Anybody ever driven a lap of America in a classic car.

When I say a "lap" I mean driving the circumference of the USA. Here in Canada we don't do that but instead drive from one coast to the other always close to the border, so the USA trip would be a lot longer.

On my bucket list is that I'd love to do this trip. I've been all over the USA but not the full monty road trip that I'm describing. The closest thing I almost did was drive a TR3 from LA to Philly with my best friend. He lives in Philly and was buying an immaculate Cali TR3 but that fell through at the last moment and it never happened. Sounds insane to do this in a classic car rather than a motor home but has any body else ever at least fantasized about it?

Great concept! I've made numerous long distance trips to and from various places I've lived in the US in classics. But not around the border.

That sounds like a great trip for National Geographic or someone like that! Go For It!If I weren't so damned old and in need of my meds and other healthcare, I'd be tempted.

Classic Motorsports, are you listening?Perhaps various advertisers in CM & GM could be partial sponsors. Certainly those with operations on or near one of the borders. Time it so it makes a few events along the way. I think a lot of people who live near borders and a lot of us who don't would make at least a trip or two to events featured as part of the lap trip.

The MGB guys think nothing of it and do it all the time.

Food for thought: Like it or not, the NA Miatas are now old enough to be classics and it would be far from a hardship to do a lap of the USA in a Miata.

If your definition of "Classic" leans more towards the brass era cars, then good luck with that.

NOHOME wrote: The MGB guys think nothing of it and do it all the time. Food for thought: Like it or not, the NA Miatas are now old enough to be classics and it would be far from a hardship to do a lap of the USA in a Miata. If your definition of "Classic" leans more towards the brass era cars, then good luck with that.

25 years equals classic. I don't have a problem with that. I also don't think a Lap around America would be a hardship in any Japanese car I've ever owned. That's why I now own three of them. However, I do question your comment "The MGB guys think nothing of it and do it all the time."

I admit I haven't been involved with MGs since I sold my TD and my MGB GT. But I have never seen a mention anywhere that even one (1) MGB has made a trip around the border of the USAThat is, in fact his topic!

He's not talking NY to Ca. Or Seattle to San Diego. Or any of those other trips many of us have done several times. He's talking about following the northern border with Canada to the Pacific Ocean, turning south along that ocean to Mexico, heading east and south along all that Mexican border and the Gulf Of Mexico to the South end of Florida. (I don't know if he's counting the keys or not.) Then finally turning north following the Atlantic coast all the way to the starting point in the north end of Maine or turning south and following the northern border with Canada west to wherever he started. I haven't done the math but I'm guessing we're talking tens of thousands of miles.

If there is a proven MGB, or any other brand or model of automobile or motorycle, account of making that trip, I'd love to read it! Please advise!!!

Spend some time on the mgexperience .http://www.mgexp.com/phorum/read.php?1,2967741

The thread linked relates to a trip that makes your little challenge seem like a field parking event. Plus these guys take the women along just cause.

I believe there are 5 of them doing this trip. I also believe that they previously did the trip from Australia to London England across Africa.

Another link to the story:

http://www.king5.com/story/news/local/seattle/2015/04/29/mg-car-club-driving-from-argentina-to-alaska/26608785/

Full disclosure...I have owned and MGB GT for 36 years and am always surprised when the thing makes it home from any drive of any distance. The engines truly are E36 M3 in these cars; its obvious that as a design choice the driving requirement for the MGB drivetrain was that it not cost anything and not take any time to design or source. The only way to pull this off was to adopt a drivetrain that was already obsolete. It's rare that an MG engine will leave you walking home, but it might make that a desirable option.

In reply to NOHOME:

I could do the trip in my TR8 just as easy as in a Miata, but was thinking of something much more classic like the TR3 or something. As a kid with my parents we drove from Toronto to Holloman AFB in New Mexico in a 1961 Corvair picking up the old Route 66 in Chicago back in in 1963. I'd really love to do this circle of the USA trip as a tribute in a Corvair as one possibility. In a Miata - just not quite the same.

In reply to NOHOME: Wonderful Link!! Thanks! Though this isn't the same trip, I stand corrected as to the sturdiness of some MGB owners! Not the MGB. The owners.

