Tentative NCM and Plant Tour

[92RAGTOP]

NATIONAL CORVETTE MUSEUM AND PLANT TOUR INFO
NEEDED
A number of club members have expressed interest in planning a visit to the Nat’l. Corvette Museum (NCM)/Factory Tour. If we do this in 2006 we should start planning now. I know many of you have already been there and I’m drawing on this knowledge to help plan the trip. There are some very basic questions that have to be answered before we begin planning a trip like this;
• How many people will be going? Of course we are not expecting any type of commitment at this point; but need to know how many would seriously consider making this trip?
• Car trip? The NCM is about 13 hours 800 miles from Willow Grove. How many days did your trip take? How many days were you there?
• Cost? 800 miles one way 22 MPG at $3.25 (projected) = $117 for gas each way. Add 4 nights lodging aprox $85 per/night as well as $40 per/person a day for food. This adds up to at least $1000 per couple for a 5 day four night trip. Still interested?
• Was the trip you made rain or shine?

These are some very basic questions there are many more things to consider please feel free to post them here. Any advice or information would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance Don

[Joel Fellman]

Don:
Bruce Waldron is the best one to contact. I know he planned our first trip there in 5/96 & I'm fairly sure he planned the 2nd. We went by luxury bus & Jerry, the driver, still works for Hagey Motor Transport because he was the driver on our last trip to the AC Car Show & Casinos in Feb! Both trips were 5 days with approx. 40+ attendees. The price then was under $500. If some members want to drive, that's fine, but for those that do not, perhaps a mini bus could be rented for the rest? Just a thought.
Joel
ps: By bus the weather doesn't really matter. But I wouldn't want to make the trip in the Vette, especially in bad weather! Remember last years Indy? If we had driven our Vettes there, they'd still be drying out - if they survived the tornados!?!

[Glennm27]

I would like to go not matter how we do it BUT I have mentioned to you (Don) that I would NOT drive my Corvette that far....

I could however help plan the trip for the club logistically if you do plan to drive.

I could easily plan 2 routes (scenic and shortest) and plan motels along the way and at BG.. I'd be glad to HELP with all that....

Joel also has a good idea there for those that would want to go BUT do not want to drive their Corvettes......

[jim4242]

I am interested, however, I agree that I don't want to drive the vette that many miles. The bus trip that was mentioned may be a good idea. Normally I don't care for bus trips but this one could be fun. Which ever way it works out I will mosy likely be in.

Jim

[hcvone]

I drove down and back in my 2000 Vette, it is too far to drive in a Vette in my opinion

[GoVetteGo]

Originally posted by hcvone
I drove down and back in my 2000 Vette, it is too far to drive in a Vette in my opinion

I agree 100%! I think I'd be up for a bus trip. Don't think it's too practical to drive the 76 that far.

[92RAGTOP]

Let me throw something else out there. How about flying? I'm finding round trip prices of between $250 and $300 from Phila. to Nashville,Tenn, which is about 60 miles from Bowling Green. Of course we cannot purchase the tickets this far ahead of time and with the price of fuel who knows how much they'll be by the spring of 2006. However if we could get tix at that price we could cut our hotel and food cost in half by flying. Leave Friday am return Sunday pm. Not to mention 2 hours on a plane as opposed to 14 in a bus. Once in Nashville we would need to rent vehicles to get us to the NCM.
WHADDAYATHINK?

[Rich Dunbar]

Don,

I went with a group from CCDV back in 2001 in my C5. We attended a Corvette Pace Car Reunion in Indy, and then headed to the museum.

We stopped the first night in Ohio, then continued on to Indy. Spent two nights in Indy, then on to the museum for more Pace Car Reunion events. Along the way we sould stop every 90 minutes to 2 hours to stay fresh. I drove back from the museum to home in one day, with a side trip to Altoona to drop off a passenger. It was a long day, but who can complain about a long day behind the wheel of a Vette? I'm pretty sure the rest of the group took 2 days to return.

