Okay.... so as of today, Thursday, May 10th 2007 there is less

than five weeks left before I hit the road with several friends

to drive about 3700 miles in less than a week.

I promissed DodgeFan I'd hammer out the timeline on here

since he's going along. So here goes.

I'm hoping to get about 13mpg on this trip since it will be 95%

highway miles and I'm either taking the 1959 Buick which has

a 6.0 liter V8, or perhaps (blasphemy!) I might take the 1977

Cadillac instead. The Cadillac has a very economical rear end

in it... 2.08:1, but it breathes through a big 4bbl and displaces

425 cubic inches/7.0 liters.

So for the sake of argument, since Big Red got about 13mpg

and the B-59 gets about 11mpg I'm going to go with 12mpg.

That means since the trip will be at least 3700 miles long

I will be burning through about 308 gallons of gas.

3700 miles / 12 mpg = 308.333

308 gallons these days will cost about $925, that is assuming

that gas prices stay at $3.00 for regular.

So I will need well over a thousand dollars between gas, oil

coffee & all the Wendy's Chicken Nuggets I will eat.

I'm hoping to have a friend pay for at least $300 of the gas.

Depending on who is coming along this is waht might be a

big determining factor between the deVille & the LeSabre.

---

Now the way I figure it we will drive down the east coast on

way down to Tulsa and drive up through the great lakes area

on the way up back to Mass.

Here's a tenantive timeline/map.

The Plymouth will be dug up and put on display on the 15th

of June 2007; exactly fifty years after it was burried. So in

order to work around the 15th I have decided this schedule

makes the most sense.

12th: Leave early afternoon, maybe at 3pm or so, drive

through NYC Visit Balthazar, Camino, GM1 & any

others who want to get together in the NJ/PA area.

13th: Drive down east coast, into So. Carolina

14th: Drive across the Bible belt, into TX and up into OK.

15th: Chill in Tulsa with Duffy, tons of random car guys

(& a few people off Buick-59.com), see a '57 Belvedere

Sport Coupe come up into the light of day for the first

time in half a century.

16th: Drive up into Chicago & hang out with Knight Fan

17th: Drive through Detroit and Niagara Falls.

18th: Drive through Lancaster County & hang out with O.B.

19th: Day off from work in case of delays due to traffic

&/or visits. If all goes well, sleep the WHOLE day away.

Now most of you have no idea of my plans as of yet so as

you read this you might be a little perplexed that I've got

you on my agenda. This is probably the way the cards will

fall, if you can meet up for a cup of coffee or maybe at

some cheesburger joint then GREAT, if not I will not be

offended. Either way you have a whole month to PM me &

set up something, Last time, in 2005 I managed to meet

up with GM1, Balthazar, Camino, BBL, BatmanWV & O.B.

even though I only had 3 days advance notice of my trip

and I still had time to go check out a 1959 Buick off eBay

in NJ with Balthazar.

So best case scenario, if time and ga$ money allows we will travel through

about 25 states, of which I've only been to about half.

1. Massachusetts

2. Rhode Island

3. Connecticut

4. New York

5. New Jersey

6. Pennsylvania

7. Deleware

8. Maryland

9. Virginia

10. North Carolina

11. South Carolina

12. Georgia

13. Alabama

14. Mississippi

15. Tennessee

16. Arkansas

17. Texas

18. Oklahoma

---

19. Kansas

20. Missouri

21. Iowa

22. Illinois

23. Indiana

24. Michigan

25. Ohio

Edited May 10, 200718 yr by Sixty8panther

Want to save some money? Pick up chicken nuggets in the supermarket and heat them yourself. Or just eat them without cooking. They're already precooked.

I think a better way to save money would be to remove my

B-59's spark plugs and install a basic EFI setup that would

squirt Bio-Diesel fuel in there instead. This way every time

I get $13 worth of fast food I can also get $60 worth of fuel

for FREEEEEEEE!!!!

Well... On your return trip when you are going through PA... If you happen to plan on using Interstate 80, Brookville is conveniently located 90 miles east of the Ohio border right off 80. Feel free to stop in... take some scenic pictures... see my lovely Japanese, FWD, unibody, b-pillared sedan... and enjoy some carnie food, since your timeline is right in line with the Laurel Festival (but not in line with the car show, which is on the 24th, Sunday, I think... if its the previous Sunday, the 17th, you may be able to swing in for it).

You know Sly, if you make your jounce through Alabama about 160-ish miles more southerly, you could always come visit me.

