Would it be crazy to drive a RRC cross country?

Raps

Raps

Well-known member
Jun 22, 2005
187
3
Los Angeles, CA
It's been a long while since I posted here (sold my DII back in 2009), but i'm prepping to move back to CA from NYC in the fall and will be buying a truck to make the move with me. Common sense says to buy something more modern and practical but i've wanted a RRC for years (specifically a '95 SWB) so lately i've had the crazy thought of buying one this summer, sorting it for the trip and driving it out to CA with all my stuff.

Before I seriously consider this, what are the thoughts from the RRC owners out there? I know a lot of you have solid daily drivers but would you trust one on a 4k mile trip across country in the fall?

Maybe i'm crazy or maybe it will be an awesome adventure and way to "break in" or simply break my new to me RRC!???

Thanks for any thoughts/feedback/stories you might have!
 
Tugela

Tugela

Well-known member
May 21, 2007
4,763
564
Seattle
I think your idea is fine, but you're thinking about it backwards. Why would you buy a rusty 25-year old Rover in the northeast and take it to California? Once you're in California you can find a truck that has never seen road salt and will be worth buying to keep.

As for the cross-country road trip, I would not hesitate to take a RRC provided I had done the work to address the potential problem areas. Fresh fluids, filters, tune-up, brakes, and rebuilt drive shaft(s) for starters. And make sure your cooling system is robust.

A little while back there was a great thread on here started by a guy who bought a D2 with the intention of driving it up to Alaska and back. He went through a few headaches in advance to get the truck into shape to make the trip, but he pulled it off and had an excellent experience. Do a search - many of the projects he did to prepare that truck would also apply to your situation.

But seriously, buy a rust-free truck from the southwest. You'll thank yourself.
 
Raps

Raps

Well-known member
Jun 22, 2005
187
3
Los Angeles, CA
Tugela said:
I think your idea is fine, but you're thinking about it backwards. Why would you buy a rusty 25-year old Rover in the northeast and take it to California? Once you're in California you can find a truck that has never seen road salt and will be worth buying to keep.
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Yeah that was my original plan but i've driven across country 3x now and its just so much fun, so the logical thoughts were thrown out when I started to think of the adventure aspect of it ha. Probably much smarter to just fly/ship stuff and hunt out there but maybe it comes down to what kind of RRC I could find while still living here. Maybe something in in the SE or VA/NC area that might have minimal rust.
 
luckyjoe

luckyjoe

Well-known member
Oct 10, 2004
462
129
New Jersey USA
Yeah, you're crazy.

However, if you baseline all the maintenance and PM, get to know it and learn how to work on it, you can have a great time. I'm constantly re-assessing my 23yo RRC. I carry a myriad of spares from knowledge gained the hard way, and my phone is loaded with PDF's and notes i've picked-up here.

Great road trip vehicles, just be ready to keep yourself on the road...
 
Tugela

Tugela

Well-known member
May 21, 2007
4,763
564
Seattle
The road trip is a quintessential American experience. Good for you for having taken so many and planning more. And thank you for calling it what it is: a road trip. As opposed to "overlanding."

If you have room in the budget you could buy a southwest truck, have it shipped to NY, and drive it back west. That may add $1,000 - $1,500 to the purchase price, but think of that as offsetting the surgery you would need to perform on a rust bucket.
 
Shiftonthefly1

Shiftonthefly1

Well-known member
Aug 11, 2014
433
14
Las Vegas
I totally agree with the rust issue. Being originally from the East Coast I remember how trucks used to rust. Now living in Vegas I would never buy something with rust on it I've been totally spoiled.

As far as the actual drive I don't see a problem whatsoever as long as it's maintain them gone through.
 
jymmiejamz

jymmiejamz

Well-known member
Dec 5, 2004
6,008
361
35
Los Angeles, Ca
I've driven my D90 across the country twice and wouldn't hesitate to do it again. If the RRC can survive in NYC traffic in the summer and winter, you'll be fine. I would just put as many miles as you can on the truck before you leave so you are comfortable. There is nothing worse than being paranoid that you'll break down the whole time you are driving.
 
