Art & Inspiration shobox trip coast to coast,route66, to VIV updates, traveltips

this is a follow up to this thread http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=842920
since there been some interest in my trip coast to coast in the 50 ford shoebox and it have kind of grown out of its original tread im starting this one fore the trip itself.

to fill in newcomers, i'm from norway but last year i bought a 50 shoebox in massachusett and from there the plan to use it for a road trip begin, but thats all in the old thread, i have just started the trip from groveland ma, by hampton beach and on my way to chicago now where my brother flying in tomorrow.then were driving down route 66 and up to viva las vegas.
thinking it would be cool to see if anyone has travel tips for someone that's in to rockabilly old cars and old stuff. maybe even some off you are going the same way or are on the route and want to show your car? would be cool to meet more people from the hamb

 

first day i just drove to hampton beach to test the car and make this a coast to coast trip

 

driven the car first groveland to herkimer ny yesterday and from herkimer to westlake ohio today and she rides real good, but some rough weather today, had to pull of the
highway one cause i couldn't see anything in the wind and heavy rain. i think i got a
little over 700 miles on her already with driving some back roads
but those who says it couldn't be done without problems got it right today, after all i had to stop to tighten the windshield wiper that jammed the wipers completely

 

nice !!

 

"Keep your eyes on the road and your hands upon the wheel..."

 

one eye on the road and one looking for what's hiding behind the next barn, but now i'm gone close them at a run down motel in westlake

 

Good for you!

Enjoy the trip and the car.

I hope you have nothing but sun and trouble-free driving the rest of the way.

 

Good luck and keep us posted!

 

Hiya

Here are a few brief words of encouragement and to hell with all the
knockers in your previous thread...those fellers have not lived.

In 2009 myself and another character did a trip from Milan, Ohio through to Los Angeles in a 53 Chevy pickup...It took us 2 weeks to build the pickup from a pile of parts to a going vehicle with 250ci 6 & t/h350 & 10 bolt diff. We even put on a disc brake kit on the front.
We then had a lazy cruise through to LA in it..Also purchased a Harley as well in Milan and that was on the back...
The 1st pic was taken at Bonneville and the 2nd at our friends workshop an arrival day with the very tired pickup..At that stage it was held together with cable ties..
There is a story but to long to put on here...

Yep. Just get out there and do it..I am envious of your trip...

 

Will be following for sure! Sounds like you're off to a great start and really looking forward to the updates! Safe travels my friend!

 

Bad ass road trip. Im goin to viva too. Wish i had enough time off work to drive my piece of shit out there. Very jealous. Try and find me out there feel like i owe u a beer!


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Jon look's like your making good progress. That rain must have been a real MF with those vacuum wiper's! I'm still beating myself up that I didn't have the ball's to close shop and jump in with you! Fucking responsibility's!!! Safe travel's brother!!

 

Good luck on your Journey. Will be watching this thread for updates. Did route 66 last year, great times.

 

I was wondering how you made out with the storage , registration ,etc. Glad to see that it all worked out. I see you are running a Mass registration.

Think I'll check Google maps to see what your route has been so far. Looks from the pictures that you are running I-state and back roads. Sounds like fun. I hope the weather improves for you. Stay safe. John in Maine

 

Have fun, be safe out there and don't forget to "Get your kicks on route 66".

 

Just spent some time on Google checking out Rt66. Looks pretty cool . I didn't realize there was so much of the route still drivable. It looks like it parallels Rt55 for the most part. Looks like you did 950 miles from Groveland ,MA. to Westlake ,Ohio.
Keep us posted .

 

Jon,glad to see all the positive feed-back from the trip ( from you AND the suscribers). You,my friend, are an inspiration for all of us to learn from. Don't worry about what Might happen, because it Might not! Rock and roll, hot rods, and maybe a cupie doll or two - sounds like the perfect recipe! Cruise safe-looking forward to updates(and pictures) The eyes of the HAMB are upon you! Mike from Mass.

 

soon be back on the road now, hope to make it from westlake ohio true chicago and down to springfield but might be a bit to far in one day.
just talked to one hamb member on the phone that i'm sorry to miss meeting because got some mileage to catch up. kind of a sprint to i get to chicago and then i will slow things down and again, really appreciate all the help and support. almost feeling like a celebrity here. and look out for that blue shobox, coming soon to a place near you

 

" You,my friend, are an inspiration for all of us to learn from. " Mike from Mass.[/QUOTE]

That's for sure. Here's a guy who buys a car in another country , gets it stored, running, and roadworthy , then travels here and has the guts to head out for a road trip like this. I've been trying to muster the nerve to take my coupe ( that I have driven 20,000 trouble-free local miles) on a trip from Maine to Virginia. This has inspired me for sure !!

 

Jon, its 332 miles from Westlake to Chicago. Fill your tank( a couple times ) and make sure you have at least a half a pack of cigarettes.

