Red's Great Journey West, then East Again

[red_dog007]

Well, I am going to go a head and start this. I have been thinking about this everyday for almost a month, and I just get so excited. I just hope that all goes well for me in the end.

Anyways. A week ago, the tickets were ordered. I am flying out from Nashville to San Jose on January 8th. Going to be at my brothers house working on my Z car. She already runs, but I need to make it road ready for the 3,000 mile trip. Brakes, suspension, electrical reliability, ect. ect.

I will be leaving on January 21st at 12noon to be on my way home. The trip has already been planned out by me and my dad who is going to be my secondary driver for faster progress and a greater time. We planned it out, and AAA is finalizing it for us right now. (San Jose, CA to Chattanooga, TN)

Basically, from San Jose, we are going to be headed south towards LA on I-5. We are going to stay 2 days in Hollywood. My dad is a huge movie fan, and I would love to also see the sights, and hope that I meet some famous people. Then, we are going to head further south in South L.A. My dad and I have a buddy who lives just south of L.A. next to the beach. Going to spend a maximum on 2 days chilling with him having a great time.

Then from there, depending on weather conditions we will be heading towards Las Vegas on I-15. Going to see the sites there, see some shows, and see the Grand Canyon. Spend a maximum of 2 days here too. Though, if the weather is bad (snow), which I don't mind so, as I have been there twice already, we are going to shot straight across to Phoenix on I-10. If we stay in Vegas, after the stay we are going to still head down to Phoenix on I-40/I-17.

Though, we are going to stay right outside of Phoenix is Tuscon. Western movies are filmed here, so my dad wants to see that. I don't care as much, but he loves Westerns so it is all good. Depending on how much there is to do, we will stay up to 2 days here.

Then a few hours out of Tuscon, still in Arizona in Willcox we have some family, so depending on what they are up to, we will chill at there place for a while. (Still on I-10)

Then will are going to shoot across New Mexico on I-10 still, and probably stay at El Paso for a night. Get ready for the long drive across Texas. Might head into Mexico, but I hope that we don't. We are going to take I-10 in Texas and just haul a$$ across the state and stop in Louisiana for the night.

It Louisiana, we are going to stay on I-10 into New Orleans. Spend on night here. Mainly check out the historic district, and see all what is left of Katrina, which I am expecting to still be like nothing has yet to change in some places.

Then from there, the last leg of the trip, we are going to hit up I-59 all the way home.

So that is the trip out west by airplane, and the trip back east by car. Two weeks at West, and then depending on friends, family and weather, I will be anywhere from one week to two weeks on the road home.

Now before I leave, I still need to get my loan of at least $1,000, but I am hoping for $1,500 to be safe. Going to be pushing to get this tomorrow actually, Dec. 17th.

Then just order some 13 more parts that I need for the trip back. Some of it is needed, and then some of it will make it a nicer and more reliable trip.

As I find out more information, and when the trip begins until its final ending, this thread will be updated. If I take pictures or videos I think that I will put a few here in this thread, and put more in other parts of the forums where they belong.

[sleepyzzz]

you have me remembering my second z purchase. i purchased my SS from a guy listing it on auto trader in Paradise, CA. flew to Sacremento where he and his wife picked me up and drove me back to their place. i got little sleep that night and was on my way back to Arkansas the next day with my z. i took I 80 and went thru some of the most beautiful country i had ever seen. spent one night in a motel and made it home in three days, driving by myself. one day, i will take the wife back out there in my 260Z, and make the same return trip so that we can take our time and really enjoy the trip.

good luck with your plans and i hope that you enjoy that time with your dad.

[bigoak]

Stop in on your way by Montreal...oh..wait...

By the way, sounds like an awesome trip with you and your pa...make sure you bring some Obusform seat pads in case the seats in the Z aren't up to snuff...long, long drive otherwise...

Cheers!

[red_dog007]

Seems like that is going to end up being a good idea.

Well, several days late, I finally have my loan on its way. It is coming from my college funds that my grandmas set up for me, BUT yes I will have it all paid back. Once I get a job, I am going to have anywhere from 35% to 55% of the check be directly deposited, even after I pay it back it will be the same. Better to save up now then having to get a loan in the nearer future.

So after I get the money, I have about $600 worth of parts to order which I will have posted later and I need to go to a local Chevron to get a $220 gas card for the trip home.

[red_dog007]

Well I have arrived and am already at work. I am sort of limited in what I can do because I don't have all the parts that I need. I have some things that I can do, but just a couple of hours worth of work.

Really enjoying it out here, but I am also extremely nurvous/stressed out hoping that I can get everything dialed in, and about the trip. It is just hitting me of how long that drive is going to be back home.

But all is good, and I am going to start having some questions. Already just posted my first problem. Though hopefully I have will have enough time and feel like posting some pictures every now and then.

The car runs great, and after a couple of minutes it fired up just fine. Had to wait for the fuel to reach the engine, plus the battery had died. Plus now it starts without a hitch, and I think after some running, that my tachometer works now but still kind of sluggish, so I still might take it out to give it a cleaning.