We hoped for good weather all the way, but wound up driving in the rain for part of the trip. No one seemed to mind, except for Frank & JoAnn in their C4 (slight T-Top leak). The trip was all C4s and C5s, with a pickup at the rear for supplies and extra luggage.

The trip your are discussing sounds like fun, whether its planes, trains, or automobiles. Good luck putting it all together. Let me know if you have any other questions.

[Glennm27]

Flying sounds good too.

Carboman & I have already spoken a few times about doing it that way.

[JT-C6]

I've driven there 3 times in my C5 each time. It is a lot of fun being out there with your car. It is Corvette city. You will definitely wish you had your car there once you're there. I recommend you guys go during an NCM event. I've gone out there for the C5 birthday bash, labor day celebration, and the Corvetteforum cruise-in. There is so much more camaraderie and fun things to do when there is something bigger going on. The museum usually has some Corvette celebrities at those events too for autographs and speeches too.

There's probably 2 good highway ways to go. And of course, if you're going via backroads, the possibilities are endless. I drove through the PA TPK into MD, into WV, over into KY. I stopped on the way out in WV each time overnight and drove straight through to get home each time. Straight through is a little more than 12 hours dependent on your speed. I was doing a steady 90+ through WV for hours at some points which was fun but risky.

You could plan for the October C3 extravaganza event for this year or wait until the spring for the C5/C6 birthday bash.

I don't recommend going when there's nothing going on. Its gets really quiet around there even before and after a big event and it seems like a boring town otherwise.

[92RAGTOP]

That's good advice JT. Unfortunately I don't think we could pull it off for this October, folks need more time to arrange vacations, hotels, etc... The C3 extravaganza sounds like a blast. Maybe we can plan a trip around one of these 2006 NCM events:

C5/C6 Birthday Bash
April 20 - 22
ZR-1 / C4 Gathering
May 4 - 6
Corvette Forum Cruise-in
May 25 - 27
Z06 Fest
July 20 - 22

Anniversary Celebration/HOF
August 31 - September 3
Camaro/Firebird Invasion
September 14 -16
R8C Xperience Reunion
September 28 - 30
C3 Extravaganza
October 12-14

Personally I would enjoy driving out in my C4 . I've taken it on much longer trips and enjoyed every mile. Like my Daughter, Becky said when we drove our C4 from Austin, Texas to Phila. to scout colleges, " It's like playing a video game for 24 hours". I could not have said it any better.

There is no reason why we cannot do both. Those that wish to fly can hook up in Bowling Green with those that wish to drive.

[Glennm27]

I have always wanted to make the Corvetteforum Cruise in but it ALWAYS ends up being the same weekend as the Indy 500.

One of these years I'm gonna try to squeeze both events in.... :D

.. and you're right JT, I have always thought I'd get down there and kick myself if I showed up without my Corvette. BUT I just can't see myslef driving that C5 for 1800 miles....... (round trip)

[92RAGTOP]

I'm was surprised to hear you say that Glenn. I just assumed that the C5 was a much more comfortable touring car then the C4. I've driven my C4 from Tx. to Pa. round trip twice and to Fla. round trip twice. After each trip both my Wife and myself have always commented on how it is the most comfortable riding car we've ever owned. However we are die hard road trip people. We've have always enjoyed the drive as much as the destination.

[Glennm27]

I think I am a tad too tall to drive the C5 comfortably for that long...... although the Cuise Control might help some.

The drive down I-79 in WV is spectacular, so the cruise WOULD be fun and I would like to do it, but in a different car.....

[92RAGTOP]

Your Monte Carlo is pretty comfortable and roomy, that should do the trick.
FYI Bryner found a fried ECM on my 92. It seems as if an aftermarket cooling kit was installed on it and sent a unwanted voltage back into the ECM frying the drivers. I'm surprised because I installed the same kit on my 90, it's a must in Texas type weather. The ECM was not effected in the 90 but who knows? Bryner put a new one in which turned out to be bad out of the box. They have a new one on order maybe I'll get Barbie's dream car home by Thursday.