 

Hi. I really envy you on this trip. Stuff like this has always been a dream for many old car guys. When I began making plans for retirement in the late 90's my plan was a trip to Alaska & back fromTexas. I had a hunting buddy that liked the plan & it was our dream.

At that time I had a Dodge diesel longbed 4 door pickup with an extra 50 gal fuel tank in the front of the bed. My 4 wheeler would still barely fit in the bed with tailgate closed. Was going to make an overhead rack for my aluminum canoe & I had a small crank up camper to pull behind.

The dream was no plans, no reservations, just go fish, pan for gold & just do whatever we found to do every day. If we thought what we did yesterday was great do it again today or we could just move on and find another camping spot. Well about the time I retired he came down with some bad cancer & the trip never happened.

Now when I finish work on my little 46 Cheby coupe I begin to dream of another type of road trip. There are many national & regional events for us old car guys every year. Things like the Rapping Minden hill climb in Colorado or one of the long cruises on the Gulf Coast, etc for starters. The list is really endless. I am even beginning to think of one of the 40's style Aluminum teardrop campers to pull behind.

The little 46 would handle that style camper as I am in the process of replacing the old 216 with a 1957 235 that with the exception of the crank (it has been turned) every part in the engine is brand new. Bored 0.060 over with a 264 grind cam, hardened valve seats, new intake with dual 2 barrell carbs & progressive linkage & a set of tube headers. Changing rear ratio from 411 to 355 & installing new radials - 600/16 front and 750/16 rear so I can hwy cruise at 65 MPH at around 2,500 rpm for better mileage. Likely will add tube shocks and adjust the cars stance a bit.

Not finished but it should be up & running in a couple of weeks now.
The 46 will look stock inside & out except for the 2 chrome exhaust tips under rear bumper & the 3 vents under the dash from the Vintage A/C unit. Will not look stock under the hood although the engine will be painted in the original 1946 engine gray. Alum intake, ceramic coated tube exhaust, chrome valve & side cover & pulleys, etc.
At least that is my plan for now.

All I have to do is find someone locally that would like to share this type of experience with me as these long drives alone sucks. I will begin tossing this around with the club members for feelers. I belong to 3 regional south texas chapters of the AACA, VCCA & the Inliners so I have hopefully enough resources there to get some interest.

I did Route 66 from texas to Calif & back in winter & spring of 1967 & other than lots of snow & ice on the way out to Calif it was great.

Good luck with your trip and I will keep watching your updates. I sure hope a lot of the old attrtactions are still open.
Jimmie

 

Hi Jon.Sounds like you are doing well.Enjoy your trip and the scenery.
Good luck.Have fun.Be safe.
Leo

 

started on the highway some hours running 60mph with no problems , but found out my brother was running late so went to the back roads looking round, and ended in chicago since he was here 9.40pm.ques it's over a 1000 miles now and first time tomorrow i'm gonna get some oil to top of the engine. not under half yet but to be safe. but a strange noise when i don't have the overdrive engaged and are braking on the gears, and the overdrive lets me freewheel in first gear. anyone her familiar with these overdrives that knows why this could be? works great as long as im using the overdrive so we go on tommorow.

 

Inspiration for sure. Many talk about such adventures, but most rarely make it happen. Life, health, money,work, etc usually crush dreams. In the end I think we create the mental barriers that otherwise could make it happen. You are creating memories for yourself that will last for ever and inspiring many others on here. Good luck with the rest of the journey.

 

I guess I read the google map wrong yesterday. It says that its 1005 miles via Rt 90 route from Groveland to Chicago. I went back and checked and it says 679 miles from Groveland to Westlake....don't know where I got the 950 . Keep the pictures coming . Next stop ?????

 

MotoAndy's got it right! We create our own problems most of the time. But on a more positive note, I see the front office at the HAMB is recognizing your efforts in this historic venture by listing you in your heading as the "Famous Norwegian Guy" (fng)-! .I always wondered what that meant! And I think you HAVE hit celebity status-Let me know if you need someone to handle "T" shirt sales! The "Norwegian Cannonball"- Tip o' the hat, and luck o' the Irish be with you! Mike from Mass.

 

I was following your adventure on the other thread and am now subscribed to this one, it has been on my bucket list to do something similar but in Canada. I as well a lot of others will be riding along with you. I'm sure you and your brother will enjoy this trip and create some good memories and thank you for sharing it with us, nice of you to do this. Good Luck and Enjoy..

 

Through all weather---love it. Have a great trip. I did it years ago, but I cheated and did it with a motorhome.

 

I have made Rt. 66 from Springfield Missouri west and it is a great run. Did it in my old 55 Chevy. I live about 7 miles south of 66 near Springfield. Take care and enjoy.
Later,
Dick

 

got started on the route 66 part today, no more highways and just getting mileage, great day, didn't get longer than mclean cause used some time inn chicago. volunteers have done a great job with the signs, easy to find the old original mother road. all in all a good day