Planning a 500ish mile road trip maybe in early October to visit a friend, will be driving my 55 Olds 98, what kind of supplies does everyone like to keep on hand? My thoughts are an extra set of points, an extra generator, fluids (motor oil/trans/coolant), fuel pump, belts. Anything else anyone can suggest from a "been there, done that" point of view? Going to try to keep the highway driving limited and use primary/secondary roads. I've had 600 trouble free miles since the rebuild but at the end of the day its still a 70 year old car.

 

You can't possibly take everything that might fail and still have room for passengers and luggage, and how likely is is that, if, for example, the car should suddenly need oil or coolant, that the problem can be fixed by just adding more? A sudden loss of these fluids would be an indication of a much more serious problem that you likely won't be able to fix at the side of the road or in a mall parking lot. You won't have the parts, anyway.

If it were me, and it's not, because I'm not that adventurous, I wouldn't trust everything to a 70-year-old car on a 1000-mile round trip that no one will have parts for along the way. I would take a modern car on this trip.

But if you must take it, the best thing you can do is make sure that your AAA membership is up to date and that you have your membership card and a charged cell phone with you as you go.

 

Make sure you bring jumper cables and maybe even a jump pack (available on Amazon now).

 

Jumper pack, yes, very handy!!

 

I wonder how well those jumper packs work on big ol V8's

 

I used one at the Costco gas station and it turned the Cutlass 350 over with no issues.

 

Flares, flashlights and tow strap and of course firearm(s) of choice.
If she breaks on a back road at night you want a way to get her off the road and not end up in Deliverance.

Thanks for posting. Adding those to my trunk asap.
We have some dark narrow roads here and one of my biggest fears is losing power in the middle of BFE.

 

If the car can safely make a 2hr round trip then it will be fine for your future endeavor. Just carry what you normally carry for driving to car shows and what not, a couple of qts of oil, basic hand tools, and some cleaning supplies.

 

Thermostat, big flashlight w/ fresh batteries.

 

Don't forget duct tape. It can "fix" a leaking radiator hose and keep thing in place that have stopped cooperating.

 

Everyone has their preferred method(s) of carrying the "essentials". I toss my electrical supply (plastic tool) box in the trunk which obviously holds lots of stuff. Of note, one thing I always carry is a small 6' roll of bailing wire which occupies about 4" in diameter.

 

There ya go. That's all you need. You can fix anything with those two items.

 

I carry all the above e except the generator and including my 20 volt Ryobi air inflator. Plus fuses, take off belts from previous swap and radiator hoses.

Pat

 

fuses, definitely need to add those to the list!!

 

Red Green (Show) could build an entire car with those two items.

 

If the women don't find you handsome, they should at least find you handy.