mike's88

Used to do 2 round trippers a year, from Chi. to N.E. Miss. 625 each way, in a 77 2 dr. 98. Never had a problem, except when I broke the families speed record, 9 hrs, with a speeding ticket 60 miles from home. Later, same route, then to Dizzy World and back, in a 92 Bravada with a 5 and a 3 year olds. Trip from hell,"I gotta potty, I'm hungry, Dad, he's touching me! When we gonna be there?" Loved every minute of it, my kids are great, seriously.

Indy_68_S

I'll play, but sadly the longest trips (like the 18+ hour ones) weren't done in Oldsmobiles...And this one isn't the miles that made it long...it was time....like this story!

Back in ~ '93 I decided to treat a lifelong buddy of mine to a NASCAR race for his birthday. I live in Indy, he in Madison, WI, and the race was in MI (Brooklyn). I had an '88 Cutlass Intl' (W body) that was one of the 1988 Indy 500 Pace Car parade cars. Like this....

...but mine was a hardtop.

I drove to WI (5 hrs) picked him up & drove to MI (~6 hrs) on Saturday where we met some more friends from Indy to camp for the night.

On Sunday, it took forever to get out of race parking. We were just creeping along at "roll 1 car length -stop-1 car length-stop" for a couple of hours when I noticed a wisp of steam from the front. I pulled into a closed ancient gas station to check and found that the waterpump was leaking at the shaft.

While studying this, we watched as our friends rolled by... oblivious to us sitting there. Ahh, the days before cellphones.....

We had some water in a cooler, but nothing else and nothing was open in the tiny little ghost town we'd stopped in. So, I figured I'd let it cool for a bit, let traffic clear, top it off w/ cooler water and hope to make it to civilization.

We made it to the interstate ~30 mins down the road where there was a gasmart and bought a jug of antifeeze & filled a couple of gallon jugs from the dumpster with water. Topped the rad and headed off...

Now my buddy was somewhat intoxicated, me not so much, and both of us were grimy, sunburnt & tired.

After about 20 mins on the highway and the temp gauge has pegged. We pull over on the shoulder, top off & keep going. My buddy dozes off, but I'm pretty tense abut the situation and am staring at the temp gauge.

At one point I let off the gas for traffic and my buddy sits bolt upright, grabs the dash, and screams. I scream too and yell "WTF!?!". He mumbles and dozes off again. A few minutes later I pull over & refill.

The next times I deccelerate or lightly brake he does the same thing. This routine of him screaming & me having to stop & fill goes on for while. Finally, during one of his episodes, I yell at him "WTF is your problem!?!"

He says "I keep waking up and thinking I'm driving!"

Me = "Well, STOP IT!"

Now the pump is really leaking. I can tell how long I can go by the pattern of squeals from it. Low intermittent squeals, then high, then silence with the temp gauge rising....and then dropping suddenly (as the water dropped below the sensor). I can go about 15 mins or so before I have to refill... all the while I'm searching for someplace to refill the jugs.

At one point we get to Chicago's toll booths. I'm stuck in line like 20 cars back, temp gauge is pegged...then drops, and there's no way out. I'm pounding the wheel and screaming 'C'mon, c'mon, let's go people!"

Finally we make it thru and pull over & refill. The intervals are getting shorter & shorter....

We roll up to his house ~ 3:30 AM. It took ~12 hours to do the 350-ish miles. The next morning I buy a waterpump (the old one's shaft was shredded, but it held together!) , install it in the rain in his front yard with his ancient rusty tools, and drive back to Indy......

Dan K

Dude that is hilarious.... what a nightmare... I was simultaneously stressed out about the temp gauge part from personal experiences and laughing about your buddy.... classic

76 Regency

I'm happy to say we took my red Olds out for a bit of driving this weekend. Put about 300 highway miles on her and she ran great as always. I'm at just under 2,000 miles for the year....not too bad. She'll be going into storage in another couple of weeks...this morning we got our first sleet storm so it's time! Anybody else do some cruising this weekend?

liquidpower

hey guys im planing a trip from orlando fl to little rock, ar. iv been giveing my car a big tune up for the trip. do you guys have any idea what type of mpg ill be getting 455 1970 98.

