Time traveler with tailfins

I saw this artical from the N.Y. Times about taking a road trip in an old caddy and thought it was interesting enough to p*** along.
Furthest I've driven my hot rod so far is under 200 miles from home but I'd sure like to try a more ambitious road trip in 2011 and it would be interesting to hear your stories or recommendations if you've ever done one in an old car.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/19/automobiles/collectibles/19CADDY.html?_r=1&emc=eta1

 

I'm in about the same boat as you. I bought my (not quite HAMB friendly) car last december, and have had my teardrop in the works for the previous 4-5 years, waiting on the time and money to coincide long enough to finish it. I've put around 2500 miles on the ole girl this past summer, longest trip being near 150 miles from home. This year, I would love to participate in at least a portion of the Hot Rod Power Tour, or even the Lincoln Hwy drive they do as a warm up to Back to the Bricks here in Flint, MI.


The trailer has made a small handful of cross-state trips this summer, but only been to a couple cruise nights behind the cad.

 

Cool! Teardrops are perfect for road trips 'cause you can pull over and sleep in 'em anywhere. I towed mine across country and back twice, using a newer car, but now I have a tow hitch on the "A" so I'm rarin' to go.

 

I would love to take a drive down Route 66. Drove on it a little bit in 1991 when moving across country in a moving truck towing my dad's 69 Buick. He drove from Tucson, AZ to Buffalo, NY and back in that thing and it didn't break down once. Although on an earlier trip to California, he mad it only a few hundred before an axel snapped. He had to cancel his trip to pay for the repairs.

Love the teardrops by the way.

 

hey beatnik, i love that teardrop!!! think i could talk you into a few more pics?

 

That's a great article....thanks for posting the link!

 

Outlaw256,
This is all I have handy. It's a reproduction 1940s Kit Camper made by Larry's Tears in Oregon around 1998. P.M. me if you want more info.

 

Love this article. One day.... one day.

 

Do you consider your car reliable? Are you able to work on it if something does happen? The longest single trip I've done with the cpe was 8,000 mi in 4 weeks. From home to Ca., then down to Fl before comin back home. That was the second Ca. trip, the first was 6500 mi. The car has also been as far east as P.E.I and Nova Scotia. The only time it let me down on a trip was in Maine when the control module in the hei went bad. Diagnosed what it was alongside the road, and a guy who stopped gave me a ride to the nearest town where I got a new one. Went back put it in and was going down the road with less than an hour lost.

 

phat rat,
Sounds like you had a good trip, for which I applaud your adventurous spirit. Good reminder to bring an extra module!

 

Thanks for posting this story. I want to do a long roadtrip in my '58 someday and I'm sure I'll encounter a lot of the same issues, mouse nests included. Nothing rides like an old Cadillac and I'm looking forward to driving it a lot.

 

I've been rod running since 1977 in old cars...first in my '40 Stude, then in several '57 Chevys...and this summer in my latest build: a '55 Caddy...

In the mid 90's we took a (close to) four week trip from our home in Denver...we went east to Des Moines for a GG's event, then headed west and ended up in Yakima, Washington for their mini-nats. From there we went to Mt. Rainier, over to Seattle and the Olympia *****ula, and took a ferry ride over to Whidbey Island and then up and into British Columbia, over to Hope, Canada, where the movie "Rambo" was filmed, then dropped down into Yellowstone National Park for some sightseeing and finally back home...

We do this every year, have since 1977...and usually we're a rolling car show cuz every place we stop, we get a crowd...it's a blast...but make sure your car is very roadworthy before you attempt it.

R-

 

Back in '02 I drove my '68 Galaxie fastback pulling a full U-Haul trailer from Rock Hill, SC accross the country to Richland, WA in five days. The picture below was taken in Tupelo, MS in front of Elvis' house he grew up in. I drove it through the South, accross the desert plains, Rt. 66, New Mexico's time capsule towns like Tu***cari, through the Grand Canyon, up through the Vermillon Cliffs to SLC and on up to the high desert of Richland. People would look at that car and be amazed, comments and thumbs up as I went. There is nothing like a long trip in an old car and I'll never forget the adventure. I drove the same car from WA down to the Texas panhandle a couple years later when I moved there, same story, I loved it.

 

As long as you consider your car reliable go for it. There's nothing like driving your hot rod/custom across the country and seeing peoples reaction when they find out here you're from. Then there's the satisfaction of driving the car you built like that. You wouldn't think twice about driving your newer car/truck like that, so why should you with your rod?

 

Good article. We like taking road trips with our pair of 47's also. When we camp in a campground everyone has to come by with a story about their old cars and trailers.

 

My old 38 was my daily driver, never missed a beat and did many 1,000+ mile trips, length and breadth of Australia.
Man I miss that car.

Doc.

 

this was in 2002? or 2003.

http://public.fotki.com/sawzallshop/roadtrip_photos/



Were getting ready to do it again.. in another 40..
any trip west is good.. our Scotty served us well.. but next time I'll be doing the hotel thing..

 

Sawzall,
Looks like you had a great road trip. Just the kind I wanna do. This is inspiring me to get off my **** and do one. Thanks for the pics! (takin' your woody next time?)