Picture this: You and a bunch of friends are recreating the Cannonball run from the Red Ball Garage to Portofino. The catch? The car has to be available for under $2500 market value (including tax) in New York or New Jersey, and you aren’t allowed to phone for help if it breaks down. What do you buy?
too easy. civrolla.
Make competitors run any, say, MGB they can find for $2500 though, and now you've got a real game.
Yup, Corolla, my 99 is shocking planted and happy at 100mph, probably gets good gas mileage doing it too.
I'm doing something very similar to this, the best answer - RX-7's.
Minivan. Whatever has the best tires and brakes on it for $2500.
I was going to say a GMT400 Tahoe, because despite the 4L60E, it's incredibly tough and can be fixed easily in the parking lot of Autozone or wherever. Plus, it's a lot more comfortable and a bit quieter than a Corolla or Civic.
Hmmm..... this is just from NYC Craigslist.
http://newyork.craigslist.org/brx/cto/5488973791.html *cause huge tank in the back for less gas stops and still room for a full AWAK setup.
Do we have any time to work on something? Say a day? thats enough time to make a car perfect for a Cannonball.... http://newyork.craigslist.org/wch/cto/5501886994.html
Just cause I loved the one I had... http://newyork.craigslist.org/lgi/cto/5493687482.html
Hell i would go for a Saab 9000 Turbo. Gets great mileage and can move.
P71 gets my vote, fun land yacht that can eat up the miles and parts availability is everywhere
Anything built since OBD2 came on the scene should be as likely to drive coast-to-coast as can be expected of anything beaten down to the $2500 banger category.
Comfort along the way is another story entirely. At that price I'd look for the cleanest Dodge Grand Caravan I could find.
1990 Infiniti Q45 with hail damage for $900.
May as well be comfortable.
Actually, minivan is a great answer considering the ability to get genuine laydown sleep if the other person drives. Big enough that you can have needed items such as porta-potty onboard as well as the ability to do "hot swap" driver changes while moving.
The last Cannonball was 1979, right? I think this game becomes considerably more challenging if it's restricted to cars MY1980 (which would have been around in 1979) and earlier.
Here is a companion piece that I remember reading as a kid, when new.
According to my local CL, this is the pick. 76,000 miles on the GM 3.1l V6 is nothing, it will run a highish speeds all day for a 30 - 40 hours without breaking down. It is practically invisible, and the ride would not be punishing.
Lexus LS400 obviously. Can't drive that far in a $2500 civic or Corolla.
You guys are evil geniuses... love this topic. I would consider a Benz W126 platform car... all day long in comfort at high speed. Though a P71 is probably a safer choice and will raise fewer eyebrows >100mph.
Andy Neuman wrote: Lexus LS400 obviously. Can't drive that far in a $2500 civic or Corolla.
This is the exact thought I had. Drive all day comfortable, and one of the most reliable cars Toyota has ever made. Can be pretty quick too, and has a 22 gallon fuel tank.
Now I have a bigger question: Who wants to do something like this for real this summer? No car restrictions, just bring whatever you have, meet up at the Red Ball Garage in NYC, and convoy to the Portofino Hotel in LA, stopping at attractions along the way?
My Millenium Escort ("She may not look like much, kid, but she's got it where it counts"), of course. It's paid for, the engine, brakes, and suspension are essentialy track-ready, there is virtually nothing I can't fix with a road trip tool set in the back, critical parts are available everywhere, and it gets probably 12 to 14 mpg at 125 mph so it could go a good 130 miles between fillups. I win 
G_Body_Man wrote: Now I have a bigger question: Who wants to do something like this for real this summer? No car restrictions, just bring whatever you have, meet up at the Red Ball Garage in NYC, and convoy to the Portofino Hotel in LA, stopping at attractions along the way?
I'd do it in November. Don't have much time in the summer.
Just did NYC to S.Fla (~3k/mi round trip) in a 10yr old Altima w/ 230k on the clock. Looking on the local craigslist definitely not worth more than $2,500. Did the trip no problem much of the time at 80+
Maybe drop the price to $1,000-$1,500
I think a G-Body is the answer. Comfy, good enough handing in Monte SS or Grand National trim, and fuel enconomy not to punishing. Should get about 20+ at speed and has a decent sized tank.
With price restrictions, I'm shopping for a V6 Beretta or S-10 pickup/Blazer
YES!!!!! http://barnfinds.com/cannonball-replica-1978-dodge-sportsman/
Sonic wrote:Andy Neuman wrote: Lexus LS400 obviously. Can't drive that far in a $2500 civic or Corolla.This is the exact thought I had. Drive all day comfortable, and one of the most reliable cars Toyota has ever made. Can be pretty quick too, and has a 22 gallon fuel tank.
Yeah, put me down for the comfort too! LS400 would be great or (yall know Im gonna say it) a Crown Vic. The LS probably has it on reliability but the CV has better parts availability, something both Sonic and I learned long ago is critical on cross country shenanigans :)
The S10 Blazer I owned wouldn't go 100 miles without breaking down.
JimS wrote: The S10 Blazer I owned wouldn't go 100 miles without breaking down.
We had an S10 Blazer run from Cali to the start of the S2S rally in St Louis and then the full rally our to vegas with no issue (and this was a $500 car rally)
Actually I just spoke to the owner tonite and he's been daily driving it and is talking about driving it out east for the rally this summer too. Not sure what magic spell he's cast on that thing, it was a pile.
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