Hmm...do you plan on visiting someone in southern Delaware or on the Eastern Shore of Maryland? If not, I'd say follow I-95 south from Wilmington through Baltimore and DC. Not only would it put you right past my place, it would save you ~150 miles worth of gas money.

This is helpful info for sure, thanks man!

School ends next Tuesday...I may take Wednesday to go boating with a David...but after that I plan to work 5-6 days a week until the trip.

The question remains what we'll be taking down there. The Prizm gets far better gas mileage than the Intrepid (40+mpg VS 20-25 mpg). The Prizm has also proven it can handle long trips 3 times...however the Intrepid is a more comfortable long-distance cruiser..plus it's cruise control works.

I guess it will boil down to what gas costs, how much we have at the time of the trip, and which car needs more work to make it ready for the trip (Intrepid needs belts and a wheel bearing, Prizm needs the brakes looked at).

Hmm...so assuming the Intrepid only gets 20 mpg (I know it can do better on the highway) That'll be 185 gallons...meaning $555 at $3 bucks a gallon. The Prizm would only need 95 gallons and cost $277 round trip. The cruise control would probably have to be fixed though...

If you can get one of your friends to come with us and pitch in that'd be great Sixty8.

Your route through Missouri and Iowa is a little wacky...there aren't really any diagonal roads like that unless you take US 24 from Kansas City to Hannibal, MO and then head straight north following the Mississippi River into Iowa. US 61 in Iowa is called the Great River Road and has some very scenic views and bluffs along the Mississippi, following the journey of Lewis & Clark. It'll take you through Keokuk and Burlington up to Davenport and then you can hop on I-88 in Illinois and take that straight to Chicago. If you're looking for a faster route with no small towns to slow you down, take I-35 from Kansas City up to Des Moines and then get on I-80 and take that eastward. Stuff to see along the way include the covered bridges of Madison County (near Winterset, IA), the gold-domed capitol of Iowa in Des Moines, the Amana Colonies in Iowa County near Iowa City (Amish settlements), and Herbert Hoover National Historic Site in West Branch (right by Iowa City).

Here's some pics:

Madison County covered bridges

Des Moines

Iowa capitol

Iowa Amish

Herbert Hoover birthplace and museum

Davenport, IA

Hope this helps some! Sounds like an awesome trip...take some pics of the Plymouth and post them here!

>>"1959 Buick which has a 6.0 liter V8"<

It has a.... what ???

-- -- -- --

Let's see~

363 CI = 6.0 liters

364 CI = 6.0 liters

365 CI = 6.0 liters

366 CI = 6.0 liters

367 CI = 6.0 liters

368 CI = 6.0 liters

And depending on how loose you care to play with your rounding/marketing:

360 CI = 6.0 liters

361 CI = 6.0 liters

362 CI = 6.0 liters

369 CI = 6.0 liters

370 CI = 6.0 liters

371 CI = 6.0 liters

Now.. wouldn't we all appreciate a MORE ACCURATE description? Of course we would. Thank you.

>>"1959 Buick which has a 364 CI V8"<

fixed.

-- -- -- --

12th sounds fine as far as I know; looking forward to seeing a roundy bunch of road runners.

-- -- -- --

>>' 3700 miles, 48-yr old car, $1000 for gas...'<<

You, sir, are a madman and my hat is off to you.

Edited May 11, 200718 yr by balthazar

Brave man..sounds like a fun trip... though I couldn't imagine taking a road trip of that length/duration in something other than a late model car with low miles, and with A/C (June will be hot and humid in many of those places).

Sounds like a GREAT trip, Sixty8! Looking forward to having you stop by!

What time will you be leaving Tulsa to head up to IL? Based on my memory of my recent western road trips, it's about a 10-hr drive or so from Tulsa to where I'm at in IL.....

Cort:33swm."Mr Monte Carlo.Mr Road Trip".pig valve.pacemaker

PICS:lego.HO.model.MCinfo.RT.CHD = http://www.chevyasylum.com/cort

"Take my way, it's the highway, that's the best" ... John Mayer ... 'Route 66'

I'm glad that SOMEONE is doing this trip! I wish I could do it myself. Isn't Carlisle GM nationals the same weekend that you plan to be in Lancaster, PA? That could be the grand Finale of the trip if the dates coincide and we can get a good showing of C&G members.

You had better take the Buick, I want to see that thing!

