Road Trip Readiness

[MoHealey]

Healey Friends -
Embarking on my first significant multi-day road trip in the BJ7.
Car is in very good mechanical condition, so there's nothing I'm particularly worried about going into it.
Still, I'm standing over a pile of tools, spare parts etc. that I have convinced myself will be invaluable should the unexptected happen - and I'm quickly realizing it's nearly half my tool cabinet. WAY too much "junk in the boot". Ground clearance is fading fast...
So I need the obvious - Jack, spare, fire extinguisher, small assortment of hand tools.
Would anyone like to provide guidance regarding your short list of "must haves"?
BTW - Cell phone and $$ are already on the list.
Thanks!

 

[Superwrench]

Brake fluid Enjoy your trip !

 

[MoHealey]

I like your style!

 

[Randy Forbes]

A quart or two of oil, a gallon a premixed (store bought or homebrew) antifreeze, a roll of electrical tape and some Ty-Wraps.

Battery jumper cables, as batteries and regulators seldom fail at home...

Cellphone and AAA card already covered

 

[MoHealey]

I'm seeing a trend....
Less is more. Guess I just needed a little reinforcement.
So I can probably leave the spare axle bearings at home?

 

[nevets]

In addition to all the usual tools and spare parts, bring some disposable mechanics gloves, a few rags, an LED headlamp, and a telescoping mirror. With a smart phone you can probably post a problem on this site and get some much needed tech support in a hurry...maybe even roadside assistance? I think some of the Healey clubs actually provide a list of folks willing to lend a hand to a fellow Healey owner in distress, could be a useful database to have...

 

[Bob_Spidell]

Spare fuel pump
Spare radiator hoses
Spare fan belt
Spare fuses
Bottle of Bars Leaks (or similar)
Bicycle tire pump
Roll of 'steel epoxy' and/or JBWeld Quick (to seal fuel tank, muffler, etc. leaks)
Mechanic's and/or coat hanger wire
Duct tape
Roll of stranded electrical wire (16 gauge or so), various crimp terminals and crimp tool
Magnetic and/or grabber-type parts retriever
Road flares
First Aid kit
Points and condenser (in case Pertronix goes TU)
Spare distributor rotors (min 2)
Tow strap
Spare gas cap
Collection of common fasteners (#10-32 screws, 3/8" fine bolts, nuts, washers, etc.)
Several sizes of hose clamps
Tube of waterless hand cleaner
Window cleaner and paper towels
Roll of toilet paper and small (Army surplus) shovel

I carry 2 gallons of tap water--fits just behind the passenger seat--for the radiator or me and my passenger if we get stranded in the desert (there's no cellphone service in large parts of Nevada, Arizona and several other states).

Except for the water, none of these take a lot of room and can be packed in a small box and nooks and crannies of the boot.

You might end up here:

 

[tahoe healey]

The national clubs have a book of members that you may need to get help from across the nation.

 

[BlueRidge1]

Where are you headed? Have a great trip.
Bob

 

[Randy Forbes]

If you had a Triumph, you wouldn't need to ask this question; you'd just amble down to the local dealer, purchase a <span style="font-style: italic">Continental Touring Kit</span>, go about your travels, and return the kit upon your return. I suspect that if any of the kit's contents were required, you'd be charged to replenish them.

On the one hand, it's a pretty good idea, eliminating the what do I take question. On the other hand, how unreliable were the cars, that you'd be doing a virtual overhaul on the side of the road?

Check the contents list!

 

[MoHealey]

That is incredible! Thanks for sharing. Gotta ask where you got your hands on something like that. I DO have a TR4...I'm sure I can pick up the appropriate kit for it at Auto Zone next time I head out.

Bob - Trip will terminate in Arkansas for the annual Tri-Healey (KC, St. Louis, Oklahoma clubs)event. My first.

 

[HealeyRick]

Roll of toilet paper and small (Army surplus) shovel

Must be for when it really hits the fan!

 

[Healey 100]

We have driven our Healey on thousands of miles on mostly trouble free trips. I carry a few hand tools, a laptop, moss motor catalog, and rosters from all the car clubs I'm in. I do carry some spare ignition parts and a fuel pump, they are small and easy to stuff anywhere. I bring a digital voltmeter and some extra wire.

Anything that is big or can be bought on the road, we don't carry. I used to bring oil, then realized it's not worth wasting space for something that can be bought at any gas station.

If you have a questionable component in your car, don't bring a spare -- fix it before you leave!

