In about a week, I'll be flying out to Arizona for a three-week road trip through the Western States with my son, Martin, in our '92 Anniversary Z28. Martin was attending college there and will be moving to the UH campus this year, thus the opportunity presented itself to really drive somewhere.

Right now, the itinerary starts at Prescott to Kingman[home to Route 66 where we'll stay a couple days to explore automotive history and scout for retirement real estate], then to Oatman, a little mining town west on 66 where Clark Gable stayed overight with one his hot co-stars and donkeys roam the street -- saw it on Travel Channel. Next is Grand Canyon Caverns [22 stories straight down into the abyss], then to Bullhead City, AZ, Las Vegas, Death Valley, CA [where the Z28 fuel pump failed a couple years ago] to see Scottys Castle; then north to Reno, NV to visit the Harrah Collection National Automobile Museum. Afterwards we'll visit friends in Oroville and Sacramento, CA, then down the coast to visit the Hearst Castle. Finally, we'll end up in Manhatten Beach to visit relatives, drop off the Camaro at Long Beach for shipping back to Oahu.

We're still in the planning stage, anyone have any suggestions about where to go and what to see during the trip?

Based on advice from helpful ThirdGen people in No. Cal. and the current weather conditions, like massive snow in the mountains, I've revised the trip to head west out of Death Valley, then up Central Calif, instead of chancing Hwy 80 out of Reno. No sense flying off a mountain road 'cause of snow or ice.

A revised map will follow.

 

Ed...

Take lots of pics...

 

Are you taking Hwy 89A out of Prescott and going through Jerome, Sedona and Oak Creek Canyon, if not, I highly recomend that strip of highway.

 

wow, better document the fuel mileage on that bad boy hehe... would be some interesting numbers....

I've never personally driven that stretch before, but it sure does sound like a lot of fun, have a great trip Ed!!

Oh yeah, fuel pump failure in Death Valley.... Ouch... howd you manage to get outta that one?

 

It's a great road and scenery, but going up to Flagstaff at 7,000 feet in winter isn't much fun for canyon carving. I wish the trip was later in the year, but no options there. The biggest challenge will be Hwy 80 from Reno to Sacramento -- big storms there recently closed it for a while and if conditions are bad, chains are required. Not stuff Camaros are good for...

There's some other great trips in Arizona, detailed below, for anyone fortunate enough to escape the horrible cratered roads here in Hawaii and power-up in AZ:

* Highway 186, 181 and 191 loop - In addition to the raw natural beauty of the Chiricahua National Monument and the Coronado National Forest, there are the historic ranching communities of Wilcox and Pearce, the ghost town of Dos Cabezas and the stronghold of Cochise, the legendary Apache warrior, in the Dragoon Mountains.

* Highway 80, Benson to Bisbee - Even though scenic beauty makes the drive enjoyable, it is the historic sites and feel of Bisbee that are the highlights of this trip. Bisbee has an incredibly well-preserved historic district that dates to the closing years of the 19th century and other little tidbits, such as an authentic 1930s diner and trailer court-turned motel, filled with vintage travel trailers that make it truly unique.

* Highway 82, from Nogales (on the Mexican border) to the Highway 80 junction, approximately 68 miles - Even though the legendary mining camp of Tombstone has, in large part, surrendered historic authenticity for the revenue provided by tourists, it is well worth a visit and is the highlight of this drive. Hint: To get an idea of what to expect, visit Oatman.

* Interstate 19, Nogales to Tucson - Even though avoiding interstate highways is preferred, this is an exception because of the Spanish colonial architecture at such sites as the mission at Xavier del Bac and the archeological park at Tumacacori National Historic Park.

* Highway 60, Globe to Show Low - Globe, a historic mining community, provides the history, the Salt River Canyon provides the scenic beauty. Show Low provides an anchor to the modern era and the communities on the Apache reservation, through which the highway passes to the distant past. All in all, it could be said that this is a drive through time.

