Aubrey -- I'd be reluctant to take this across the country unless you're far more adventurous than I am. Sounds to me like you've got a dead battery. That may be all that's wrong. The battery may have been old and died a natural death. Then again, the alternator/voltage regulator may be crapped out. But...if you've got flaking wiring, that may why your battery is draining. Lots of possibilities that only you can diagnose up close. You need a battery charge (or new battery), a Bentley manual, and a VOM. Get those things done first and then reassess taking this one across the country.

Rob Kuhlman