Balthy:

I prefer to talk in cu. in. versus liters but I think that most

people can not appreciate how big a 364, 394 or 425 just

to name a few really are.

My Cadillac's 7.0 liter 425 motor is MORE THAN FOUR times

as big as a Honda Civic's 1.6 liter motor... I wonder how

many cubes a 1.6 liter Honda motor really is. Maybe 95.

As far as me being a madman I take that as a compliment!

Esp. from someone who hit a deer in A 1964 Catalina at

about 100 mph on some back woods road in NJ.

Camino:

I will make every effort to take the B-59... but that requires

that I make some serious dough in the next month. For

one thing the Caddy is proving to get better fuel economy.

Also, the 1959 Buick needs radial tires if it goes that kind of

distance. And third, in a cosmic coincidence the 1977 deVille

spent most of its life out in Oklahoma. I was given the

title from Oklahoma by the previous owner. So it's almost

perfect... maybe the Cadillac would like to visit back home.

Also, there's no shame in taking a 30 year old Cadillac down

to Tulsa, it's still a milion times cooler than some ugly beige

2007 Toyota Camry LE rental car.

Anyway gotta run. Busy busy BUSY today!!!

Too bad my wagon isn't done yet, and that I don't have the free time. That car would be the perfect beast for this kind of road trip. Room for the crew and their gear. :AH-HA_wink:

Good luck on the trip! If you feel like dropping by Columbus I'll buy lunch....

Chris

Good luck on the trip! If you feel like dropping by Columbus I'll buy lunch....

Chris

Free Lunch you say? Hmmmm... might take you up on that!

All joking aside I'd love to visit as many C&G members as

possible, maybe go for an all time record, or do I already

own the record from my last trip?

GM1

Balthazar

Camino

Black&BlueLandscaper

BatmanVeeDuhb

OcnBlew

That's six members in two days.

Okay.... so as of today, Thursday, May 10th 2007 there is less

than five weeks left before I hit the road with several friends

to drive about 3700 miles in less than a week.

I promissed DodgeFan I'd hammer out the timeline on here

since he's going along. So here goes.

I'm hoping to get about 13mpg on this trip since it will be 95%

highway miles and I'm either taking the 1959 Buick which has

a 6.0 liter V8, or perhaps (blasphemy!) I might take the 1977

Cadillac instead. The Cadillac has a very economical rear end

in it... 2.08:1, but it breathes through a big 4bbl and displaces

425 cubic inches/7.0 liters.

So for the sake of argument, since Big Red got about 13mpg

and the B-59 gets about 11mpg I'm going to go with 12mpg.

That means since the trip will be at least 3700 miles long

I will be burning through about 308 gallons of gas.

3700 miles / 12 mpg = 308.333

308 gallons these days will cost about $925, that is assuming

that gas prices stay at $3.00 for regular.

So I will need well over a thousand dollars between gas, oil

coffee & all the Wendy's Chicken Nuggets I will eat.

I'm hoping to have a friend pay for at least $300 of the gas.

Depending on who is coming along this is waht might be a

big determining factor between the deVille & the LeSabre.

---

Now the way I figure it we will drive down the east coast on

way down to Tulsa and drive up through the great lakes area

on the way up back to Mass.

Here's a tenantive timeline/map.

The Plymouth will be dug up and put on display on the 15th

of June 2007; exactly fifty years after it was burried. So in

order to work around the 15th I have decided this schedule

makes the most sense.

12th: Leave early afternoon, maybe at 3pm or so, drive

through NYC Visit Balthazar, Camino, GM1 & any

others who want to get together in the NJ/PA area.

13th: Drive down east coast, into So. Carolina

14th: Drive across the Bible belt, into TX and up into OK.

15th: Chill in Tulsa with Duffy, tons of random car guys

(& a few people off Buick-59.com), see a '57 Belvedere

Sport Coupe come up into the light of day for the first

time in half a century.

16th: Drive up into Chicago & hang out with Knight Fan

17th: Drive through Detroit and Niagara Falls.

18th: Drive through Lancaster County & hang out with O.B.

19th: Day off from work in case of delays due to traffic

&/or visits. If all goes well, sleep the WHOLE day away.

Now most of you have no idea of my plans as of yet so as

you read this you might be a little perplexed that I've got

you on my agenda. This is probably the way the cards will

fall, if you can meet up for a cup of coffee or maybe at

some cheesburger joint then GREAT, if not I will not be

offended. Either way you have a whole month to PM me &

set up something, Last time, in 2005 I managed to meet

up with GM1, Balthazar, Camino, BBL, BatmanWV & O.B.

even though I only had 3 days advance notice of my trip

and I still had time to go check out a 1959 Buick off eBay

in NJ with Balthazar.

