The Tranz-america motorcar rally is organized by the Endurance Rally Association, the home of the Peking to Paris Rally.
The Rally commences on the 7th June 2015 from Halifax in Nova Scotia and travels for 22 days across the top of America and into and out of Canada, ending on the 28th June in San Francisco.
The event is from sea to shining sea through the spectacular sights of the “land of the free and the home of the brave.”
There are three categories of entrant,namely.
Vintageant cars pre 1941, 6 entrants.
Classic cars to 3000cc pre 1975, 21 entrants, and
Classic Cars over 3000cc pre 1975, 15 entrants.
Stephen Partridge and Corgi La Grouw will, after having endured the Peking to Paris rally in 2013, in a 1958 series 2 Morris Oxford (AKA Denise) finishing 17th overall and 10th in their class, now attempt to do well in this 2nd Tranz-America rally in a 1961 Ford Galaxie Sunliner, drop-top. (AKA Betty)
This is a beautiful car in excellent condition which Steve purchased some 9 months ago and is currently stationed in Cleveland, Ohio. He is commencing work on it to bring it up to standard for rallying when he leaves our shores on Saturday 2nd May 2015. The car will have the running gear dismantled and refitted with new parts such as bearings, shocks, wheels, tyres, seatbelts, etc. It will be fitted with the mandatory equipment and with the electronics required to ensure finishing well, trip meters, GPS’s etc. Under the very careful planning undertaken by Steve to ensure only the highest standards, as can be attested in the results of the Peking to Paris Rally results. His is a “nothing left to chance”strategy”. It worked the last time and will again. Steve is a perfectionist in every aspect of his life, but with cars specifically and there is no way that anything will be left to chance. Some of you may not believe this……. but its true! After completing the transformation, Steve and Corgi will travel north to trial the car, through New York and other destinations to arrive in Nova Scotia, “ready to rally”.
The car has a 3524cc V8 engine and will remain a standard unit as produced by the Ford factory when it was built in 1961. It will not be modified with the exception of having standard 15 inch Ford rims fitted instead if 14 inch wheels. Its the type of car that anyone of our age group should have toured the USA in when were in our teens or early twenties. But, alas…………..
There are quite a few competitors from the Peking to Paris entered into this rally so it will be great to catch up with people that have the same “Bug” as us. The adventure trip will take us through areas such as Quebec City, Niagara Falls, Grand rapids, Idaho Falls, Reno and of course San Francisco. 22 days and destinations in all. It’’ll be fantastic, and we will make it so, for us, anyway. We will keep all of you who are interested updated on a day to day, leg by leg basis as to the progress made and of course photographic shots of the incidents and events as they occur. We hope that those that follow this adventure with us will enjoy the journey also.
Itll be great fun so, enjoy the trip!
gravel travel 