Hot Rods Driving an old car cross country in the winter-how crazy am I?

Keep a journal or post daily here so there is a record of the trip and buy a camera mount so you can take pics as you drive.

 

You being you, I feel like you've already decided, Jim

Go for it! Snow or no snow, it should be a fun trip and quite an adventure. Have fun!

 

Do it and take kids. I'm betting you could get assistance if needed along the route from HAMB ers.

 

Definitely have radials that time of year. It can snow like a bitch around the Great Lakes in mid March. I would avoid that route if possible but keep in mind they do know how to move it when it does happen. You really can't predict the weather and if you go a southern route and it snows good luck with that. They don't have a clue how to drive in it or remove it.

Back in the early 80's had a 70 Chevy two door hardtop Impala as my daily. 350/350. I was also heavily involved in youth hockey. We traveled all over the midwest from Toronto to St. Louis playing in tournaments with that rig for years. I would take about six kids with me and all their luggage and gear actually fit in the trunk of that beast.

Another thing is don't trust the hotel parking garages security either. They steal them no matter what and just because of that I probably wouldn't take it.

 

Go for it, at least with this one if you need to make repairs, you can open the hood!!

 

Cars and NYC do not like each other. The ride there would be great, but in NYC a car is a liability not an asset. Parking is crazy expensive, theft is an issue and just getting around is difficult. Taxi's are your friend and cheap. If you go, please do at least a photo thread on the HAMB so we can watch you. Better still would be a GoPro thread.

 

I seen it at the meltdown last July. You should be fine. If you do run into snow it should be fine in it and again easy to fix if you run into problems. March is spring like in Midwest but still can get snow. I would say go for it

 

I would. Hot Rods (in my garage) are meant to be driven - be it down the street on an errand, or cross country on an adventure.

I wouldn't purposely take it into a blizzard, but if the forecast is good I would go for it. You'll live through a normal quickie snow. And like your Bonneville trip, you'll clean off the salt afterwards, and move on with another adventure behind you.

As for parking, once you are unloaded you will likely not need it until you load out again. Subway / taxi / walking is just way more convenient. So prepare ahead with a garage (Hotel or independent) to stash it in.

Better yet, someone here on THT must be in the area outside the city with space for it. Go into the city, unload, run back out to the THT garage, and take the train back in. When leaving, reverse the process.

 

March is hit or miss in the NE. In like a lion and out like a lamb is not always the case. Like others have said pot holes and traffic will be your biggest concern. If you come in from the South, Interstate 95 can suck big time. DC area recently beat out LA for the worst congestion. A decent phone with current traffic data will be a big plus.

 

I dont think you will have to worry about the trip too much. You built the truck, you know it and if necessary can repair it. Just to help with the salt, etc, you could put a mix of kerosene and used oil in a pump up sprayer and spray the bottom before you left, wash it off when you get home.I'd be worried about the security of it though. Maybe hire Guido and his buds to stand guard. I think the shock of the city life will be your biggest obstacle, but then I'm just a country boy and I didnt adapt too well.LOL
When you're done you can head south and catch The Run to the Sun show the next weekend in Myrtle Beach.
What sort of robotics? Paint robots? Welding robots? What manufacturer, GM- Fanuc, Kuka, ABB?
Good Luck!

 

We drove from Montana to Detroit in late winter/early spring for the Autorama in 08.
We hit a bad storm just outside of Montana and it came East with us all the way to Detroit!
We took our time, drove cautiously, and had one of the best trips of our lives. GO FOR IT !!!

 

Make sure you have a good heater, even if it doesn't snow, there will be a good chance it'll be cold.

 

The truck should be decent in the snow with weight in rear and its long wheel base but I think its worthy of a set of snow tires. Blizzaks are favoured by the ice racers here, that what I put on the wifes buggy. A borrowed set would be great!

