Stupid road trip CA-FL

One lap of GRaMerica.

poopshovel wrote: One lap of GRaMerica.

+1, I like it...

Should you decide to head on 40, to see Hess, I am in OKC, have a shop I share with some other folks, lots of access to good tools if it you need. If it dies we have a van and a trailer. You can get a look at our Lemons Hot Rod Lincoln. We have a few junkyards here and OK is not a big rust state.

Need an overnight? Wife is a great cook.

The upside of headed on 40 instead of 10 is you get to dance with Rt 66 sites all the way, which would make for great photo ops.

Drive safe, good luck guys.

If it dies? No, it's just a question of WHERE it dies. But, with group, that will just add to the adventure. Help will be on the way, and probably better and faster than AAA.

I'm about an hour north of Houston if you need tools or a couch. I can get you access to my shop at TWS where I build Spec Miatas, so I'd imagine we could handle most of whatever you'd break.

I've done both I-10 and I-40 from Phoenix, and I say it's a toss-up. You'll get more weather on I-40 this time a year, so you may want to avoid it.

To those that say I-10 is boring - how does a route that has New Orleans and Austin, TX (albeit with a bit of a detour) count as boring? Hmmmm...dry rub ribs in Memphis or Cajun food in NOLA. I say go whichever route has the best food.

ZOO wrote: This is the kind of "GRM experience" you should sell to your loyal readers. Imagine a convoy of GRM-approved cars making a sustained road-trip. I'd pay to be part of that.

Similar to this?

Good points. And I know they're going at least to Austin on 10 because I just hooked them up with tickets to The Ugly Beats at Stubb's BBQ on Saturday night. Figure if they make it that far, they deserve a little brisket and live music.

Margie

Junkyard_Dog wrote:

ZOO wrote: This is the kind of "GRM experience" you should sell to your loyal readers. Imagine a convoy of GRM-approved cars making a sustained road-trip. I'd pay to be part of that.

Similar to this?

Maybe -- but Tim and Joe seem like cool folk, and adding an Edsel to that mix makes it so much more than the BABE rally.

i'm in houston not far from I-10 as well, i've got a garage, tools, and a spare bed if you find yourselves in need. i'm also down for dinner and beers if you roll through at the right time. maybe we could have a houston GRM meet-n-drink? although since you'll be in austin at stubbs the night before, that'll probably mean that you'll end up rolling through at about 10:30.

and 10 doesn't run through austin, its a (well worth it) 1.5ish hour detour.
here's a tip though, hop off of I-10 onto hwy 290E towards harper, tx and follow 290 on through some of the beautiful texas hill country and into fredericksburg for some great local fare, stop off at the winerys on the way out of town and continue on 290 to austin for your concert night.

Yeah, I should have said that they're taking the southern route at least as far as Austin... and thanks for the route suggestion!

Margie

Joe has made it the first 250 miles. Says the thing is running well. He gets here in Phoenix in a few hours (maybe). Thanks for the suggestions. Guess I will need a map, or perhaps, since the Edsel is such a premium car it already has nav. Joe says the AM radio works, but the antenna is broke. Always wanted to put a coat hanger in for an antenna.

We are planning on stopping in Austin and New Orleans. Margie is the most awesome wife, letting me do this stuff!

Oh and Patrick, you don't know how much the butt crack thing rings true!

Dagnabbit, I was working at the car show in Phoenix all day (all week, actually) and was bored all day, what with the poor weather. I'd have dropped by for a chat if I'd only known.

I have some tools and a couple of available garage stalls if you have trouble near Phoenix.

David

and 10 doesn't run through austin, its a (well worth it) 1.5ish hour detour. here's a tip though, hop off of I-10 onto hwy 290E towards harper, tx and follow 290 on through some of the beautiful texas hill country and into fredericksburg for some great local fare, stop off at the winerys on the way out of town and continue on 290 to austin for your concert night.

That is some GOOD advice. I recommend you heed it! HEED i tell you!

Im in San Marcos so San Antonio or Austin is equally convenient in the event i am needed/wanted

Also, 290 going out the east side of Austin goes all the way to houston where it meets up with I-10, and i think its a better drive than the San Antonio to Houston I-10 jaunt, which makes hooking back up with I-10 before Houston rather pointless in my book.

Go Joe!

Yeah, 290 is the one to take if you're going that way. I used to take 21 to Austin, then 290 west to 10 to the PRC.

Used to be some good factory outlet boot stores in El Paso if you need some cowboy boots.

I was just reminded of a couple of Spitfires in Junkyards here in El Paso. They're whole cars, but I've never stopped to look at them. Might be worth asking if they can be parted. I also know of a $3k TR-6 in a junkyard that's a very solid car and could probably be had for a lot less than 3k.

If you get here around a meal time, I'll gladly show you guys around. You want green chile? We've got green chile.

I want green chili, can you email me some?

do be careful through all of the small towns if you take 290 from austin-houston, lots of lights and speed traps that route, i usually take 71 out of south austin (E 7th to 183 to 71 out near the airport is a shorter route) ooh, or if you get on MLK blvd and just go east, it turns into fm 969 which is a winding road through the countryside. different from the hill country, but nice sunday drive type cruising with long sweeping curves. it meets up with 71 in bastrop.

if you have time, stop by the Central Texas Museum of Automotive History, just south of Bastrop. http://www.ctmah.org/

Joe made it to Phoenix with no problems. We head out from here in a few minutes. We'll see how far we get before we start calling people. We have two days to get to Austin, but we need to get out of this weather first.

Vigo wrote: I vote for avoiding fort stockton no matter what.

Any small town that supports a grassroots event like the Big Bend Open Road Race deserves some credit.

... and maybe some GRM coverage?

Strizzo wrote: do be careful through all of the small towns if you take 290 from austin-houston, lots of lights and speed traps that route...

Yep, especially Lee County, including Giddings, and the stretch from Brenham until you're through Prairie View.

super cool !

I was going to suggest taking in a little of Route 66, but if you're headed to Austin looks like its too far out of the way.