[Marks63PontiacGasser]

A very dedicated Pontiac nut/friend here in the Phoenix area started a Pontiac club. He's very much into exploring old abandoned roadways and bridges/tunnels. Plus with so many mountains and canyons there are alot of crashed cars that went over the sides of the cliffs and left to rust. He travels a lot of these highways so he's spotted many cars and roadways. Last week Tuesday we got 4 of us together and went exploring. Our destintion was the Salt River Canyon. Along the way we walked the old highway in several places. Explored part of an old town that had been abandoned, and once arriving at the canyon (by the way he described it as a mini Grand Canyon, and it was spectacular) we climbed down a cliff to explore a '64 Chevy Super Sport and a '58 Pontiac Cheiftain Convertable. This is one of the roads we walked.

Then when we arrived at the canyon we pulled off on the roadside to look at the canyon. I crossed the road and climbed the cliff on the otherside to get this shot of the cars and canyon together. We were driving a '74 Pontiac Bonneville and a '66 GTO with a car dolly on it for later use.

This pic is a better view of the canyon from that same spot.

This is looking to the bottom from about half way down, in the canyon.

More on the next post. Mark L

 

[Marks63PontiacGasser]

We went one more switch back down into the canyon and pulled off. That is where the cars were over the cliff. That is the '64 Chevy behind Steve the founder of the club. He's holding up the hood and you can see the Chevy behind him.

Once I got all the way down to the Chevy and then the Pontiac, I was about done. So I crawled, slipped, climbed, slipped and belly slid all the way back to the top. Steve and Todd, another member, went all the way to the bottom to discover two more cars and an old shed. This is looking down at the Pontiac. You can see just a spec of red in the middle of the cliff. The Pontiac was about half way down.

Then we continued to the bottom and went on the bridge. There is an old bridge kept for walking on and the new one next to it. You can see the two side by side on the previous pic of the bottom of the canyon.

One of the things I really wanted to do once I got down here was to explore the state. This was my chance to start the exploring. Great bunch of guys, great old cars to ride in and wonderful scenery. Just loved it. Steve has a Pontiac car collection--500 cars??? He's built a nostalgic Pontiac Powered front engine dragster, making over 3000 HP. He is also builting a more traditional Altered Wheelbase Car. A '66 GTO. So I gave him our link for the board and told him to check in and join. I know you guys will love his build. I hope you guys enjoy the pics as much as I enjoyed getting them.

Mark L

 

[Marks63PontiacGasser]

Had to add one more pic. This is probably the torque converter from the Chevy, it's bured in the rocks of the cliff. Must have been laying on the rocks when they slid down the cliff???

I thought it was pretty interesting.
Mark L

 

[19mach69]

Pretty cool. I have a similar find last week here in mass. Ill post a new thread. I love doing auto archaeological. hikes.

 

[OpelGasser]

...... Once I got all the way down to the Chevy and then the Pontiac, I was about done. So I crawled, slipped, climbed, slipped and belly slid all the way back to the top. ..... I hope you guys enjoy the pics as much as I enjoyed getting them.....He is also builting a more traditional Altered Wheelbase Car. A '66 GTO...... Mark L

Hey Mark.... Now that's a picture I would like to see !!!! HA!!!!

Nice that you have connected with some "Poncho-Lovers" like yourself!!!!

Last Summer I met a couple of hot rodders (by selling chopper stuff on Craigs List) and since we have been the "best of friends". In fact one of them (Joe) got me a part-time job working for a tire/auto repair shop just outside of downtown Pittsburgh.

Joe has been a life-long hot rodder & motorcycle/chopper owner/builder and has lots of "toys" and talented hot rod friends who have offered their help & advice when I finally getting around to working on Opel.

Don't think I have seen any "altered wheelbase projects" here. I have always loved those cars. There are a few of them that show up at cruises/shows around here.

 

[Str8axle]

I love exploring. Especially when abandoned cars are involved!!! I've been wanting to do a hike of sorts also. Been wanting to check out the abandoned section of the Pa. Turnpike which is complete with a couple tunnels. Prolly do it in the spring.

 

[1937Austin]

Thanks for the great post Mark! Love the pictures too!
This is the perfect time of year for getting out and looking around, since some of us have nasty winter weather that prohibits driving our hotrods. I've never been to Arizona, but it's on my bucket list!

 

[Marks63PontiacGasser]

The scenery can be breathtaking. Too hot in the summer but this time of year it is superb. If you can ever get to the Grand Canyon. You'll never forget it. I keep thinking about the poor pioneers. Trudging along for months, over mountains and down into valleys, but always trudging ahead. And then--WHAMMO!!! They hit the rim of the Grand Canyon. I can hear them now---WHAT THE f%$k, WHO THE HELL PUT THIS HERE. OK, EVERYBODY, WE'RE GOING BACK TO ILLINOIS WHERE IT'S FLAT!!!! I think if it had been me, I think I would have jumped off. HA!! Mark L

 

[1937Austin]

That's probably why the northern route on the Oregon Trail was so popular! Rugged mountains, but nothing as daunting as the Grand Canyon to traverse!

 

[19mach69]

Oregon just has the obsidian and basalt fields to cross. Great on your wagon wheels! I had a lot of fun in Arizona with my cousin. He lived in Tucson and on christmas day one year we went driving through the desert to shoot guns. All we needed was a sweatshirt because the weather was so awesome.

 

[mt94ss]

Mark, that's my kind of archeology! What a cool trip and great shots. I couldn't find the convertible. It's like 'Where's Waldo'.

I saw a thread on the HAMB that showed piles and piles of old cars that were pushed into a valley. I tried to find it again, but couldn't. It was around R-66 somewhere, I think.

Mike

 

[Str8axle]

Mike, have you seen the pix of the cars being used to stop river bank erosion? There's a lot of those shots on the HAMB

 

[mt94ss]

Mike, have you seen the pix of the cars being used to stop river bank erosion? There's a lot of those shots on the HAMB

That sounds like what I saw. Where did they do that?

Edit: that's not the one I was thinking about.

 

[Str8axle]

I think it was Kansas or something like that. I'll look later for the link.

 

[rlbutcher]

Auto arceological by Mark

Hey Mark, You are doing what i like to do.I have some pics here that i took in an adjoining county, of an old bridge, thought they were going to tear it down and replce it with moddern concrete but they just closed it down for a while and repaired it. Man it sure looks like fun where you guys went. Ya know i have been on old rt 60 across NM and AZ all the way to Springerville and Show Low. I'm wanting to travel 60 from Show LOw to Phoenix. Looks like a lot of beautiful country on that road.

 

[rlbutcher]

And here is some pics of an old sign ,almost gone, on a barn.

 

[rlbutcher]

Hey Mark , I just thought of something, up in Springerville there's a junk yard at the intersection of East Maricopa Dr. and rt 180 and 191(they both run together) I saw several 60's cars in there. There were some pontiacs also. Google in on it and you can set down next to it. Might be something you would want to check out sometime.