 

I know from having a burb is to check the height of the motel parking and deduct 3" I have had several problems with height more than anything in the city ( measure at the back minus load ) , 2, the salt , more and more states and counties are using a spray on chloride over the salt ( they apply it at the truck on the salt or spray it directly on the pavement mostly on bridges ) and this stuff is horible it eats everything exposed quickly specially aluminum , rock salt isn't so bad compared to this stuff and some times they use beet juice to help make it stick ( to everything but the road ) if it was me I would say leave the vehicles at home and ship the robot in and fly in , this way you can enjoy NY without having to worry about the Burb getting wrecked , stolen , or salt dipped . if it was may I would say drive , but snow season can lat till early may . and route wise stay south going thru nashville

 

I'm with Moriarity, driving across the country that time of year is real iffy.
I was in CT up until 2001, 60 miles from NYC and would travel by train to NYC in March for a variety of reasons. They have POT HOLES in NYC that could swallow taxis 2 at a time.
NYC parking is VERY EXPENSIVE and they do not assume liability for any damage that happens to your vehicle while in their parking lot!
And you haven't lived until you have driven across Pennsylvania on either rts. 70 or 80.
The weather can be clear and bright as you leave Ohio and be the devil of a snow storm an hour or two into the state!
If you should decide to brave the trip I am just outside of Columbus OH which you will probably pass through, PM me for my cell number if you were to stop here for a break in the travel or you should need help.
KK

 

if you need a place to park the truck, i am just over the border on 84 in ct and you can take the train in.

 

We put our cars away for the winter up here for a reason and March is not a month we usually think about getting them out. I'm all for a road trip but I would not do NY in the winter or NY city any time with my ride.

 

Jim,

You need to talk to this guy and take him up on his offer. You are going to make it hell or high water but you are going to need it for the ride back. Security my man security.

 

The salt would be enough to put me off, but memories aren't made by playing it safe.

 

Probably hide a couple kill switches under the dash - and maybe a "Low Jack" system........

 

Awww man...I was expecting to see WOT brodies in the snow with your chevy II...

 

can't see any reason for concern....when your rod was a new car it probably made a similar trip... and... without the extra refinements and I'm sure the roads were accordingly bad.
just get used to waving at everybody that waves to you and wants to talk to you at servos and just putting smiles on faces....apart from your own. will be a fantastic trip....goodluck

 

I wouldn't take anything into NY that I gave a shit about. It would be on somebodies list to steal more than likely. The traffic doesn't give a damn if it's a classic or new vehicle, they'll run over you and keep going anyway. I'd ship the stuff and either fly in or rent a vehicle if I wanted to drive. That way, when it gets run over or stolen, it's somebody else's worry....

 

Honestly Jim...of all your crazy exploits that I have followed here on the HAMB, in my opinion, this is may be one of the sanest things you have every attempted...LOL!

 

I got you covered from Cleveland to Buffalo if you need any help. Got most anything you need to fix your rig if needed. I'm just off of I 90 in Erie PA.
PM me for my contact info.

 

I doubt if you will be come thru this way, but if you are near Lincoln Nebraska and need a shop for repairs you are more than welcome to use mine. Like many others have said I wouldn't take or keep it in NYC if possible, both of my kids live there, not a vehicle friendly place.

 

Hopefully we got all our snow this weekend and no more snow by March. My neck of the woods, if you need a local hamber. There are plenty of parking garages you can use over night most hotels will have parking available anyway. Streets are ok car theft is gone down since the 90s. It is actually a pretty safe place to be, always some place open or someone around. Just like any other city there will be lots of traffic. Enjoy the trip!



https://www.baruch.cuny.edu/nycdata/public_safety/crime-selectcities.htm

It is no more dangerous than any other huge city. Some of you guys out West are hilarious with your comments. I bet the boogie man that hid under your beds and in your closets lives on the Bowery.

 

I would say make sure you have a good defroster, and good wipers, and maybe even put windshield washer squirters in to keep any road spray at bay.

 

I would say go for it. Nyc traffic and people may have me worried. It will definitely be a trip of a life time. If you come this far north were in NW Indiana and have trailer and shop if needed.