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Feasability of road-tripping a vert?

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Old 10-24-07, 02:10 PM
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Feasability of road-tripping a vert?

I'm thinking about going to deals gap .. as well as a few other off key events .. and was wondering who has travelled in there vert?

We all know that the convertible can fit maybe two medium size duffle bags max ... but im not sure how much you can fit under the tire cover (the cover with the wind diffuser on it)

My car poses a significant problem as my battery is located in the rear of the trunk. So i only have about 3/5 of the trunk to use now due to its location.

How many of you guys have done it and for how long? I would be interested to see if any of you ahve done 5-7 days in it.

Keep in mind I would need to have all of the following in addition to luggage
1. Extra coolant
2. All my "Rx7 tools (10, 12, 14, 17 mm sockets, wrenches, etc etc)
3. Misc fluids .. 2 quarts of oil as well as some hydro fluid
Old 10-24-07, 03:36 PM
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Hey man, I bought a window switch from you earlier this year. When you come up tell the East TN Rotary club (in the SE forums) and we'll throw a meet.. Hopefully I'll make it to this one, lol. I havn't been to deals gap since DGRR07.
Old 10-24-07, 03:43 PM
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I've driven my TII 3,000KM on a road trip over 4 days.

No issues. If the car's running fine there shouldn't be any problems - if there is we of all people know our cars. As long as you're not driving through a desserted country in a foreign land you're fine.

Put it this way - how far you plan on driving? (3,000 miles?) If its that much or around that much - do you anticipate anything falling off or blowing up on your car before your next oil change?

Have faith in the rotary
Old 10-24-07, 03:45 PM
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You never mentioned a passenger, so I think you can fit plenty on the seat and in the footwell next to you.
Old 10-24-07, 03:46 PM
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Ive done several road trips in the vert. Its so awesome because you can drop the top and zone out. You can just shut off stereo and relax. I left Reno, NV drove to fort bragg california, then took highway 1 all the way up the coast to tillamook bay oregon, through the following the cascade gorge area by all the waterfalls, then south through the center of oregon and california. It was over 1000 miles. Ive also driven from reno to the center of colorado. I love to road trip in the vert. both of those trips were with a passenger too. We had a backpack and two bags in the trunk, and that was all we needed.
Old 10-24-07, 04:41 PM
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Just throw a spare engine in the passenger side, and an engine puller in the back. You'll be fine.
Old 10-24-07, 08:48 PM
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wtf rotary wtf

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haha yea ... for deals gap im thinking about camping out .. so id also need a tent and sleeping bags .. so im just concerned ill have no room with a passenger

yeti .. ill def have to hit ya up
Old 10-24-07, 08:56 PM
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Originally Posted by hurleysurf24
I'm thinking about going to deals gap .. as well as a few other off key events .. and was wondering who has travelled in there vert?

We all know that the convertible can fit maybe two medium size duffle bags max ... but im not sure how much you can fit under the tire cover (the cover with the wind diffuser on it)

My car poses a significant problem as my battery is located in the rear of the trunk. So i only have about 3/5 of the trunk to use now due to its location.

How many of you guys have done it and for how long? I would be interested to see if any of you ahve done 5-7 days in it.

Keep in mind I would need to have all of the following in addition to luggage
1. Extra coolant
2. All my "Rx7 tools (10, 12, 14, 17 mm sockets, wrenches, etc etc)
3. Misc fluids .. 2 quarts of oil as well as some hydro fluid

I can pack for 2 wks in the wilderness in a 25# backpack, and frequently do. I also travel for work, sometimes for a day or two, sometimes for a week or two. I have traveled for a living for 17 yrs. I have never taken anything that wouldn't fit in 2/3's of the trunk of my Vert.

So are you wondering about the limited luggage space?

Are you a Woman???!!!

Do you need a steamer trunk?

Think about it. This is a road trip. Who is going to see you two days in a row? +/- 7 days. You need: 2 spares of everything: 2 pairs of socks, 2 underwear. Two pairs of pants/shorts, 2 shirts. That is a total of 3 of everything, counting the set you wear when you start out.

Toothbrush and paste, razor and deodorant and sunscreen. A comb. One jacket. One hat.

