Art & Inspiration Road trips in the old cars

Did a 900 mile trip in my 55 sunliner to a show in Midland Michigan and then up north a bit to the old family property. It was the first time the 55 was in Michigan since the summer of 67 and I still remember that trip so anyone else take some trips in their old cars this year.

 

Just returned from our own road trip- over 1000 miles around the UP of MI-

 

I have not been in the UP since 83 and need to go back.

 

2bubbas - the UP is the best. I'm guessing you enjoyed Whitefish Point and your tour of Calumet...

 

A friend and I made it up to Wisconsin and back in the little Chevy II AWB race car this month...over 4000 miles (and 6 drag strip passes). Fun stuff!

 

Just got home from 13000 Mile and 95 days from Victoria BC to St Johns NL then return via Maine, NH, VT,NY,MI,WI,MN,ND.

 

I did about 1200 miles right around Labor Day weekend for my son's wedding. I bought the car when he was 18 months old, had his first ride in it then, in epoxy primer. He said it wouldn't be complete without it there. I even let him drive it.

 

Round trip from Ohio to the salt flats in 2013 drove 4300 miles. Going again in 2018

 

Last major road trip was to Novi,Michigan in 2014,just under 2,500 miles to the '54 Ford National Convention.



Going to Memphis next year which won't be that far.

A few early birds heading to the Woodard Dream Cruise. HRP

'54 Ford Convention 2014 (video #1) by HOTRODPRIMER posted Jul 9, 2017 at 6:26 PM

 

I tell you what...Michigan has some of the most beautiful scenery anywhere to be found. Northern lower is great but the UP is the best. My family and I are headed up mid-October then again to Whitefish Point in January.

 

Sorry I missed you in Midland this weekend. I didn't make out to the show Saturday and only for about 2 hours on Sunday morning.
A week and a half ago 30-plus cars from Michigan, Canada and Indiana did a 600 plus mile cruise through Northern Michigan. The oldest car was a '26 T and the newest was a '65 Cadillac. Everyone involved had a blast. It's our third year doing it , based on the interest we've had, it sounds like it's going to get huge next year.
If anybody wants to get involved next fall, drop me a line. Good times are guaranteed.

 

I drive my Ford everywhere locally, been widening my cruise range bit by bit. Would love to do the hot rod power tour one year soon.

 

You win!

 

I did 1000 miles to salina ks and back, and 400 miles to see my parents and the home town car show and back.
at 9mpg and a 15 gallon tank theres a lot of stops! Started carrying a 2 gallon can just in case as well!

 

I drove my '52 Ford F-1 to speedweek this year......normally I take my coupe. 1500 miles round trip, the flathead V8 ran great. Only one minor break down.

 

That '54 Ford convention...My '54 Coupe is envious. Some beauties there, all sporting the stock appointments. Kudos!

Last 'cruise' I took was only 900 miles (two way) That was all it took to remind me of back, knees, and hips.
Son Rich and I had planned a long drive in his '27 Track T, (nose job) Sits comfy, but meant for thin, young guys...
We'll see when I get the '54 running...406, heavy 3 speed, stock appearing outside. (sleeper!)
More of a road car, not many cocky Tri-5's around any more. Nobody to race but fast O.T. stuff from East Asia.

 

I did about 2800 round trip to the HAMB Drags and to visit my folks in my beater '34.



But, I don't think anyone is going to beat Hogger. 13K is BobK territory. Pretty impressive.

-Abone.

 

Biggar, Saskatchewan with my Mom and son. Not a long haul, but fun none the less.

 

for sure! I drove at least that far in old cars on road trips this year, but not all in one trip.

 

Took the 57 Chevy from Waco to Anchorage. Of course that was in 1962, and I was 5. Did it three times. Still remember a lot of it. (This doesn't count, does it?)

 

I spent my childhood a few miles down the road from Biggar. Their old town sign said...'New York is big, but this is Biggar'...
The world's record whitetail deer , the 'Hanson Buck' was shot near Biggar a few years ago.

 

Yup, the Biggest Buck was Bagged in Biggar....

