Driving from Texas to California.... I-10? or I-40/Route66???

[440 4 speed]

33 & 25 both have interesting areas but I'll probably be all out of interest by the time I get done with 58.. I'll be coming up 99 to Modesto...

Trust me, I'll have a full tank before entering California...

I've had AAA for thirty five plus years... Plus I might know enough to keep it running... Though I hope to do enough preparation to not need any on the road repairs...

It's looking like a friend is probably gonna join me & Route 66 is his preference too...

Now as long as the weather doesn't do anything stupid.... I don't need a sand storm or a flash flood.. Not looking for any tornados either.... I'm thinking mid September is probably safe... But you never really know...

1981 drove a lean burn 318 1979 Fury Sport pulling a crank up hard top camper going to Medford Oregon. Fun going through Dinner’s Pass. Took a partial foot class from Chuck Child who invented the Hosmer Dorance 400 elbow. Then drove 99 down to LA, Sam Diego. Didn’t know if at the time, stayed in Bakersfield and had a distant relative there. Liked 99.

 

[ord27]

we drove the '59 from Arlington to LA on 66. A lot of it is modern highway, but we enjoyed the experience. It's a very social drive in a classic car. Be sure to map it out and make a plan...

 

[68 Sport Satellite]

33 & 25 both have interesting areas but I'll probably be all out of interest by the time I get done with 58.. I'll be coming up 99 to Modesto...

Trust me, I'll have a full tank before entering California...

I've had AAA for thirty five plus years... Plus I might know enough to keep it running... Though I hope to do enough preparation to not need any on the road repairs...

It's looking like a friend is probably gonna join me & Route 66 is his preference too...

Now as long as the weather doesn't do anything stupid.... I don't need a sand storm or a flash flood.. Not looking for any tornados either.... I'm thinking mid September is probably safe... But you never really know...

this week temps are predicted to be 110F near Modesto...

September is the height of fire season here - stay informed by checking online and news radio.

 

[68 Sport Satellite]

we drove the '59 from Arlington to LA on 66. A lot of it is modern highway, but we enjoyed the experience. It's a very social drive in a classic car. Be sure to map it out and make a plan...

Parts of Route 66 are also closed from time to time. This time last year I drove round trip from San Jose to Bryce Canyon, UT. Wanted to drive part way on 66 - they had a several mile section closed and several other miles were gravel. Must be in need of some repair, which is nice they're doing so.

 

[mopar 3 B]

I-10 is washed out from a flash flood by Desert Center.

That was the east bound lane. West bound is still open.

 

[1 Wild R/T]

this week temps are predicted to be 110F near Modesto...

September is the height of fire season here - stay informed by checking online and news radio.

I'm well aware of whats going on temperature wise in Modesto... I live here.... I've lived here a very long time... I'd love to live elsewhere.. But Coral ain't gonna leave her grandkids...

 

[68 Sport Satellite]

I'm well aware of whats going on temperature wise in Modesto... I live here.... I've lived here a very long time... I'd love to live elsewhere.. But Coral ain't gonna leave her grandkids...

sorry, I didn't pay attention to your avatar to realize you're based in California

 

[mopar 3 B]

I put my vote in for 40/66. We have never been though that early in the year. We don't stay on 40 anymore than needed as there is so much more out there to see if one has the time. In fact, we pretty much zig zag all over the place. If we have something we want to see that's the way, we go.
If you want to see aliens form space and White Sands 10 would be the way. Tuson and Tombstone are entrusting also. You did not say how far out of the way you wanted to go.

 

[33 IMP]

There is a part of old 66, running west out of Ludlow (middle of California desert,) that got about 15 miles of it repaved (beautifully, by the way)at a cost of who knows how many million of dollars.
Thing is, it runs literally a few yards from 40, and I've seen three cars on it.


Too bad california can't fix the city streets.....

 

[Budnicks]

I liked 40 better than 10

closer to the final destination too

parts of 66, will be cool too

 

[33 IMP]

I made that mistake in March when passing thru.
Paid almost $7 per gallon. THAT put a dent in the gas card

I saw him too late to help, but I saw a guy in needless with a pusher motor home putting a couple hundred gallons of diesel in, at $7.499, when two miles away in Arizona, diesel was about $5.25. Glad I wasn't riding with him as he drove into Arizona and saw the prices.
Been there, done that many years ago, when the lack of knowledge wasn't near as costly as it is now, But I was seriously passed of anyway......

 

[mopar 3 B]

That can happen anywhere. In Santa Fee New Mexico last November there was a $.75 difference in the local on the hwy Loves and a completive off the hwy station. I use my share of gas apps when possible.

 

[autoxcuda]

Looks like I'm gonna be driving from Austin Tx to California in Mid September... I've always driven I-10 in the past but considering trying I-40 just to change things up... Any opinions from those that have driven both. Looks like a little higher elevations, little over 7,000 ft..