JackW

JackW

Well-known member
Mar 17, 2005
675
69
I drove my RRC from Atlanta to Upstate New York and back numerous times with no issues - around a 2400 mile round trip. Never gave it a second thought and it had over 190,000 miles on it when I finally sold it. I had bought it when it was just over four years old and kept the regular maintenance up on it so about all it needed during the whole ten years I owned it was a couple of water pumps, a radiator, brake pads and U-joints. It was used for off roading at Tellico and all over North Georgia and as a daily driver for ten years.
 
Raps

Raps

Well-known member
Jun 22, 2005
187
3
Los Angeles, CA
ERover82 said:
OR. Very low demand for Rovers in southern OR and northern CA.
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Ah interesting although I did live in SF for 6 years and rarely saw a RRC in N CA so now that you mention it, makes sense...

Ok I think i've had a moment of clarity after the comments and after a bit more thinking.....and as an FYI, the 2 things that factor into my decision are that I work for myself (from my computer) and have a place in CO so will center the trip around staying in CO for a few weeks and have some flexibility.....

New idea.....ship my stuff to CA and fly out there to settle for a hot minute. Find my RRC somewhere in the SW, and ideally have it sorted by someone in that area. Fly to pick up, then roadtrip north to CO and on to my ideal loop of WY, SD, ND and MT and then over to CA......

It would be less miles and I wouldn't have to buy a NE rust bucket.....maybe this is my ticket? Or buy a $2k RCC where ERover82 is and do a reverse road trip over and down south and back.......? Guess if i'm flexible I can wait to find the ideal RRC, then fly wherever it is and roadtrip from there.....
 
JackW

JackW

Well-known member
Mar 17, 2005
675
69
1991 Hunter RRC is the very best if you can find one - less things to go wrong and a few improvements over the earlier models. There is a big difference between the 3.5 and 3.9 motors - I'd personally prefer the 3.9 which was introduced in 1989 - more torque.
 
stu454

stu454

Well-known member
Dec 15, 2004
5,407
61
Atlanta, GA
Elias Christeas may have a line on good trucks in SoCal. Peter Matusov (username pm here) is in San Diego and may know of some good, local trucks.
 
Tugela

Tugela

Well-known member
May 21, 2007
4,763
564
Seattle
Raps said:
New idea.....ship my stuff to CA and fly out there to settle for a hot minute. Find my RRC somewhere in the SW, and ideally have it sorted by someone in that area. Fly to pick up, then roadtrip north to CO and on to my ideal loop of WY, SD, ND and MT and then over to CA......
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Now you're talking. And to give you more ideas, consider including some Backcountry Discovery Routes as part of your road trip.

Like this one through Idaho (there are others for CO, CA, OR, WY, and more). I'm driving the WA route at the end of this month.
 
Shiftonthefly1

Shiftonthefly1

Well-known member
Aug 11, 2014
433
14
Las Vegas
kk88rrc said:
I would go! But I agree with everyone else on buying a west coast car. You could get lucky with a southeast rover.

In my opinion, I would avoid the '95s. You will pay more money for one, they have many unobtainable parts, and some expensive quirks like the seat ECU.

There's an '88 for sale in Vegas... https://discoweb.org/showthread.php?t=95598
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Better hurry up. I'm sniffing around at parts. Lol.

The earlier ones in my opinion are better. No ABS which is super nice. Simplified door panels with real wood that can be restained. No wood to look gross on the dash either. A metal coolant resivior.LT230 already equipped. Don't quote me on this but are the later model door jams black? The early ones are. So easy color change if you want.

If the 3.5 bothers you when (Not if) you do the head gaskets throw a cam in up the compression a little bit and call it a day. Or go crazy and swap a 4.6 gems block in. They are all slow when Rover powered. Haha.
 
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