However I still think would be an excellent project to sponsor. All around the borders. National Geo, GRM, CRM, Road and Driver, Car & Track, someone should sponsor it!

I have done Vegas to Florida in a Porsche 944, but that was too easy. An entire lap would be way cool. The biggest thing would be the time.

I drove an unrestored 302/c4 1970 Mustang from NJ to the Mississippi river in the mid-ninties. The voltage regulator failed, and it cooked a battery & alternator along the way. It was also fighting overheating in the afternoon summer heat when the speeds were low due to traffic. Repairs along the way were simple and didn't break the bank.

A few years later, after it was fully restored, it was driven out to the PNW by my brother, via the scenic route, through the 4 corners area, up to Yellow Stone and through the Idaho Rockies, with no mechanical failures.

There are many sixties and seventies cars that I wouldn't hesitate to take on a coast to coast trip after some sorting and a shakedown run.

I would really love to do a trip like this with a seventies Lincoln, preferably with in tact pimptastic interior upholstery.

I'd try it in my TR6, but I'd put Moss/TRF on speed dial first. Then pack a more complete survival kit including U-joints, spare hose, and a larger spool of bailing wire. I'm at a crossroads in my life where I want to take some time off and was considering taking a month or so off from work to just drive somewhere.

I dream about doing a drive like this all the time. A few years ago, there was a guy with a Spitfire who drove it all over the country and sent in monthly reports - I think it was for Spitfire & GT6 magazine.

Being honest, my real dream is to circumnavigate the US on a bicycle. Starting from home (Philly) in the Spring, riding across the top of the country over the Spring and Summer, down the west coast and then across the south in the Fall & Winter, then back up the coast to home in the Spring.

That said, this would be a cool trip:

I'd modify the route between SC and WV to hit the Dragon.

Then there is this guy. Sold everything and living out of his MGA while touring North America with his son. No destination and no timeline. Been at it at least a year that I know.

http://mgaguru.com/tales/mobile.htm

And I have to say that Rupert has it right, driving any distance in a classic brit car is more a testament to the driver's fortitude than it is the cars ability to maintain locomotion.

Does Charles Runyon of TRF fame still have the One Lap Car? He did it in his TR250 years ago. Or was it his TR5?

Been from CA to Fl three different times in unrestored Classics

In reply to Tim Suddard and 68TR250:

What you guys are talking about is not even in the same league as what I understand he is considering! I made several trips two ways from various USMC duty stations all across the US to Ky. in unrestored (TR-3 & MGB GT) classics too.

In fact one year my buddy and I made a round trip from Memphis Tn. to Cleveland Oh. riding double on a '64 Triumph Bonneville Motorcycle with no windshield during a four day Thanksgiving weekend! And yes it did snow on us on the way back and we dropped the bike twice. We got back to NAS Memphis around 06:30 Monday morning on a pass that expired at 24:00 Sunday night. The base C.O. was less than thrilled with us! But since we both had frost-bite and were due to ship out for chopper training to fight in Vietnam right away, he let us off with a reprimand. As he put it "You guys are so F______ dumb, there's nothing I can do to you worse that what you've already done to yourselves!"

As I understand it what TR8owner is talking about is following the US border with Canada to the Pacific Ocean. Then following the Pacific south to Mexico. Following the Mexican border till it runs out in the Gulf of Mexico. Following the border with the Gulf until it becomes the Atlantic Ocean. Following the border with the Atlantic Ocean and various bays and waterways until he finally encounters the Canadian border again. Then following that border to the pick up point, then back home. Which is certainly more than 10,000 miles

A few thousand miles across the country from one place to another. Or a round trip from Memphis to Cleveland riding double on a British motorcycle with no windshield is nothing like a circumnavigation of the borders of the entire continental US.

If I misunderstood him, I'm sorry! But that is what I understand the plan is.

To Rupert, regarding your early experiences ... congratulations that you're still here to talk about it! I think those were different times, and we did things that were considered somewhat "normal" then (maybe because we thought it was normal), but might be considered pretty outrageous now.