[Joel Fellman]

Hey Glenn:
Do it in our '76! You'll be forever thankful you have a C-5. As John T. said, our year's do not make for pleasureful long distance commutes! I think they're reliable enough for the trip, just not comfortable enough. Plus the lack of space would require use of a luggage rack. I have a portable one that's fine but it's cumbersome & a pain in the butt to put on & off.
I'm up for the bus or plane or Glenn's Vette.
Joel

[92RAGTOP]

I called Hagey Coach for an estimate, I'll post it when they call back. But in the meantime here is another option.

[92RAGTOP]

I got the estimate from Hagey Coach;
Just to give you an idea of some rates on a 47-passenger motorcoach in October of 2006.
Going early Thursday morning and straight through to Bowling Green, Ky with a layover for three nights, the rate would be $5650.00. This would allow for local touring on Friday and Saturday. Early Sunday morning depart for home. Meal and safety/rest stops both ways. A driver switch would take place somewhere just short of Pittsburgh, Pa on both going to and coming home from Bowling Green.
These rates are not locked in at this time for a trip that far away unless a deposit is given. We would have some careful watching of fuel rates for a trip that far out from todays date.

[Doug Bereczki]

I'm with JT-C5. There is not much going on when there isn't an event taking place.
I was just down there on August 12th. I toured the plant with my wife and son in the morning. In the afternoon my son and I visited the museum. It was a great way to spend a day. Without an event going on I can't see spending any more than a day there.
Also, even though there wasn't an event, I missed not having my Vette there. If we go as a club I would prefer to drive my Vette.

[92RAGTOP]

I'm kinda leaning towards the C5/C6 Birthday Bash April 20 - 22. The Corvette Forum Gathering sounds cool but like Glenn I'll be at the 500 and the C3 extravaganza in Oct is too long to wait.
I'm with you Doug filler up throw a coat of wax on her and head on out.
I've taken my Vette to the 500 a couple of times. Tooling around Indy that weekend was a good feeling and after watching the race I had a real hard time keeping it at the speed limit on the 11 hr ride home.

[JT-C6]

As I said, and I'm glad many are in agreement, the events are the way to go. The C5/C6 birthday bash will be in April. Its a good event with dinners planned, impromptu hotel parking lot BBQ's, daily events and GM celebrities. I even got to eat dinner with Dave Hill at that event. Click on the thumbnails for images. If you guys drive out, I will try and make the run too. I'm going in a Corvette or not at all. I would miss out on too much of the experience without it.

I have a newborn now, but the dust will settle by springtime hopefully...

http://img363.imageshack.us/img363/959/dcp05931yl.th.jpg (http://img363.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dcp05931yl.jpg)

http://img358.imageshack.us/img358/5466/dcp05860dd.th.jpg (http://img358.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dcp05860dd.jpg)

[92RAGTOP]

I'm thinking that we can begin plans to attend the C5/C6 Birthday Bash April 20/22. I'm driving, the weather will be a determining factor as to whether I go. If TWC calls for rain that weekend and that is the rainy season in that part of the country I may bail.
If there is a group that wants to fly out I would be happy to help with the arrangements. As far as the bus goes unless those that wish to go via bus can get a large group together to bring down the individual cost it would probably be cheaper to fly not to mention more comfortable.
Anyhow this is great, we know a lot more now than we did before, that's the great thing about this club. We've got a wealth of knowledge within our ranks. W'ell have at least 7 months to put something together for those who are interested.

[Silver O Six]

I have been to both the plant and the museum
and it's worth the trip no matter how ya get there.
We flew to nashville and rented a car for the hour drive.
At that time(march05) the flight was only $145 and car
about $60. You may want to check out US scare or they call themselves US air. Count me in to go!

[92RAGTOP]

W'ell start putting this together sometime in the Fall. We should plan ahead I imagine Hotels, plant tours and flights can get booked pretty quickly in Bowling Green when the NCM has a major event.
It looks as if we may have 2 groups going out one by car one by air.