Thanks

stevengerard

I did, great weekend here in Chicago, was great to take it out one last time - most likely. Though when I pulled in the gas station to refill the tank I heard a clunking noise, looked under the car just to make sure everything was a-ok and I think I lost my cell phone as I got up - still can't find it, darn.

76 Regency

That sounds like a great road trip...how many miles is that?

Not exactly sure how your '70 98 will do as I know yours is a high compression 455, but on our trip from Connecticut to North Carolina we maxed out at 17.25 mpg in my burgundy '76 98. I was very happy with that. We're going again in April of next year and the car will have a new dual exhaust and no catalytic converter...should be breathing WAY better and I would like to think it would do even better on gas.

Willidog

Yea, that was a real trip across the country. When the wipers broke I had to spend the last of my money to buy the parts I needed (Navy didn't pay much to an E-4 back then). I had to call my Mom and Dad and have them Western Union some money to me so I could get a hotel room. Those were the days! Anyway, I found this picture of the car in the hotel parking lot that I forgot I even had. Another good trip I took in it was when I went to get married. Back then you needed permission from the Navy to get married but I just went to Vegas and did it anyway. As some of you may or may not know I am married to a Japanese girl. I met her while at my first duty station in Sasebo Japan in 1985. Well, I got out of the Navy in 87, came back in in 88 and in 89 I was stationed in San Dog. She came over on a sight seeing Visa which is good for three months. As soon as she got there she started bugging me to get married and I kept saying no. This went on until the day before she was flying back to Japan and I finally broke and told her "You wanna get married so bad, let's go to Vegas and do it!" We got in the Cutlass and headed up the road from San Diego to Vegas. Did I forget to mention that the gas gauge was broke? We had just crossed the state line into Nevada and had been fighting most of the way there and I hadn't been thinking about gas. It was about 8:30 at night and dark as crap out in the desert when we ran out of gas. Ended up hitching a ride from a truck driver back to the state line, got a couple of antifreeze jugs out of the trash, filled them and payed a tow truck to take us back to the car. Try pouring gas from an anti freeze jug into the fill line on that tank with out a funnel. Well, we got started down the road and I stopped at the first exit and pulled into a gas station and started pumping, 1....2....3....4.... cents went in about a minute. It took me twenty minutes to put two dollars worth of gas in. Now it's about 9:30 at night and her flight leaves from L.A. at 8 in the morning. We get back in the car and go to the next exit and I top off the car and head in to Vegas. Now it's about 11:15 at night. We go into Circus Circus and I ask the lady at the wedding chapel desk "what do I need to do to get married?". She asks me if I have a license, I say no and ask her where I can get one. She tells me that I have to go to Clark County Court House. I ask her if they are open and she says well, they are open 24 hours a day 364 days a year and one day a year they close at midnight. Now you know what I am thinking, so I go ahead and ask her, what day do they close at midnight? She gives me the obvious answer, "today." (Memorial Day) We jump in a cab and head to the Court House as fast as we can and get there in time to see them lock the door! Needless to say I put up with a lot of crying and fighting all the way to L.A. and how it was all my fault. Then I had to drive back down to San Diego and go to work. I called my Chief from L.A. at about 7 in the morning and told him that I was in L.A. and he said "what the H - L L are you doing there. I told him the story and he gave me until noon to get onboard the ship or he was going to hammer me. I walked onboard at 11:59 after being up for 36 hours and finished the work day. The next month she comes back on another sight weeing Visa and it starts all over again except this time I only lasted about a mont before I said lets go again.

Sorry about the book. here is the picture of the car in New Mexico. Notice how the ice is built up on the bumper!

snowballs442

Drove to the end of my driveway to the mailbox this year boy was that exhausting. Did not stop overnight or even for a bathroom brake. Pushed car back into garage. Ran out of gas. On the upside of the story, I did fix the gas gauge.

