Coast to Coast with a Spider - a 45 days project -

[abcman3000]

Hello there Fiat lovers and sick people in general

I have this crazy idea for this August-September(2010).
I'd like to fly from Europe to SF (California), buy myself a 124 and enjoy a month across the States reselling it in NY before flying back to Italy or Croatia.

I don't have all the details worked yet, and maybe I don't want to, trying to make it a little adventure, and enjoying it without stress.

If it just plain crazy just speak out...I might change my mind, if not maybe I'll be able to use some advice and share this experience with you

[mdrburchette]

I think it's an awesome idea! We can plan stopping points with other Fiat owners along the way. You can surely stop at my place for some rest and refueling on your way back East.

[Foster48x]

Sounds like a REAL adventure! Let us know the route when you get all the planning worked out. There's allot of support also in North Texas if you decide to drive through.

Rick

[abcman3000]

Thank's a lot. A Fiat owner can't be but a cool guy I knew that , ha ha

For now I see only 2 problems:
1) making sure I have the necessary 45days free from work
2) finding a reliable car in SF

I already have an idea about the route....I'll post now a map I made 2 years ago when I was thinking of making a similar trip but I didn't have the time.

[abcman3000]

Sounds like a REAL adventure! Let us know the route when you get all the planning worked out. There's allot of support also in North Texas if you decide to drive through.
Rick

Thx Rick....I'll do it in the summer so I thought Texas was maybe not a good Idea. I concentrated myself on the states with a cooler climate. ( ....and I sometimes feel like I need a break from Texas...I have "Walker the Texas ranger" on the TV in Italy AND in Croatia....can't run away from Chuck he he )

Marko

[So Cal Mark]

the biggest obstacle you will have will be finding a reliable car for that trip and the northern route. The states out west have little in the way of support or resources for parts. Until you get to the great lakes area you will have to hope for no breakdowns. Montana, Idaho, the Dakotas are pretty desolate for Fiats in general. The alternative of Az, NM and Texas in the summer almost guarantees a meltdown though. Better to time the trip for spring or fall than the middle of summer

[Danno]

i think licensing and titling will be difficult. how would that work?

[narfire]

Hey Marko, saw the map.
A slight detour while in Canada.. but still get to Alberta.. I 'd recomend from Vancouver take Hwy 3(Hope Princeton) to Keremeos,(southern hwy) 3a to Penticton,and a pit stop for insallation fluid of your choice (i made some great wine.. good enough even to give to friends ) Hot here in the summer as is the lake. I have parts and a shop if needed. Continue on hwy 3 to Cranbrook and then north in the "Columbia Trench"(rockies on the right) to Radium Hot Springs. Have a dip in the Springs (recomend the Lido Motel). North east to Calgary while driving through the Rockies. After that... don't know, been to the other side of the divide only a couple of times.
PM if comming this way
Chris
When or if in Montana, majicwrench is in Libby

[abcman3000]

A slight detour while in Canada.. but still get to Alberta.. I 'd recomend from Vancouver take Hwy 3(Hope Princeton) to Keremeos,(southern hwy) 3a to Penticton,and a pit stop for insallation fluid of your choice (i made some great wine.. good enough even to give to friends )

Thx Chris !
Detours are not a problem, especially if the reason is good wine
I'm not a great mechanic myself, but do you think it would be better to aim for a pre '78 Fiat with carburetors or for a more recent DSO type ?

Until you get to the great lakes area you will have to hope for no breakdowns. Montana, Idaho, the Dakotas are pretty desolate for Fiats in general. The alternative of Az, NM and Texas in the summer almost guarantees a meltdown though. Better to time the trip for spring or fall than the middle of summer

Only the summer is an option for me Thx for the info about the states with little Fiats. I think I should have a spare option if I don't find a reliable Fiat. Is there another convertible that has some of the Fiat Spider spirit, and that is common on the roads and affordable second hand ?

p.s. I had an idea...I usually get those before falling asleep , that it would be great to import back to Europe my future American Fiat,instead of reselling it, but I just found out that they would make me pay the customs taxes, not only on the value of the car, but also on the miles the car made from the place it was bought in ?!?!?!? CRAZY STUFF !! So a Californian Fiat will never come to my home

[Snoopy]

Friends of me do this long years ago with motorbikes. Biggest problem was to sold the bikes to a good price in very short time at the end of the journey. Maybe someone help you ?

[narfire]

I'm not a great mechanic myself, but do you think it would be better to aim for a pre '78 Fiat with carburetors or for a more recent DSO type ?

Get hold of Mark, he had a nice looking/sorted FI for sale a while ago,not sure if he sold it.
My druthers is FI but a well sorted carb would be equally reliable.
I was getting 10kms/liter with my stock FI engine, not sure what fuel is in your parts but 91 octane is $1.22 liter here and 89 is $1.15 at the moment (cdn $ which is really close to the US $ at the moment)

[courtenay]

Think about taking a trip from Olympia WA to Port Angeles and then the ferry to Victoria BC. There are at least 3 Forum members on Vancouver Island, Launie in Victoria, me in Courtenay and Jim in Campbell River. It's a very nice 3 hour drive to Courtenay, where you can get a ferry to the Sunshine Coast. Then to Horseshoe Bay, up through Whistler - over a very picturesque road into the Okanagan - where you can pick up on Chris' installation fluid. I would like to think our installation fluid might just rival his!
Sounds like a great trip regardless of the route you eventually choose.

[mdrburchette]

If you could find someone willing to sit on the car while trying to sell it, you could get a decent price out of the car. You won't need that money to get home, will ya?
If you stayed on I-40 through the US, you would be hitting more Fiat populated States and by September, wouldn't be so incredibly hot.....and you'd be going through Winston-Salem before turning north to New York!

[abcman3000]

I was getting 10kms/liter with my stock FI engine, not sure what fuel is in your parts but 91 octane is $1.22 liter here and 89 is $1.15 at the moment (cdn $ which is really close to the US $ at the moment)

didn't know there was such low octane fuel available. We have only 95 98 and 100 octanes here

Think about taking a trip from Olympia WA to Port Angeles and then the ferry to Victoria BC. There are at least 3 Forum members on Vancouver Island, ...... I would like to think our installation fluid might just rival his!
Sounds like a great trip regardless of the route you eventually choose.

...I don't want to be the cause of to much rivalry, but....thinking of it...I might take advantage of it he he
I'm getting myself a big decent map to and I'll start putting pins !!

If you could find someone willing to sit on the car while trying to sell it, you could get a decent price out of the car. You won't need that money to get home, will ya?

No, I wouldn't need the money to get home.....actually that is a good idea ! I have some family only in SF, and I really don't know how much I can count on them. hmm..... "he who searches, will find" , I think it goes like this.
I'll definitely reach the I-40 at some point of the way....

So, actually you think it's a good idea..I'm glad

[Foster48x]

Sounds like a REAL adventure! Let us know the route when you get all the planning worked out. There's allot of support also in North Texas if you decide to drive through.
Rick

Thx Rick....I'll do it in the summer so I thought Texas was maybe not a good Idea. I concentrated myself on the states with a cooler climate. ( ....and I sometimes feel like I need a break from Texas...I have "Walker the Texas ranger" on the TV in Italy AND in Croatia....can't run away from Chuck he he )

Marko

I agree Marko, Texas summers are pretty tough. If you do decide to drive through the great state of Texas maybe Chuck Norris will sell you his Fiat... Its so terrified of Chuck it fixes itself .

Rick