Drive the car a lot before you go, it's the best way to make sure its ready.

Trick for travelling: leave the suitcases at home. Pack all your stuff in various small handbags and duffles. They can be stuffed everywhere in your Healey and actually leave enough room for two passengers. We did that on our trip to Vermont Conclave and it made it so much easire to pack.

Good Luck!

 

[twas_brillig]

We went camping for 5 days in our BJ7 at the end of August. Took a couple of litres of oil, Haynes manual, and that was about it. Bought a rad cap in Kalispell Montana. Next time, I might leave the spare behind and just take a tube and two squirt cans of tyre fix (there's a thread discussing this from earlier). We've owned the car for decades, but only been diving it the last two months, so certainly no experts. Plastic ties and baling wire and pliers would be Good Things to carry as well (particulary for us low exhaust types).
Doug

 

[Bob_Spidell]

My list--and it's only a partial list of what I carry--is based on taking a 3-4 thousand mile road trip every year for the last 18 years--except two--through western/central US, Canada and, on occasion, Mexico (I have a picture of my BJ8 surrounded by Federales with machine guns--quite a story).

In much of the western/northwestern/southwestern US there are still very long stretches of nothing. In Nevada, parts of Northern California and eastern Oregon there are locations where you are, literally, 75 miles from nowhere. No gas stations. No parts stores. No cell service. Very little traffic. So, I like to carry anything I can think of to effect a repair or improvise well enough to get to the next 'real' city (most of the little towns don't have a parts store and many don't have gas stations). Also, do you really want the ham-fisted kid at the gas station repairing your Healey for you (most gas stations these days won't let you wrench on your car in their shop)?

Fuel pumps were the biggest bugaboo, but I installed an electronic SU which has been good for 20K miles or so. I still carry a spare pump, and a spare points set. I did, once, have Moss overnight a fuel pump to me in St. George, UT. Even though I now run a Pertronix, I had a points file which I used to repair a flakey O/D relay in one of the Canadian provinces.

And yes, the toilet paper and shovel have come in handy on a few occasions (TMI?).

 

[HealeyRick]

Over the years, the most common failure that will stop you dead in your tracks and isn't available in your local auto parts store is a distributor rotor. I'd take along a couple that were thoroughly road tested at home first and probably a cap wouldn't hurt.

 

[anthony7777]

mohealey, very good list given here, only other accoutrement i would recommend that would add only ounces of weight and take up little space would be an inexpensive, disposable paper/plastic painters jump suit in the event you must lay on the ground to tighted up loose muffler clamps, a leaky oil drain plug etc, these types of problems will only occur when one is wearing new slacks and his favorite hawaiian shirt. :eeek:

 

[Bob_Spidell]

Over the years, the most common failure that will stop you dead in your tracks and isn't available in your local auto parts store is a distributor rotor. I'd take along a couple that were thoroughly road tested at home first and probably a cap wouldn't hurt.

Yep. Lost one at Mesa Verde, CO. Diagnosed and fixed on the side of the road. This was before the problems with the rotors became well-known--I just happened to have a full tune-up kit on board.

I put a new Lucas cap, stranded wire and Lucas terminals secondary system on the car a few years ago, but carry the complete, known-good previous setup.

 

[twas_brillig]

Just re-read the various lists and was surprised when I realized how complete they were, and how (relatively speaking) little room they take. For storage, you've got the space within the spare tire rim,top-of-the-fuel-tank-but-under-the-spokes, as well as around the edges of the tank (oil; hammer; block of wood to protect knock-ons all fit in there for us).
For camping, we took a dome tent; air mattresses (less volume than our backpacking stuff); a single burner butane stove; sleeping bags; breakfast stuff and one supper meal (which all fit in the 'boot' along with some misc.); the bags of clothes/camera/notebook computer; etc. went nicely into the backseat along with several litres of water as we were losing it out past the failed rad cap.
Enjoy having grey-haired chaps stopping to talk to you!
Doug

 

[steveHealey3000]

mohealey, very good list given here, only other accoutrement i would recommend that would add only ounces of weight and take up little space would be an inexpensive, disposable paper/plastic painters jump suit in the event you must lay on the ground to tighted up loose muffler clamps, a leaky oil drain plug etc, these types of problems will only occur when one is wearing new slacks and his favorite hawaiian shirt. :eeek:

Great suggestion. I've only owned my Healey for about three months, and have already greased 2 Hawaiian shirts and a pair of khakis.