* Highway 260, Camp Verde to Eager - This route is largely through the land made famous in countless Zane Grey novels, most notably the White Mountains and the Mogollon Rim. Historic sites include the recreated frontier outpost at Fort Verde State Historic Park and Tonto Natural Bridge State Park, as well as the village of Strawberry and Heber, once center of a major logging operation.

* Williams to Montezuma Castle National Monument - This drive follows several older highways and roads, most of which predate the highway numbering system by many years. Begin in Williams with the road to White Horse Lake. However, south of town, where the turnoff is for the lake, continue south. The quaint high country community of Williams, last town on Route 66 to be bypassed by the Interstate and home of the Grand Canyon Railway, and the sprawling ghost city of Jerome that clings precariously to the side of a mountain high above the Verde River valley, are but two of the draws for this drive.

* Highway 89A, Flagstaff to Sedona - The red rock spires of Sedona are, besides the Grand Canyon, the most photographed features of Arizona. But there is so much more to be seen here, and this drive is an introduction to most of them including Oak Creek Canyon, Tuzigoot National Monument and Dead Horse Ranch State Park.

* Highway 180, Flagstaff to junction with Highway 64 - Skirting the flanks of the San Francisco Peaks with their groves of white aspen, this short 50-mile drive is a photographer's dream. In addition to beautiful mountain meadows, there are most always snow-covered peaks to serve as backdrops even when driving across the high desert plains that are found near its end.

* Prescott to Crown King - This is a relatively short drive, but in terms of historic sites, it is almost without equal. Crown King, located high in the mountains above Flagstaff, is a living time capsule from the territorial period. Whiskey Row in Prescott, just across from Courthouse Square, is a museum from the era when the heart of a community was not centered around the mall; and the Sharlott Hall Museum complex, a few blocks west of the courthouse, includes the original territorial governor's log home as well as numerous historic buildings relocated from throughout the area and set among beautiful flower gardens.

* Highway 89, Prescott to Wickenburg - This drive between two historic mining communities begins with gentle twists and turns through Prescott National Forest and then, through a series of steep switchback turns, becomes a rapid descent to the desert floor below. There are a number of ranching and mining communities, such as Kirkland and Congress, that provide the opportunity to experience an Arizona that is rapidly vanishing with the intrusion of urban growth and rapid population growth.

 

Fuel mileage will be around 25-26 mpg, better than the 20 mpg I get here on the rock.

When the fuel pump went bad in Death Valley, it would work in a limited capacity for 50-75 miles, then shut off. After coasting to a stop and waiting a few minutes, it would restart for another session. We made it to Las Vegas and spent $1,500 at a GM dealer to have it and a couple of marginal injectors replaced. These parts now have lifetime parts and labor warranty on the '92.

This is why on the '87 I prepared a modified fuel tank piping system and cut an access hatch above the fuel tank, to enable changing the fuel pump as a roadside repair.

 

20mpg aint too bad Ed, you should be pretty happy with that hehehe... I have yet to check what kind of numbers im getting... but the gas does go fast, and I baby the car the whole time, haven't hammered it once yet. I rarely go above speed limit as well.

 

I wish I could get 20 regularly. Only once I got about 23-24, and every day I was driving all the way over to KBay from Mililani. Not too bad, but that was the best mileage I ever got in this beast. I'm sure there are people with 8's getting better gas mileage than me. Of course i'm getting nothing, so that can't be that bad.

I just miss the feelingf of driving it, I mean taking it arround the block a couple times a week, just dosn't cut it. Hopefully i'll be able to get it regested and insured by the end of this month.

But if I need to wait until next month, I will.
Anyone have recomendations about what car insurance I should get? Prices would be cool. I have looked at Geico and AIG. Anyone have anthing that I have not thought of.

 

I use Geico, mainly because the addition of me as a driver onto my parents plan is pretty cheap, but having been through an accident with them, I can say that they really do a good job.

 

Ya I was looking at geico, it ranges from like 450-750 for 6 months.

I'm gonna ask ma dad if he will let me be under him again. Cause I know its pretty good underneath him. Like not even 300 for 6 months, full coverage with towing and ****. So hopefully I will be able to get him to allow me to do that again.

