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Bought a Car (GTO) Looking for advice.


TAKerry

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I will be travelling to Waterbury CT. on Saturday morning to pick it up. It is a vintage GTO, I am looking for any advice on the best way to get there. I will be leaving from the extreme north eastern part of MD. Just below Delaware and PA. I would prefer stay as far away from NYC as possible. I have travelled north before and went across the tappanzee bridge, which the few times has seemed like a nightmare.  If anyone can help you can give me a pm. If anyone is in the area and wants to say Hi, let me know and I'll look you up.

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If you said you were dating a supermodel, we want to see pictures.

 

if you said a tiger got loose from the zoo and you single-handedly captured it and got it back in the cage, we want to see pictures.

 

if you tell us you bought a GTO, we need some pictures.

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Welcome to the GTO gang! ITell ius more and SEND PICS!!!

Terry

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1 hour ago, John Bloom said:

If you said you were dating a supermodel, we want to see pictures.

 

if you said a tiger got loose from the zoo and you single-handedly captured it and got it back in the cage, we want to see pictures.

 

if you tell us you bought a GTO, we need some pictures.

 

John B, That is hilariously funny on so many levels!

Hey! I am not into modern era muscle cars and even I 'need' to see pictures!

 

TAK, Congratulations!

Edited by wayne sheldon (see edit history)
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3 hours ago, 1937hd45 said:

Newberg Bridge connects you to I84 and that takes you right into Waterbury.

Having someone from Connecticut actually chime iin was probably a good idea.


Plan on stopping at Alexis  diner in Newburg at the base of the bridge, if you go this way.

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Hey Kerry,

 

i did it almost a year ago towing the Jag to Cape Cod and back for a CCCA show and tour.  I came in from the west (Hershey) and eventually took I-287 across the Tappanzee.  Traffic was heavy but steady...but I did it the second mid-week of June, not on Memorial Day weekend.  

 

Add my congrats with everyone else's.  I'm GTO-green with envy.

 

George

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Kerry, what Bob said, swing up and eat the extra 20 miles or minutes, if you will & take the newburgh.  Constant roadwork & congestion on Tap and that general area.  Tough enough when not trailering.  

84 will take you right into Waterbury - word to the wise, eyes wide open, some tough spots in Waterbury, just FYI.

 

Congrats on the GTO.  Have a great trip!

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Thanks all. I looked at 84 on the map and that seemed like the 'easiest' way? But a bit out of the way. Not sure if time would not make much of a difference depending on different traffic conditions comparing the two.

I worked in Monticello for awhile and we travelled north through PA on the NE ext. to Scranton then I think it was on 84 to Port Jervis then north. I was thinking something like that only staying on 84 to Waterbury. According to the mapquest going through Jersey and the Tappanzee bridge will be just under 4 hrs. Its been awhile since I did the 84 thing and cant remember how much longer that was. I carry a CDL and am not afraid to drive, but I would not mind an extra hour for a more relaxing drive than bumper to bumper nonsense. I get enough of that travelling in the Balt/DC corridor.

 

Disclaimer, the car is actually my sons. He as been looking for one seriously for about 8 months. Will post pics when we get home.

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3 hours ago, alsancle said:

Having someone from Connecticut actually chime iin was probably a good idea.


Plan on stopping at Alexis  diner in Newburg at the base of the bridge, if you go this way.

This would be appropriate. Its actually my sons car, he and I will be travelling to pick it up. His name is Aleks!

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2 minutes ago, TAKerry said:

Thanks all. I looked at 84 on the map and that seemed like the 'easiest' way? But a bit out of the way. Not sure if time would not make much of a difference depending on different traffic conditions comparing the two.

I worked in Monticello for awhile and we travelled north through PA on the NE ext. to Scranton then I think it was on 84 to Port Jervis then north. I was thinking something like that only staying on 84 to Waterbury. According to the mapquest going through Jersey and the Tappanzee bridge will be just under 4 hrs. Its been awhile since I did the 84 thing and cant remember how much longer that was. I carry a CDL and am not afraid to drive, but I would not mind an extra hour for a more relaxing drive than bumper to bumper nonsense. I get enough of that travelling in the Balt/DC corridor.

 

Disclaimer, the car is actually my sons. He as been looking for one seriously for about 8 months. Will post pics when we get home.

 

Those of us in New England know the 84 to 81 corridor like it was our neighborhood because of Hershey.   I've driven through Scranton so many times I thought I lived there.   I always think of "the Office" although it is 100% filmed in California.

 

 

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Lancaster is 40 minutes, 81 about an hour. I spend more time in Lanco county than my home state. Another job was in NE PA that I travelled daily on 81. Nice ride but that is even a bit further out of the way. I may stick with the NE extension route. Have all day to think about it.

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2 minutes ago, jerry k said:

Agree with Bob and Steve, 287  to 84e - Newburgh bridge.  You will have to ignore GPS to do this.  Made the trip many times, including with a car trailer, this is best route.

 

I was talking on the phone with another esteemed forum member that suggested 222 to 78 to 84. That sounds like it may be the way we are going. 

Thanks.

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Family joke, I can drive pretty much anywhere westbound and worst part of the trip will invariably be CT state line to Waterbury.  Not that 84 is bad in this area, just always seems to be some PITA delay on that leg of the run.  But that is a personal thing between I84 and me... 

