9,400 mile road trip in a 22 year old hand-built 240sx

[Onizuka]

Lol, driving at 70+ isnt relaxing. The engine is spinning at 3500rpm and taking your eyes off the road for a second could put you in the ditch. I've been keeping it around 65 and i'm by no means the slowest guy out there (currently the road signs say 70max 40min, which is insane if you ask me. A 30mph difference is the same whether at speed or with a parked car). But its not like I dont do it, in my last update I said I drove for to solid hours at 120km/h, which turns out is about 75mph. In PA all the highways are 55mph speed limit with a few exceptions.

[Jesda]

Awesome!!! One of these days I need to meet Neal. Seems like a neat guy.

[Zydeco]

wheres your trip going to end in cali?

[Onizuka]

Well its not really going to "end" anywhere. I'm making a giant squiggly loop of america, not just strait and back.

[Onizuka]

ok im logging off, got to get up early tomorrow for some marathon driving. I couldn't figure out how do imbed a map so follow the link

*deleted because its way out of date*

[Zydeco]

Well its not really going to "end" anywhere. I'm making a giant squiggly loop of america, not just strait and back.

sweet. well if you find your self in the bay area ive got a sofa you can crash on for the night.

[ADDirishboy]

Lol, driving at 70+ isnt relaxing. The engine is spinning at 3500rpm and taking your eyes off the road for a second could put you in the ditch. I've been keeping it around 65 and i'm by no means the slowest guy out there (currently the road signs say 70max 40min, which is insane if you ask me. A 30mph difference is the same whether at speed or with a parked car). But its not like I dont do it, in my last update I said I drove for to solid hours at 120km/h, which turns out is about 75mph. In PA all the highways are 55mph speed limit with a few exceptions.

I just can't stand going slower than the speed limit on freeways. Granted, I have zero patience for anything.

[MinisterofDOOM]

Lol, driving at 70+ isnt relaxing. The engine is spinning at 3500rpm

You just need a FS6R31A. Or a T56.

ok im logging off, got to get up early tomorrow for some marathon driving. I couldn't figure out how do imbed a map so follow the link

Current Trip Map on Google Maps

Check out Google "My Maps." Lets you build maps to show off using Google Maps.

[krash]

Wait wait wait wait WAIT WAIT WAIT WAIT.

Hold on a second.

70 mph is FASTER THAN YOU'RE WILLING TO CRUISE AT? And you drive neither a classic Beetle nor Microbus? 70 is too fast?!?!?!?!

I'm the same way. If I can avoid cruising at 70, then I will. I can just feel like gas mileage decreasing..... I wish there were another gear.

[nissangirl74]

Well its not really going to "end" anywhere. I'm making a giant squiggly loop of america, not just strait and back.

sweet. well if you find your self in the bay area ive got a sofa you can crash on for the night.

Another one on the outskirts of Phoenix

[costa_rican13]

sweet. well if you find your self in the bay area ive got a sofa you can crash on for the night.

Another one on the outskirts of Phoenix

that should be "interesting"

[Zydeco]

I really wonder if you could do a coast to coast trip just staying at nico people places. that would be a fun trip.

[Pirates Eyepatch]

That's an awesome adventure you're taking!!! Keep the updates happening!
Stay safe.

[drksolest]

That's an awesome adventure you're taking!!! Keep the updates happening!
Stay safe.

n +1 on the great description of Flint!! bwahahhaa

[Mr1der]

I'm the same way. If I can avoid cruising at 70, then I will. I can just feel like gas mileage decreasing..... I wish there were another gear.

bah. When I first got my EP and drove up to Galesburg back in 06, I cruised a steady 80-90 mph and pulled down 31mpg in a car with a motor that's notorious for being gas thirsty. Engine speeds for that rate is pushing 4k.

fuel economy is affected more by inconsistent driving than speed when cruising. I was able to run cruise most of the trip and that's DEFINITELY the reason I got more than 30 to a gallon.

[dre1507]

Awesome trip you got going on there. i'd also like to travel.

bah. When I first got my EP and drove up to Galesburg back in 06, I cruised a steady 80-90 mph and pulled down 31mpg in a car with a motor that's notorious for being gas thirsty. Engine speeds for that rate is pushing 4k.

fuel economy is affected more by inconsistent driving than speed when cruising. I was able to run cruise most of the trip and that's DEFINITELY the reason I got more than 30 to a gallon.

that engine is definitely a gas-binger. i've had to learn to not be as aggressive with my start-offs all in the name of saving gas. Driving in Florida negates the cruise button, because inconsistent driving is inevitable if you're not willing to drive well above the speed limit.

[Dattebayo]

3500 ain't sh*t for an SR20. That thing red-lines at almost three times that.

[E7-S14]

Cool trip man!
id love to make one of these some day

[Rev_D21]

Any Nico member who passes through Western NY on a journey is welcome to camp on my property which is nestled in the hills along Canandaigua lake. Just thought I would put that out there.