Done

Wash your dirties at night and let them dry.
You can go for months.
Old 10-24-07, 09:20 PM
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version 2.0

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just think spartan
Old 10-24-07, 10:04 PM
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yea, i've done NJ to MI a few times... just shy of 600 miles each way and the vert has been flawless. You can fit a suprising amount in one too... i fit ALL of my tools, 4 jack stands, hydraulic jack, spare parts (turbo, cat, alum tubing and a bunch of misc stuff) in the trunk, and then you can pack a lot under the top if you dont plan on putting it down for the drive (top down is fun, but you take a hit in fuel economy), and it wont even interfere with your view out the back if you pack it right. You could also throw stuff under the plastic cover down around the spare tire if you need to. Then theres still plenty of room for the passenger as well. Alone you could even fill up that space.
Old 10-24-07, 10:13 PM
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I did 2500 miles in 4 days in my vert about 5 years ago. Just stuff all the extra stuff behind the seats. You cant see out the back but that isn't a big deal.
Old 10-25-07, 01:37 AM
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I drove to Cali from Vegas for SS9 last year. That's the furthest I've driven my vert. I felt like my teeth were going to shatter (tein coilovers, OUCH!). I got home and drove my daily driver, and I felt like I was riding on air. I was only able to fit my luggage as well as a buddies luggage in my car without sacrificing the usual extra tire, oil, water, etc.. etc..
Old 10-25-07, 02:09 AM
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Didnt a second gen owner buy a car and write a blog about his trip. I think he broke down somewhere on his way back.
Old 10-25-07, 03:28 AM
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hey frank how long did you run your vert ecu with your t2 swap? people are telling me my timing is going to gonna go to **** since Im running the vert ecu and my mufflers are gonna fall off and Im gonna die. Not really but they are saying that its unsafe to be running it without the s5 t2 ecu so im just curious as to how long you ran it.

for the poster of this thread, bring a laptop or an interent capable phone and if you get stranded post up in the appropriate forum! you know seven owners always help each other out!
Old 10-25-07, 03:39 AM
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Well, I've done it all. San Francisco to LA and then it was LA to Washington, D.C.!!!
On the way back: The Bronx, New York to Vallejo, CA!!!! That was my summer
I couldn't leave it behind for 3 months and wanted to see almost all of the US
along the way.

I can't tell ya how it is in a vert though, but I did it in a racing seat, all the extra tools, hoses, coolant, oil, two extra rims, 3 months of luggage, my friends luggage since he rode with me and flew back, and damn I had too much crap lol.
Old 10-25-07, 08:10 PM
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Originally Posted by danegerous
hey frank how long did you run your vert ecu with your t2 swap? people are telling me my timing is going to gonna go to **** since Im running the vert ecu and my mufflers are gonna fall off and Im gonna die. Not really but they are saying that its unsafe to be running it without the s5 t2 ecu so im just curious as to how long you ran it.

for the poster of this thread, bring a laptop or an interent capable phone and if you get stranded post up in the appropriate forum! you know seven owners always help each other out!
im running s4 vert ecu on my swapswith no problems ?
Old 10-25-07, 08:24 PM
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I drove my 'vert 900 miles from TN to FL when I bought it - with the top down

Fun trip!
Old 10-26-07, 03:18 AM
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You need to move the battery from the trunk to under the spare tire cover. The vert trunk is too small the way it is. I put mine behind the passenger seat way down in the hole the top drain tube goes out through. It's a perfect, invisible fit (Odyssey battery & hold down-not the real small one, either) that requires less cable length, moves the battery weight to a much better spot AND leaves the tiny trunk alone. ftmfw!
Old 10-26-07, 10:13 AM
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wtf rotary wtf

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MILLS .. howd you fit it? i tried every way to get my yellow top optima in there and no go ..
Old 10-26-07, 12:42 PM
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No way on the optima in the bin of a vert. I tried. You can put a smaller battery in there but not an optima. I used the right side corner of the trunk in an aluminium box which leaves most of the trunk.
Old 10-26-07, 12:55 PM
  #21  
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Odessy batteries FTW
Old 10-26-07, 03:46 PM
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Mine wasnt a Vert but I drove my old 87 from whiteman AFB to dallas then the next spring from dallas to ft lauderdale and back. With nothing extra than a spare. and stock jack. A good running car is a good running car. If your afraid it will break fix it before ya go.
Old 10-26-07, 04:52 PM
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wtf rotary wtf

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burleson ... theres a huge difference between verts and hatches. this thread was geared towards the whole space issue

I have no problem driving my car large distances regarding mechanical failure
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