But also found out that some of the other meters don't work. I think that the fuel doesn't work and the engine temp doesnt work so I need to figure these little buggers out.

Sometimes I just wished that I had $5,000 in my pocket and let people do the work for me so that I don't stress for these next two weeks. I have already stressed enough over this and it might end up killing me before it is over.

[kinfish]

Sounds like you have planned an excellent trip to see some of the great spots in USA. My Z has passed thru many of the spots on your route, including San Jose.

However, you seem overly optimistic that your 37 year old 240Z is going to perform perfectly for 3,000 strenuous miles that may include some challenging weather. Cars that have been sitting will develop unanticipated ailments during long trips. It would be wise to draft some recovery plans.

[red_dog007]

I am trying to be as much as I can. Right now I am not though as much. Little has been done to the car so far, and still waiting on parts.

I just don't want to imagine myself being stuck somewhere I don't want to be so the more optimistic I am the better. Though I am doing as much as I can to prepare incase something does happen.

Spare parts

Tools

Money

AAA

ect.

[red_dog007]

Well I have decided not to do the suspension. Time is too tight and I don't want to be stressed out over time with something that is not needed to be done.

So without needing to do that things should be wrapping up quiet nicely. Going to have the dizzy done tomorrow and a few other small minor things.

I am thinking about getting a new headlight wire harness off of BlackDragonAuto for $30 as I am still having unknown issues with it and that system needs to be upgraded anyways.

I am just trying to figure out how they work as they plug in directly to the battery so I need to call and ask some quesitons.

[red_dog007]

Well I haven't been taking any pictures of the progress but I have got a lot done.

Dizzy is all set and good. New Toyota brakes are all set and good. New tires, new window are on. A few minor things are left, but it is awesome. The handling is great. Need to get my suspension on bad though because the ride is a bit rough on bummpy roads. Plus I want to get this thing painted ASAP as there is a lot of gittering. I have found out that whoever did the last paint job didn't put the hatch nor doors on properly.

Though everything has been shaping up great, and I am pretty confindent about the long trip home. Before I was pretty iffy about it.

[red_dog007]

Well, I am home!

Left on the 21st. Spent three awesome nights in Holleywood. Got to tour three studios, saw Jimmy Kimmel Live for free and went up to their park right next door with a fantastic view. Also got to meet A.C. Lyles and go into his office.

Then spent two nights in New Port Beach with a friend. We saw "There Will Be Blood" in theaters and that is one awesome movie.

Then went to Tombstone Arizona and spent the night there with family. Then we were off to San Antonio. 70 miles out, car gives us issues, but we are able to keep on trucking a little past El Paso. We pulled over a few times to figure out what was going on but could never figure it out. Outside El Paso we get fulled over for dim lights and the car dies, does not start and we push the car off the exit and spend the night there.

Wake up, push start the car and everything is fine for 100 miles and then it dies. Walk 4 miles to the nearest town and thank god they had a Napa. Got a few tools, and we tightened down the alternator. Had tons of power then, lights were extremely bright blah blah. Finally get to San Antonio no issues. We see the Alamo, and then from there we made one final shot home. From Houston to the middle of no where Mississippi, the car was acting weird. Never wanted to go above 70, and if you did it sounded like fuel wasn't getting into the engine. Would loss all power and sound like a lawn mower.

Take a 2 hour brake in Mississippi and make it home just fine.

After getting the Alternator fixed, a lot of issues went away. But after the engine hit a certain point, it would never go above 70 for the life of it. Before the point I could rip it to 90 all I want, but once that point came, 70 was a dream and it sounded like a lawn more. Would even loss speed going up hills.

Thought I fixed it with the loss alternator belt, and thought that I fixed it when I saw a small leak in the fuel line that I replaced, but nothing.

I was hoping to keep it as my daily driver when I first got here, but I have a really bad electrical problem that needs to be fixed before it hits the road for good. Plus I discovered a fuel pump and head gasket leak. Head gasket losses a bit of water, oil is fine. Fuel pump drips a little fuel out of the gaskets.

So basically, for the next few months I am going to take the head off, fuel pump, radiator, thermostat, oil pump, alternator are all out and getting replace.

New head gasket, clean the head, port the valves for 280z valves, new Stage II cam and cam kit, 280zxt turbo oil pump, 4-row radiator, electric fuel pump, new thermostat, new exhaust manifold and a 280z alternator.

Will I take that off, and replace everything, I am also going to be taking the dash out to figure out the electrical problems and get everything working again before I hit up the interior which was the first thing that I had wanted to do.

[Oiluj]

Cool! Here's my duct tape & bubblegum story.

I bought my Z in Scottsdale Arizona and drove it back to the SF Bay Area. On the second day I had a gas leak from the rear carb. There was a crack in the hose leading from the fuel bowl to the jet.

There was nowhere to get a new hose, so I bought some bubblegum and already had some tools and duct tape. Chewed the gum and smeared it over the crack, then wrapped with duct tape. Carried me the next 6 hours home without a problem!