[krimsonviper]

This looks to be an awesome thread.

Wish I could offer you something cheaper than a $65 plus tax a night in a nice brand new hotel, but my house isn't friendly towards strangers. It's not me, I live with my parents...

[fame_s13]

would love to do something like that in future!
i bet u r having fun...

[IanS]

Thread of the year in the making.

I love road trips, and this one is a doosey. I commend you for taking it on solo.

[King Ranzo]

This looks interesting.

[Onizuka]

Thanks for all the comments. I may have to take some of you up on the offers for a place to crash

Day 5: Hot Missouri

As soon as I woke up sunday, I knew it was going to be a crappy day. Despite promises of free wi-fi at the campsite, my late night days 3 and 4 update attempt ended up being a bust that cause me to go to sleep after 2am. On top of that, very early the sun made its presence felt and by 6:30 my tent was a boiling oven. I woke up hot and sweaty with one of the worst stiff necks I've had in years and tried the internet one more time to no avail. So I packed up my stuff and pulled out onto the tiny one lane road out of the area and into town in search of internet.



Luckily a Starbucks wasn't too far away and they actually had internet that worked. I was really feeling the crappy night of attempted sleep already as I re-edited my nonsensical gibberish 3 times over. Finally I was able to post and get some addresses to hit the road. As I pulled onto the highway my odometer rolled over 114,000 kilometers (the car really has over 170,000 miles on it)



Things are going alright until my gps tells me to pull off this nice, flat, strait limited access highway and onto this backwater road that goes through a dozen little town centers scattered through real middle-of-nowhere cornfields. In addition to speed limits as low as 30mph, its starting to get real hot out.



A lot of what I see along the road is real throwback stuff, including this still operational drive in movie theater.



After a little while things start stretching out and the speed limit jumps to 60mph. This may have been a good thing if not for people passing on the oncoming lane and random farmers driving out corn fields and crossing over. There wouldn't be much of me left if I t-boned joe-bob's pickup truck going 60. After a little while of this I find my way to the Mississippi river. I had expected to cross on some giant bridge, but since I was in the middle of nowhere, had to settle for this super narrow one.





Eventually this road turned into a 4 lane, but just like before, not exactly what you would call limited access:



After a couple hours I finally get off what was probably the most unsafe highway I've ever been on, and got onto I-70, one the the main highways east and west. This time I pass over the Missouri river and the bridge is properly impressive.




As the afternoon passes, the heat really kicks it up to another level. Between that, my sore neck, and the traffic heading towards kansas city, I'm ready to finish off a long day on the road. I pull up to the campsite office with heat absolutely radiating off of every surface of my car. It was completely cloudless the entire time I was driving and the relentless sun had really baked the roads to a scalding temperature. I finish registering and start my car back up to head to my spot. I curse loudly to myself as my car stumbles and dies. I start it again and it barely catches on and settles on a rough idle. As I back up it feels like the car is dragging a ton of bricks. I limp it to the campsite in the heat and find some shade to park under. I get out of my car and freak out for 30 seconds before I pop the hood and start going over everything.



I spent some time to tug and push on all the electrical plugs and when it came around to the sparkplug wires one was a little loose. I push it back in and turn the car on. Much better, I roll the car forward and backwards, and while it doesnt seem 100%, its working good enough. I decide to let the car be until tomorrow morning and set up camp. All the while its still super hot out and the cicadas here are the loudest I think I've ever heard. For all of you who dont know what a cicada is I took a picture so you could see the big uglies. For all of you who dont know what camping is, what I used for a size reference is a spork. A sporty titanium spork.



I spend the rest of sunlight hours in the airconditioned laundry room, and when that was all done I made myself some 50 cent campbell's chicken noodle soup. Mmmmm, canned sodium.



Day 6: Kansas, then sweet relief

The night was much like the previous day, hot and humid. At least I managed to get some half decent sleep and my stiff neck half went away. I dont even stick around to take a shower this morning I because I know I have a 9.5 hour drive ahead and I cant wait to escape the heat. When I turn on the car everything seems fine so I hit the road.



Very quickley I approach Kansas city, and having missed yesterday evening's traffic I sailed through with no problem.



Things are pretty pedestrian from that point until after Topeka, when you get into the real ranch and farm country and things start expanding greatly. It was really cool being able to see several miles down the road.



The begining parts were mostly ranches, then there started to be signs proclaiming how every Kansas farmer makes enough food for 129 people. I belive it: corn, grain, barley, sunflowers, etc. go on and on until they vanish into the horizon. I had seen several wind farms before reaching Kansas, but this one was one a ridge that the highway drove up onto and you could get real close. These things are seriously impressive.