So best case scenario, if time and ga$ money allows we will travel through

about 25 states, of which I've only been to about half.

1. Massachusetts

2. Rhode Island

3. Connecticut

4. New York

5. New Jersey

6. Pennsylvania

7. Deleware

8. Maryland

9. Virginia

10. North Carolina

11. South Carolina

12. Georgia

13. Alabama

14. Mississippi

15. Tennessee

16. Arkansas

17. Texas

18. Oklahoma

---

19. Kansas

20. Missouri

21. Iowa

22. Illinois

23. Indiana

24. Michigan

25. Ohio

That would be Delaware!

Iowa capitol

Nice building...nice proportions...looks eclectic....I see some neo-classical, some Romanesque...what style is it supposed to be?

Sorry to digress...S.H. ...your trip looks like a good time. If I read correctly, you are taking the Cadillac. I like the 1977-1979 CdV s.

Don't forget to visit PHIL A DELPHIA, it's pretty in pink. It's the city of Brotherly Love! :rotflmao:

Edited May 12, 200718 yr by Pontiac Custom-S

What roads are you going to be taking through Texas? Looks like you will be going past my house if you take either 121 or 69. If you get close to Trenton, send me a PM and I can give you contact info incase you have any problems and need a shop...

Sounds good! Always a geat idea to have a backup strategy.

You my friend are crazy! You should buy some old $500 saturn and spend $200 on gas for the whole trip. Then just push it off of a cliff when the trip is done. Might as well instead of spending $1000 in gas alone.

35 mpg>12 mpg

59 Buick>ANY SATURN

Okay... two weeks to go. I am getting radials instaled on the B-59 today.

It's full steam ahead, there's a 0% chance of taking the Banana Boat

since that's XP's daily driver now... I have the seller's remorse. So at

this point either I take the B-59 or not go at all. Taking the '76

I installed a rebuilt H20 pump on my B-59's 364 this past weekend & so

far all is well mechanically. There's even a small chance that I may take

along Julie. My friend Tall Paul (who's tight whip is a 455-powered 1973

Olds Ninety Eight 2dr hardtop) might be coming along as well as Robin,

that nutcase we call "Waldo" with a penchant for strippers & alcohol.

Now it's just a matter of time before my B-59 is on its way to Oklahoma.

Wish I could go... Sounds like a blast.

When GM was about to bring out the N platform Chevy Malibu and Olds Cutlass. 10 of us flew out to the GM Oklahoma City Plant. We get to the plant and take 10 cars 7 Chevy and 3 Olds cars with camo. We drive them in a convoy from OK City Plant to the Wilmington Plant in about 3 days (we stopped at night to sleep). After we get to the Wilmington plant we take them for 2 more days of driving around South Jersey through Vineland, Cape May and Atlantic City. That was one of the best times I had at work, it was fun to watch the people point at us as we drove by. I was in the last car and it was a Chevy Malibu. People would ask what are they as we refuled, we would never say.

It was a great road trip.

Edited May 30, 200718 yr by Pontiac Custom-S

Slight change of plans... possibly.

I now own THREE Buicks and I might be taking the newest one to OK.

When GM was about to bring out the N platform Chevy Malibu and Olds Cutlass. 10 of us flew out to the GM Oklahoma City Plant. We get to the plant and take 10 cars 7 Chevy and 3 Olds cars with camo. We drive them in a convoy from OK City Plant to the Wilmington Plant in about 3 days (we stopped at night to sleep). After we get to the Wilmington plant we take them for 2 more days of driving around South Jersey through Vineland, Cape May and Atlantic City. That was one of the best times I had at work, it was fun to watch the people point at us as we drove by. I was in the last car and it was a Chevy Malibu. People would ask what are they as we refuled, we would never say.

It was a great road trip.

Very cool story - I would have loved doing that!

Sorry for the thread hijack, 68. Glad you will be driving something to this event.

Can't wait for the pics!

I drove around for a few miles tonight in the RoadMonster and other

than above 45mph the trans behaves well... it's just highway gears

that are screwed up and tempermental. Too bad, other wise it would

be a perfect road trip car.

