One of my big reasons for wanting a Corvette was to drive Route 66.

Anyone experienced in taking their C5 from Chicago to LA (and back again)?

I don't know where to begin. Setting aside the gas, food, and lodging, I am driving a 16 year old car, so I need to budget for break downs for the 2400 miles (hope for the best prepare for the worst)

What would you do to prep for a cross country trip other than changing the oil?

How much bribe money do you need for the banditos and the policía when you cross the borders (ok j/k here).

 

We drove the Route 66 from western Missouri, then as far as Flagstaff, Arizona, and back several years ago. There is not much of Route 66 left. From Amarillo to Flagstaff most has been replaced with Interstate. It's still fun driving across the painted desert.

Though not on the 66 route, the drive from Flagstaff down into Sedona is a really nice drive. One of NatGeo's most scenic drives.

Jim

 

My wife and I want to do the same in the C5 also. We drove some of old Route 66 in Arizona in a rental car when we were in Las Vegas. I also purchased a video that Martin Milner hosted called Route 66: Return to the road. It was a very good picture of the way old Route 66 was in the day. Other than the oil and fluid changes I would replaced belts and radiator hoses. I would also make sure of the tires condition and age due to some of the remote roads you would be traveling out west.
Hope you get to make the trip and you have a safe and wonderful time.

 

Check the belts and hoses, brake pads, tire pressures and tread, have a cell phone and either AAA or emergency road service on your insurance policy.

Best of all, just have fun - sounds like a great trip.

 

Dose your DD break down several times a year. You drive more than 3 times that far every year. Make sure everything is good and go. I drive my truck from Seattle to Salt lake City then Vegas then LA and back to Seattle 2 or 3 times a year. Pulling a 30' travel trailer. Over 3000 miles. I don't do anything to prepare it. Just take good care of it all the time. Never had to do more than replace a light bulb on the road. And it has over 200,000 miles on it. Anything can happen so you are correct you should be prepared for that. But most likely it will be all fun no problems. Change the oil and check everything else.

 

Ok, let me play devils advocate a bit here.

I wouldn't drive 'all' of route 66 for all 'the tea in China'.
It's old roads, some dust and gravel and run down.
It's not at all in the most scenic parts of the journey you 'could' take.
It's through a lot of run down little towns with barney fife types...

There's much more scenic ways to go, and Corvette doesn't have to be on Route 66, to rock!

I've made many trips cross country, and several of those, in Corvette.

If I were you, I'd go northwest up into Minnesota, head west across So Dakota, to the Badlands, Mt Rushmore, Crazy Horse. Then west across Wyoming (bye Devils Tower), then over the Big Horn Mountains, and on to the Yellowstone and Grand Tetons. Or, come into the Yellowstone over the Beartooth Pass, possible the most sceninc drive in America. (Northwest entrance into Yellowstone)

Leaving the Tetons, cross the pass at Jackson (south of Grand Teton) into Idaho, Salt Lake to Reno/Lake Tahoe, Donners Pass. Over the Sierra's into California, then south to LA. Lots to see in California, depending on route you choose down to LA.

Going through the Yellowstone Mts in Sept and October is the perfect time. Summer crowds gone, animals active before winter and hibernating, Aspens turning brilliant gold. Just check the 10 day weather forecasts ahead of you. If any bad weather, turn left (south).

Once in Los Angeles, you can head east (back home to Indiana) on Route 66 thru Rancho Cucamonga (was there today), and find your way over through part of (Williams) Arizona, and not too far from a side trip north up to the Grand Canyon. Leave Route 66 behind for good here.

You can get 'your dose of nostalgia' from a piece of Route 66, you don't need all of it.....

From the Grand Canyon, head up to Four Corners and Durango Colorado, over Red Mountain Pass (11,000 ft) to Ouray and Telluride Colorado. Some of the most beautiful sights and roads in America!!! Up to Grand Junction, turn right (east) and head over the Rockies to Denver. From there, pick a way home, they are all boring prarie back to Indiana.

C5 Corvette, was made for this trip! Been there, done that!

But; you will have seen many many more beautiful sights, than a trip on 66 would ever afford you.

Whatever you choose, be safe, enjoy. But if you have time......

Take plenty of gallon size ziploks. Amazingly useful for many things on trips (ice, trash, etc) Take an extra Garmin GPS (or some brand). There will be places where you will NOT have cellular, so don't plan on using Nav systems on your cell phone many places in the mountains and deserts out west. I say a spare, in case you lose or drop your first GPS.

Couple of good flashlights (using rechargable batteries). A bag of clean microfiber towels, for your car... And a bottle of window cleaner and a roll or two of paper towels.
3 or 4 coats of Rejex on the front makes bug removal the next morning at gassing up time, quite easy. Or, cover the front of your car if possible.

Camera with good zoom for shots in Mountains, and a tripod for long shots. Tire plug kit, and jack, and a couple of 2x10 chunks of wood to drive onto if you get a flat; so you can get your scissor jack under it. (Of course AAA card too).