 

Hwy 89A out of Prescott, over Mingus Mountain into Jerome, stop and check out that mining town and hava quick one.
Then head down the mountain through Cotonnwood and then head up into Sedona and up through Oak Creek canyon into Flagsaff.
Looks like the next couple of weeks the weather is going to melt the snow off the road, it would let you see some great scenery and carve some canyons, there may be some snow on the sides of the roads to enjoy, but you would have nice scenery and dry roads. That strech of road right there is a real blast, some nice sweepers and a mountain curves to carve up and a few really neat places to stop and enjoy for a few minutes.
Temps around Sedona should be in the 50-60' over the next week or so, so the roads will be just fine. The little bit of snow off to the side will just add to the enjoyment of the cruise.

 

My other Camaro up in the Red Rocks of Sedona of Hwy 89A!

 

Guess we'll have see how lucky I am! Hope the roads clear up, but I know there will be patches of clear ice in the shadows, they're always fun, heh. I'm more concerned with making it over Highway 80 from Reno to California, the storms in the Sierra mountains have been really bad. Might have to head to central california from Death Valley, then up North to Sacramento, then down Highway 1 to the Hearst Castle. Here's our '92 Z28, runs great.

 

Damn Ed, thats one nice 25th Ann. Z28 you got there. Original Paint?

Hehe, you've got the cleanest toys out of all of us.

 

sounds pretty sweet
reminds me of my roadtrip up to cedar city from riverside area of course that was in a old ram charger with about a hundred horse left but still all the more fun to try and build up enough momentum to carry you up the next hill

 

Some is original and needs repainting that I'll do when the car is back on Oahu. Most I did myself in PPG. Both our Camaros are daily drivers and look good from 20-feet, heh. Any closer and those warts and survival scars show up ... this red one has about 190K on the clock now, my white one has 160.

 

going up and down hills in the winter with "black ice" lurking in the shadows takes all the fun out of driving a fast road car. Shucks, having to tip-toe over 9,000 foot high mountain roads under those conditions in a muscle car ain't worth it, better to change from the high sierra mountain route to a lower elevation -- going from Death Valley then up north to Fresno is much safer.

 

Based on advice from helpful ThirdGen people in No. Cal. and the current weather conditions, like massive snow in the mountains, I've revised the trip to head west out of Death Valley, then up Central Calif, instead of chancing Hwy 80 out of Reno. No sense flying off a mountain road 'cause of snow or ice.

Here's the revised map.

 

Yesterday, Feb 14, my son and I landed back on Oahu and are waiting for the '92 Z28 to be delivered by Matson sometime in the next couple of weeks.

All-in-all, it was a great trip, almost 2,000 miles. The Z28, having more than 170,000 miles on the odo and on the mainland for a couple of years without serious maintainance, was crippled by a drivetrain problem [most likely a bad trans converter], but made it all the way. Soon as we get the Camaro relicensed and registered in Hawaii, it will get a new 700R4, converter and whatever else is needed.

More will follow shortly, including a few photos.

 

glad to hear you made it safely back, both you your son and the camaro, lets see those pics!

It must've been great to drive her the whole way, thats something that cannot be done here.

 

Hmm, guess I've neglected this post topic, so I'll post 3 or 4 highlight photos from the trip. Also, a summary of my screw-up in Kingman, AZ which led to having to pull the differential out of the '92.

Here's a photo of Martin with the '92 at Scotty's Castle, Death Valley.

 

Mr D'z drive in on Route 66, Kingman, AZ is right across the street from the Route 66 Museum. The Travel Channel had this place in their Route 66 program segment and Martin and I just had to stop there and mingle with the crowds of Route 66 pilgrims.

 

The Z-28 cruises Oatman, Arizona. Best known as a mecca for bikers and travelers, Oatman is a gold mining ghost town that is a popular stopping point between Arizona and Nevada. People are friendly, lots of nice antiques and the cheeseburgers are great. The red 3rdGen was the only muscle car there and sure got a lot of attention as it rumbled through down. There's no traffic lights or stop signs, the wild donkeys wandering around for hand-outs do a great job of slowing traffic through town.