Driving cross country in a 47 year old 911.
 

Planning on driving to some Porsche events this year, what should i check, what tools to take, a "checklist". Asking those that have done long distance drives in a vintage 911. Thanks!

We have a thread for that. :)
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/porsche-911-technical-forum/945924-what-your-absolute-essential-tools-long-road-trips.html

Mark

Some of the tools come down to your ability and willingness to try a roadside repair.

I have driven my 35 year old car to 40 states so far and I plan to hit all lower 48. The cell phone and a towing plan like AAA or whatever. I bring a large Tyvic painters overalls that are disposable. Also a can a fix a flat, tire plugs and the compressor and simple hand tools.

Also be sure to have a 24 inch piece of string trimmer cord. It is to get the gas flap open in case the pull cable breaks that opens the gas flap breaks. Practice opening the gas flap with the string.

Just the common sense stuff mostly from that list above.

Perfect, thanks!SmileWavy

All of the above but invest in AAA too. Enjoy the ride!

I have found AAA to take forever if you need a tow/gas/etc. If you have cellular data service, Google the closest wrecker service and talk to them on the phone. AAA pays crappy contracted rates so their network is more limited than you think. Someone contracted with AAA will come to get you/help, but they may be much further away than you expect.

I was helping an idiot friend move something recently and he rented and was driving the rental truck. He failed to pay attention to the gas gauge and the Isuzu truck gave zero beeps or idiot light when low on fuel. It just quit on I-10. Rental company and AAA said 2+ hours. I googled someone near the next exit behind us and had gas in 15 minutes.

A Boxter spare wheel is ideal to carry. Guaranteed to work (compared to a crumbling 40 year old inflatable) and saves you carrying the compressor

oh, and: WD40, gaffer-tape, zipties, gloves (next to a toolbox with spare fanbelt and carjack)

Shake down runs. If you go on a bunch of ~100 mile drives, you’ll be a lot more confident on a 1500mi trip.

Or just go for it. When I bought my car I flew out, made the deal, got an extra fan belt from the PO, pointed the car west, and two days and 1200mi later I was home. It was an adventure and gave me a lot of confidence in the car.

Interested in the Boxster spare. Does it fit in the frunk's spare location? And fits a G-series ok?

For long trips, I bring the parts that are most likely to fail (relays, starter, CDI, fuel pump) and I throw a little harbor freight jack behind the passenger seat. Having multiple 911s in a convoy allows one of us to run with no spare, leaving room for more tools, and others with longhoods run a full size spare so no one is stuck running a sketchy collapsible. I did fill one up before Rennsport 6 an it held air for a week... I'd still rather avoid using it.

For summer commuting, if I can't fix it with zip ties and tape, the car is going home on a flatbed. FWIW, my collector car insurance (American Modern) was way more useful in regards to towing than AAA. They had a flatbed to me in 15 minutes after AAA quoted two hours.

My post from another thread

When I bought a 69E in San Francisco and drove it back to Boston, I had a shop go through the car and installed a new alternator a purely preventative measure. I think a quick check-up, like a mini-PPI by a good shop would be good for long trips.

Good advice I have heard is to not doing any major work or repairs on the car within 600 miles of your trip- gives a good chance to make sure the repair is solid.

Agree on the shakedown runs and not going anywhere immediately after any “surgery” on the car. As far as I’m concerned that applies to any machinery old or new, Porsche or not, and regardless of who worked on it. “Stuff Happens.”

I disagree with Luftkuhl about AAA. We (wife and I) have had to use them several times (both separately and collectively) with nothing but good service. For both cars and bikes. A good investment. Get the service which offers relatively unlimited towing. That way you can get the machine home or at least to someplace knowledgeable, not just an off-the wall gas station out in the woods.

I have had the opposite service from AAA over the last 40 years and I used extended tow service for years.

I won't let you trash AAA without a challenge. They are not perfect but they have bailed me out well so many times that I cannot let a AAA trashing stand un-challenged.

I could fill this thread with examples of my positive experience.

^^^ THIS!!! ^^^

I work in an industry where high availability is the name of the game. Other than dumb cockpit errors, making changes right before an event (we need to rush this in before the holiday!) is THE biggest cause of failures.

Remember that old saying... “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!”

But then last year we fixed an oil leak on my buddy’s car and then did an 800 mile road trip the next week.

So I’ll remind you of what my mom always said... “do as I say and not as I do!!!” :D

AAA is good cheap insurance for help - I have it - but don’t let it box you into myopic thinking on how to get out of a jam on the road.

47 year old fuel lines might concern me

I would have an extra set of points.

I don't trust the old Bosch CDI, so I would take something like and MSD Streetfire [$175.00].

but it guess you have to know how to wire it too.

AAA is great but also check your classic car insurance, car club memberships, and credit card benefits to see what additional roadside assistance options you may have.

The only tool I have needed on cross country trips was a feeler to set the spark plug gap when it closed up on me. A business card got me close enough to get the car running and get to an auto parts store where I could purchase one.