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Let me tell you how I finally got my 50 Chevy to my new home in Wisconsin... I did it the old fashioned way: I drove it! 330 miles from Sullivan, IL to Fond du Lac, WI. As briefly reported previously (link) I had to leave it behind when I moved to Wisconsin in the dead of winter. I have been chomping at the bit to get it up here ever since... I tried to arrange transportation but hauling companies are too high and I made one aborted attempt to tow it (a story for another time). Anyway we had a trip planned to KY for a wedding and I decided to swing by and get it on the way home. My buddy Roger had been so good to keep it in his garage since the end of Dec. He said he didn't mind but I knew it was in his way. Anyway we left Wickliffe, KY early Sunday morning and shot up I-57 as quickly as we could to get to his house by 10:30. About an hour to get ready; check fluids, air up the tires, fill up the oil and give it a cursary look over and take off. Stopped in town to fill up with gas... and finally left Sullivan at 12:00. Through Decatur and then up US 51 to Bloomington-Normal. Sometime spent there with our daughter, ate lunch, more gas and oil and hit I-39 north at 3:00. I am so proud of this old truck. Ran great. Drove great. 55 mph was no strain. Ambient temps hit 90 and it started to overheat. But it never boiled over; the temp gauge just crept up above 180 and I didn't want to push it so I slowed down to about 48-50 for awhile. Made the trip longer. Of course I was stopping to check and add oil every 30-40 miles. Yea! The old thing used 7 quarts!! (My wife Debbie said the only time she could see any smoke was when I would take off after a stop and at gear shifts.) Still it ran and drove great. Never failed to start and only stopped when I turned the key. Later in the evening it cooled off some so I could go 55 again without getting hot. Arrived in FDL a few minutes before 9:00. Long day but a good one.
Anybody else have a good road trip story? Share it!

That sounds like it was a great trip. These old machines are really something, aren't they?

About a year ago I needed to make a business trip about 200 miles each way. Both my modern drivers (modern LOL! an '85 and an '91) were doing things that bothered me so I decided to drive my '55 1st GMC Suburban.

It got nearly 17 mpg and ran almost flawlessly both ways. I say almost because both ways shortly after a stop and restart it faltered. I still haven't figured out what happened but I suspect its a dirty tank issue.

GMC 270, SM420 and a 3.08 geared rear axle from a Chevelle. Aside from that rear axle, front disk, modern buckets and Cragar mags with radial tires this is a stone stock truck.

Until health issues made it impossible I was considering driving it 800 miles each way to the ATHS show in Pleasanton, CA this weekend. I'm sure I'd have felt the need to work on it some first, but I think the old girl would do it.

That's great, Frank. Glad she gave you no trouble.

Steve, I considered driving my '54 Burb to the show but we ended up pulling the TT with the Ford. No glory in that.

Good deal Frank! I'm guessing you achieved those speeds with 4.57 gears and 15 or 16 inch tires?

I drove to Kansas City last Sept. for the stovebolt reunion, 1400 miles round trip. no problems except someone siphoned 6 gals. of gas from the tank at the hotel. glad you made and had fun in the process. it seems every time they have a local car show my truck wants to act up. it is a mile from my home in the city park and i am having some trouble with the brakes, they work but are not as responsive as i would like.

Good storys,most i ever did at one run in 55-2 was about 200 miles ...at 6-6 tall i need more leg room that and old age about a hundred miles is all i can stand without getting out for a spell....

You need to build an extended cab custom!

.....ran the 37 to Winston-Salem and back. About a 2 1/2 hour run each way. Ran smooth as silk. It really smooths out at about 75-85

Yes Ghostrider; 216, SM-420, 4.57 rear, 7.00-15 tires, 6-volt. Up until this trip the longest distance I had driven it was about 35 miles and back to a car cruise. WE b OLD, that sounds like some trip! I really need to do something about the oil consumtion before I drive it very far again, especially a trip like that.

Alvin...you old tearaway!.......

The only 'road trip' my truck has been on so far,was a high speed 400+mile blast from London to Glasgow averaging 70mph........on a trailer!!