Drive the '74 600 miles across the desert??!

zonker

Just Another FIAT Freak
Yep - that's what Cheryl and I are doing tomorrow. The '74 is all sorted out and ready for it's first long leisure road trip.

We're leaving our home in Temecula and crossing the Mojave Desert to Harrah's Resort in Laughlin, NV for a scenic drive and mini R&R. I mapped out a non-interstate route of 330 miles each way.

The X is running soo sweet right now :thumbsup: , shes all tuned perfect, the wheels are spot on aligned, and the interior is complete and functional, right down to the dual knob old school style Radio/MP3 player.

I've loaded an SD card with 1000 songs, the fluids are topped off, and * fingers crossed * nothing else will be needed for the enjoyment of a memorable weekend.

We hope to snap a lot of pics so I'll post them here for viewing once back.

Wish us luck!
 
Congrat's and good luck!

I was fortunate enough that my "new" exxy made it all around Orlando, Tampa, Gainesville, and home to Charlotte before her first real issue. They're so much fun to drive.
 
Good Luck!

Road Trips in an X are an abolute blast, especially if there's a little danger in it :)

Will you have "services" along the way or do you need to pack water, food, tools, Fix A Flat, belts, flares, blankets, St Bernards and rum kegs)
along the way? ;)

My next big trip is to Fiat on The Dragon in April, already excited. Have a blast!
 
Yep - that's what Cheryl and I are doing tomorrow. The '74 is all sorted out and ready for it's first long leisure road trip.

We're leaving our home in Temecula and crossing the Mojave Desert to Harrah's Resort in Laughlin, NV for a scenic drive and mini R&R. I mapped out a non-interstate route of 330 miles each way.

The X is running soo sweet right now :thumbsup: , shes all tuned perfect, the wheels are spot on aligned, and the interior is complete and functional, right down to the dual knob old school style Radio/MP3 player.

I've loaded an SD card with 1000 songs, the fluids are topped off, and * fingers crossed * nothing else will be needed for the enjoyment of a memorable weekend.

We hope to snap a lot of pics so I'll post them here for viewing once back.

Wish us luck!

Are you taking I-40 to Needles and then through Bullhead? My wife and I made that trip many many times in various vehicles and quite a few of them was in our 128 with a 1500 Strada/5 speed. The CHP patrol the hwy with aircraft or at least they did in the 70's and 80's so you don't see many patrol cars but they are watching. When we used to go and stay at my dad's fishing shack and take his boat out on lake Mojave or Colorado river, Laughlin was the only Casino and then the Clearwater. The winds shouldn't bother your X much but it did bat the little 128 a couple of times and there were a couple occasions I sweated bullets when pulling my camp trailer across that stretch. Be sure to take plenty of pictures so the rest of us can live vicariously.
 
Thanks all for the kind words, since I drove her home from the PO's place in San Jose, shes done a half dozen road trips without any fail, but there always was "something" that needed to be addressed. This is the first time I can call her "complete", so if something does fail, I have no blame to fall back on lol.

As for trip itenerary, there is no interstate travel at all, just highways, mostly 2 lane and some 4 lane. We're taking CA 79 south, CA 371 north, CA 74 east, thru Palm Desert / Rancho Mirage (hwy 111), then CA 62 east thru Twentynine Palms to CA95 north to Needles (no service for MANY MANY miles), , thru parts of old route 66, then north on Needles Hwy till we reach the Colorado River town of Laughlin :)

The weather looks killer, with lows in the 60's and highs in the 80's. A perfect top-less drive :)
 
What a wuss! A REAL road trip would be done...

in T-Shirts and shorts, a pair of flipflops, 6-pack, cell phone and a credit card.

HA!

If you have NOT been to Morrow Bay and traveled up the coast through Big Sur and the Redwoods and further... You are missing out on a great adventure. I love traveling along the ocean at sea level and then with a few other true sports cars... travel up into the mountains in a group with the engines echoing off the rocks and trees with clean gear changes and high revving engines. Its been ten years since... for me. I think I need to reschedule...

But HEY... in the middle of February heading across the dessert topless with your spouse ain't so bad either! Have a great weekend!
 
Thanks all for the kind words, since I drove her home from the PO's place in San Jose, shes done a half dozen road trips without any fail, but there always was "something" that needed to be addressed. This is the first time I can call her "complete", so if something does fail, I have no blame to fall back on lol.

As for trip itenerary, there is no interstate travel at all, just highways, mostly 2 lane and some 4 lane. We're taking CA 79 south, CA 371 north, CA 74 east, thru Palm Desert / Rancho Mirage (hwy 111), then CA 62 east thru Twentynine Palms to CA95 north to Needles (no service for MANY MANY miles), , thru parts of old route 66, then north on Needles Hwy till we reach the Colorado River town of Laughlin :)

The weather looks killer, with lows in the 60's and highs in the 80's. A perfect top-less drive :)
Ah, The long way. That is a more interesting route than I-40. If I remember right there are some stretches of 95 that your X will like.
 
The Queen has been from Maine to Washington, Wyoming to Ohio twice, Wyoming to Washington and California twice and most recently Wyoming to California via Utah and Nevada. We also take her on most trips of an hour and a half and we ski when the roads to the mountains are dry.
DSC_0039_zps3fa1d299.jpg
 
in T-Shirts and shorts, a pair of flipflops, 6-pack, cell phone and a credit card.

Lemme see:
1. t-shirt and shorts - check (cheryl wore a sun dress)
2. flip flops - check (extra credit if they say "guinness" on the soles?)
3. 6-pack. Um no, but we did have a bottle of Doffo wine in the frunk.
4. Cell phone - check. Not that we had much service in some parts lol.
5. Credit card - debit card in pocket with a crisp hundee for the black jack table

If you have NOT been to Morrow Bay and traveled up the coast through Big Sur and the Redwoods and further... You are missing out on a great adventure. I love traveling along the ocean at sea level and then with a few other true sports cars... travel up into the mountains in a group with the engines echoing off the rocks and trees with clean gear changes and high revving engines. Its been ten years since... for me. I think I need to reschedule...

Remember my trek last month to get a seat from mikemo? We took my 500 Turbo, and it was plenty fun.

But HEY... in the middle of February heading across the dessert topless with your spouse ain't so bad either! Have a great weekend!

Sure did Sir... will post pics as soon as we upload. Will try for the couple vids too but we're still working thru logistics on those. Stay tuned.
 
Hey Rob, I already apologized! But you do get docked...

a few points for having the wine in the trunk. No one should ever drive around SoCal sober!
 
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