Since i bought my '60, I wanted to drive RT66 with it. Living in Knoxville TN, the closest place to pick it up was either St. Louis or Springfield.
This past weekend I drove my Lexus RX400h from Knoxville to Matawan NJ with an overnight in Harrisburgh PA. I was on the road 12 hours just to Harrisburg and was totally exhausted.
The next morning, another 3 hours to Matawan NJ. I swapped out cars with my son and started the return trip in his 2007 Camry. Another 12 hour day with an overnight in Lexington VA with 6 hours the next morning to Knoxville.
In all, I did 1,450 miles in 2 1/2 days. At 78, that was pushing my limits and also proved to me the RT66 trip was a no go. With luck, I might be able to do 300 miles a day in the C1. It would take me 2 days just to join up with RT66.
I have to give long haul truckers credit. I certainly couldn't do it.
Has anyone actually done RT66 in a C1?
Tell me your story.

 

"You're a better man than I Gunga Din." I'm a few years younger than you, but you made a heck of a drive.

Totally agree on the C1. Even with EPAS, a 45-60 minute drive is just about my comfort limit...throw in traffic and even shorter. And if it's not comfortable and enjoyable its not FUN.

 

Road trips are not like the old days.. Not by a long shot.. Over-crowded highways, the ever present black BMWs speeding and weaving like they're running from a bank robbery, construction everywhere you go, but no one is actually working, non stop competition for every car-sized space in front of you. Driving for pleasure has gone the way of the doo-doo bird. History.

 

Not yet... I will eventually. I have wanted to make the journey in a C1 since I read about it in the December 1987 edition of HOT ROD Magazine. I highly recommend finding a copy of that Magazine and a copy of Route 66: The Mother Road by Mike Wallis. Both are entertaining reads and highlight the "must see" attractions along the route. We did travel to and from Bloomington Gold this year along Route 66. I have driven all of Route 66 in a Chevy Conversion Van. It is not as cool as Buz and Tod but it is way more comfortable.

 

Hey Bud....you are a tough customer if you could handle the road trip you just completed. I've done parts of Rt66 but in a rental. Nope, would never take on a trip that far with a C1 or even in my '65. The farthest I ever went in one day in my '65 was from Knoxville to Bowling Green for an NCRS meet in 2000. Being as tall as I am, that duration (about 4 hours) was all I could take. Every year we travel to Rochester NY at least once to visit family. That is a 13 hour jog. That is about my limit and that is in a nice comfortable modern car. Enjoy your C1 brother!

 

I am 76 and, have lived in the desert SW most of my life, and have traveled significant portions of Route 66 since the mid-60s. A lot of that was back when I drove C-1s and C-2s as daily drivers, and like a previous poster pointed out, before the speeds and traffic got crazy. I have changed water pumps on the side of the road on the Route in both a '61 and a '66. LOL When you get off the freeways (Interstate 40) and onto real historic sections of Route 66, especially in New Mexico and Northern Arizona, it is a very pleasurable experience (not mid-summer!). There are also short side trips you can take to places like the Grand Canyon. Sedona, or the White Mountains. The problem today is the long stretches where Route 66 has been bypassed with major freeways that are no fun for a C-1. I would make the following recommendation. Find a place you would like to start your Route 66 journey. Rent or borrow a trailer and preposition the C-1 at that point. Plan short days (3-400 miles) with pre-planned stops/overnights at points of interest. Enjoy the leisurely pace and authentic cuisine. Make sure you pick the right time of the year for the weather. Then do a return trip back to the trailer and tow home. The trailer will also serve as a "safety valve" in case you have (un)expected problems with the Vette. This trip is a bucket list item you don't want to miss. Good luck, my friend.

 

I did Route 66 back in 2000. I drove a modern Corvette at that time, not my 61. It's a heck of alot of driving. I wouldn't do it again, certainly not in an old Vette. Really, alot of Route 66 is monotonous and boring. The most interesting and enjoyable parts of 66 are out West through New Mexico, Arizona and California. Do yourself a favor and fly out to New Mexico, rent a car and do those areas. Then fly home.
A friend of mine is doing Route 66 with a group right now. All C7's and C8's. They made the mistake of parking in Chicago. 2 of the 7 Corvettes were stolen out of the parking garage their first night in Chicago. Avoid the cities.

