Oakland, CA to Boston, MA in a 69 E

Shaun @ Tru6 · 06-18-2003, 10:39 AM

From a recent post on what to do with a very nice '69 E (track it or keep it original), the overwhelming opinion was original, and my own gut confirms this.

Now I just have to get it back to Boston and it's always been a dream to do just this, pick up an old car in CA and drive it back. The car is now getting a new alternator, oil, and thorough check over from Gavin in Oakland. Great Guy BTW! I leave Friday morning armed with a digital camera, cell phone and a little bit of luck.

Any advice for a successful trip? Specific routes I should take? Anyone done it and was glad they did?

Thanks

Shaun

Kevin Stewart · 06-18-2003, 11:02 AM

you should have people post incase you need help im in northern indiana, you can call if you have a problem in this area, email me for number, stew09@aol.com

1fastredsc · 06-18-2003, 11:03 AM

Take a metric wrench set and some oil, then enjoy the ride.

rcm · 06-18-2003, 11:04 AM

Head for I70 and 80, the mountains and unpatrolled straights.

Neilk · 06-18-2003, 11:19 AM

Make sure you have a spare fan belt or two and the wrench to replace it. A Valentine One would be nice as well. Have a good safe trip.

jhugh · 06-18-2003, 11:27 AM

I did the reverse 6 years ago in a Subaru Legacy wagon when I moved back from Boston to SoCal. You're going to have a lot more fun that I did. Kansas sucked. It rained and was so windy the wipers were blown up so they wouldn't contact the windshield.

have fun!

Scott Clarke · Scott Clarke's Garage

I'g get across Nevada on 50. Stunning road, and fewer cops than on 80.

makaio · 06-18-2003, 12:55 PM

Have a blast! Someday I'm going to make the trek.

RickC · 01:21 PM

U.S. 50!!!! They call it the "lonliest road in the land." Very few police - and I passed one going the other way at 80 (during the 55 mph days) and he didn't even blink.

I've been on it from Tahoe/Carson City all the way over to I-70 in Eastern Utah and also through Illinois, Indiana and Ohio. It is what Route 66 once was.

The wide-open throttle stretches in Nevada and the long 70-80mph sweepers through the red bluffs in western Utah are some of the the best driving memories I have. I took that route in a Fiat 124 Spider, a Triumph TR-8 Conv., and a Yamaha FZ600 sportbike.

Toying with the idea of driving from Chicago to SF for a meeting this fall - though I can ill afford the time - just to drive that stretch in the 911.

The Nevada bit is 100 - 150 mile straights/20 mile mountain twisties for hundreds and hundreds of miles. The Utah is fast, fast sweepers.

It isn't slow & fun like California Highway 1 or other twisty/hilly/mountainous roads, nor is it open and boring like an Interstate. It's something in-between - a fast road designed years and years ago that still follows the contours of the land. The open parts are great, the little towns slow you down but have a lot of colorful old reality to them. Even in the Mid-West I'd guess these towns only add an hour or so to a 10 hour day on an Interstate. And 11 hours on U.S. 50 is way more fun than 10 hours on an Interstate!

Shaun @ Tru6 · 06-18-2003, 01:20 PM

thanks everyone for the well wishes! If I have the occasion, I'll post a few interesting pics along the way.

Thanks again.

Shaun

Randy Webb · 06-18-2003, 04:08 PM

Take a cell phone and search the list for a similar set of posts a while ago.

I crossed NV in 3 hrs once (and I don't mean the little point in the south part either) -- that was in a Honda Prelude. Maybe you can cut that to 2 hours??

Cornpanzer · 06-18-2003, 04:14 PM

I am pretty close to I 70 in Dayton OH. Cell is 937-313-0828 if you need anything in my neck of the woods.
Dave

David McLaughlin · David McLaughlin's Garage

BTDT in a '73 914 and would do it again in a heart beat. Only next time I would stop a few times and take a little longer than the two days. We had a few spares, fire extinguisher, spare tires, new H4s, and a new Craftsman tool kit. Too much fun.