I'll be driving an old car that hasn't run in eight years, shouldn't be an issue, I plan to put a kit in the carb & flush the fuel system before starting the trip... Twenty years ago I basically restored the whole car & since driving out to Texas it's mostly been a garage queen... When the battery died eight years ago that was the last time the car moved..

Southern route avoids elevation. I flat out stopped the I-40 east of Albuquerque in 1992. Turns out the parts store “rebuilt” distributor had the wrong contact points installed ;( . But even after that was fixed, same car going east up to Eisenhower Tunnel on I-70 would slow to a jogging pace. Stupid 67 Chevy II with CA smog pump and Carter YF carb.

Another factor since you are driving an "unknown entity"... Are the towns more spread apart on the southern I-10 route? Just thinking about if you break down.

Does car have A/C? if not go cooler route. Also easier on old car. But, both routes are desert heat.

I think these photographs are from that late Aug/Sept 1992 trip to college on 1-40.

Check out the "Dick Simon Trucking" rig. Remember when Dick Simon ran Indy Cars?

 

[Sam69sat]

T

33 & 25 both have interesting areas but I'll probably be all out of interest by the time I get done with 58.. I'll be coming up 99 to Modesto...

Trust me, I'll have a full tank before entering California...

I've had AAA for thirty five plus years... Plus I might know enough to keep it running... Though I hope to do enough preparation to not need any on the road repairs...

It's looking like a friend is probably gonna join me & Route 66 is his preference too...

Now as long as the weather doesn't do anything stupid.... I don't need a sand storm or a flash flood.. Not looking for any tornados either.... I'm thinking mid September is probably safe... But you never really know...

Should be fun. And i know you know enough to keep it running. You gave me plenty of good advise along the way when i drove my 69 Satellite from Kentucky to Oregon last year. Enjoy the trip!

 

[mopar 3 B]

Southern route avoids elevation. I flat out stopped the I-40 east of Albuquerque in 1992. Turns out the parts store “rebuilt” distributor had the wrong contact points installed ;( . But even after that was fixed, same car going east up to Eisenhower Tunnel on I-70 would slow to a jogging pace. Stupid 67 Chevy II with CA smog pump and Carter YF carb.

Another factor since you are driving an "unknown entity"... Are the towns more spread apart on the southern I-10 route? Just thinking about if you break down.

Does car have A/C? if not go cooler route. Also easier on old car. But, both routes are desert heat.

I think these photographs from that 1992 trip on 1-40. Remember when Dick Simon ran Indy Cars?

View attachment 1335138

View attachment 1335139

I would not lay claim to southern routes not having elevations. You still cross the divide on NM and there is the climb into Tuson. Once out of the hole Albuquerque sets in it almost flat land for miles and miles.

 

[autoxcuda]

I would not lay claim to southern routes not having elevations. You still cross the divide on NM and there is the climb into Tuson. Once out of the hole Albuquerque sets in it almost flat land for miles and miles.

True. You have to cross the Continental Divide somewhere. But is there less quantity higher elevation driving on the I-10 southern route? Are the grade(s) steeper on the I-40? I can't remember.

 

[mopar 3 B]

True. You have to cross the Continental Divide somewhere. But is there less quantity higher elevation driving on the I-10 southern route? Are the grade(s) steeper on the I-40. I can't remember.

Depending upon November snowstorms it doesn't matter much. The chance of hitting a winter storm in Flagstaff and farther west is always higher. When we travel weather is a concern but not always a no we are not going that way. We have crossed Oklahoma and New Mexico in a snowstorm. The worst part of that was the dam mud they call a traction enhancer. I don't think we missed a gas station on 40 to fill the washer tank and pickup and gallon of fluid just in case which happened a time or two.
I don't think we have ever crossed Texas that wind was not a factor somewhere and those darn tumbleweeds.

 

[1 Wild R/T]

True. You have to cross the Continental Divide somewhere. But is there less quantity higher elevation driving on the I-10 southern route? Are the grade(s) steeper on the I-40. I can't remember.

I-10 tops out at 5000 ft... I-40 hits 7300.... As far as the car being an unknown while thats somewhat true I did put a new engine/trans/rear axle/suspension/brakes along with body/paint & interior in the car back in 2002... The car was at Spring Fling that same year...

 

[autoxcuda]

I-10 tops out at 5000 ft... I-40 hits 7300.... As far as the car being an unknown while thats somewhat true I did put a new engine/trans/rear axle/suspension/brakes along with body/paint & interior in the car back in 2002... The car was at Spring Fling that same year...

Hmmm….

You get your Challenger repainted ??

 

[1 Wild R/T]

Hmmm….

You get your Challenger repainted ??

Nope, same paint from 1996... But this car was parked next to my Challenger at the show that weekend..