JeremyTA

well i've put a couple thousand miles on my f-85 since i got it up and running..its my daily driver. but i'm driving down to San Diego to go to my nieces high school graduation and its about 140 miles each way. my list so far is below.

tools
oil
water+coolant
tranny fluid
radiator hoses
spare belts
spare tire + jack
few feet of vacuum line.
some RTV for road side fixes
extra set of points
coil
and my driving cd Vol. 5

if anybody can think of anything else that would be great, i have AAA but i would probably be under the hood for 24 straight hours before getting towed

jaunty75

Food?

Lady72nRob71

Water at least - lots of it if it is hot! Aspirin comes to mind, too.
A variety of bolts and nuts of short and long lengths - I had some fall out and break in the past...
A couple extra radiator and heater hose clamps. They often strip during emergency hose replacements.
Some insulated 16 gauge wire, some wirenuts, cutter and a razor blade for emergency electrical repairs.
Rubber gloves, paper towels for cleanups.
LED flashlight with alkaline batteries
Also duct tape and baling wire is standard issue....
Driving CDs Vol 1-4 in case Ca traffic is backed up...........

jaunty75

The way that list is growing, you might add a trailer hitch and trailer!

hookem horns

I'm new here, but AAA card and cell phone just in case it's not a roadside fix. I always keep hand wipes in the glove box for cleanup afterwards.

Lady72nRob71

It sounds like a lot, but aside from the toolbox, coolant jugs, and water bottles, this stuff will stow easily in the trunk. I have most of this little stuff creatively packed in a little plastic toolbox thats about 12" long. The box was wrapped in a towel and placed between the spare tire and the right quarter panel. The hoses got bagged and stuffed in the lower rear quarters (they are the old used but still good ones). This stuff always stays there so its always ready.
I take my toolbox on long trips, even in the new car - you never know what could happen. In many cases it might be faster to do a quick fix to get you home then wait for a tow driver who could possibly not come soon or might damage your car.

oldspackrat

Might want to add a tire plug kit & a bottle of Slime?

Lady72nRob71

And a mini compressor or even a bicycle foot pump.
Never know when you would have two flats.
After a big hail storm here several years ago, it was easily possible with all those dumptrucks full of roof waste travelling the highways. I saw cars on on flats on the side of the road often for a year or so.

Make sure there is air in your spare and you have the right lugwrench if you changed to different lugnuts or use a locking device that is a different size!

lshlsh2

Laptop with wirless so you can ask questions. Credit card with a large line.
Larry

Aron Nance

You might want to throw in a small fire extinguisher, just in case. We are in the Smokey Mountains (beautiful) for Juju's Family gathering (20 +) in a large cabin; drove up in the CCR, and before we left I packed most of what has been mentioned, along with the extinguisher. You never know.

JeremyTA

i think there's more stuff listed here now than when i put the new engine in

thanks everybody for the replies!! i have a 4 gallon air tank(no motor) that i can fill. will that be enough or should i just leave that and take the foot pump?

where's the best place to get a fire extinguisher and what type is best?

Lady72nRob71

A foot pump is cheap, will always be ready, and takes up little space. Besides, the potential to use it is low. In TX, that air tank would probably blow in a closed car in the summer!

Actually this whole list is not just for a first long trip, but any long trip!

Any A,B,C extinguisher will work, but there is a special (and costly) kind available that does not leave a nasty residue if you use it.
Search for "fire extinguisher" and there are a few lengthy threads on these and other fire related info.

starfire

Rob,

Is this the one you're thinking of?

http://www.h3rperformance.com/halguard_products.htm

I ran across it in Jamesbo's burnt Hurst thread.

JeremyTA

Foot pump it is! Lol. I'll pick up an extinguisher on my way home from work . I had one more question, I'm installing new coil springs to take my sister and brother in law out for cruise night(still have original springs in and they sag badly) where can I get new insulators?

Lady72nRob71

That's the one!
Of course a cheapo ABC unit from Wally's is better than nothing.
Keep some aviation snips or a small bolt cutter with it to cut the neg battery cable should an electrical fire break out. Cut cable then fight fire.
A red hot short will stay that way until the current is stopped.

I was wondering how well-fed they were, before I finished reading the whole post...
Try rockauto or even napa. What year is your F85?

JeremyTA

I think my local autozone has that extinguisher, I'll check it out for sure. And bolt cutters are now on my list!. As for well-fed that would be me but I like my front end low LOL. Napa said they don't carry them to I guess I'll order online thanks for all the help!

Danny Boy

It's 106 miles to San Diego, we got a full tank of gas, half a pack of cigarettes, it's dark... and we're wearing sunglasses.

Hit it!

dhoff

I don't think anyone mentioned to take the co-pilot/beverage holder.

JeremyTA

lol i wish it was only 106 miles!. and the co-pilot can't get off work lol so i'm flyin solo!

UnkleMarc455

I used to take most of the stuff mentioned including a pop up tent- shade is a must, jack stands, big tarp and a rechargeable flashlight.

jaunty75

I think you should just bring the car show to your car.

Jaybird

Hi JeremyTA: It seems like you have everything covered. Do you have extra room for my mother-in-law? I can have her on a plane A.S.A.P.

Jaybird

JeremyTA

sorry its been so long..i've been trying to figure out why my temp keep pushing 210 i replaced the thermostat with a 180 degree which i check suspended in water and it opened right at 180 (check it with a thermometer) and replaces belts, radiator cap, and PCV(was dirty), but other than that i'm glad my local auto parts people like me..they're letting me test out shocks LOL if i don't like one pair they just give me another..and another..i think i'm going to settle on air shocks though. any ideas how to get the cooling system cooler? i flushed the whole system about 200 miles ago and it used to run at 180 until i got on the freeway(i was a moron and removed the spring ) but now its steady at 190-210 mostly 200ish

jaunty75

I think your thermostat is working fine and your engine is fine. You have to remember that the temperature at which the thermostat opens is not the temperature at which the engine will run. The engine typically runs 10 to 15 degrees warmer than the thermostat open temperature. So, with a 180 degree thermostat, the engine should be expected to run at 190 to 195. If you're at 200, I think you're fine.

If you want the engine to run cooler, put a 160 degree thermostat in there. But remember that an engine can run too cool just as easily as too warm, and running too cool can be bad for it and lead to poorer mileage as well. As I say, I think you're fine just as you are.

JeremyTA

damn i feel like such a noob. LOL thanks for the quick reply and the great new knowledge! i was just a bit worried since this is my DD car

Lady72nRob71

Make sure you are getting a good airflow from your fan. It will gice a distict roaring sound, too. If it has a clutch, it could be just freewheeling.

JeremyTA

no clutch, just one extremely sharp fixed lol..sliced my arms a few times just putting the darn thing on! i had to glue my arm shut once LOL.

Lady72nRob71

OUCH!

JeremyTA

That's not the worse injury my f-85 has bestowed upon me..I had semi-circle ear rings in and I was gettin in and it caught the little rain gutter. Split my ear lobe and nearly ripped it off, 10 stitches and "derma-bond" to put my ear lobe back on

aliensatemybuick

I'm thinking of Slim Pickens' description of the survival kit contents from "Dr. Strangelove"...