2500 mile family vaca towing a trailer in a 50 Suburban...why not?

[NEWFISHER]

Here's the plan:
Check the fluids, front bearings, load a tire plug kit, tool bag, compressor, some fluids, a visa card and my AAA membership and head out for a week and a half. We are meeting 3 other couples with vintage cars and trailers at Disneyland for a couple days then Santa Maria ledsled Kustoms show and off to the coast line to work our way back home. The inline 6 should get a good work out on the trip and is probobly happy we are not towing our other 4500lb 1960 Avion. Here's a shot where 2 of the group met atop Salmon pass yesterday on the border of MT and ID.

[70gmcjimmy]

Heck yeah, go for it! No reason not to. Hope to do a similar deal some day with one of my GMC's. Keep us posted with pics. Yours and the other two outfits are very cool, even the '63 Ford!

Six-bangers pulled like this and much heavier loads for decades and can still do it.

DAC

[youngrodder]

Too frickin cool. What a great idea for a trip.
Best of luck and safe travels.

Marc

[mechanixman]

I love it!
I hope I get the chance to do that someday!

[midnight rambler]

Post lots of pictures... Looks like a great adventure.

[mr48chev]

That sounds like fun. That looks a whole lot like the Burro my buddy had a few years ago. He decided the door was too hard to get in and out of and sold it.

[55dude]

Awsome!

[Donaldo]

Are you folks doing Pismo for the Vintage Trailer Rally ?

[iowaboynca]

Hey, what's that white stuff in between the trees? Being from CA, i don't know what that is
Have fun with the trip, sounds awesome and that's what these rigs were built for, right? (you'll love PCH on the way back)

[Dan in Pasadena]

Fish, all is looking good. Oughta be fun!

If you're coming down the 101 and you've never been to L.A. using that route before, watch out for the Camarillo grade. It CAN wreak havoc on older cooling systems if they're not in top notch shape.

PS: Your buddy's Ford needs air shocks...unless it's intentionally a tail dragger!

[Donaldo]

They can avoid that grade by going Hwy 1 thru Oxnard and PtDume, Malibu, probably a lot slower, but no overheating, just cocoa butter along the scenic coastal route, then tie back into the 10 to the 5 to Dinneyland.

[buggy5872]

Sounds like a great Trip. I just cleaned our camper and checked everything on BB...we head out this weekend. I wish I had some others with old tow vechicles to pal around with....Have fun.

[NEWFISHER]

Hey Cali guys!

Would you avoid the grapevine on I5 south by going west to Maricopa then 33 to Ojai Ventura or East from Bakersfield to the 14 palmdale then 138 and 15?

[OrrieG]

Should be a fun trip. I once passed an semi going down the grapevine with one pair of trailer brakes on fire....I honked and pointed, he did not seem concerned.

[Donaldo]

Originally Posted by NEWFISHER

Hey Cali guys!

Would you avoid the grapevine on I5 south by going west to Maricopa then 33 to Ojai Ventura or East from Bakersfield to the 14 palmdale then 138 and 15?

If you are coming south on 5, I'd prefer to take the 580 to 101 in San Jose and then down the coast ...may add a couple hours+/-, but it's a nicer drive imnsho. I've pulled a trailer on 166 then up 33 to Ojai No fun !! and then down to Ventura that part was a good drive.

[Advanced Design]

That is so cool and on our bucket list to do in a AD 'Burb too.

Enjoy and safe travels!

[lowrodderchev]

That's so cool luv seeing 6 bangers on the road pulling a trailer major plus good luck

[NEWFISHER]

Thanks guys! We are leaving Stockton area at the crack of dawn and want to get to Anahiem before 2 so we dont run into too much traffic and have some more pool time before the bbq fires up.

[iowaboynca]

you've given yourselves about 8 hours...that's doable.
I will caution you though...580 from 6-8 AM is and absolute bear! 5 lanes bumper to bumper...

[OrrieG]

When I was driving from AZ to OR I always timed my trips so I was going thru LA and Central CA past San Francisco after 9 pm driving thru the night. Had my first 64 Chevelle which was setup as a freeway flyer since we drove a lot of long distances. Had a nice 8 track with head phones so the wife and kids could snooze as I motored on.

[NEWFISHER]

Originally Posted by OrrieG

When I was driving from AZ to OR I always timed my trips so I was going thru LA and Central CA past San Francisco after 9 pm driving thru the night. Had my first 64 Chevelle which was setup as a freeway flyer since we drove a lot of long distances. Had a nice 8 track with head phones so the wife and kids could snooze as I motored on.

I would much rather drive the lower section at night. Wifey no likey the idea. I thought sleeping by the pool in the a.m. was a great idea.

I'm too excited to sleep! Wanna hit the road. Mabey slipping her an ambien and getting her into the trailer bed , locking the door and pulling out might work?

[Lo1dakota]

Awesome she's a beauty

[Tomb23]

Well, I sure all wishing it was in their plans also. i know I do! Nice things if Like they say God forbid, anything does happen, All Ya need is a way to get online and post I need help on Here.Before dark or Sunrise, I'm SURE you would be Having a beer in a parking lot or along side the road while, one of the many on here would be right there to help you down the road. LOVE THIS PLACE

[NEWFISHER]

Tomb23 you are right, great place and we are all around to help when needed.
Update:
The 250 kicks ass! Was planning several routes around the Grapevine but after tearing up th Syskous in Oregon, we thought a B line to Disneyland was in order.

First day we stopped in Redding and met up with Glen aka G&R's57GMC for a shop tour and some double double animal style burgers at my faVorite place on Earth, In &Out burger. I think its Glens favorite place too as everyone who worked there said hi to him! I snapped a pic of his tricked out SSR next to the family truckster. We then hauled the mail down to At****er to hang out with Rene and Renata aka C/10 KING. WOW is all I can say. He had surfer Bob and Jim aka Hemi Jim over with a couple of their trucks, brought their wives a nd we all shared a great meal at the local pizza joints where we were treated like roalty. Must be nice being the k
King lol! Stayed at Renes place and boogied out at 5am hoping to land in LA after the morning rush hour. Still sat in traffic and got to the RV resort at noon. We were going to do one of the parks, but the cool shade system over the trailer for a nice nap and being directly across from the pool was making our "wanting to stand in line to ride a ride" feelings quickly deminish. A few of the others had already left this morning and took their cars from camp.
This first pic was really cool before the phone delay on the camera. You can barely see MT Shasta "floating" in the clouds above the trees. Just the upper glacier was visible in the sun and was surrounded by clouds....like Heaven

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Its not Nastruck but passes Semi's on the top of the Grapevine by Tejon Ranch
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Check out the solar/shade cover over the trailers....and the pool across the drive
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Home for a few days. Now that I'm here, I'm not sure if this isn't the happiest place on earth and that Mickey's place is over crowded! May just surf the net, take some naps, go for a swim and a hot soak, fill the resort with the smell of bacon and fire coffee( brought the LP fire pit...buuuyha) and just enjoy this spot.
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[OrrieG]

I haven't driven Grapevine in 30 years and that one photo looks just like I remember it. Looks like fun, just the incentive I need to get back out to the garage. Mt. Shasta was covered in clouds by the aliens who have base there...