"i mean OLD old...say 70s to early 80s...that is, if they made good touring bikes back then??? the kinds of bikes that people throw out or sell for $40..."

As mentioned in other posts to this thread, during the late 70's-early 80's "sport-tourers" were pretty much the standard road bike there for awhile: Reynolds steel frames, lugged, braze-on's for front and rear racks, long chainstays, and the downside- 27" wheel base.

These are the bikes that are being thrown away/sold dirt cheap nowadays. Many were Japanese brands, like Nishiki, Shogun, and others. I converted my Shogun Cromoly 500 '83 ($30) for fully loaded touring, but at a significant cost, many times more than the bike was worth, but I love it, so who cares? The good part about these bikes is that they love to be loaded, and are extremely durable with next to no flexing when loaded 75 pounds +.

If you wish to convert an old cheap bike, the entire drive train will need to be replaced, likely, as well as many other components that are too worn down to rely on in the middle of nowhere. The other problem is that 27" wheelbases are on their way out, and finding 27's in, say, Outer Mongolia when your tire blows out is pretty much impossible. Not too bad for touring the States though.