The Great Hershey Road Trip begins...

[bamfordsgarage]

...in about 10 minutes.

The old D25 is carrying a pretty full load and we have some 2,800 miles to cover from Edmonton, AB to Venus, PA where we pick up and install an overdrive transmission from George Asche on Monday Oct 04. From there it's a short jaunt to Hershey on the Tuesday to get set up for the swap meet Wednesday to Friday and the big car show Saturday.

Here's hoping for a grand adventure!

[oldodge41]

Have a safe trip!

[1940plymouth]

Have a safe and joyfull trip, please take lots of photos:)

[Merle Coggins]

When are you going to be in Hartford?

Merle

[55 Fargo]

Safe and Happy Voyage, keep us posted on your progress, and take plenty of pics, you should be in Saskatchewan or Montana tonight.......Fred

[bamfordsgarage]

Day One, Edmonton, AB to Swift Current, SK... (Right you are, Fred)

Distance travelled 773 km/479 miles (we rarely follow the shortest route), average fuel consumption 18.6 mpg (that's per Imperial gallon, which is 20% bigger than the US gal). This compares to an average 19.8 mpg on a run to California in 2008 without the new car top carrier.

Gross weight with a full fuel tank and 480 lb of human cargo was 2,425 lb front axle and 2,667 lb rear axle, total 5,092 lb. Can someone please tell us the factory spec for the empty weight of a D25/P15 sedan?

Here are a few pictures from south of Drumheller in east central Alberta. The Finnegan Ferry over the Red Deer River has been operating since 1913, at which time there were 58 ferries operating throughout the province. "Ferryman" Darlene said her little cable ferry carries about 15-20 cars a day through the summer and considerably more in the fall hunting season.

Merle, it looks like we will be in Hartford, WI on +/- Thursday. Meet up for lunch?

Edited September 27, 2010 by bamfordsgarage

[windsor8]

Have fun be carefull and we'll look for you.

[Merle Coggins]

What a cute little ferry.

I just crossed Lake Michigan on the Lake Express ferry yesterday. It was a bit bigger than that one.

Check your PM's for my cell phone #. Give me a call when you are getting closer and know your schedule better.

Merle

[48P15Annie]

Hope you're having a good trip!

[Cpt.Fred]

this looks great!

have fun and i hope your little black luggage hauler makes it

(the one under the yellow blob...)

looking forward to your pics!

fred

[T120]

Ahh..the road less travelled.Have a great trip.

[1940plymouth]

Ahh..the road less travelled.Have a great trip.

[ATTACH]20916[/ATTACH]

I thought the same thing when I saw this photo and the other ones he posted, it has to be an AWESOME adventure

[55 Fargo]

Wonder if Bamford is in North Dakota tonight, perhaps near Fargo or Grand Forks, or a little further west at Jamestown ND, on the ND #2 highway near Minot ND.

He should be into the Twin Cites tomorrow around early afternoon.

Now Young Ed, get over with the camera of them pulling in on the 694.......Fred

[Captain Neon]

Wow! He'd have to be braver than me driving I-694 without an overdrive!

Northfield was all the closer I'd get to the Twin Cities in my P-15 when I lived in Minnesota.

[55 Fargo]

Wow! He'd have to be braver than me driving I-694 without an overdrive!

Northfield was all the closer I'd get to the Twin Cities in my P-15 when I lived in Minnesota.

Young Ed, is driving his P15 on I 694, I 94 and the 494, as he lives in that city, not much choice, others live in So Cal, without OD , and the San Bernadino Fwy, Long Beach Frwy, Santa Ana Frwy, I-15, must have some P 15 travel....

[bamfordsgarage]

Hello All, Day Two: Swift Current, SK to Baker, MT, via western ND. 475 miles today, 954 total. GPS sez our average velocity has been 47.7 mph with a maximum of 66.0 (we cruise at 50-55 but kind of forgot once or twice going downhill!) No car trouble yesterday or today, oil consumption a little over two quarts.

Todays' pictures: In the town of Cadillac, SK, where all the streets were renamed after automobiles during the '80s (and would you believe, there are no Dodge, Plymouth, Chrysler or DeSoto Streets!); 47D pretending he's a tractor in Lisieux, SK; pretending he's in Egypt, again in Lisieux; the former Knopps Motors in Rockglen, SK, where our car was traded on a new Ford pickup in 1975; and the beautiful Little Missouri National Grassland in western North Dakota.