Run to Rund

Hey, Aron, you commented in another thread that you liked the sound of my engine at idle. With even bigger solid lifter cams having up to .600" lift, 4.56 gears, I drove the red 1966 W30 from Morgantown WV to the OCA Nationals in Milwaukee and in Lansing, and to Haddon Heights NJ back in the 1970s. I got 10-11 mpg on the interstates. Imagine enjoying the exhaust note for those distances and hours!

67 442

I have the exact same issue with my wife.

I have gone a about 30 miles...of course the motor only has about 200 total on it since it's first start up back in September.

Col Wickham

Guess mine's been a little further (N.C to Aust) and it didn't use more than a few drops of gas. I know...that doesn't count.It's big trip down here is being planned. The Great Ocean Road down in Victoria. One of the worlds great drives they reckon. Probably cheaper to sail it back over to the US than fuel it up for the GOR trip which will be around 2000 miles there & back.

GoodOldsGuyDougie

When I was 17 I drove my 70 442 from Tampa Florida to Washington State (Vancover) to visit my brother. I was there only 2 days and Mt Saint Helens Volcano Blew. Volcano Ash was on my car everday about a foot high for about a week. I sold the car and took a Bus back. Horrible trip home (see Planes Trains and Automobiles!)

laker

In 2001, I bought my 1971 Cutlass Supreme convertible in Richland, Washington. I drove it from Richland to Fargo, ND. Let's just say it was a long trip over the mountains with an AM radio. The gas mileage about killed me too. It was cheaper than getting it shipped though. It was actually a cool experience. I had a good friend of mine follow me, which gave me piece of mind. I didn't have any problems along the way.

Scott

Funkwagon455

My wife and I flew into LAX, CA on a Friday, picked up the '70 wagon right on Wilshire Blvd., unproven and drove it back through the desert on the way back to Fort Worth, Texas. I had a military issue tool bag full, but never unzipped it, ignorance can truly be bliss!!! One year and a lot of maintenance later, drove it to Denver Nationals and back. That car is a blast to drive!!!!!! Two years later we flew from Ft Worth to Richmond VA with our 4 month old son to drive home my daily ride (unproven), the '92 Custom Cruiser. A beautiful ride from Richmond to Ft Worth through the hills of TN. Then drove the '92 to Ohio, Illinois, and finally to Minneapolis for Nationals and then back down I35 to Fort Worth. And then again back again to Ohio and return to TX for my father's passing. We are looking forward to returning the '70 to the road for a family trip back to CA up PCH to Seattle. Cheers!!!
Heath

76 Regency

Hey guys, glad to see this post is still getting some love. Hopefully with the warm weather approaching, we'll all be hitting the road a lot more. So far I drove my burgundy 98 about 10 miles just to get her moving a little bit and I drove the black 98 2.5 miles this past weekend. I had finally finished rebuilding the steering column and started her back up after about two months. About half of the dash is back together and it was GREAT to see all the lights working (actually drove at night for the first time ever since I started the restoration) and even the speedometer. These were the first clocked miles I've put on the car in years. The clock and radio are also finally up and running and it's really starting to feel like something now! Front bumper just came back from Ogden and is going on this weekend!

Lady72nRob71

Cool trip! At least you had an Am radio - i did not have one at all when i made my 1700 mile trip...
I had to sing to myself at some times...
You must have the 455. My 350 got 19.5 over my whole trip - not bad considering I was in the mountains, too.

caddy

drove my 76 olds 98 just like she sit 2250 miles+ to IL/IN from CO the summer of 2005