 

Congrats to the kid on his GOAT!

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2 hours ago, MetroPetro said:

NJTP NB to I-287 NB to state line, NY thruway NB to Newburgh exit, I-84 EB to Waterbury.

 

PS: All locals still call the new Thruway bridge spanning the Hudson "the Tappan Zee", and refuse to use the C word that the politicians named it.

This is the way I did when truck driving.

 

  Ben

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The day I found the Bear Mountain Bridge I was driving from Rochester to Westchester for a meeting. The radio kept issuing updates on construction delays on the Tappan Zee Bridge.

 

Being cautious I considered my options. Would I drive over sections of the TZ bridge that were deemed in need of replacement or would I be driving over sections newly installed by a low bid contractor? An alternate route was appropriate. It suited me to the nines.

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I will start with the good news. We made it to Conn and back with my sons new car. It was a 17 hr day that started yesterday morning at 530am, I just got out of bed and consuming my first cup of joe, so things are still a bit foggy.

Left the house at 530, headed north with no problem. Being Memorial day weekend my big concern was traffic. The first leg which usually is packed had almost none. I dont know now the routes we took (brain fog!) but we were on a couple of roads in Jersey. I talked with Bill P a couple of times before we left and used his advice as well as a couple of others here. Worked fine. Went across the big river (Hudson) on the Cuomo bridge? No idea where this is in relation to the Tappanzee. Again very light traffic. No problems and nothing real bad until we got into the Danbury area, and that was just a regular busy. 

Picked the car up in Waterbury and headed back home. All is good.

REWIND TO FRIDAY - Looked up uhaul on the web and they would not let me rent a trailer with MY truck to pull the car we were buying. SO plan b. I have a couple of buddies with trailers time for a favor to be called in. No 1, his trailer lights were kaput, no good. No 2, sure no problem. Pick it up friday afternoon, did a visual everything looked good, one tail light not working. Get it home fix tailight good to go.

FAST FORWARD SAT AFTERNOON- We decided being in no hurry to take a more relaxed way home. 84 to 81 or 476. Stopped at the Alexis for lunch (and take home deserts) thanks for the advice our bellies were filled.

about half hr or so from Scranton I took back roads south through the poconos. I was working in Monticello NY a few years back and this was a somewhat of a shortcut, I had a friend with a large farm in Sterling and this takes us right through that area. All good. Even got stopped by an impromptu road block from the local fire department doing a boot drive. Made my donation, thanked them for their services and roll on. Hour on found the entry for 81 south, got on the road all is good!! Or so we thought.

After about 45 minutes I thought I should be recognizing the area as I have traveled that road many times. My son pulled out the map, and couldnt find anything I was looking for. We then discovered I did NOT get on 81 but 80!!! How I did that is still a mystery, dyslexia, excitement or most likely pure stupidity.

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THE ADVENTURE BEGINS

 For those not familiar, 80 traverses PA E-W across what I would say the upper half of the state. 81 is N-S. As soon as we realized we were on the WRONG road, BAM!!!!!!!!! Front tire on the trailer blows. Pull off the side of the road, collect our thoughts and nerves for a minute. I will call AAA, after all thats why I pay over $200 a year for premium coverage.    My coverage does not include the RV package so NO DICE. Plan B. Unload the car drive it and limp home with the trailer. My son does not drive a stick (YET) so I took the reigns of the new GTO. He followed in the truck with a lame trailer. 3 tires are better than two, right. We got of the interstate and started south at the next exit. Filled the GTO with gas as it had very little from the dealership and made our at 45 mph, not wanting to press our luck with the trailer, plus any speed above that and the bad tire was bouncing the beast undesirably. Somehow I found RT 61 south. I knew that way from working in Schylkill county as the road well traveled. So we hit that. About an hour later we went through Frackville (which was a piece of coals throw from Ringtown where I had worked) So at that point I finally knew where we were. Still about 2 1/2 hours form home though. The rest of the way went without a hitch, got a little nerve wracking when it became dark as I could no longer keep a good look on my son behind me, only his headlights blinding me in the mirror. Rolled into the garage about 10:30 pm. 

 

Epilogue: A couple of things learned (actually I knew better to begin with) Take a spare tire for the trailer. Both of my trailers have spares, jacks and wrenches for just such an event. When I borrowed this one, I was a bit leary, but we checked the tires and they looked ok. 

My phone (I did take a car charger to keep it on full power) was acting wonky on the way up and Wayze would not load. My son used his Iphone for the maps and directions going. He did NOT take a charger as his phone typically will stay charged a couple of days. He did not anticipate having to use it for the map. That sucked out all the life and by the time the trailer crapped out he was down to 5% charge. SO, while we were in the 'caravan' we had only dire emergency communication. I pulled over a few times so we could touch base and make sure things were ok. SO make sure every one has a phone charger.

And, make sure your over priced, only times you have ever called and it didnt cover the situation, AAA service plan, will cover any problems you may have. 

 

I will post pics once I get them downloaded.

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I like your old-school methodology. Maps and brains. Navigation is making people stupid.

 

I try hard to get to places  I’ve been once before without using navigation. However, I will admit that if I’ve never been somewhere before, or if I really have to be there on time. I will use navigation.

 

It’s a good thing you didn’t get on 80 W.

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