Touring in Protouring

[XLexusTech]

Just wondering if their are many folks who Tour with their cars.
And if so what kind of mileage ave you done? Have you done Big events like Power tour or have you done your own. Anyone keep track of their MPG?

Also what are you using for spare tires? As in in case of a flat? I started thinking well with the Fuel cell in the trunk Al La Bad Penny and Big Breaks I may have a problem with a spare and was wondering what others do.

[James OLC]

Nevada Open Road Challenge - 20 mpg - averaging 104.99 mph...

[XLexusTech]

Nevada Open Road Challenge - 20 mpg - averaging 104.99 mph...

nice! but I don't think it qualifies as touring ... Unless of course you drove it there

[NOT A TA]

Longest trip in my Firebird was a vacation a few years ago. It was about 4000 miles. Have done New England to Florida and back few times. Never checked the mileage. Haven't gone on any of the group "tours". I do trailer the car when I go to track events though "just in case".

[Twentyover]

Dove from Detroit to Pigeon Forge for RTTH IV last year. Maybe 1500 miles round trip. Brother drove the car out from Portland to Detroit, about 2400 miles.

Mileage in 5th at speed is about 20mpg (edelbrock mpfi ZZ4, 70 Camaro.)

Flats? I carry a triple A card and Tire Rack is on speed dial

[Mkelcy]

Just wondering if their are many folks who Tour with their cars.
And if so what kind of mileage ave you done? Have you done Big events like Power tour or have you done your own. Anyone keep track of their MPG?

Also what are you using for spare tires? As in in case of a flat? I started thinking well with the Fuel cenn in the trunk Al La Band Penny and Big Breaks I may have a problem with a spare and was wondering what others do.

I've done one 2,000 mile trip, two 3,500 mile trips and 10 plus trips between 300 and 700 miles in the last few years, on my own except for 500 miles with the Camaros.net guys. I get somewhere between 17-18 mpg with my SBC (should be better).

I used a late model spare for the first long trip (you need to make sure your spare will clear big front brakes) but for the last two long trips I used a spare set of C5 wheels with Michelin Pilot Sport all season run-flat tires. I figured I could limp into a town regardless where I got a flat and they actually handle really well, including in rain and snow (as I found out on my last long trip). (Ask me about chains for getting through mountain passes during winter storms . . . . that's a different issue altogether.) Going with the run flats allowed me to jettison the spare, as well as a jack, and saved probably 50 pounds or more weight in the trunk and a lot of crap banging around back there when the curves got to be fun.

You need lots of small items to set the car up for this kind of trip - DSE or other multispeed wipers, big halogen headlights (I had semis tucking in behind me because my lights were so much brighter than theirs), comfortable seats, decent sound and heat insulation, a reasonably quiet exhaust system, a decent stereo, good heat/AC, your drivetrain needs to be utterly reliable AND you need to know everything on the car so you can fix it if the need arises.

My plan with my current project '68 is to make it a car that will handle well and also be fun and comfortable for long haul tours. I hope to do an 8,000 mile lap of America - up to Seattle from SoCal, across to Maine, down to North Carolina and then back to SoCal - in 2010 if I get it done in time.

[Charley Lillard]

We do Power Tour every year and have never carried a spare or had a flat. I have not had a flat in years but do have AAA. One year I think I carried a can of fix a flat but not any more. This year I think I averaged over 20 mpg on Power Tour.

[PT Sportwagon]

Well I may get flamed for this but Why have a car that you build so much performance into yet not enjoy driving them and banish them to a life on the trailer only to see driving limited to fairgrounds or even track events.
I have always driven my cars, only to be on a trailer when mechanically necessary. I have seen to many cars wasting away on a trailer, when they could be driven and enjoyed. That is why I like Hot Rod dragweek. having a performance vehicle and driving it, them flog the snot out of it everyday.

Tim

[thedodgeboys]

Well I may get flamed for this but Why have a car that you build so much performance into yet not enjoy driving them and banish them to a life on the trailer only to see driving limited to fairgrounds or even track events.
I have always driven my cars, only to be on a trailer when mechanically necessary. I have seen to many cars wasting away on a trailer, when they could be driven and enjoyed. That is why I like Hot Rod dragweek. having a performance vehicle and driving it, them flog the snot out of it everyday.

Tim

Amen Brother... AMEN!

[Chris442]

After getting the Camaro done, my Dad and I drove it about 5000 miles for it's first real trip. When we left the car only had about 500 miles on the odo. We drove from Phoenix to Minneapolis for the Car Craft Nats, happened to get the car shot for the mag while there and won the Long Distance award for our 1800 mile trip there. Then we drove to Denver and spent a couple days with a friend of my Dad, who happens to have a nice '67 Camaro droptop. From Denver we drove to Reno in 1 day, just a shade over 1000 miles across I70 to US 50, the loneliest road in America. It took us 16 hours total, including a lot of time spent doing 90 mph through NV. Spent the week in Reno for Hot August Nights, got to meet Charlie while there. Met a couple of cool PT guys in the Twin Cities, too. From Reno 775 back to Phoenix in one day, a drop in the bucket compared to the drive from Denver.

Since then the car has been to the Del Mar Goodguys, a short drive from Phoenix. Back in May I took it to the Grand Am race at Laguna Seca; sadly the CHP saw fit to give me a ticket on the way home. I thought everybody did 78 in a 55 in CA

On the first trip we saw about 20 mpg, but on the last one to CA, I saw closer to 22-23, even going over the Grapevine into LA. I figure the engine is finally getting broken in as the car approaches 10000 miles. Not too bad for a 40 year old car with a 427 cu in engine, I'd say.