DSC00094-1.jpg

geckonz08

Drove a 37 olds for 6 long summer months around New zealand . Friend and I bought it with our university loan money, canned uni for the year and cruised. This was 20 years back. The back of the front seat folded back making a comfortable(ish) sleeping unit .We worked at wool stores or picking fruit when we needed money but generally just had fun . Somewhere , I have some pics of us and other hangerson all over the vehicle .
I recall it had a "pull out " accelerator on the dash which we would use when swapping driving . The driver would slide across to the passenger`s side --still holding the wheel , whilst the new driver would climb over from the back into the driver`s slot . Why ?? no idea --young n stupid ??
mike

kjohn

I drove my 67 Delta Custom to the olds cenntenial in 97 from wisconsin. I thought of driving my 66 toro but I figured there would be lots of those there. (there was) My Delta was one of two there. Fun stuff. On the way home my water pump went out near Rockford on Sunday. I was lucky to get my brother on the phone and grab a spare and come down and meet us. We were back on the road in 20 minutes after he got there. A few Olds guys stopped to make sure we were ok which was very cool.

76 Regency

We just took our second trip from Connecticut to North Carolina this month and we took my burgundy 98 again. This trip was even better than the first because since last time (2 years ago), the car has a brand new dual exhaust, freshly rebuilt tranny, brand new carpets, a new iPod adapter (redi-rad) new intermediate shaft and some other odds and ends. The car ran and drove absolutely great and I was so proud of it. We put about 2000 miles on her in just under a week.

The best part.....my best mileage was just shy of 19 mpg!!! 19 with a near 5,000 lb car fully loaded cruising around 70-75mph with the a/c cranked! I was VERY satisfied with that performance!

Another awesome part of the trip was that there was another 76 98 Regency right across the street from where we stayed! I attached a pic of both cars together. His is the sedan and mine is the coupe in the background but they're the same color code 37. We exchanged info and he's also on the list of 98 owners looking for quarter fillers. Luckily the solution to that problem is in the works but that's for another post

B964

Just about 3,000 even in my 1972 Cutlass. New York to San Diego back in 1989 when me and my then future wife ran away together.

nonhog

12 +/- miles, just this Sunday.

Aron Nance

We leave for this year's OCA Nationals in Reno July 23rd. We get there the next Wednesday. Should be about 1700+ one way, then return. Taking the '92 Custom Cruiser (CCRider) for the: A/C, comfort, MPG, and load carrying capacity! Hope to see everyone of you there!!!!!!!!!

76 Regency

We actually counted Oldsmobiles we saw on the trip there and back as another way to entertain ourselves. Sadly, the first one we saw was a couple of hours into the trip and it was on a flatbed! Overall, we saw 29 Oldsmobiles on the way down and 27 on the way back...and that was including the guy with the other 76 98 and my own! It was kind of a sad reality check seeing how the population of Oldsmobiles is really depleting. That is why we all need to do everything we can to keep as many of these beauties alive and running proud!

navvet

Finished a 700 roundtrip miles roadtrip. Average day temps were 95-100. Engine ran great
and averaged @ 14 mpg. Not bad for a 64 olds 88. Fun driving the back roads of the upper Midwest. Next year the A/C is repaired!!!!!

rickr

I have taken several long distance trips in my 61 Olds. 5000-6000 miles on a trip was nothing. Used to drive it from Indiana to California every summer. Been to Texas a few times also. The last real long distance trip was in 1983. Fuel is too costly today, plus leaded fuel is no longer available. I add the lead additive now, but that adds about $3.50 to each tank full.
I have had the Olds to Indianapolis a couple times in the last few years. That is about a two and a half hour trip one way. I live in Fort Wayne Indiana, by the way.

rustyroger

I managed 4 countries in one day;
From England to France via cross channel ferry, through Belgium into Holland to an American car show, stayed overnight and returned retracing my outward route the following day.
Not the longest trip in miles (427 to be exact) but how many national borders can you cross in North America in one day?

