Road trip across America

[enstg8er]

thanks, i'm a travel-nut.
sleeping pad ideas-
http://www.campmor.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?productId=39096926&memberId=12500226

comfort will be important on a long trip and this will provide it. cheaper brands available. skimp elsewhere, if it leaks, it's useless. like sleeping on pavement.

tent-
http://www.campmor.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?productId=38470419&memberId=12500226

skimp here. if the weather gets bad sleep in the van or go to a cheap motel. good size for two. fast easy set-up.

[pacmania_2001]

They have good vending machines though

Vending Machines are alien technology I tell ya!

Just post a hi-res scan of that ID you wore when you visited Area 51, I'll take care of the rest.

[Capmaster]

They have good vending machines though

Vending Machines are alien technology I tell ya!

Just post a hi-res scan of that ID you wore when you visited Area 51, I'll take care of the rest.

Oh, OK

[pacmania_2001]

Whats the best place to pick up camping gear on the cheap in America, Sears, Army Surplus store, Walmart?

[enstg8er]

http://www.campmor.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/StoreCatalogDisplay?storeId=226&catal...0226&langId=-1

[pacmania_2001]

Is that solely an online store or does it have brick and mortar stores? I just don't want to be tied up in one place waiting for a delivery from an online store.

What are some good models of vans that are cheap, i.e sub $3000, reliable, somewhat fuel efficient and have a good amount of room in them?

[enstg8er]

sears/ walmart /target

[zzyzzx]

Air con is a definite must but the temps don't worry me too much, I'm an Aussie remember.

Not too worried about smelling pretty. We were going to take a Bush shower (do you Yanks have those?) with us for the more remote places and use rest and truck stops for showers. We've also got relatives/friends in areas like LA, Chicago and Florida that we plan on mooching showers from. (Note to Cap: You're my New Mexico Shower :P )

If you are used to the heat in Australia, that won't help you much when you hit parts of the US that have heat and high humidity. You will need air conditioning.

What's a Bush Shower?

[Capmaster]

Is that solely an online store or does it have brick and mortar stores? I just don't want to be tied up in one place waiting for a delivery from an online store.

What are some good models of vans that are cheap, i.e sub $3000, reliable, somewhat fuel efficient and have a good amount of room in them?

Dodge Tradesman. Get one from the '80's. Cheap, and if you can, get the 318 engine. The thing is bulletproof and gets decent mileage for the size

[zzyzzx]

Is that solely an online store or does it have brick and mortar stores? I just don't want to be tied up in one place waiting for a delivery from an online store.

Then go to WalMart.

What are some good models of vans that are cheap, i.e sub $3000, reliable, somewhat fuel efficient and have a good amount of room in them?

An old used minivan should be OK. Just try to get one that's the stretch version and put something over the windows at night. Should be about as reliable (or unreliable) as a full size and get much better gas mileage.

[yoda313]

Hello,

Dodge Tradesman. Get one from the '80's. Cheap, and if you can, get the 318 engine. The thing is bulletproof

Bulletproof???? I'll have to get my hands on some old A-Team episodes and see if they used one of those for their missions!

Kevin

[Heywould3]

What are some good models of vans that are cheap, i.e sub $3000, reliable, somewhat fuel efficient and have a good amount of room in them?

Try some online autotraders here in the states.. heres a couple

http://www.tradingtimes.com/ is a good one.. and yahoo US has a site too.. for 3000US you can find a good van.. BUT keep in mind the area you buy it in will determine the price.. like a car in the mid west or plain states will be cheaper than in Calif or NY etc.. they have search by area on those pages so try different areas.. one more thing.. cars sold here in Michigan are subject to frame and body rust.. older cars are worse.. we salt our roads in the winter.. one of the few states that do..

[Capmaster]

Hello,

Dodge Tradesman. Get one from the '80's. Cheap, and if you can, get the 318 engine. The thing is bulletproof

Bulletproof???? I'll have to get my hands on some old A-Team episodes and see if they used one of those for their missions!

Kevin

It's a term us gearheads use for an engine that is very forgiving and hard to hurt Other "bulletproof" engines: Chevy 265 V8, Chevy 230 six, Chevy 283 (307), Ford 289, Chevy 327 (350), Chrysler 340, 360, 426 Hemi, Chevy 396 short-block, Ford 352 Cleveland, Pontiac 326.

Not too many newer engines that fall into this category, IMHO.

[pacmania_2001]

If you are used to the heat in Australia, that won't help you much when you hit parts of the US that have heat and high humidity. You will need air conditioning.

What's a Bush Shower?

Australia has high heat and humidity. Air Con is near the top of the list on criteria for the van but if its a great van but doesn't have air con I'm not going to sweat over it (pun intended).

A bush shower is basically this:
http://www.campmor.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?memberId=12500226&productId=49412

Dodge Tradesman. Get one from the '80's. Cheap, and if you can, get the 318 engine. The thing is bulletproof and gets decent mileage for the size

Checking it out now on Yahoo! Auto

http://www.tradingtimes.com/ is a good one.. and yahoo US has a site too.. for 3000US you can find a good van.. BUT keep in mind the area you buy it in will determine the price.. like a car in the mid west or plain states will be cheaper than in Calif or NY etc.. they have search by area on those pages so try different areas.. one more thing.. cars sold here in Michigan are subject to frame and body rust.. older cars are worse.. we salt our roads in the winter.. one of the few states that do..