Our border crossing from Big Beaver, SK to Whitetail, MT was, thankfully, uneventful. We have no contraband and mean no harm but did harbour fears that we would be ordered to dismantle the car top carrier for inspection. As it turned out, he only poked at the tarp, glanced in the trunk and reserved the longest inspection for under the hood, where we heard all about the '50 Mercury that his parents used to own.

Tomorrow we visit Devil's Tower Nat'l Monument, WY (setting of Close Encounters of the Third Kind) and Mount Rushmore, SD, and then hightail it on east. Little Ed, we'll be in touch tomorrow evening about a rendezvous sometime Wednesday.

PS: Does anyone know the empty weight of a D25/P15 sedan?

Edited September 28, 2010 by bamfordsgarage

[Captain Neon]

Let me know what kind of roads there are at Devil's Tower. Have been thinking about taking my '46 more door some time, but would rather not drive on gravel roads. I have my '89 Wagoneer for such adventures.

[55 Fargo]

Glad things are going well, and your making progress.

1947 P 15 4 door Special deluxe weights 3107 lbs, according to reference info provided on this website.

Keep the nightly posts, look forward to reading them......Fred

[jd52cranbrook]

SD is a beautiful state. And Devils Tower is all paved road.

Don't forget Mt Rushmore if you can make it.

I envy you guys, your doing what these cars were made for, seeing the country up close and personal. No better way.

Edit, I re-read and see you are going to Mt Rushmore, cool beans. And those roads are nice compared to here in CA. Wish I was there.

[Captain Neon]

Good to know that the roads are paved at Devil's Tower. My father swears he took both my brother and I when we were in grade school, but I don't remember it. I remember Mt. Rushmore, Custer State Park, Yellowstone, Great Salt Lake, but not Devil's Tower.

[1940plymouth]

I don't know if time will permit for you to visit Moore's Auto Salvage in Rapid City today or not, but if you get a chance hopefully you'll be able to stop there. I was then ten years ago, a very nice selection of old MOPAR cars all neatly arranged. My son and I had a great time visiting the yard.

A photo of the Dodge with Mt Rushmore in the background would be AWESOME:)

Thanks for posting your photos and comments on your trip, I am really enjoying them.

Have a good time today and safe trip.

Raining here in the Catskills this morning, but the rain is suppose to be out of here by tomorrow and the weekend is suppose to be dry, so hopefully that will be the case in PA this weekend also

Bob

[Young Ed]

Young Ed, is driving his P15 on I 694, I 94 and the 494, as he lives in that city, not much choice, others live in So Cal, without OD , and the San Bernadino Fwy, Long Beach Frwy, Santa Ana Frwy, I-15, must have some P 15 travel....

Yup I've been on all those roads at one time or another with the P15 or the 46 pickup. Along with 35w quite a few times too. Last thread these guys weren't coming through the twin cities though. They were coming through MN about 2hours south of me. Sounds like probably tomorrow or thursday.

[desoto1939]

If they are going to be selling parts at Hershey can they let us know the site location so we can lookthem up and stop by for a chat.

Which Field and the site number would be helpful if they have one.

They definately need to let the AACA know whenthey arrive of their adventure they might get some coverage inthe AACA magazine. Also this would be great for the Forum to be mentiioned.

Rich HArtung

[Jim Yergin]

If they are going to be selling parts at Hershey can they let us know the site location so we can lookthem up and stop by for a chat.

Which Field and the site number would be helpful if they have one.

Rich HArtung

Rich,

In an earlier thread, Chris posted:

"Our next stopover is Venus, PA to meet George Asche (and relieve him of a much-needed overdrive!) and then on to Hershey PA where we will be camping and vending at the swap meet in Space O-AB4 from Oct 06-08."

Jim Yergin

[Uncle-Pekka]

What a great road trip, indeed!

Really beautiful landscapes - Looking at the photos feels like a time machine took us 50 years back...

Best of luck for the travellers!

PS: Does anyone know the empty weight of a D25/P15 sedan?

The P15-D24 reference page tells P15 4D sedan weight ca. 3100 lbs and D24 ca 3280 lbs. I recall my D24 was scaled to be ca.1550kg, tank full gas.