si_camaro

Hi all,

I hope I have the right board....apologies for my geographical ignorance!

My beloved and I will be visiting your fine region from the UK in a few weeks. We'll be touching down at LAX and staying in Buena Park for four days, Vegas for 4 days, and then driving (what's left of) Route 66 for 8 days as far as Oklahoma City, from where we will fly home.

I have heard some store names mentioned on the boards over the years, but know very little about them. Such examples are Autozone and Pep Boys, but I'm sure there are lots more. I'd like to visit some of these places to pick up some new bits for my Z28 - simple bits when you live in the USA but difficult and expensive bits when you reside in the UK.

Can you guys give me some addresses of such stores? I'll be able to locate them on Google Earth for directions. Who knows, I might even see some of you guys there and not even know it.

Thanks,
Simon

400Z28Racer

iTrader: (4)

Hi Simon, LAX zipcode / postal code is 90045. you can find the nearest store to that zip code (90045) by going to auto part store website and use their "store locator"
www.autozone.com/store_locator/home.htm

http://www.partsamerica.com/StoreLoc...=CSK&zip=90045

http://pepboysstorelocator.shoplocal...torefindernuep

I would recommend you to bring your laptop, and buy http://www.microsoft.com/streets/Pro...s.aspx?pid=001 . this software will locate you, and gives you directions to whatever place you want to go in the USA. Also do not forget to get an AC adapter for your electronic devices because US AC outlet is different than the UK. I had that problem when I was in Hilton hotel in London (well at least they had one US AC outlet in the bathroom).
If you need any help please let us know. Ivan

Edit: most likely you are coming on Virgin Atlantic, I would recommend you to reserve the seats next to the airplane emergency exit's door because they got some leg room; otherwise, you will be stuck in uncomfortable seat for 10.5 hours

Russ-So Cal

If you need any restoration parts for your Z28, you should check out Classic Industries in Huntington Beachwhile you are here.

http://www.classicindustries.com/index.html

Your hotel room in Buena Park should have a telephone directory in the room where you can find the various auto parts stores listed in the yellow pages. The front desk personel should be able to help you with directions and what streets are closest to your hotel.

Route 66 is now more of a frontage road than a highway now. Here in So Cal it will start on the Beach in Santa Monica, but I'm not sure which street is the old route 66. As you leave Los Angeles it will become Foothill Blvd. out through the San Gabriel Valley. In San Bernardino you will have to leave old route 66 to get on the I-215 freeway going North, and you will then pick up the old route 66 at a small town of Devore, it is the Kenwood offramp just past the junction of the 15/215 freeways. You can follow the old route 66 from the Kenwood offramp until it puts you back on the 15 just before the truck scales in Cajon Pass. You will then follow the freeway to Victorville in the high desert where you can again pick up old route 66 from Victorville to Barstow. Out of Barstow, the old road ends again and you have to follow I-15 to I-40 ( I stands for Interstate, by the way). The old route 66 roughly parrallels I-40 all the way to Oklahoma City. On I-40 the next access to route 66 is the cut off to Amboy. Amboy was an old town on route 66 that the interstate bypassed. I think it was at least part of the concept behind the town that most of Disney's movie Cars takes place in although that town was much larger than Amboy ever was, and I think Amboy is pretty much a ghost town since 40 went in. In towns like Needles, Ca and Kingman, Az, and most of the rest of the towns on 40, route 66 will be coming off the freeway into the main business street. There is a part of the old route 66 that runs through Seligmann (spelling?) Az. that I think is about a 3o mile stretch of back road that aparantly is quite scenic and a great road for a Third Gen, but you will probably have some sort of rental car. If you don't have any books on Route 66, the biggest book store chains in the U.S. are Borders and Barnes & Noble. You should be able to find them in the yellow pages in your hotel room as well. Also the Auto Club (AAA) has quite a few books on route 66. I think they will sell them to non members for a slightly higher price than the member's price.

I hope this helps you, and welcome to the USA.

Oops! I just noticed in your original post that you are going to Vegas for 4 days between Buena Park and route 66. You will stay on 15 through Barstow so will be leaving the old route 66 going to Vegas. Your best way to get from Vegas to Route 66 is probably down 95 or 195 (I'm doing a major remodel of my house, so I can't find my map books to give you the correct highway), but it would rejoin old Route 66 in Kingman, Az.

I forgot to mention that while touring what is left of Route 66, take a detour off of Route 66 at Flagstaff and run an hour or so North to the Grand Canyon. In Holbrook, Az you will also want to take in the Petrified Forrest. In New Mexico if you have the time, you might want to jump off 66 in Albuquerque and take a drive on what is referred to as the "Turquoise Highway" between Albuquerque and Santa Fe. If you go to the Old Town historical district of Albuquerque, there is a visitor's center in a small shopping area accross from the plaza where you can get free travel information and guides of New Mexico. If you are insterrested in getting any jewelry in New Mexico, I would recommend Naranjo's (the "j" is pronounced like a "y" last syllable is pronounced "yo"). Stella Naranjo is a third genreation jewler and to my knowledge she is the only one in the old town area who makes her own jewelry. Her prices are competitive with everyone else in Old Town, but her quality will be better, I think. The address is 522 Romaro NW a couple of blocks from the center of Old Town. I don't have any connection to her, but was looking for some jewelry to bring back to my wife while travelling through, and after checking out dozens of shops without finding what I wanted, she was reccomended to me and I found some really nice pieces there.

injdinjn

Someome give this visitor the link to Thomas' house of Camaro

Agent13

iTrader: (6)

http://www.houseofcamaro.com/

89 TA

From Vegas I would take the 93 to go thru Hoover dam. On I-40 before getting to Amarillo Texas stop at the Cadillac ranch. If your into steaks you can stop at The Big Texan.

lonsal

iTrader: (2)

Also check my web site in case there are some items you may need to pick up while you're here. I'm roughly 30-40 minutes North of Buena Park (on your way to Las Vegas). You should also plan to have a meal at Mrs Knotts Chicken Dinner restaurant at Knotts Berry Farm in Buena park while you're out here.

Lon Salgren
Top-Down Solutions

TA

iTrader: (1)

As a Brit, it might be fun and a good source of "bits" to do a Pick Your Part ( I think you guys call 'em "breakers") run. You find the parts you want and take them off yourself. Somehow, I doubt your S.O. (Significant other) will be thrilled with this idea, but who knows if she's up for the Route 66 adventure.

Post here when you're in town, some of us might be available as "translators"

: )

TA

lonsal

iTrader: (2)

I'm also available as a guide for either a Pick-a-Part run or a trip down main Street USA (aka Disneyland).

Lon

si_camaro

Wow...thanks guys. What a lot to choose from. I'll definitely be paying a visit to House Of Camaro. I saw most of my shopping list on the website pictures alone!

Russ-So Cal

Contact House Of Camaro by email either before you leave or right after arrival. I think he gave up the store he had and is now working out of his house again. His inventory of items also changes as he sells items and buys more cars to strip. I think that virtually everything Thomas sells are used parts removed from running Third Gens that he has bought and stripped. He also carefully cleans all of the parts he sells, so if you pack anything from him for shipping it will be in clean condition.