Most likely will be bought in LA. Whats the emission testing they do there?

[yoda313]

Hello,

pacmania - I think California has the toughest emission standards. And probably the highests taxes. You may want to try another state

Kevin

[pacmania_2001]

I've heard about how tough they are, the problem is that if we buy it in another state we have to pay to get there somehow.

[Capmaster]

In Calif. they basically plug up the exhaust pipe, disconnect two cylinders, and install a laminar-flow gas vapor collection system on the top of the car. Don't worry - it's only the size of a refrigerator and weighs no more than 500 pounds.

J/K Seriously, Calif. is the worst state in the country for emissions. Cars sold there are usually detuned, have lower compression ratios, less aggressive valve timing, many emissions additions other states don't have, poorer fuel economy and worse performance. And they charge you for all these little niceties too. Gasoline stations have pumps that have a return line for reclaiming gas vapor as you fill your tank.

Of course you can't blame them ....seeing Los Angeles from the air once while leaving San Diego on a flight, it looked like a bowl of chocolate pudding

[northcat_8]

In Calif. they basically plug up the exhaust pipe, disconnect two cylinders, and install a laminar-flow gas vapor collection system on the top of the car.

Calif. is the worst state in the country for emissions

Emission control in Canada on the other hand is much simpler, they just shove a foam breather from a lawnmower up the horse's ass.

[enstg8er]

Cars sold there are usually detuned, have lower compression ratios, less aggressive valve timing, many emissions additions other states don't have, poorer fuel economy and worse performance.

additionally have greater difficulty in the mountains if altitude gets too high. carb models with fixed fuel/air ratios fare worse than fuel inj with o2 sensors monitoring fuel..

[Capmaster]

Cars sold there are usually detuned, have lower compression ratios, less aggressive valve timing, many emissions additions other states don't have, poorer fuel economy and worse performance.

additionally have greater difficulty in the mountains if altitude gets too high. carb models with fixed fuel/air ratios fare worse than fuel inj with o2 sensors monitoring fuel..

I had a 1977 Chrysler New Yorker once that was originally a Calif. car. They had that poor 440 so emasculated it wasn't funny. It had a big Carter Thermo-quad on it. It also had an altitude-adjusting carburetor.

Even with all the crap they loaded on that thing it still didn't breathe hard at 85. I did take the Lean Burn Computer off and replaced the hall-effect distributor with a regular points-type one. It required new points every 6 months, but it ran like a striped-assed ape

[SquirrelDip]

In Calif. they basically plug up the exhaust pipe, disconnect two cylinders, and install a laminar-flow gas vapor collection system on the top of the car.

Calif. is the worst state in the country for emissions

Emission control in Canada on the other hand is much simpler, they just shove a foam breather from a lawnmower up the horse's ass.

Don't you mean snowblower???

[zzyzzx]

one more thing.. cars sold here in Michigan are subject to frame and body rust.. older cars are worse.. we salt our roads in the winter.. one of the few states that do..

Exactly why would he even care about rust? It's not like he's going to keep the van long term.

[Heywould3]

[Exactly why would he even care about rust? It's not like he's going to keep the van long term.

Because if the fram or anything is rusted and he puts any sort of load on the thing.. IE long road trips.. it might break 1000miles into a trip.. you will get great deals here in MI but you also really do get what you pay for.. anything metal will rust.. all internal break parts for example.. its a reliability issue i was refering to.. not long term re-sale or what ever

[tgpo]

[Capmaster]

[Exactly why would he even care about rust? It's not like he's going to keep the van long term.

Because if the fram or anything is rusted and he puts any sort of load on the thing.. IE long road trips.. it might break 1000miles into a trip.. you will get great deals here in MI but you also really do get what you pay for.. anything metal will rust.. all internal break parts for example.. its a reliability issue i was refering to.. not long term re-sale or what ever

Yep. I had to get rid of my first car - a '64 Chevy Bel Air because the frame rusted through and the mechanic said one good whoop-de-do on the expressway and it could fold up like a cheap suit

[pacmania_2001]

Do you have any hot sisters/cousins?

As the time gets closer and the trip gets confirmed I'll post a more exact route and see who's along the way thats interested in meeting up.

[pacmania_2001]

How much money do you reckon this is going to cost excluding airfares?

We've guesstimated AUS$10,000 each if two people do the trip and buy a van for about AUS$2,000. Aussie dollar is worth about 75 - 80 cents American.

[yoda313]

Hello,

How big are you in to buying souveneirs????? That will bump up your total cost considerably.

Also, I presume a digital camera :P so no need for film right????

Kevin

5200 :P

[pacmania_2001]

Digital camera so no need for film, plus a laptop to transfer photos onto so no need to buy more storage cards.

We won't be buying hardly any souveniers at all if any so that won't contribute significantly. Main costs will be food and petrol and to limit costs most food will be from supermarkets not eating out.

[enstg8er]

as with all things cost will vary based on many factors. to lowball a figure try this: $50 a day on gas, $25 a day for lodging, $40 a day for food. all us dollars. these are arerages for consideration only. you can get a micky-dees breakfast for under 4 bucks, but to do it over the long haul is difficult and distracts from the trip. a trip to vegas or a night in new orleans would be over and above