In 2013, driving across the country isn't a particularly challenging task. But a father and his adult daughter making the drive in a 1959 MG convertible he's spent 10 years restoring? That makes things more interesting.

Local British car restorer Mike Darby, a legend among Gulf Coast British auto enthusiasts, has been restoring his 1959 MG in his spare time for the past decade. He is highly sought after for restoration jobs on British classics.

“I've put 800 to 1,000 hours of labor into that car,” he said. “You lose track, you know?”

As the car neared completion, Darby joked with his brother-in-law, who lives in Grant's Pass, Ore., that he was going to drive it across the country to visit.

“He said, 'If that car arrives in my driveway, you'll get VIP treatment,'” Darby said. “And someone told me once that if you wait till you've got time to do something like this, then you probably haven't got the health. So four months ago, it turned into a definite plan to drive leisurely across the U.S.”

As he started telling friends about the plan, several people begged to ride along with him, including his 28-year-old daughter Stella, who studies in Mike's hometown — Leeds, England.

“Stella said, 'Hey dad, can I come with you? We can talk about it for years to come, and it'll give us a chance to get to know each other even better,'” Mike said. “I was so flattered, so of course, I said, 'Yeah, you've got first place.'”

Stella, who is earning her Ph.D. in activism and social change at the University of Leeds, got special permission to take a month off for the road trip, which began May 21. They plan to take 10 or 11 days to travel from Loxley to Grant's Pass, Ore., avoiding Interstates and stopping to see friends along the way. The trip is approximately 3,333 miles, one-way. Mike's wife Nancy planned out the route, sending them along sections of Route 66 and the Pacific Coast Highway, two of America's most famous scenic roads.

Nancy isn't riding along on the trip, but she is excited for Stella and Mike to spend quality time together. Stella, who graduated from Robertsdale High School and then the University of Florida, has been living abroad for about eight years.

“I spent three weeks with her in 2006 in France when she was working there, so now she gets to spend one-on-one time with Dad,” Nancy said. “But I think they're crazy. They'll be wearing the same clothes for three days in a row and be hot and sweaty and sunburnt. I'm just hoping for no tornados, sandstorms or breakdowns.”

Although he is confident in his work on the MG restoration, Mike knows they'll have to be careful throughout the entire trip. There's a lot that could go wrong.

“The MG was not built for hot America and high speeds,” he said. “It was built for English climate and backroads. It's really happy at 60-65 miles per hour. And I'm hoping to never have to put the top up completely.”

Stella will be blogging throughout the adventure on the South Alabama British Car Club's Positive Earth blog, www.sabcc.blogspot.com. 

For more information about Darby's restorations, visit www.darbyclassics.com.

This article will appear in print on May 28 in the Baldwin People section.