Your website says the mileage is 506,210 as of 1-30-07, its now November. What is the mileage now?
Thanks,
Johnny
Unfortunately we made the decision to take the Custom Cruiser off the road for now. My son Tony has taken over the installation portion of the business and decided the better gas mileage of our 87 Ford Country Squire wagon we own, with 312.00 miles on it, would be a better choice. He hated to do it but I can't blame him. The Olds managed about 14.5 MPG with the ladders and rack on it, about 16 MPG without. The Ford gets about 22 MPG with the ladders and rack. Driving about a thousand miles a week and gas at about $3.00 Gal. can make quite a big difference at the pump. The car still runs good and has about 512.000 mile on it now. We haven't decided exactly what we are gonna do with it yet. The body is getting bad so were considering transferring the engine to another vehicle and continue adding up the miles. Who knows maybe we can beat the record at somewhere near 660,000 miles. I checked and as long as we don't do any engine rebuilding, we can transfer the engine and still go for the record.
I've been gonna put this info. on the website, I'll probably use this email to do so. I will of course keep your last name confidential.
Sincerely,
Denny
When the car had around 300,000 miles on it, Denny, his wife Rhonda, and friends were at a campfire and discussing how far the moon was. The conclusion was 500,000 miles there and back.
"I then decided 'My car has been to the moon. I need to bring it back,'“ Duplessis said.
His goal is 500,000 miles. Duplessis estimates it will take some time, especially with most of his business, Denny's TV Antenna Service, being local now.
"I used to average around 1,500 miles a week,“ Duplessis said. "Now that we are known, it's about 400.“
It was pure luck when Duplessis found his current wagon about 15 years ago, after being in the market for a good used vehicle. He was headed to work, missed his turn, and the driveway he chose to turn around in had the car hidden in the driveway.
"I knocked on the door and bought it right there,“ Duplessis said. "It had 168,000 miles on it and was in really nice shape.“
However, with an additional 322,000 or so miles on it and years of Michigan weather, the car has began to rust and the body does not look so good.
"I have only had to do regular maintenance to it,“ Duplessis said. "The internal parts of the engine have never been worked on.“
The only time it has ever stranded the Duplessis family is when Duplessis ran out of gas.
He hasn't had a car payment since 1980 and estimated he's spent about $3,000 on maintenance costs during that time. The Duplessis family of five considers the old station wagon their all-time favorite family car.
"One of the only reasons I will ever quit driving it is because of the rust,“ Duplessis said. "I will always have my eye open for another one.“
490,000 miles? No problem for this car
Sun Staff Writer
Denny Duplessis of Ithaca is on his way home from the moon, riding in his 1973 Oldsmobile Custom Cruiser station wagon.
