12-13-2009, 11:00 PM | #1 |
70+ ( Old Skool Club )
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Saskatoon, Saskatchewan ,Canada
Posts: 9,143
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What do I do ?
I have a line on an original untouched 72 Burb with a small block, automatic and factory A/C. I am buying it from the Estate of the original owner. It has 175,000 miles but has maintenance records ( which I haven't seen) from day one including oil and filter changes every 3000 miles and for the last 10/15 years has only been driven short distances three or four times a year.
My question is... I live 1800 miles away do I fly there and drive it home ( when the weather is nicer) or trailer it home? If I did decide to drive I will put new tires on before I drove it home
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1972 C10 Custom/Deluxe 613 Highlander 406/700R4 1999 White Tahoe LS 4x2 with Z56 Police Package 1992 K1500 GMC Suburban Members I have personally met: MusicMan70 - HeavyD - ChewyChevy67 - StingRay -71SWB4x4 - 67 Burb - DeadheadNM - too much stuff - bc65 - das601 " Circumsatances Do Not Change Responsibility " " The Sky is not the Limit, Your Mind is." Marilyn Monroe .. RIP Charlie Watts 1941 - 2021 |
12-13-2009, 11:39 PM | #2 |
70 Chevrolet=Obsession
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: nice ca
Posts: 1,067
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Re: What do I do ?
Boy, that's a tough one to answer without having even seen it. If it was me I would trailer it because there is nothing I hate more than getting stuck on the side of the road.
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I'm Just like my truck. Old, Ugly and Grouchy. Except my truck starts easily in the morning and doesn't smoke! IT'S NOT EASY BEING GREEN! -Kermit the frog 1970 Chevrolet C-10 Longbed Stepside : 350, Muncie M20, 3.08 GM corp. positraction Forest green exterior/light green interior(Where all my money goes) 1996 Toyota Corolla (Parts runner) |
12-13-2009, 11:43 PM | #3 |
I Like Mine With No Shine!
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: SC
Posts: 2,705
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Re: What do I do ?
Just give me the number of the person and Ill go buy it so you don't have to worry about it! Haha. Hard decision you have there.
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Michael 1967 Chevrolet C10 Short Fleet (Literal Ground Up....One Day) 2006 GMC Sierra Crew Cab 4x4 1969 Lincoln Continental Coupe Project FOR SALE http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/c...ct=4578&cat=17 1981 Honda CM400 C Bobber SOLD http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=384152 |
12-13-2009, 11:49 PM | #4 |
Registered User
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Location: Monroe, WA
Posts: 298
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Re: What do I do ?
Im sure that longhorn man would say DO IT. But he is a bad ass! I sure hope he will chime in on this.
I would be more timid unless I had seen it, driven it or someone had been driving it on a regular basis. Let us see some pictures when you can.
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67 K10, lwb, fleetside, 327, 4spd, 205, cab and 3/4 frame swap, 14 bolt, big window, and a "rustoleum roll job" |
12-13-2009, 11:54 PM | #5 |
mini truck racer
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Baytown , texas
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Re: What do I do ?
I have always wanted to do this . Fly in and drive it home . I think it would be an adventure to remember the rest of your life .
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1949 5-window 1969 Camaro 1976 Chevy Luv yellow 1978 Chevy Luv Blue 1976 Chevy Luv Black 1979 Firebird Flooded in Harvey 1999 F350 Dually 2005 GMC Sierra 4.8 RCSB 2014 Explorer (wifes) My build :http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=399148 Build #2: http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=653583 |
12-13-2009, 11:58 PM | #6 |
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Join Date: May 2006
Location: at work
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Re: What do I do ?
If it were ME i would trailer it home because if it can happen it will happen! I have the worst luck.
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12-13-2009, 11:59 PM | #7 |
BlahBlahBlah
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: Wa.
Posts: 20,021
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Re: What do I do ?
I bought a car in New England awhile back. I flew back to check it out. No way I was going to buy something sight unseen. I was thinking about driving it home, but instead had it shipped (3k miles). Glad I shipped it, it had several weird problems when I got it home. Would have been zero fun on a cross country road trip.
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12-13-2009, 11:59 PM | #8 |
Hittin E-Z Street on Mud Tires
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Greenville, SC
Posts: 23,090
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Re: What do I do ?
1800 miles? I wouldn't do it.
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12-14-2009, 12:19 AM | #9 |
its all about the +6 inches
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: Hilliard Ohio
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Re: What do I do ?
live a little!
have it inspected by a friend, or a shop, take along some tools and any parts you may want to swap out from the get go (installing an HEI for example) and drive it. |
12-14-2009, 12:46 AM | #10 |
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Location: pensacola fl
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Re: What do I do ?
1800 miles from where to where? Its a little diff talking Orlando Fl to Vegas lets say. But if its Toronto to Sask thats a long lonley trip with not much inbetween. Ya know what I mean.
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12-14-2009, 01:02 AM | #11 |
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Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Baton Rouge, LA
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Re: What do I do ?
Why not have a mechanic go over it with you, while you're there, and verify it's road worthiness, and give it a try....
You only live once... It'd make for a cool story, along with whatever you intend to do with it, while you have it... |
12-14-2009, 01:14 AM | #12 |
It's a catastrophic success.
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Oklahoma
Posts: 2,077
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Re: What do I do ?
