Longest Recent Drive in a Boxer ? | FerrariChat

Longest Recent Drive in a Boxer ?

Discussion in 'Boxers/TR/M' started by Higgins23, Sep 27, 2004.

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  1. Higgins23

    Higgins23 Karting

    Jul 16, 2004
    179
    Europe
    What is the longest recent drive anyone has done in a Boxer ? I am considering a weekend trip which will run about 500 miles. The car is in excellent condition but I do have a minor concern about putting so many miles on a 20+ year old car in such a short timeframe. Any thoughts ?
     
  2. atheyg

    atheyg Guest

    I just got my 78512BB a few months ago and haven't driven it much at all as it is getting repainted now.

    I would make sure your cooling fans are all working as they will overheat without all of them doing their job, make sure fluid levels are correct and fresh along with a good battery and you car should be good to go, Boxers are very reliable if running right.
     
  3. Higgins23

    Higgins23 Karting

    Jul 16, 2004
    179
    Europe
    Thanks for the advice. The fans are all working well. Only near issue I ever had was on a day in which the temperature was over 95 degrees and I got caught in stop and go traffic behind an accident. It came close to the redline but never overheated. Battery is in very good condition.
     
  4. atheyg

    atheyg Guest


    Is your car a carb BB? If so in the few very short trips I have driven my BB I wired up the 3rd fan that comes on with the A/C on to be on when the other 2 fans are running, the wiring is hidden and made a big difference in the eng temps especially here as it was very hot-108' when I drove it, the front mounted fans in the 365bb and 512bb afre not as efficient as the rear mounted ones on the BBi's.
     
  5. msdesignltd

    msdesignltd F1 World Champ
    Rossa Subscribed

    Nov 17, 2003
    17,769
    NYC. / E. Hampton
    Full Name:
    Michael

    Just came Back from a 30 day,8000 mile cross country trip in my Boxer across the Ozarks and through the Mississippi Delta,Flat out through the arizona desert and up through Death Valley, Skidded off the road on Black Ice in colorado and hit 3 deer in utah alone. averaged 90 mph and got 6 miles to the gallon. 6 speeding tickets and only one water pump replacement in south Dakota.It was a blast, Had the car airborne at 180 over the whoop de doos in Nevada and never looked back at the cops that tried to catch me.I reccomend taking the Boxer on this same trip anyday.Here's a shot of my car parked while I took a Wiz.
    Talk about taking a trip and never leaving the farm!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
     
  6. sherpa23

    sherpa23 F1 Veteran
    Owner Rossa Subscribed

    May 28, 2003
    9,992
    Rocky Mountains
    Full Name:
    Bastuna
    Michael,
    I think that your car has 1800 miles or something like that. Therefore, I call BS. Entertaining post, though. :D
     
  7. jimangle

    jimangle F1 Rookie

    Nov 5, 2003
    2,501
    Haverford
    Full Name:
    James
    That car is awesome!
     
  8. zjpj

    zjpj F1 Veteran

    Nov 4, 2003
    6,124
    USA
    Seriously? So, you just trippled your mileage, or what?
    Hit 3 deer?
     
  9. jselevan

    jselevan Formula 3

    Nov 2, 2003
    1,873
    The only issue I would be concerned with on a long trip is sustained heat at the fuse block leading to melting of the plastic, increasing resistance of the fuse contacts do to the distortion, more heat, and finally failure of the fuse (falls out of the fuse holder). The fuses most prone to this failure mode are the fuel pump (two) and the fan fuses (three). Prior to the trip I would open the glove box, disconnect the battery, remove the fuse blocks, and make sure that the copper rivets are tight and that the copper tabs holding the fuse are cleaned with sandpaper or dremel wire brush. Clean the ends of the fuses with the brush. Clean the connecting male tabs, and gently pinch (with needle nose) the female connectors to insure a tight fit.

    Drive the first 50 miles with the glove box open, plastic panel covering the fuses removed such that you can reach over and touch the fuses periodically. If the fuses spin freely in the fuse holder you are in trouble. They should be tight.

    Other than this electrical gremlin, I would drive the car to Hawaii.

    Jim S.
     
  10. Higgins23

    Higgins23 Karting

    Jul 16, 2004
    179
    Europe
    Jim, Good idea. I will make sure to clean the fuse box before I head out. Thanks, Higgins23
     
  11. Higgins23

    Higgins23 Karting

    Jul 16, 2004
    179
    Europe
    Great story and great looking car. Did the car come with the red carb covers or was that a post market change ?
     
  12. Higgins23

    Higgins23 Karting

    Jul 16, 2004
    179
    Europe
    Good idea. I will see if I can figure out how to do this. Thanks.
     
  13. robertinOK

    robertinOK Karting

    Dec 5, 2003
    209
    Stillwater, Oklahoma
    Full Name:
    RobertWakeling.com
    I'm planning on driving my Boxer to the audio show in Denver next Thursday from here in Oklahoma....about 1400 mile round trip. Might even spend a day up in the mountains whilst I'm there.
     
  14. whart

    whart F1 Veteran
    Honorary

    Dec 5, 2001
    6,485
    Grandview NY
    Full Name:
    Herr Prof.
    Drove mine, starting one bleak late winter morning, from Westchester New York to Florida on a whim; stopped near Fort Bragg for the nite, and arrived at Amelia Island mid-morning. Called my wife from the Carolinas (she had even less of a clue than i did that my break from cabin fever would involve such distance), and broached the subject by saying "Gosh dear, you won't believe how cheap cigarettes are here!"
    Like the champ she is, she flew down a couple days later and we made an impromptu vacation out of it. Thing ran flawlessly.
     
  15. parkerfe

    parkerfe F1 World Champ

    Sep 4, 2001
    12,887
    Cumming, Georgia
    Full Name:
    Franklin E. Parker
    I drove my 1982 BB512i over 575 miles from Springfield,Ohio to Cumming, Georgia on the day I bought it and it had a slipping cluth at the time requiring me to accelerate very gradually and go from 1st the 5th gear anytime I stopped for gas. Other than the clutch problem which I already knew about, I had no problem whatsoever. I plan to also drive it to New Orleans next month for the FFQC. The Boxer is a GT car made for high speed long distance travel. As long as the car has been maintained, I say hit the road!
     
  16. GaryReed

    GaryReed F1 Rookie

    Feb 9, 2002
    3,109
    Seattle
    Full Name:
    Gary
    Well.... I can't beat Michael's 8,000 mile "story".... but I just did a little (265 mile) trip last Saturday over Chinook Pass (elevation 5,430 ft.).

    The car ran great!

    Here's a picture of Mt. Rainier in the background taken from a Chinook Pass view point.
     
  17. msdesignltd

    msdesignltd F1 World Champ
    Rossa Subscribed

    Nov 17, 2003
    17,769
    NYC. / E. Hampton
    Full Name:
    Michael
    STORY, what story its true! and I got that silly Chinook mountain image in my photoshop too!

    Nice pic, Michael
     
  18. Higgins23

    Higgins23 Karting

    Jul 16, 2004
    179
    Europe
    I just completed a 800 mile drive in the Boxer. The car performed beautifully. Not a single problem and the longer we were on the road the stronger it got. Amazing machine.
     
  19. parkerfe

    parkerfe F1 World Champ

    Sep 4, 2001
    12,887
    Cumming, Georgia
    Full Name:
    Franklin E. Parker
    I will be driving my BB512i from Atlanta to N'Awlins for the FFQC next Thursday.
     

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