to Portland, then down the West Cost to L.A. Stayed there a couple days, then went to - the Grand Cannon, Vegas, Bryce Canyon National Park, Salt Lake, and Zion National Parks as well as Yellowstone - then back to Spokane..

Ah.. to be in my 20's again - -

Carl B.

[Sailor Bob]

Carl - you got the one up award, but I'll offer mine anyway.

In 77 I drove my old 71 Z from Victoria (Vancouver Island) British Columbia to St. John's, Nfld, Canada - That's coast to coast at the extreme points of the country in five days, solo.

The car worked well - it had to - I was eighteen, spent zero on maitenance and drove it hard. Through the mountains she over heated twice. In the prairies I tested the top end many times having several airborn experiences (not recommended), overheated the trasmission (dramatic but no longterm trouble) and drove through the entire province of New Brunswick leapfrogging a 75 Vette in a very competitive manner.

Not a single significant problem, other than the longterm phycological damage of listening to Fleetwood mac's "Rumours" cassette 50 times. Not a healthy thing.

I'll like to do it again and take my time (and my IPOD).

[zbane]

Well, mine is nowhere as extreme as Carl's or Bob's, BWTH.

Spring '06, I drove from Cashiers (near Asheville) NC to Delray Beach, FL. That's about 800 miles one way, and about 15 hours driving, alone (well, I had my dog, but he can't drive or talk).

Anyway, when I purchased my zx, the speedometer didn't work. Not really a big deal, but I went ahead and replaced the broken cable and was happy for a few weeks, until it broke again. Not having the time to wait for a replacement, I opted to go for the trip anyway. A few days before I was to depart, I noticed a whining sound coming from the engine bay, but I couldn't locate it (it manifested itself erratically, and at speed).

Driving long distances without a speedometer isn't bad, you just keep up with traffic, or keep your tach within a certain range; but drowning out the screech of failing idler pulleys is not the easiest thing to do.

Once I made it to Delray Beach, I felt it of utmost importance to get to a dealership for repair. The one I ended up going to provided me with a rapid assessment of the problem (both idlers), and told me that they would have the parts shipped OVERNIGHT. Apparently their definition of overnight-ing parts involves shipping the parts ground freight from California and South Carolina, and then claiming that it's normal for parts that are shipped "Overnight" to take up to 7 business days...(though mine only took 5 business days to be overnighted).

I'm not trying to slam a business for the errors of their parts/service managers, especially since the Techs were great, but I recommend that you steer clear of Maroone off of I-95.

Once I got the car back, everything was fine, and the return trip went smoothly.

Moral of story? Take your time, and take some tools. Just be sure to have fun on the way.

[back-to-zcars]

My Son and I drove from Orange County (LA) to Calgary Alberta with a car that we flew down to buy for him. We test drove the rust free 72 240z and he wanted it so he bought it and we drove it home. No major issues other than the alternator gave up for dead on the way into Montana, I called Z Specialties in Seattle and had a replacement sent overnight freight, got an upgrade and a repair at the same time. Thats the great thing about the Z very easy to fix if you have any skills at all.