Never had a flat in the Camaro, knock on wood. I don't know what we'd do if we did, especially on the rear. Who knows how long it'd take to get a 335/30r18 in Podunk. With the offset difference from front to rear in the car, combined with the amount of brake clearance needed for C6 Z06 brakes, I concluded that a spare is impossible to come by. If you could get away with a 17", though a 04-06 GTO spare could work for temp use to get you to the next town. Unfortunately, 14" rotors make this impossible. That's why there's AAA.

To sum up, almost 10000 miles in the first year it's been completed. The front end is starting to look like it's losing a battle with a media blaster, but that's why there are guys that paint cars. In two weeks we'll head up to Reno for HAN again, and probably put another 2000 or so miles on the car. We don't even own a trailer, and I'm sure that the Camaro more reliable than our old '87 Silverado, anyway.

[critter]

Little Rock to Cleveland and back via Hot Rod Power Tour in '07. It was 2500 miles round trip. I pulled my rear end with the 3.42 rear end and slapped in a 2.41, 10 bolt rear end I borrowed from a friend. It sucked at the stop light. but if I built some RPM against the brake I could still smoke 'em with the Pontiac 462ci under the hood. I did it well enough to make the television show the broadcast covering the HRPT that year. Good times!

[XLexusTech]

After getting the Camaro done, my Dad and I drove it about 5000 miles for it's first real trip. When we left the car only had about 500 miles on the odo. We drove from Phoenix to Minneapolis for the Car Craft Nats, happened to get the car shot for the mag while there and won the Long Distance award for our 1800 mile trip there. Then we drove to Denver and spent a couple days with a friend of my Dad, who happens to have a nice '67 Camaro droptop. From Denver we drove to Reno in 1 day, just a shade over 1000 miles across I70 to US 50, the loneliest road in America. It took us 16 hours total, including a lot of time spent doing 90 mph through NV. Spent the week in Reno for Hot August Nights, got to meet Charlie while there. Met a couple of cool PT guys in the Twin Cities, too. From Reno 775 back to Phoenix in one day, a drop in the bucket compared to the drive from Denver.

Since then the car has been to the Del Mar Goodguys, a short drive from Phoenix. Back in May I took it to the Grand Am race at Laguna Seca; sadly the CHP saw fit to give me a ticket on the way home. I thought everybody did 78 in a 55 in CA

On the first trip we saw about 20 mpg, but on the last one to CA, I saw closer to 22-23, even going over the Grapevine into LA. I figure the engine is finally getting broken in as the car approaches 10000 miles. Not too bad for a 40 year old car with a 427 cu in engine, I'd say.

Never had a flat in the Camaro, knock on wood. I don't know what we'd do if we did, especially on the rear. Who knows how long it'd take to get a 335/30r18 in Podunk. With the offset difference from front to rear in the car, combined with the amount of brake clearance needed for C6 Z06 brakes, I concluded that a spare is impossible to come by. If you could get away with a 17", though a 04-06 GTO spare could work for temp use to get you to the next town. Unfortunately, 14" rotors make this impossible. That's why there's AAA.

To sum up, almost 10000 miles in the first year it's been completed. The front end is starting to look like it's losing a battle with a media blaster, but that's why there are guys that paint cars. In two weeks we'll head up to Reno for HAN again, and probably put another 2000 or so miles on the car. We don't even own a trailer, and I'm sure that the Camaro more reliable than our old '87 Silverado, anyway.

A+

[Charley Lillard]

See you in Reno Chris442

[lnirenberg]

Dallas to Boston via Bowling Green for a tour of the Corvette Museum and factory, Nashville, The Great Smokies of Tennessee & NC, DC and home--no spare, a compact portable jack,a foot operated air pump and a plug kit. For sidewall blowouts as above AAA. 2+ years 15,000 miles

[critter]

I guess I should I add that I had AAA as well. Why wory with the spare? AAA is cheap insurance in that respect.

[FULMNTE]

Longest round trip with the Monte for me: Knoxville to Branson, MO
This year, I will drive roundtrip Chicago to Charlotte, NC...

[Bill Howell]

Two full power tours, plus I don't know how many trips to Fl and Nashville, Georgia, etc. Average 23 mpg, usually run 80 mph and never had a spare.
Trailers are for boats, cars are meant to be driven. If you build one that isn't driven, why are you building a car?

[130fe]

I have also done two powers tours and gotten on average 20 MPG. Driving "spirited" manner doesn't help, didn't build it to be a MPG king. The best I ever got was 25 on a trip to Orlando (for the PT in 06).

[ProTouring442]

Rock chips are a badge of honor! Of course, my car isn't done yet, but I fully plan on driving it. In fact, that's why I think my car is a bit more of Pro-Gran Touring. Many "creature comforts" have been added along the way, such as 6-way power seats, power windows, tilt/tele, etc. As for a spare, I have an on-board air pump and I will carry a tire plug kit as well as a can of quality fix-a-flat. Anything that needs serious attention will necessitate the use of the cell phone!

Shiny Side Up!
Bill

[Yelcamino]

I've done two Power Tour Long Hauls in the El Camino along with two trips to Chevellebration, RTTH3 & 4, and numerous 2-3 hour trips for club events. I think I averaged about 15 mpg.