Advice on route from Maine border + any Caravan's to join?

[Redshft]

Hello. This is my first post here (been on RX8 and RX7 clubs for years) so forgive me if I just jump right in.

I'm located in Halifax, Nova Scotia, and I just registered for the DGRR (and I'm working on a couple of local friends to come as well.)
I've got about a 5 or 6 hour drive to get from Halifax to the Maine border. From that point on, I'm lost and at the mercy of Google Maps and my TomTom.

I'm asking for anybody with local knowledge for any advice they can shed on best routes from there to get to the event. (Or any groups we could fall in with on the way.)
Playing with Google Maps, Streets & Trips etc. looks like we could make it somewhere into Connecticut or New York State on the first day with out killing my self (but it would be a long day.)
Any input on the best routes? Caravan's?

Thanks for reading, and thanks in advance for any advice.

Edit: Should mention I am still up in the air on targeting a Thursday or Friday arrival.

[TitaniumTT]

Well, I know the ME coast fairly well and having been there and back 4 times in as many months, I can tell you that from Rockland ME you're definately going to want to hop on RT1, to 295, to 95 right at the NH border. Follow that for about an hour then pick up 495 to avoid Boston. 495 intersects 90, the Mass Pike, be careful on the Mass Pike, well patrolled, OVER patrolled.... 90 runs into 84, take that to the Charter Oak Bridge and it'll dump you on 91S. Follow that for maybe 20minutes until you start to see signs for RT 15, Merrit Parkway, around exit 17 I believe. Take the Merrit Pkwy as far as you want.

We're leaving from Stamford, CT Thursday morning and making the trip down in one shot. We'll be taking 95, 287, 78, 81, etc etc. The Merrit runs right into 287.

[Redshft]

Wow, great post. Thank you.
Actually, Stamford was one of our leading candidates for a stopover point.
We may just want to meet up with you if you don't mind some Canadians (hopefully more than me) tagging along.

[TitaniumTT]

Not at all, smaller caravans are awesome. If you plan on stopping over in Stamford I can point you in the direction of some nice hotels.... some SECURE hotels.

Which rotary are you bringing and can ya make the 14 hr trip on Thurs?

[Redshft]

You read my mind on my next question. Secure parking (at a reasonable cost) was my next concern.

14Hr's in a day doesn't phase me too much (I travel a lot for work, and driving 4 hours, having 4 or 5 hours of meetings, then driving another 4 hours home is common.)
I'll talk it over this weekend (with my better half, and with the potential other car or two who are coming) and see what they think.

I would be bringing the RX8. The RX7 is WAY past being street legal (full cage, no headlights, no dash, no side glass etc.)
Heading in a couple of hours to help a friend of mine put his car back together. If we can get it all done, he and his wife plan to come too. (93 R1 w/ street port and an ASpec GT35.) Well, the engine is sitting on a stand right now, but should be in the car by tonight. Then just need to plumb it all, install the V-mount, front bumper, and fuel pump and tune the PowerFC... wow... I better get off the internet and get to work...

[TitaniumTT]

Originally Posted by Redshft

You read my mind on my next question. Secure parking (at a reasonable cost) was my next concern.

The problem is, Stamford seems to think of itself as a little New York City and the prices of parking are not the greatest. There are a few hotels in the city that have thier own gated lot that is under constant supervision. Can't really get any better than that. The two that come to mind are the Courtyard by Marriot right in downtown, and around the corner is a Holiday Inn Express. You can save a bunch of coin by going up to Danbury, Newtown, Bethel (slightly different route- just stay on 84, stay in CT, and the next day we can meet up in Jersey around 10ish) You can save a little on the room, but to my knowledge, there is no secure parking becuase there really isn't the need for it.

Originally Posted by Redshft

14Hr's in a day doesn't phase me too much (I travel a lot for work, and driving 4 hours, having 4 or 5 hours of meetings, then driving another 4 hours home is common.)
I'll talk it over this weekend (with my better half, and with the potential other car or two who are coming) and see what they think.

