A Vespa on 66 … and other notebook items

Eric Swanger is planning on driving the length of Route 66 in a few days. What makes his trip special is he's doing it entirely on a Vespa scooter. He starts from Chicago on May 6. He e-mailed: I am keeping a blog and posting a ton of pics. For the Route 66 segment, I'm … Continue reading A Vespa on 66 … and other notebook items

Fun Run preview

This coming weekend's Fun Run, directed by the Historic Route 66 Association of Arizona, is the subject of a preview in the Kingman Daily Miner, including an extensive schedule for the event. The Fun Run, which anticipates more than 800 entrants, is a car/motorcycle cruise that winds on Route 66 from Seligman to the Topock/Golden … Continue reading Fun Run preview

Nightclub on wheels

The Route 66 Casino Hotel near Albuquerque is constantly trying promotional gimmicks to draw customers. This one, I admit, is unique. It's a miniature replica of the casino's KXX nightclub -- complete with dancers, a bar, a dance floor, lounge chairs and disco lighting -- in a self-contained, street-legal truck. The party truck recently cruised … Continue reading Nightclub on wheels

And now a word from our sponsor …

Here's an ad for the 1964 Chevrolet Impala that ran with the original "Route 66" television drama.

Parts line takes inspiration from Route 66

Navistar has introduced a new line of trucking parts called Lonestar DoubleSix Customs that takes its inspiration from the Mother Road, the company said in a news release today. The initial offering for LoneStar will feature 23 exterior parts and 17 interior parts -- including custom sunvisors, light bars and panels, exhaust, shifter accessories, door … Continue reading Parts line takes inspiration from Route 66

Mustang event takes place partly on Mother Road

The Mustang Club of America will hold its 2009 Mustangs Across America 45th Anniversary Drive on a large chunk of Route 66. The event runs from April 10-19, 2009, starting in Las Vegas and going east. The trip will take Route 66 through Arizona, New Mexico, Texas and part of Oklahoma. According to the club: … Continue reading Mustang event takes place partly on Mother Road

Dancing cars

I know very little about the background of this video, except it appears to have originated in Germany. The music is a version of "Route 66" by the Rolling Stones. Nevertheless, you'll see outstanding choreography with these vehicles. The whole exercise sort of reminds me of the famous scene with Marilyn Monroe in "Diamonds are … Continue reading Dancing cars

Hot-rod ambassador Boyd Coddington dies

Boyd Coddington, star of the "American Hot Rod" TV show and hot-rod ambassador, died at age 63 on Tuesday morning. The cause of death wasn't disclosed. However, Edmunds.com revealed that Coddington had been hospitalized since January after a fall at his home. Obituaries by the New York Times and Popular Hot Rodding provide a good … Continue reading Hot-rod ambassador Boyd Coddington dies

Route 66 Caravan schedule set

Jim Conkle and others have set a tentative schedule for the 2008 Route 66 Caravan. According to the caravan Web site, the west-to-east trek starts April 22 in Santa Monica, Calif., and ends June 17-23 at the Route 66 Festival in Litchfield, Ill. The caravan also will hit a few spots on the Mother Road … Continue reading Route 66 Caravan schedule set

Smartcar takes the 66 highway

Todd Lassa, who's blogging for Motor Trend magazine, is driving smart fortwo car models on Route 66. The dinky car was challenged by a snowstorm in Flagstaff, but it seemed to handle it OK. Near Flagstaff, in a part of Arizona that was hit with a big snow storm, smart replaced the standard 15-inch tires … Continue reading Smartcar takes the 66 highway