I guess it was meant to be... looks like I'll be driving the B-59. but

that could still change. If I can find some POS 1982 Mercedes 240

Diesel with a 4-speed I will take that and get 35mpg, then sell it

after I get back and double my money.

Oh, and that freekin' RoadMonster does a killer burnout. God damn

I always had respect for the LT1 but I would have tought a tired &

beat up 113 thousand mile motor would show some signs of wear.

It's on.

We will be leaving around noon on Tuesday the the 12th.

The B-59 still has a few issues that need to be solved,

radial tires are STILL not present but they should be

on the car tomorrow. As far as the cooling issues the

saga continues.

I work well under pressure.

Very cool, Sixty8 ... was wondering if this was still a go or not .

You still planning to swing through IL on your way back? As I recall, you had planned to drop by here sometime on Saturday, right? I'll try to get the older 4 MCs out next weekend ... have NOT had 'em out yet this year... hmmm.... Tho, I did get the '87 MC LS washed/waxed yesterday (Saturday)....

Cort:33swm."Mr Monte Carlo.Mr Road Trip".pig valve.pacemaker

PICS:lego.HO.model.MCinfo.RT.CHD = http://www.chevyasylum.com/cort

"Now, how do you feel?" ... Dido ... 'Don't Think Of Me'

One day left.... I'll be replying to all your PMs soon, right now I'm

in the middle of 74,306,214,538 things so I gotta run. Yes I will

make every effort to meet up with as many of you as possible.

Looks like it's down to just FOUR of us. Myself, my friend "Tall Paul"

Dodgefan & Jess his girlfriend. I wish I could have brought along

Julie but such is life, right?

I'm not sure how much internet time I will get on the road, if at all.

If for whatever reason you should feel the need to contact me feel

free to send a presonal message to XP715 who can call me or just

drop me a line at [email protected]. I'll have Julie check

that email periodically for me so that I can stay on top of things &

I'll be in touch with her via the phone & text messages.

On youre way back, feel free to stop into Brookville.

As well, a reminder, the Laurel Festival starts on the 19th with the car show being on the 24th. Come, I demand you all.

On youre way back, feel free to stop into Brookville.

As well, a reminder, the Laurel Festival starts on the 19th with the car show being on the 24th. Come, I demand you all.

Be careful what you wish for!

First up for C&G member visits/stops along the way...

The night of the 12th, GM1 & Balthazar.

Perhaps a phone call or two is in order.

Cool, heading through Central NY?

Sure, why not?

I'll PM you my phone #.

This is so cool, I hope you can give us a few "reports from the road".

Hope to see you somewhere along the line too.

Here's to not breaking down too much!

Like Tall Paul said.... it's not a matter of IF it's a matter of WHEN.

I gotta get him on this forum.

Well I've never had the experience of being broken down on the side of the road, so here's going to be a first! (and a second...and a third)

>>"The night of the 12th, GM1 & Balthazar. Perhaps a phone call or two is in order."<<

Any ballpark ideer what hour you might be Delta-Wingin' thru my neck of the suburbs??

Oh, and don't bother unless your ride has tailfins.

No; cardboard & duct tape will not count.

Hey Sixty8 ... didn't see a PM come from you ... so, don't know if you're planning a swing through Northern IL or not ... lemme know.

Cort:33swm."Mr Monte Carlo.Mr Road Trip".pig valve.pacemaker

PICS:lego.HO.model.MCinfo.RT.CHD = http://www.chevyasylum.com/cort

"Take my way, it's the highway, that's the best" ... John Mayer ... 'Route 66'

>>"The night of the 12th, GM1 & Balthazar. Perhaps a phone call or two is in order."<<

Any ballpark ideer what hour you might be Delta-Wingin' thru my neck of the suburbs??

Oh, and don't bother unless your ride has tailfins.

No; cardboard & duct tape will not count.

That's mean

But since we'll all be stuff in the Buick like a can of sardeens (sp) it doesn't matter.

4 people... "stuffed" in a 1959 Buick??- a car that measures 81" wide at the doorskins?? Are ye daft, man?

Well you know, packaging wasn't the forte' of classic car design... I'm not exactly short, so many backseats are less the spacious for me. It is a bit of an exaggeration though, I sat back there once and it was alright.

No the back of a Barracuda...that's a tight fit!

'Packaging'... when weighted against real workable-gauge steel, nickel-iron, triple chrome and fins, is for pansies.

'Packaging'... when weighted against real workable-gauge steel, nickel-iron, triple chrome and fins, is for pansies.

Yeah, Yeah.