Cool. There is a MONSTER caravan leaving from Jersey @ 8 on Thursday, I believe that's about 15 cars strong. That's a little large and there's bound to be problems, more frequent gas stops, communication sufferes etc etc. If you head down with us, there will be 3, 4 if your buddy joins, and I'm talking to a few other guys in NY/NJ and if they all go, we'll be up to 8 which is a good number I think.

Originally Posted by Redshft

I would be bringing the RX8. The RX7 is WAY past being street legal (full cage, no headlights, no dash, no side glass etc.)

That might actually be more fun on the dragon, but the 56 hours for you to get there and back might suck a tad bit more. Hell, I madef the trip down and back last year with my race seats and harnesses, this year will done with seatbelts and RX8 seats. Hopefully I don't regret that on the dragon.

Originally Posted by Redshft

Heading in a couple of hours to help a friend of mine put his car back together. If we can get it all done, he and his wife plan to come too. (93 R1 w/ street port and an ASpec GT35.) Well, the engine is sitting on a stand right now, but should be in the car by tonight. Then just need to plumb it all, install the V-mount, front bumper, and fuel pump and tune the PowerFC... wow... I better get off the internet and get to work...

My car came off the rotisserie yesterday so I have a little wiring to do, full assembly of an entire car, some re-wiring, repair/repaint to a hood. My partners car is coming to my shop tomorrow for a full paint job and then we need to assemble that entire car, and rebuild the engine...... stop complaining But yeah, I better get off the internet too.

[Redshft]

All sounds great. Hoping to get go/no go's from a couple of folks in the next few days, and then we'll know where we're leaving, what route we can take and who we can meet up with.

Made good progress today. Engine and transmission are in the car. Starter, clutch slave, power steering, new fuel pump, water pump and all of that stuff back on.

UPS had the turbo kit "out for delivery" all day yesterday without actually trying to deliver, so we're hoping he'll see that on Monday. Then just need to get the VMount in, plumb the fuel system, do all the fluids and tune it.. plus the half dozen things I'm sure I'm not thinking of yet. But, seems like much less then you have to worry about. Depends how much time he plans to spend with his kids over the next few weeks I guess...

[TitaniumTT]

Any updates on the caravan down?

[Redshft]

You are reading my mind. I was trying to plan out the trip last night. Just waiting to hear back from one more person on my end and was going to drop you a message this weekend.
Currently our plan is to try to meet up with you guys in Stamford or vicinity on Thursday morning and do the haul down.
FD is coming along well and we think we'll be able to start it this weekend to give him a week of shakedown to determine if he's up for tackling the trip or not. (All that's left is some electrical, put the intake manifold on, run vacuum and fill up the fluids, put the bumper, hood, undertray etc. on but the car has been sitting for almost 2 years, so who knows what will happen once it rolls.)
Better half and me in the RX8 are for sure. Friend and his wife in FD are for sure if this weekend goes well... still waiting to hear 100% on a friend and his FC. (3 others were strongly looking into it but couldn't get the time off.)

[TitaniumTT]

Very very cool.
Right now our plan is to thrash like hell for the next 2 weeks to get these two cars done.... neither has an engine/trans/ and mine doesn't even roll yet

Leave early thurs moring, around 6ish to get through the Tap before rush hour and drive straight through. Hooking up with a buddy on his sportbike somewhere along the way and I gotta get in touch with my Jersery/New York friends and see what's going on with them. but if you're coming with 4 cars it sounds like? we'll be 7 for sure, maybe 12... COOL!

