Help me make sense of a nonsensical plan

This is in the development stages, so I'm open to suggestions and advice.

My girlfreind and I are in the early stages of planning a trip with an LA-based friend into Joshua Tree, and we're thinking of extending the vacation into a week or so, and into Vegas and such. We'd likely fly into LA, drive to Joshua with said LA-based friend, then onto Vegas...somehow.

Naturally, I'm trying to figure a cool car into this equation. Naturally, thanks to the Vegas connection, I'm thinking '70s Caddy.

So, I'm scheming to buy a Caddy (or, you know, something similar) in LA, and drive circuitously back to St. Louis. However. I've never bought a car sight-unseen. I've never bought a car in CA. I've never actually undertaken a scheme as crazy as this.

So, help me think through this thing and make this dumb idea into an ill-advised reality.

I think to keep things interesting you should plan to steal the Caddy...

I'm not entirely opposed to that. Like the good Dr. Thompson, I will be travelling with my attorney.

First of all....DOOO EEET!

Now, make sure you account for facors such as insurance licensing etc in your plan. Most states have some form of temporary transport tag you can buy but make sure the state your shopping in does.

When you find something you like post it up and see if there is a GRMer local to the vehicle that can check it out for you. If not maybe you can contact a local club for the marque and see if someone from the club will look it over for you (we do it all the time in the Studebaker club) Or call around to some local mechanics and see if you can pay one of them to do a PPI for you if the seller will bring them the car.

But most of all DOOO EEET!

JThw8 wrote: Most states have some form of temporary transport tag you can buy but make sure the state your shopping in does.

This is something that crossed my mind. Do the temp tags come from the state of purchase or the home state/state of insurance? (Insurance is no problem, btw. It's my aunt. Yeah, we like to keep it in the family.)

I cant speak for every state but it has been my experience that they come from the state of purchase and are there to allow you to transport the vehicle back to your own state where you can get permanent tags.

In NJ you just need to show the title (proof of purchase) and ANY insurance card in your name, not necessarily for that car, and give them $20 and you get a 20 day non resident transport tag.

call your insurance agent and ask them for da troof.

When i came to US in 99, I purchased a 75 Plymouth Fury in LA and drove it to Ohio, it was an awesome trip, saw my first snow in Colorado, drove through the ranges that were in every Western I watched as a kid. I knew one person in the country when i undertook my trek.

I had two screwdrivers and a $1 adjustable wrench.

Doo eet

A trip like that should be MANDATORY for EVERYONE with a GRM sense of humor. My brother and I had a Gonzo adventure sort of similar to yours. We drove from Bethalto, Illinois to catch the 100 A/W in Ellington, Viburnum, Potosi, Salem and Rolla, Missouri and around that area for a few days in February of '03 . (We slept in Rolla for a few hours at the "Rustic Motel")

Egregious amounts of Hooliganism occurred and a short story was written about the event.

Anyway, sorry about the hijack, have fun and remember to arm yourself...to the teeth.

The_Jed wrote: A trip like that should be MANDATORY for EVERYONE with a GRM sense of humor.

Indeed which is why so many of us do the BABE rally every year and try to encourage the rest of you nutjobs to join in.

The only thing more fun that a road trip across country in a questionable car is bringing along 100 or so like minded individuals in equally crappy cars for the adventure :)

JThw8 wrote: Indeed which is why so many of us do the BABE rally every year and try to encourage the rest of you nutjobs to join in.

Oh it's on the to do list, just have to wait until the kids are old enough to be left with their grandparents for a week :)

Poor bastard will be seeing the bats soon enough!

Anyay, Alex, what you want to ask for when you go to the MO DOR is a "Driveaway Tag." It looks like a temp tag, but it's for transporting a vehicle home. One trip only. You'll have to explain that you're NOT buyng it from a dealer and find out what you'll have to do to get it. I would expect to be questioned about this by a law enforcement officer at some point along your travels.

Don't get into the ether.

Don't rule out good deals in or around LV. There's some NEAT old stuff out there in the desert that just needs to be brought back to the rustbelt ;).