After a while though things started to get boring despite the good scenery. There is really nothing out here but farms and the occasional sign advertising a 6 legged horse horse attraction. If you want to get the experience of driving through western Kansas in a 240sx with no air conditioning, print this picture out, find a sauna, enter it and stare at the picture for 5 hours.



It was seriously absurdly hot, again. Not a single bit of cloud cover the entire time I was in Kansas. I had stopped for lunch and the car was fine, on start up and everything so I though I was good. But a little later, after about 6 total hours of driving, the car started feeling like an oven just like the previous day. I slipped my foot out of my sandel to feel the floor pan and even that was hot. I pulled over on highway rest area and as I pull under some shade the car sputters and dies. Now I'm really thinking "great, I'm literally smack in the middle of the US, a 1000 miles away from anything that sells RWD sr20 parts, probably the worst place to break down". I resist freaking out and instead pop the hood and go to the restrooms. When I get back I check the oil level, recheck all plugs and wires, smell under the oil fill cap for anything out of place. The only thing I can really point out is how everything is HOT. The engine hasn't overheated or anything, but everything from the air intake box to the fuel lines feels hot. I close the hood and start it back up, it stutters again but damned If I'm waiting for help so I rev it up to 3000 and feather the clutch to get going without dropping the revs. Meanwhile I can hear the engine fan going full bore trying to cool itself off. I get back on the highway and everything is operating normally. Since gas milage hasnt dropped off and it still runs 100% once its moving, I decide to just not stop again until I reach my final destination for the day. All while pondering this I miss my odometer roll over 115,000Km, damnit.



FINALY I make it out of Kansas, it took 7+ hours not including stops. Additionally, theres actually some nice cloudage ahead to look forward to.



Almost magically, the temperature starts to drop as clouds and slowly increasing elevation take effect. Now that I'm finally feeling a bit more comfortable in my car, I congratulate myself on being so bad a** to still continue this trip in my throwback car. Then I see this dude and realize I'm just not man enough....



A few more miles down the road and it starts getting really pretty and the excellent cloud cover has actually made it cool out, something I havent felt in 3 days. The rest of my stiff neck melts away, I throw of my sunglasses and kick back to take it all in.



The rolling plains opened up under the amazing and beautiful clouds, and turned into a scene that cant possibly be encapsulated by photograph. The way the highway lifts up onto the ridge only exaggerates just how vast and awe-inspiring the scene before you is. In the first photograph, that little white splotch is a full sized big rig headed east-bound on the same highway I'm on.




This was seriously one of the finest spectacles I've seen, on the same level as seeing the sun rise from the peak of Mount Fuji



I'm getting close to my destination and there are visible rain clouds and a little bit of lightning in the direction of where I'm staying. I decide not to hurry, getting wet would be welcome after getting cooked in kansas.



As soon as I get off the highway my GPS freaks out and tells me to turn in the opposite direction of the campsite I already saw from the road coming in from the east. Ahh what the heck, lets drive around town a little.



I make a loop of Strasburg, Co and finally get to the east part of town where the camp is. This is much cooler than some over manicured hotel...




I pull into the nicest campsite I've stayed at yet and snap some more pictures in the cool lighting.




It starts raining while I set up my tent, and as I'm rushing the temperature starts dropping even more until its actually cold! I run over to the office building when its done and cant resist when they tell me they make fresh pizza right on the premisis.




I couldnt finish the pizza so I trudged back to my car to put the remainder in the cooler for breakfast tomorrow. With nothing to do I snap pictures of my car as the rain storm ends.



It finally stops raining and the sun radiated out of the clouds again, making for really awesome photography (this is with a 4 year old pocket camera mind you)




That was it for the day, I was setting up the rest of my camping stuff and reorganizing some things when a rabbit out behind my car caught my attention. I went out to look closer at the little fellow, who was sitting very still by a tree. As I turned back around to my tent and car thinking how nice Colorado is, the most amazing thing on the face of the planet was streaking across the sky......


























A HUGE DOUBLE RAINBOW!!!!!




2,060 miles down, 6,700 to go.

[drksolest]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OQSNhk5ICTI
Great pix!!!! hows the car running now it's not in that crazy heat?

[Dattebayo]

DO SR20s have cylinder head temp sensors? Maybe the coolant sensor is malfunctioning then.

[Sil240]

It looks like he's running the stock clutch fan.
So either the clutch fan is stuck or it was legitimately hot.

Maybe the next place you stop you could maybe ty bleeding the cooling system. Maybe you have some air in there.

[slydewayz503]

Damn I have been reading & enjoying your trip man awesome thread.

Are you coming down to Cali at all? if you happen to swing by Sacramento give me a holler and maybe we can get a few cars together so you can spot the scene out here.

[hbpignosePA]

this is amazing.... i so want to plan something so epic. maybe next summer.

cannot wait for the next update.

[Dattebayo]

Could be an air temp sensor gone bad, too...

That's actually more likely IMO.