Hi,
I touched the topic before, but now things are getting a bit more serious:
Background:
I want to drive my old rusty, banged up Ford Model A across USA with some simple tools and spares in the trunk and just see what happens along the road. The main idea is to make road side fixes with available spares. If my radiator fails I plan on getting a modern radiator from a scrap yard and attach it in front of the original one with strips and so forth (one example). I have bicycled 4 times across USA with my tent and sleeping bag so I am fairly experienced. I have never driven a Ford A before on a long distance - it is still min my garage and being fixed but I am keen to take up the challenge.
Reason:
For the hell of it and because I need adventure. Life is filled with too much internet, social media - I need to get back to the basics of life.
Logistics:
Because I live in Denmark, the car is being shipped with a roro ferry from Bremerhaven in Germany to New York (Newark). There are 2 unloadings each month as I remember and shipping will take 10 days. The car is registered on Danish license plates but I contacted Hagerty and they can insure it without problems for 1-2 months. The plan is to sell the car in USA after completion of my trip and thus I need to pay some import tax - unfortunately, because I am not taking the car with me again as a tourist.
Time and duration:
Summer 2015 and a duration of approx 1 month.
Route:
I am looking at 2 route options.
a) The Lincoln Highway from New York to San Fransisco.
https://www.lincolnhighwayassoc.org/map/ This is considered the easy option.
b) The Transamerica Trail with a special connection from New York/DC to the beginning in Virginia and ending in Oregon
http://www.transamtrail.com/ This is considered the difficult option because: It is a motorcycle off road route following as many dirt roads as possible crossing America. This route will be the closest to what the Ford Model A experienced in the days when it was produced in the 1930s. So I consider it somehow very authentic. I am very sure that nobody has ever done that route in a Ford A. I know for sure there is an impassable small section somewhere in Colorado, otherwise the rest should be doable. It should be the greatest experience of a lifetime. BUT it will be extremely rocky. The nice thing about this route is that gas stations and motels are distributed evenly along the route.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lys6_-f1QZQ long video - use scroll.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5AObw4sFMdQ
Tracking:
To make the trip memorable and very interactive I am strongly considering the following:
Make a webpage where my route incl coordinates are logged automatically and in real time. At the same time I want to be able to upload pictures to the page using my tablet/smartphone. When family and friends AND of course fordbarners visit my page they should be able to see my exact position at all times and they can basically follow my journey. So every tie you come back to your computer the dot should have moved a bit West. When I meet people along the road I make pictures of them in front of the car and upload them to show small town america to everybody. I also consider that everybody who is interested and tag his/her name on my car for future luck and at the end the car is covered with names from all over America. I also consider putting the name of my webpage on the car so people can see my webpage when passing by using their smart phones - to see whats going on with that banged up rusty car amongst all those korean car that now fill the streets :-).
I also consider, but I donīt know if it is too pushy, to add some form of donation by means of paypal or some modern smart phone paying system. The idea is to donate "1 gallon of fuel" or donate 1 dollar for my expenses. I think that if people consider my journey being cool, it will not be a problem.
Hitchhiking:
I will try to pick up as many people as possible to give them the experience of driving such a vintage car. But maybe nobody wants to drive with me because the majority of Americans are obsessed with security, airbags, anti blocking brakes etc :-).
Meeting up:
All fordbarners along the route are welcome to join for as long as they want, but once my route and time plan is set there will be almost no deviation - except for breakdowns.
Question to fordbarners:
1. Any comments and suggestions to my adventure?
2. Does anybody have Ford A dirt road experience? How bad is it really? Is the transam trail a total no go?
3. Any fordbarner who could pick up the Ford A in Newark? The car has to pass through customs and needs to be picked up. I can do it myself but I am worried that there might be a problem with the paperwork and then the car is impounded for another week and that could be critical for the time plan. The thing is I am not into American customs regulations and their fancy rules - I just need a quick and rapid solution and get the car out on the streets and start driving. I know there are agents in the port who deal with this - I just need to be 100% sure that the car is ready for driving when I arrive.
4. I really like the idea of GPS tracking and making my trip interactive for people who are genuinely interested. But I also realize there might be a safety issue: Everybody can see online where I am and might harm me and the car - maybe because they donīt approve of me or whatever. For instance if a local sees my car, logs into the webpage and can see the motel I am staying at and starts harassing me. I donīt know if I am paranoid - but what do you think? Should I restrict access to the webpage or should it be fully open. I also do realize that a local newspaper might be interested and wants to do an interview.
5. If somebody could spare an imperial socket spanner set and a jack I would be happy because the car needs to be empty on the roro ship :-).
Lucas