 

Hey 51Buick,

Your 51 Buick is a very nice car. That Roadmaster look brings back a ton of memories. My dad loved driving as it was his thing. He was definitely, a Buick fanatic. He was the forever Buick guy from his first car in 1946, when he scraped up enough to purchase a 41 Buick Coupe. He then saved enough for the worlds largest Buick (we little kids could camp out in the back seat), a 49 black 4 door Roadmaster sedan. In 1952, he bought another 4 door sedan, a big 4 hole Roadmaster. After those models, he followed that up with his favorite, the blue 57 Roadmaster 2 door, his first 2 door sedan.

He always knew he had to have something bigger as the two boys were growing larger. But, he got caught up in the fast car phase of his sons escapades and bought a 62 wildcat to keep up with them. In 1963, he went back to luxury with his first Riviera. In 68 he bought a huge car, another Riviera. It was like a roving tank. But, in 1974, he went back to a "sporty for its size," a Buick Regal. His last car was a 1980 Regal.

In 1952, his Buick Roadmaster looked like your 51 Roadmaster. It was dark blue below and white on top. Those 4 holes were the coolest thing as no one else's car had them. We went all over California on vacation trips as my dad liked to drive. We even went to a fishing camp 150 miles south of the Mexican border, where we got stuck in a roadside ravine 2 miles from the ocean. That was a scary escapade on a hot barren road, leading to another fishing camp about 10 miles farther south.

Jnaki

I will always remember those Buicks as we literally grew up in them. Here is his favorite, the blue 2 door 57 Buick. It was a daily driver and took us everywhere in California on fishing vacations. Its second home could have been at Crowley Lake in the Mammoth Mountain area off of Highway 395. Buicks were certainly ROADMASTERS…

 

I've done a few 4000 mi/2 weeks road trips in my 34 coupe, did Louisville Ky, in my 49 F-1 two years in a row. that trip is about 2500 total. As the years add up, the trips take a bit longer.

 

I drove my completely stock '49 Ford F-2 3/4 ton pickup from here, SE Wisconsin to SE Kentucky in 2012, 1600 mile round trip, to meet with a bunch of guys on the Old Ford Truck board, who I only knew via the net. Had to take all back roads because the truck doesn't like doing over 50 mph. It was a great trip, took my wife and me 2 1/2 each way. We got to see places most don't see because they're zipping down the interstate. Went through small town America, saw abandoned plantation mansions. Even had a little excitement by mistakenly going over one of the highest mountains in KY. Lot of fun going up and having to double clutch downshifting to be able to get to the top. Fun really started coming down the other side. The flat 6 is a bit worn so engine braking didn't work too good and tapping the brakes only got them hot. By the time I got to the bottom the pedal was literally on the floor. Met some real friendly toothless kids at the bottom where we had to sit to weight for the brakes to cool down. Then we had to go back over the same mountain range but at a lower height, not much. Again, brakes faded but got to our destination safe.

Plan on taking a trip to central Pennsylvania next fall, about a 1500 mile round trip, in the F-2, the only way I'd go.

 

Nothing like a road trip in a hot rod. I documented two on the HAMB. Links in my signature.

 

This year we took the coupe all the way around the outside edge of WI, about 1200 miles. We also took a trip to the Saint Louis Hot Rod 100 on Oct 6th, that was about 500 miles. Last year we made the trip to CO, then went up into the Badlands of SD, that one was 3400 miles. Posting a picture of the CO trip, when we went to the top of the Rocky Mountain National Park 4 days after they had opened it up for the season.

Its really not unusual for my wife and I to take a 200 to 500 mile weekend drive. The coupe is a great road trip car, but we usually take state highways, I really don't use the Interstate if I can avoid it. Gene

 

Grew up in the U.P. of Michigan. Didn't seem all that great back then ,but now I love to go back.
Last time I almost OD" d on pasties. If you have never been or tried pasties with gravy you are missing a treat. Had trouble keeping the wife out of the casino's though.

 

You guy's are inspiring me, I've been talking about it for years now, taking a driving vacation around our great Country, 4/5/6 weeks, just cruise and sight see, like some have mentioned, stay off interstates as much as possible. I had better get it done as I'm sneaking up on old (70 this winter), So....... To listen to my own advice, " Make it Happen" I do enjoy driving my cars and still will cruise 50/100 miles just for the fun of driving it, but will say, when I get around a big city, the traffic/driving habits/style of today's people makes me uneasy, DONOT enjoy that part anymore, some time/where along the way, I got old I guess.