YAKIMA, Wash. -- "It should run all right," says 83-year-old Del Day as he peers into the hood of a newly restored 1939 Dodge Business Coupe resting on the lawn of the Yakima Country Club. "It depends on who's driving, though."

It's Day's son, Danny, who will be behind the wheel. But, it's where he'll be driving that makes it interesting.

Day and his longtime friend, 63-year-old Bill Shields, will be traveling through 11 countries and covering more than 8,000 miles in just 37 days. Their journey is part of the Peking to Paris Motor Challenge, which tests endurance and patience as motorists travel over some of Asia's roughest terrain in vintage vehicles. The race originated in 1907 as a challenge posted in a British newspaper. This year marks just the fourth time it's been held.

While most entrants come from Great Britain, four of the nine cars entered from the United States are from Yakima. In all, more than 100 teams will participate.

On Tuesday afternoon, alongside fellow participants Leslie Roy and Rand Elliott, Danny Day unveiled the finished vehicle to friends and family. They'll set out for Beijing on Sept. 4.

But, Day and Shields aren't making the journey solely for personal glory. They have teamed up with Yakima-based charity organization, the Pegasus Project, to allow supporters to contribute mileage donations.

"There have been lots of people with questions and wanting involvement, so we thought why not tie it to a worthwhile cause," Day said.

Day said he's recently been sending out letters to friends, family and business contacts in hopes of drumming up pledges. So far, they're about 20 percent of the way to their $200,000 goal.

The Pegasus Project, located on the 26-acre Tumbleweed Ranch west of Yakima, provides weekly therapeutic equestrian activities for 45 people of all ages with
special needs and disabilities.

"We're psyched," said Executive Director Leo Craven of the team's support. "We appreciate the awareness they're bringing to our project."

Shields has been a supporter of the project for years, while Day serves on the board of directors.

Craven said that despite the 10 good horses they have, the organization is looking to expand to meet the demand of referrals from Children's Village.

Shields was originally going to purchase a 1929 Lincoln Touring car, but was talked out of it and soon found a 1939 Dodge Business Coupe housing a family of mice in a Selah pasture.

With the help of retired school principal Bob Strode and Mitch Dehnhoff of The Trick Shop, the team was able to fix up the vehicle and get it running again in just under a year.

"The car is as durable as can be," Strode said.

Traveling together is nothing new for the two friends of 15 years. Both have ridden motorcycles together for years.

"Bill has some great stories and I think we're going to make some more great stories together," Day said.

Although gas and food will be included in stops along the way, competitors are packing extra clothing, spare parts, tools and tents. Shields' white coupe is even decked out with a refrigerator.

The two friends will be switching between driving and navigating duties.

Alongside them will be Roy and Elliott in their 1935 Ford Phaeton. The other two Yakima teams will be led by Doug MacKinnon.

Elliott, a Yakima County commissioner, said that besides adding a few pins to the personal travel map, he's excited to finally enjoy the fruits of all the labor.

"It's been arduous," Elliott said of working on the car. "We've skinned knuckles and spent lots of hours on the cold concrete shop floor."

Elliott said he's worried about traversing the long stretches of roadless terrain of Mongolia. Unlike the other team, Elliott says he'll do all the driving, while Roy handles the GPS navigating.

"I've pledged to bite my tongue and turn when he says turn," Elliott said.

All four Yakima cars will be shipped out of Seattle on a cargo freight ship on Monday. The race starts Sept. 10.

Friends and family, including Betsy Roy and Janis Elliott, plan on meeting their globetrotting husbands in Paris for the race's finish on Oct. 16. Updates and live blogs can be viewed at www.p2p4pegasus.com.

* Ryan Ricigliano can be reached at 509-577-7626 or rricigliano@yakimaherald.com.