1800 miles will be its own adventure in a new truck with a trailer in tip top shape. LOL
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12-14-2009, 01:41 AM | #13 |
Truckin' Krazy
Join Date: May 2000
Location: mesa az
Posts: 6,193
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Re: What do I do ?
Me & my bro drove my grandpas 72 from Eugene Or to Omaha Ne 1500 miles, straight through, heater core went out & gas guage didn't work (only ran out once!) that truck had been sitting for a while, but was still pretty well maintained, if your gonna do it, have some basic tools & a few spare parts fuel filter, belts, hoses, fuses etc.
Tom
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12-14-2009, 01:51 AM | #14 | |
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Location: Baton Rouge, LA
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Re: What do I do ?
Quote:
I went with my Brother From Shreveport, LA to the northwest corner of NE, Chadron maybe? I don't remember now, as it's been 5+ years ago now, and trailered my eBay'ed 67' Camaro home... It was an adventure to say the least, but we made it home in one peice... After driving it around town for a while, it revealed that it needed a carb rebuild, and 1 small wire repair on the original harness. Some new tires on it, and the above 2 items, I really think it would have made it home... Oh well... I'll do it again one day... |
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12-14-2009, 02:05 AM | #15 |
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Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Red Deer ab canada
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Re: What do I do ?
One Canadian to another; it really depends on from where to where, lots of open road from one 2 horse town to the next=big tow bills.
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12-14-2009, 02:09 AM | #16 |
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Re: What do I do ?
I don't see how you can take tools and spare parts with you if you're going to fly out there unless you have them shipped out first. I wouldn't do it. I would trailer it. This is what your options look like from the big picture.......
1. Cost of plane ticket and gas for the burb for 1800 miles. Even if you managed to get tools and parts to take with you from somewhere it probably won't be what you need like a u-joint or transmission or timing chain or who knows what. Probably get stuck on the side of a deserted road with no cell phone service and scary looking dudes with chainsaws.............. 2. Gas money for a pull truck 2 ways and probably a much more comfortable 3600 miles. I know what I would do. |
12-14-2009, 03:35 AM | #17 |
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Location: Asheville, N.C
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Re: What do I do ?
I flew out to Calif. from N.C to buy my Grandparents truck with flat tires and hadn't ran for a year.I got it started put new tires on it and drow it 2hrs to my inlaws and had it shipped back to N.C.Have you gotten a full set of pics to see what kind of shape it is in? You might go out to see it and it might not be what you thought it was. I'd fly out to see it to make sure its' what you want and have a shipping company ship it to you.Thats basically what I did and worked out great. of coarse since it was my Grandparents truck I new what I was buying.
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12-14-2009, 06:42 AM | #18 |
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Re: What do I do ?
Id look into shipping it by the time you pay gas and a plane ticket youd probally break even
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12-14-2009, 07:49 AM | #19 |
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Re: What do I do ?
Given the distance and your unfamiliarity with a 40 year old vehicle that has bee sitting relatively idle for several years, I would have it shipped. A breakdown on the road can cost you lots of dough if its not minor. Also, these trucks aren't set up to cruise at 70-75 mph so an 1800 mile trip at 55-60 will seem like forever. I have had two vehicles shipped in the last few years. A 67 Chevy wagon from Las Vegas to my place (2500 miles) was about $1100 and my Burb from an hour west of St. Louis to my place (800 miles) was $600. Get some shipping quotes. Factored against airfare, gas, tolls and tires, you might be cheaper.
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12-14-2009, 08:02 AM | #20 |
Special Order
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Re: What do I do ?
I`ve had "go for it" work most of the time.You have to accept that anything "is" possible.Don`t expect a perfect trip and it just might work out.I`ve driven many old vehicles cross country and there`s plenty of stories.It should go fine,but shipping is the closest to a "sure thing" as you can get and it doesn`t cost that much more.
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12-14-2009, 12:52 PM | #21 |
The Older Generation
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Location: Montezuma, Iowa
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Re: What do I do ?
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If it was summer I would fly in and drive it home, but I wouldn't even consider it in the winter. I hate laying in the cold & snow on the side of the road working on ANYTHING!!! Cold hands, freezing feet...No thanks! LockDoc
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12-14-2009, 01:20 PM | #22 |
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Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Red Deer ab canada
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Re: What do I do ?
Tell ya what,...let me know where it's at and I'll go get it and you'll never have to worry about it again. Heh?
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1972 factory 2 Wheel Drive Blazer-Sold 1972 K10 4X4-Sold 1971 Chevrolet Cheyenne/10-Sold 1970 Chevrolet C/10-Sold 1968 GMC 4X4-Project 1968 Chevrolet C/10 Pro Street 1970 GMC 3/4 Ton-Parts 1997 2WD 2DR Yukon-Sweet http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=335664 |
12-14-2009, 04:40 PM | #23 |
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Re: What do I do ?
Depends. Where is it? Find board members along the way. That way if you break down they can help you.
Thats what i do. Or see if board members will help you.
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12-14-2009, 05:03 PM | #24 |
Frequent Flyer
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Location: Tulsa, OK
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Re: What do I do ?
I'd say trailer it. That alot of miles for any vehicle.
I do not fly often but, can you check a tool box or tool bag with a bunch of tools and possibly needed stuff if you are going to fly there and drive back? |
12-14-2009, 05:03 PM | #25 |
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Re: What do I do ?
I agree fly in look at it then have it shipped.
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