-Brian

[Redshft]

Excellent. Sounds like a plan is forming. We're aiming for the 6am start around Stamford, but will depend on accommodations. Playing on Expedia, it seems like about an hour from Stamford is about half the price. (But means getting up WAY earlier.)
Good luck on getting yours done. I've been there with my race FC. I had it in a car show (display for our race series) a few years ago about 2 weeks after it being pretty much a shell sitting on jackstands. Had to roll it in with an old set of 4 bolt hubs back on it (my 5 bolt conversion was lost in shipping) and vice grips clamping off the brake lines that didn't fit the old 4 bolt calipers.. actually used my drip trays that weekend.
I've got faith you can do it. We can sort out some details in the next few days as I get people to focus on the trip. (I'll probably PM you my email address to make it easier.)
Right now, baring a disaster (it is an FD afterall) we are 2 cars for sure, with I'd put it at 50% odds on adding a 3rd car (FC Turbo)
2 more want to come but one, his "+ guest" is a Bride's Maid that weekend and he can't skip it/go without her, and the other is literally in his final week of Dental School that week. After 7 years, he's not sure he can blow off the last week of Clinic, but he's trying.

[Redshft]

Well, things are still on track for me, and I'm planning on meeting up with TitaniumTT on CT on the way down Thursday morning. Anybody else along the Nova Scotia to CT route planning to go?

The FD fired up on the first crank on Monday night, but we've been struggling with the PowerFC since then. (First time I'd ever seen one) So if we can get the FC to co-operate in time for him to put a few miles on the car, he's in too. (Looks like the other FC won't be able to make it.) Anybody out there good at remotely troubleshooting a PowerFC?

[TitaniumTT]

Originally Posted by Redshft

Excellent. Sounds like a plan is forming. We're aiming for the 6am start around Stamford, but will depend on accommodations. Playing on Expedia, it seems like about an hour from Stamford is about half the price. (But means getting up WAY earlier.)

Forgive me if some of this is repeat from the PM's but....
It depends on where you stay. If you get off 91 and hop on 84 and stay around Danbury, you wouldn't have to get up any earlier. We just wouldn't meet in Stamford, we would meet somewhere in Jersey or even better, I want to take a quick stop in PA at a friends shop. Quick cop of coffee, BS a little and get back on the rd. Anywhere along 84 is going to be cheaper than anywhere along 95 on the same basic longitude line.

Originally Posted by Redshft

Good luck on getting yours done. I've been there with my race FC. I had it in a car show (display for our race series) a few years ago about 2 weeks after it being pretty much a shell sitting on jackstands. Had to roll it in with an old set of 4 bolt hubs back on it (my 5 bolt conversion was lost in shipping) and vice grips clamping off the brake lines that didn't fit the old 4 bolt calipers.. actually used my drip trays that weekend.

Its getting frighteningly close right now. I have a basica interior but noting installed from the firewall forward. That I can take car of in about 5 hrs so I'm not concerend about that. What's bugging me is going to be the TC sensors in the rear, mounting the tranny (on todays list) and building the fuel cell. I'm not to concerned about my car, nothing short of satan himself risen up and snatching my soul and torching the car will keep me from getting her done, it's my partners car that I'm concerned about. We're REALLY behind on that.

Originally Posted by Redshft

I've got faith you can do it. We can sort out some details in the next few days as I get people to focus on the trip. (I'll probably PM you my email address to make it easier.)
Right now, baring a disaster (it is an FD afterall) we are 2 cars for sure, with I'd put it at 50% odds on adding a 3rd car (FC Turbo)
2 more want to come but one, his "+ guest" is a Bride's Maid that weekend and he can't skip it/go without her, and the other is literally in his final week of Dental School that week. After 7 years, he's not sure he can blow off the last week of Clinic, but he's trying.

Ouch, that's a bizarre set of circumstances that are keeping 2-3 from joinging.

Originally Posted by Redshft

Well, things are still on track for me, and I'm planning on meeting up with TitaniumTT on CT on the way down Thursday morning. Anybody else along the Nova Scotia to CT route planning to go?

The FD fired up on the first crank on Monday night, but we've been struggling with the PowerFC since then. (First time I'd ever seen one) So if we can get the FC to co-operate in time for him to put a few miles on the car, he's in too. (Looks like the other FC won't be able to make it.) Anybody out there good at remotely troubleshooting a PowerFC?

OK, so we've got you (1) your friends FD (2) and the FC if she cooperates (3), right? Plus me, Alex and Scott on his bike, we're 5 cars and a bike strong. That's pretty cool actually. Should be a bitching drive.