It's not a record by any means, a regular at a show in England makes it from Norway via Sweden, Denmark, Germany, Holland, Belgium & France in his Chevy G20 van - glad I dont have his fuel bill!.
Roger.

bajaway

In 2006 I bought a 55 Olds on Ebay unseen. Waited almost a month for a transport truck to ship from Ohio to Califorfnia. Finally gave up and flew to Ohio and picked up. The first time I drove it it overheated and I had a custom radiator installed I then headed for California and arrived 3 days later. One blowout and had to add brake fluid daily due to bad power brake booster. No other problems and a lot of high 5's and a lot of fun with 4 window air conditioning. Now longest trips are 2-300 miles.

sicky olds

Longest trip i did with the hurst was taking it home: sure it was on a trailer but it was one of the most exciting trips i had. Drove from San Antonio to fort worth and back the same day. On the way home i didnt even get out of fort worth and the trailers tire exploded :O. Sat at the gas station waiting on UHaul to fix the tire for like an hour (always buy the insurance btw, luckily i did lol). I had 2 offers on the car while i was sitting there and got the coolest thumbs up from people driving by also. My favorite one was an old man with a long beard on a motorcycle. Then when i got to the last gas station stop of the trip there was people filling up there gas cans and such for there race cars, and asked if i was on my way to the truck with it also. My longest driving trip with it was just to north san antonio for club meetings... But am planning on driving it next year (finances and car running condition in factor of course) all the way to Ohio for my 10th year high school reunion and so the fam can see why i havent been flying home to see them LOL. driving straight there is about a 1500 mile trip so it should be fun and boring at the same time.

Driftr

Sorry Nonhog, it is exactly 11 miles from garage to parking stall at work. Mine is geared for short runs so the interstate run makes me a little nervous. Look to replace stock gearing so I can report a rided longer than 11 miles

Rutger34

My longest trip so far is when I went and picked up my car a week ago. I got up and took a flight from Calgary, Alberta to Vancouver, British Columbia. Took a cab from the airport to the guy's house who I bought it from, jumped in and drove it back to Calgary. I just checked Google maps and is says that it is 998km or 620miles! It drove beautifully! I drove through the mountains with the top down. Got lots of honks and thumbs up too!

I love my Olds.

76 Regency

Just yesterday we took my burgundy 76 Ninety Eight Regency from Connecticut down to Cape May, NJ....definitely not our longest trip in this car but still a 4 hour run and as always she ran great! This was also our first trip with the baby...he slept the whole way down...He must have been comfy riding in such comfort and style.

dc2x4drvr

Just finished the 012 Hot Rod Power Tour, Dallas to Detroit and back, 3302 miles with no problems...14 mpg with the a/c off. The Tour was a blast, lots of cool Oldsmobiles

Mak

We just did a 500+ mile trip up the Cali coast a few weeks ago... the longest trip to date. We had a great trip, with zero problems... Buuuut... last weekend I blew a right/front brake hose coming down a steep road in the Berkeley hills! Pedal went right to the floor! Nothing like a little adrenaline rush now and then. Luckily there was no traffic out, so I was able to limp-it the 10 miles home. Replacing both the hoses today... Really happy it happened here!

Allan R

Back in 73, Dad and I went cross country to Cavendish PEI and back. With the numerous side trips, we did 5400+ miles in 16 days.

MaxDog

Phoenix to Las Vegas via Flagstaff. Nine hour drive. It was 102 degrees in Phoenix. Ran like a champ the entire trip.

Tedd Thompson

Just got back from a road trip down the California coast, It was about 1150 miles round trip and the 55 had almost no problems except the heater control valve stuck on so it was toasty in the afternoons. The longest trips have been up the Organ Washington coast to Vancouver and back through Crater Lake then home about 1400 miles total most of it with the top down, fun trips....Tedd

henryk8398

Drove the wife and daughter from Phoenix to San Diego last August. From there, drove north to L.A., all over LA, then finally back to Phoenix. Roughly 1000 miles. No problems that left us stranded, but a wire powering the HVAC controls corroded, forcing me to rig a fan up. Got 18-21mpg with the AC on and all our stuff. Nice trip indeed!

nonhog

Best that 11 yet?
I went about 60 mile round trip to the BOP races, passed tech only to get rained out. Last September. Mostly sitting since then.