 

You have to enjoy the drive or what's the point. I drove my 1st back in 1969-71, rain or shine and back and forth to college. Now, it just sounds nuts, but there was nothing that great to compare it to back in the day. Today's cars have us spoiled, but thank goodness.

As 65hihp stated, today's drivers are much different than back in the day, as there is no respect for a fellow driver. Heck, it's scary just being on the road with them in a modern car, much less a classic. I can't believe the number of times I see drivers slow down and then run a stop sign and the women and girls in our neck of the woods can be downright clueless and scary.

 

Here is my post from when I did this in 2021. I am "only" 58 years old, although I travel with an older gent! (maybe they will post here too)
Our marathon day record was Amarillo to San Diego in 1 day (1051 miles)!!

Don't try this at home kids!

https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...ip-report.html

 

Five years ago I did 66 in a 1940 LaSalle hearse....that was a rough trip. But I'm a long ways from 78. I expect by the time I get there, I won't have the gumption to do a trip like that in a car like that any more.

 

Aging is removing romanced ideas from my bucket list. First similar experience that popped into my mind was the appeal of hitting the road on a chopper after seeing Easy Rider in 1969. Reality was no where close to what I had romanticized.

I really like my heated/cooled seats, climate control, radar cruise control, back massaging seats, Sirius, etc. Love the rawness of my C2 for about an hour or so.

 

I had a similar revelation a few years ago on a trip to Maui. There was a company that rented replica Porsche 356s to take on the road to Hana. The replica 356s were basically re-bodied, air-cooled VWs; I've owned a couple of air-cooled Beetles, and I realized I could fuss around with one of the replica cars which might be a little fun, or I could enjoy the trip, but probably not both. We did the trip in a modern car and that was the best answer.

 

Remember the picnic in Oakton, VA last November, Gordon and I did 480 miles in one day. That was way too much for one day and the weather was perfect. This year we will spend the night and come home Sunday morning.

BTW, I am 75 and in pretty good shape.

 

Back in 78, I drove my 62 from San Diego to Concord NH and did as much of it on Rt 66 as I could. Not sure I could do it today. Mostly short trips now,

 

A LaSalle hearse ???? Ha ha ha..... By the time you got there you might have reached 78 !!! ho ho ho !!!. Kidding and fun aside... I have a 39 LaSalle... and I am no way doing any long haul driving in that. And that car is better on the interstates than any of my 59, 62, or 67. The LaSalle can cruise comfortably at 60 - 65 mph. Even at those low speeds, my close ratio muncies and close ratio rear ends on the vettes (and my 65 GTO for that matter) are running way higer rpms than the LaSalle.

 

Ditto.. there is such an anxiety factor removed when we get the 'long multi-day / week scenic drive in a classic car' out of our head. I'd rather enjoy the ride, whatever the roads and weather throw at us, and not worry about all the attendant issues with a nice old car to worry about.

 

The double bonus of the hearse is that being a commercial chassis, it had 4.27 gears out back, and it's heavy, so the barely adequate cooling of the flathead engine was inadequate. Plus the original LaSalle 322 had been swapped for a later Cad 346, which only added to the cooling woes. And the water pump leaked, so we got to stop every 50-75 miles and add another gallon of water to it.

I'm seriously considering driving my new 62 Corvette from home in AZ to Drag Week which starts in South Carolina this year. While I'm still young (I was born the same year as the Corvette). I survived last night's trip to Bisbee, so what's another few thousand miles?

 

Hi,
Good morning. Just another day in Paradise. Several of our club members have toured Route 66 with 2laneamerica.com. All have give great reviews of this trip. The price includes a seasoned guide, hotel accommodations and several meals from IL to CA. About a two week trip and you are on your own to go home.
Have a great 4th and stay safe,
Fred

 

I am retiring soon actually next week (at 70) I am planning to take my C2 from South Florida to Bowling Green to pay homage at the great Corvette Mecca. I just came back from a 2000 mile motorcycle trip through the mountains of the west. That was pretty tiring I must say. Rained and snowed which did not make it any easier. I am hoping that a car trip will be a little easier. Now all I have to do is convince the wife. She is already convinced that the C2 will leave us stranded at the first opportunity.

 

Hi,
Good afternoon. Just another day in Paradise. Congratulations on your retirement. I don't know your C2 but if it is in good mechanical order and has HVAC I would take it. It would make for great pictures along the way. You would have some great stories to tell and could back them up with pics.
Have fun on your trip,
Fred