I road tripped my 86 to Tail of the Dragon from San Diego and back
I recently raw dogged it going from San Diego, CA to North Carolina, camping in my 86 the entire way (except for two nights in AL.) It was one of the most rewarding experiences of my life and I'd like to share a bit of my experience.
>But...why?
Honestly, I've just been wanting to solo trip for a long time. I've also been watching a lot of van life and car camping videos on YouTube and I've been fascinated about the preparation, experience, and self-sufficiency aspects. I also wanted to visit and drive Tail of the Dragon in North Carolina / Tennessee, so it was a perfect opportunity to try it out.
Full transparency, there were a couple hiccups along the way. I hit tire scrap which damaged my front bumper and caused me to lose my fender liner, and I lost a damn wheel in Auburn, AL after a nasty pothole in Louisiana (I didn't check my lugs :( ) Even though I experienced these setbacks, it was still an amazing trip and I would do it again....maybe in the next gen GR86.
>The long drive
This was the aspect of the road trip I was dreading the most, but I think I prepared well enough. I bought a car cushion and baby-proofing cushion material on Amazon and it turned my sports coupe into a comfy road tripping car. I put the baby proofing material on the part ofthe center console that hits my knee. It was a game changer.
I was worried about bathroom breaks and gas fillups, but there was pretty much a rest stop or gas station every 20-50 miles. My girlfriend gave me a pee bottle from work but luckily i never needed to use it lol.
The worst stretch was definitely the western part of Texas. There's literally nothing for miles and it was sooooo long to drive; about 8 hours from what I remember. Although after San Antonio, it was more enjoyable.
>Car camping
I was heavily inspired by Koooo on Youtube and him camping in his GR86. I pretty much followed his setup: move the passenger seat forward, put a container for a platform in the empty space, then put your mattress or sleeping bag of choice on top. I opted for a 72 x 24 x 3 cot on amazon. It fit perfectly on the passenger side with the seats down and I was able to stretch out fully. It goes without saying that you'll need to be a shorty to fit comfortably (I am 5'6".) I created some window shades, bought a couple fans and lights, and brought my sleeping bag for cold nights.
For showers and working out, I bought a Planet Fitness Black Card membership. I used iOverlander + Google maps to route to good car camping spots each night. I mostly ate at restaurants, but I did bring a pan and some cooking ware to cook if i needed to (only did this once at a park in Georgia.)
Places where I camped at were usually Walmarts, Cracker Barrel, and truck stops
>Tail of the Dragon
Much has been said already about how amazing the Dragon is, but it's well worth the hype. It's like a 40 minute roller coaster with many twists and turns. The Continental ECS02s made this so much fun as I felt like I couldn't ever slip. I also appreciated the courteousness of drivers who pulled over if you were faster; even the regular cars just driving it. I saw so many cool cars as well. Evos, twins, McClaren, Ferrari, etc. I wish I could have stayed longer, but I'm satisfied with my time there. I only did one run in both directions.
>In conclusion
Again, one of the most rewarding things I've done in life so far and I'd recommend anyone to try it in your sports cars even if you can't sleep in it. If I were to do anything differently, I would have been more diligent in checking my car out before the wheel incident. Expensive mistake for sure.
Other than that, no regrets. Drive ya cars!
Pictures: https://imgur.com/a/gr86-road-trip-iotbSrG
Numbers:
total drive time: 87 hrs and 26 mins
Total distance: 4,985 miles
Oil consumed: about a quart, filled up at a rest stop
Spent on gas: $809.51
States driven though: Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, and Tennessee.
I've probably excluded other details, but I didn't want this to be too long. If you have questions lemme know.