Put that in perspective with our parents' experiences ... i.e., the WWII generation! Imagine what they did and thought was "normal" for 1930's and 1940's America.

In reply to Gary: Gary I agree! I never wanted to live to 30 but I'm damned glad I did!

An old WWII fly guy I've been friends with for years kept a Piper Cub & we'd fly around at less than highway speed in it a lot. He had his own grass strip on his farm well out of normal air lanes. No license, no radio, no worries. He'd refuel the plane from a tank he carried around in the back of his pickup truck. I'm sure he wrote it off as farm expenses.

His wife told me a story one day about his flying. At that time, before we met, he had a plane with floats. He was always doing crazy things, scaring water skiers, etc. with it. Once he ran out of gas and landed on the water, it being a float plane only. So he got out and stood on one of the floats and waved and yelled at people to tow him in.

Since Neal had done all kinds of stunts for years, everyone just said that's Neal he's up to something & they waved at him and laughed. Including his wife. Finally someone noticed that he was still on the float and the river current was picking up. So they finally took a boat out to snag him before he and his plane was bumped up against the local high rise flood control dam.

Barbara said when she realized he was really in trouble she freaked out. Not because she was scared. She was mad he brought all this on himself. She told him as soon as he was towed back that either the float plane was gone or she was! From that time on he always had a rubber tired plane.

In reply to Rupert:

Yup. Doesn't surprise me for that generation. Definitely "grass roots." (Lower case). I love the spirit and attitude they had!

My brother did it on a bicycle. Left Cape Cod and headed for New Orleans. Hung there for a week or two and then took off for Southern Cal. Finally ended up in Oregon where a job running a restaurant was waiting for him. He made up boxes of stuff pre-labeled for certain post offices all along his route. Every few days my mom would mail out the next box.

tr8todd wrote: My brother did it on a bicycle. Left Cape Cod and headed for New Orleans. Hung there for a week or two and then took off for Southern Cal. Finally ended up in Oregon where a job running a restaurant was waiting for him. He made up boxes of stuff pre-labeled for certain post offices all along his route. Every few days my mom would mail out the next box.

My utmost respect is for your crazy brother. That's not something I'd ever consider attempting even when young! However, that isn't a true trip around the borders as TR8 is planning. As you described it, he didn't go to the Florida Keys and then come up the west coast, nor to the bottom of Texas, then on to San Diego through New Mexico, to Washington State, etc., etc.

Unbelievable trip! Far beyond anything I've ever heard of anyone doing on a bicycle! However apples are apples and oranges are still oranges.

In reply to tr8todd:

"My brother did it on a bicycle."

I have a lot of respect for your brother and all bicycle long distance riders.

I just did a "metric century" (100 kms) today. With cyclists the "imperial century" is 100 miles and considered the badge on honor as is the marathon with runners. I've done several but have one lined up late this summer. My wife also does it with me, but she's an ex Iron Man gal who drags my ass out for these things. Otherwise I'd probably just be drinking beer in the garage.

I'd love to do the circumference of the USA in an old car. It's a bucket list thing. But couldn't imagine doing this on a bicycle unless I'd have a year or so to complete it.

I wouldn't hesitate to do such a trip in one of my TR8s, but even thou they are 35 years old, I still don't think of them as classics. Something about the shape and the basically American V8 make them more modern than they really are. We went to DC in my wife's 13 year old Taurus a few weeks ago. I was more worried about that thing making it back and forth than any of my cars. True to form, as soon as we crossed into NJ we hit a big pothole and the bolts that hold the first part of the exhaust to the manifold Y pipe sheared. Spent two hours in a cousins driveway drilling out bolts so I could replace them. Can't even begin to count how many 1000 mile plus road trips I've done behind the wheel of a TR8 all be it in modified TR8s. Wouldn't want to do it in a stock TR8 with stock carbs and an engine covered with emissions stuff.

tr8todd wrote: My brother did it on a bicycle. Left Cape Cod and headed for New Orleans. Hung there for a week or two and then took off for Southern Cal. Finally ended up in Oregon where a job running a restaurant was waiting for him. He made up boxes of stuff pre-labeled for certain post offices all along his route. Every few days my mom would mail out the next box.

Wow.