I always have an old fashioned 'road atlas' under the seat; in case...
I like to look at it, in the evenings and visually picture where I plan to go the next day.

Finally; if you have room, take a couple of lawn chairs. I always find room for two, sitting on top of the rest of what I have packed. Stop at times in the Yellowstone and elsewhere, park the car, make a picnic lunch, and just sit and enjoy the quite beauty of all that surrounds you....

Don

 

Except for California, I have done that exact trip. ( not in a vette though ) Beartooth pass is beautiful. I agree about what was said about route 66, have a safe trip. I have an Inreach SE which is a global satellite text and geos tracker. Your friends or kids can follow you and most important if in an area that has no cell coverage you can request medical help or help for your car.

 

That's on my bucket list. Driving the Mother Road.

 

I did the Route 66 trip through Texas with my wife in a different car. We enjoyed it so much we did it two years in a row, with the second one being in a cruise with about 9 others. I plan to one day take the Vette on a full Route 66 trip.

Just check for the basic items-tires, fluids, hoses, belts, cooling system etc

You don't have to take the dirt roads. I'd suggest getting a book like this to help plan your trip. It was a fantastic resource for my wife and I.
http://www.historic66.com/books/?EZ66

 

No cell phone works everywhere in the west. Verizon is by far the best. Very few dead spots on main highways. The low cost ones like T mobile are useless out side of the urban areas. I live 5 miles from a t mobile signal and I am not that rural. On the trip I described earlier there are no dead spots on Verizon along the interstates. A few small ones if you cut out SLC and go US 95 but not for long. I90 in Montana is the only place I have not had service on an interstate. And only for short times. One of our sleeper team drivers got a cell booster and says his always works now.

 

...mostly. Any route through Colorado that doesn't include a run up Pikes Peak is a badly blown opportunity, IMHO.

 

While I actually live just north (and south and west - I'll explain if you're interested) of Route 66, I think I'd side with several others here in that a "complete" trip on 66 might be quite difficult. It was built in a prior time when interstates didn't exist and as such, some of the roads aren't in very good shape. Here in OKC, 66 goes right thru it, east-west, and while you can travel on it in most places, it runs simultaneously with I-40 and I-35 for a little bit. Historically, it would be a cool trip, but you can see most if not all of the same things from the Interstate. And with my Vette being a low to the ground car, I think I'll stay on the newer roads. Either way, GL with your decision.

 

I live in Missouri and the Route 66 trip is beautiful if you drive Scenic Route 44 an not I-44. Yes you'll go through small towns and there are LEO's but if your not acting crazy they won't bother you. The small towns and local flavor(roadside bar-b-cues, grapes off the vine, flea markets, etc,) are what makes the trip a blast. Over the years I've been on much of it and never ran into gravel roads, unless making a wrong turn. (Don't assume both north and south service roads connect every exit off 44) In Missouri it's best to follow the Scenic 66 signs.

 

I was going to have the brake and pw fluids changed out. THey look like they've never been done. I was thinking having the mechanic do a vehicle inspections.

I do have to the the drivers side A/C acutotor fixed, or whatever you call it.

Have new tires and alignment done, and they inpected the suspension, and I'll all good there.

Belts are a good idea. Cheap and easy to do ahead of time, but would otherwise be a nightmare to fail on the road.

Had the diff oil changed, so I might do the tranny too, to be safe.

Even thought about getting a small socket kit from Sears to leave in the trunk.

 

We drove the eastern half of The Road back in 1979 in my buddy's '58 Buick Riviera hardtop before I had to jump out and go back to work (my buddy finished without a problem). Swore someday I'd finish and did so in 2004 ... except on two wheels instead of four. And we started from West and headed East. Here's a couple shots along the way.









If you have the time to do this - do it! Agree with above about more scenic routes ... take them on the way home. September would be a good time to leave.

The only banditos in our lives are the one's we let steal our dreams.

 

We took a 1700 mile road trip in Arkansas this summer we took our clothes...cell phones... maps...a small tool kit... some Fix a Flat... No destinations... no time frame...no pressure, we just drove....

The 66 sounds like fun when you get to Oklahoma make sure you stop at POPS... lots of REALLY nice Barney Fife types all over the country.
Take lots of pics and have fun...

 

Agreed for sure, Lee. But Colorado has so many 'must see' sights, can't name them all, and one can't see them all, in one trip.

Certainly, there are many many 'side trip' adventures in Colorado, worth seeing some day!

I've been to the Yellowstone nine times. And each time, I get excited like a kid on his first visit, and each season is like a different adventure there.

Don

 

Check out this website from the Route 66 Alliance:
http://www.route66alliance.org/
They are partnering with the city of Tulsa to build a 19.5 million Route 66 museum. They are in the fund raising stage. The City has already allocated 6 million. Museum is scheduled to open in 2018.

http://lmgtfy.com/?q=Tulsa+route+66+museum