ClemSparks wrote: Poor bastard will be seeing the bats soon enough! Anyay, Alex, what you want to ask for when you go to the MO DOR is a "Driveaway Tag." It looks like a temp tag, but it's for transporting a vehicle home. One trip only. You'll have to explain that you're NOT buyng it from a dealer and find out what you'll have to do to get it. I would expect to be questioned about this by a law enforcement officer at some point along your travels. Don't get into the ether. Don't rule out good deals in or around LV. There's some NEAT old stuff out there in the desert that just needs to be brought back to the rustbelt ;).

Good advice on the tags and the desert cars (and the devil ether). Since my plans are nebulous (at best) at this point, there's certainly no reason I couldn't fly into Vegas and drive to L.A. from there. Good thinking, man!

http://lasvegas.craigslist.org/cto/1540870971.html

you're welcome

Hell. Yes.

My initial thought was to put a preference on RWD and a hardtop, and merge this purchase with my loud/cheap/fast/nasty build. But if I find something nice enough along these lines in LV or LA, I might could make a buck or two by bringing it back to the rustbelt.

This just got more interesting. Keep 'em coming.

Morbid wrote:

JThw8 wrote: Indeed which is why so many of us do the BABE rally every year and try to encourage the rest of you nutjobs to join in.

Oh it's on the to do list, just have to wait until the kids are old enough to be left with their grandparents for a week :)

Bring em along, you wont be the first and we haven't eaten any of them yet ;)

I'm just waiting for my daughter to be old enough to drive so I dont have to

In 1975 I flew to LA to buy a Honda S600. I drove it to the Historic Race at Laguna then back to LA to sort it out. I then drove back to NJ with it stopping in Palm Springs on the way. It was a memorable trip and sharing with my GF made it even better. GO FOR IT!!

I graduated from high school in 1980 at the ripe old age of 17 years old.

I decided a 3 week camping trip roaming around the country camping and buying beer would be a good idea. It was a great idea!

Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, South Dakota, Wyoming, Utah, Colorado, Kansas, Missouri and back to Illinois.

Pre-cell phone days. Changed the rear main oil seal on a 1973 4X4 350cid in our KOA campsite. Floated in the Salt Lake, climbed mountains, burned up a ton of gasoline, hung out in Denver and slept on the ground for the entire time.

Traveling and adventures are the only things that you always remember.

Reno has a good car culture...check that out too as far as looking for deals.

Clem

JThw8 wrote:

Morbid wrote:

JThw8 wrote: Indeed which is why so many of us do the BABE rally every year and try to encourage the rest of you nutjobs to join in.

Oh it's on the to do list, just have to wait until the kids are old enough to be left with their grandparents for a week :)

Bring em along, you wont be the first and we haven't eaten any of them yet ;) I'm just waiting for my daughter to be old enough to drive so I dont have to

At 2 and 3 I really don't think they would enjoy themselves, lol.

Morbid wrote:

JThw8 wrote:

Morbid wrote:

JThw8 wrote: Indeed which is why so many of us do the BABE rally every year and try to encourage the rest of you nutjobs to join in.

Oh it's on the to do list, just have to wait until the kids are old enough to be left with their grandparents for a week :)

Bring em along, you wont be the first and we haven't eaten any of them yet ;) I'm just waiting for my daughter to be old enough to drive so I dont have to

At 2 and 3 I really don't think they would enjoy themselves, lol.

Ok, you may have a point there. I think the youngest we've had along was 6 or 7...she enjoyed herself and everyone was highly entertained with her.

Read Hunter S. Thompson's "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas" for inspiration.

Write a book about the trip, make big bucks.

YMMV

If I had the good Dr.'s drug budget, I'd be on my way.

Go get yourself a Raoul Duke approved White Whale. And remember one thing" you can turn your back on a person, but never turn your back on a drug, especially when it's waving a razor sharp hunting knife in your eye.

Appleseed wrote: You can turn your back on a person, but never turn your back on a drug, especially when it's waving a razor sharp hunting knife in your eye.

Always good advice.

The White Whale was a FWD Eldo droptop, no? Mid '70s?