1,000-Mile Road Trip

[Joe Flanagan]

On Monday I will be leaving for a 1000 mile trip from Alexandria, VA to Hyannis, MA in my 1949 Plymouth. I'll be leaving at about 3AM so I can get out of the Mid-Atlantic region before the heat sets in (supposed to be 96 in Alexandria on Monday). My apologies to the guys who are going to Hyde Park. I had originally planned to go but I want to go and see my family, who have never seen the Plymouth. I am steering clear of Interstate 95. My route will take me well west of Baltimore, just east of York, PA, and west of Reading and Allentown. I will be taking Route 209 for a good part of the journey, will travel through Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, and enter New York at Port Jervis. I'll cross the Hudson at Kingston, NY and then travel eastward across Connecticut above Hartford, mostly on Route 44. I'll then stay on 44 for most of the way to Cape Cod. 

I can't wait to get on the road. I'm a little nervous, I'll admit, but I hope there won't be any problems. I'm bringing everything with me I think I'll need in case of emergency, including two spare distributor lead wires. I've got my cell phone and my AAA premier membership as a last resort. I don't know what to expect if I hit a thunderstorm. There is a leak around the cowl vent somewhere that I have not addressed yet and one of the wiper arms is cobbled together with wire yet seems to hold together. Still worries me a little, though. 

According to Google Maps, it's roughly a 15 hour trip. I don't know if I'll do it all in one shot or not. I'll have to see how I feel by Monday afternoon (if the car is still rolling by then). It looks like the route goes through some beautiful country on roads that are not heavily traveled. I will keep you all posted on my progress.  

[Don Coatney]

Rain-X can be your best friend if you run into rain. Enjoy the trip.

[Frank Elder]

Good luck Joe....you should change your avatar to the finished version....your car is beautiful.

[1941Rick]

Good luck, have a great trip.....

[MarkAubuchon]

Joe, have fun.  Wish I was going but not up right now for a 3000 mile.  I ve done St. Louis to Portland Oregon and St Louis to St Johnsbury Vermont, and several St Louis to Detroit.  My advise stop every two hours, run a good quality oil, I even use a little lucas additive, you will figure out a comfortable driving speed and pace.  Enjoy the trip

[Nealswheels]

Good luck and keep us updated on your journey! 

[Sharps40]

Good luck. Monday 24 August I'll be near ya in manassas va seeing my 37 d5 for the first time in 23 years

Edited August 15, 2015 by Sharps40

[pflaming]

What a great trip plan. Watch the temp and oil gauges. If the temp rises slow down, if the oil pressure changes, stop and find out why. We just returned home for our cross country trip. Wish you safe driving. Google trip times are not realistic, add 30% to their numbers.

Edited August 15, 2015 by pflaming

[50fordtruck]

Have a safe and fun trip.

Phil

[JerseyHarold]

Enjoy the trip.  Road trips are better in an old Plymouth!

[greg g]

So you are going to be passing through the tour area.  Like Mark A said break it down into segments you are comfortable with and take frequent breaks.  Should be a trip your car was made for. No matter how fast you drive you can only average about 37 MPH through Conn.  Decent east west non expressway roads are basically absent.  Getting through Hartford can be a patience testing trial no matter when you get there.  I might look for US 6 east of Hartford.  Should take you to Provedence RI without to much drama.  Good luck and safe travles.  When is your return trip?

[1940plymouth]

Have fun Joe, I wish you a safe trip.   Port Jervis is an hour southeast of and Kingston is an hour northeast of me.  I have many miles on Rt 44 from Poughkeepsie to the Conn line in the '70's as my first wife was from the northwest corner of CT

You will drive that old Plymouth thru some beautiful scenery.  I hope you have the batteries charged in your camera.

 

If I read your post correctly, you are driving 209 from Port Jervis to Kingston, If you call me at 845-985-0206 when you get to Wurtsboro, I can meet you in Napanoch at the diner there in town if you are interested.  Napanoch is apporx 20 miles east of here.

 

Above all, safe travels my friend,

Bob

[46Ply]

Have a safe enjoyable trip!  Post some updates along the way.

[doctor dirt]

Back up wiper arm and blades would be wise too. I second the rain-X use, have fun.

Doc

[Jim Yergin]

Joe,

Good luck and have a great time. I know this has been a long time goal and I look forward to hearing all about it.

Jim Yergin

[blue p15]

Enjoy your trip.  Take enough time to stop and take some pictures, and then share those pictures with us!!  Good luck!

[Joe Flanagan]

Thanks, everyone. I'm pretty much ready to go. I have a full tank of gas and the trunk is packed with tools and everything I can think of that I might need. 3AM departure time. I just have to pack some clothes and a few bottles of water. Got up this morning to find the left front tire flat. I took it down to the shop and found out that it was leaking between the rubber and the rim. It's fixed now and I hope it's still fixed when I'm ready to leave tomorrow.

[JerseyHarold]

Don't forget a spare key.  If you're travelling with someone give it to them to carry.

[Don Coatney]

You might check to make sure your air conditioning controls are all functioning as required. 

 

[Joe Flanagan]

Don, they are perfectly synchronized and fine tuned.

Thanks for the tip about the extra key. I never would have thought of that.

[Joe Flanagan]

Bad news. I'm stranded in Mystic, CT with a loud tappingsoundcoming from the engine. Sounds like it's toward the back and high up. Speeds up with acceleration. I was about a quart low when I pulled over so I added a quart and it doesn't make any difference. The oil pressure is fine, according to the gauge.

[pflaming]

I'm no authority, but maybe a valve problem. Hated to read this report.

[Don Coatney]

Any misfiring? Pull one plug wire at a time and see if the tapping noise changes.

[Joe Flanagan]

I don't know anything yet. I'm riding in the flatbed right now. The tow is going to cost me over $500. It really sounds like a valve. It's being towed to my familys home in Hyannis. I've got some tools but not everything I need. Then there's the problem of getting it back to Virginia.

[John Reddie]

Sorry to hear of your dillemma. One thing I would look for is a possible broken valve spring. It should be easy enough to check by removing the side valve cover plates. Wishing you the best.

John R