With the help of our friends at Copart, we bought a NYC Taxi with 375,000 miles on the clock for $800 (before fees, shipping, fixing everything, putting an Atari in the back seat, the usual). It appears to be in good running order, and our plan is to drive it from New York City to Los Angeles this weekend. If you’re in the United States, there’s a chance to come see me, Jason, Otto, and Griffin along the way, starting in Queens tomorrow afternoon. I’ll write down the plan below, or you can skip ahead to the non-narrative description.
It’s a somewhat ridiculous ask to have people meet you anywhere in New York City at 5:00 PM on a Wednesday, let alone to see an NV200 cab, given that there are still at least dozens of them on the streets of Manhattan. Because we’re committed to the bit, we actually bought a taxi meter from Taxi Depot and had them program it to the correct New York City fares circa 2025.
Because it’s a fun group at Taxi Depot, and because they have a little taxi museum in their shop, they’ve agreed to let us have a few readers over to hang out after they close and check out their wares (you can buy yourself a Euro-American rooflight) at 5:00 PM on Wednesday night. Specifically, the address is 2450 47th Street in Astoria, Queens, and our plan is to be there with the taxi by around 5:00 PM, depending on traffic. I’m taking a separate car, so I’ll get there a little early. The goal is to hang out for an hour or two, pick up a few last-minute items, and then head to our sleeping arrangements so we can get up early the next morning to…
Drive to Plain City, Ohio, and the Der Dutchman Cruise-In event. This is a car meet next to the Der Dutchman farm restaurant in Plain City, near Columbus, and it’s a classic cruise-in show that requires no fee or registration. Just show up and eat your face off while also talking about cars. If the taxi hasn’t already bit the dust by this point, we suspect we’ll get to the cruise-in by 6:00 PM
Following that, we’ll be at the Volkswagen Funfest in Effingham, Illinois, at some point Friday night. We have no plans for the next morning, but my guess is that we’ll go wander around the show for a bit, and that’ll be the best time to join us. You can always email me or reach out on Discord (or in the comments) for more details.
The rest of the trip is a little more up in the air. We plan to have breakfast in Lawrence, Kansas, but haven’t decided where. It feels like bad luck to plan more than a few days in advance (I haven’t even booked hotel rooms yet). Either way, we’re looking forward to seeing a few of you along the way. Here are the details in an easier-to-parse format:
Meetup #1:
When: Wednesday, June 18th @ 5:00 PM
Where: Taxi Depot in NYC
Address: 2450 47th Street in Astoria, Queens
What: Hang out, look at the cab, try to fix whatever we’ve broken.
Meetup #2:
When: Thursday, June 19th @ 6:00 PMish
Where: Der Dutchman Cruise-In
Address: 445 Jefferson Ave, Plain City, OH 43064
What: Look at cars and eat pie
Meetup #3:
When: Saturday, June 21st
Where: VW Midwest Funfest @ Mid America Motorworks
Address: 2800 N 3rd St, Effingham, IL 62401
What: Follow Jason around as he identifies every Volkswagen.
When (if) we make it as far as Effingham I’ll start updating the rest of the trip and getting more hotel rooms.
Top Image of Otto Von Bismarck: Public Domain/Wiki
Address: 2800 N 3rd St, Effingham, IL 62401
Dude, what is it with you folks and effing ham? Is this Torch’s doing? Is it a Jewish thing?
Well, I’m from Utica, and I’ve never heard anyone use the phrase “effing hams.”
I’m going to be in Columbus on Saturday. Seems like there’s a decent chance you’ll be two days behind schedule on your first day. If so, I’ll drop by.
Are you SUUUUUUUURE you don’t wanna swing a little further south and come through Oklahoma? Our abysmal roads can really put the taxi to the test, and you could travel some of Route 66!
I live in NY (not NYC) but will actually be near LA, in Torrance, on the 24th. Are you going to finish the trip at Galpin? That would be a bit of a hike after hammering on a supplier all day.
I’ll be on my way home from Kansas City on Thursday, so I’m planning on stopping at the Ohio meetup spot before getting all the way back to Michigan. Hopefully the taxi makes it!
If you manage to actually make it all the way to Colorado I may just have to brave a trip to Denver to attend the meetup. Here’s to hoping the van (and the fleshy meat bags within) survive the trek!
Bummer, both stops in the Midwest are almost 5 hours away from me! I would love to see the forlorn little cab in person.
Well, I was expecting that, around this time, we would have a meetup in Brazil once David arrived here in his Grand Cherokee.
I believe that he canned that plan, so, I will try to coordinate a future business trip to US at the same time another Autopian meetup happens, if possible.
What I don’t think will happen, unfortunately.
Cannot believe this thing isn’t going to make a lap around the Indianapolis Motor Speedway…..or at least one of the Speedway parking lots.
I live 10 minutes from Der Dutchman! Sounds like I need to fire up my Triumph TR6 and head over Thursday night.
I’m in the KC area and would love a chance to meet you guys! I know you’re looking at Lawrence Saturday morning, but if you wanna swing by a scooter shop in Overland Park, Kansas Friday night or Saturday morning I could arrange a little taxi meet with one of our LTI TXIIs.
Waiting for the update to learn where to find you on the 23rd, if the cab makes it that far.
Denver -> Vegas is a 12 hour drive on a good day…you may want to break that up with a stop in SLC. It will add 2 hours overall, but means that you only do 8 hours from DEN -> SLC, and 6 hours from SLC -> LAS.
This may be particularly important, as temps will likely be in the triple digits for much of this stretch, and you’ll be cresting a boatload of > 6000′ mountain passes.
Plus, that way I have an opportunity to check out this masterpiece in person.
Just between you, me, and the lamp post, there’s no shame in having a chase car. Have fun!
Sadly, Effingham is quite the hike from the northern tip of Illinois, so I’ll be missing that VW show. I’ll make it up with a Chicago reader meet soon! 🙂
Ah you’re driving right by me in PA! I’d be happy to send you on the road with some homemade pierogies and a case or two of Yuengling if you need to take a break from what I presume is going to be a miserable driving experience haha. 3 Hours from NYC!
Yeah, I can be in New Stanton PA in about an hour. Stop by the Cracker Barrel or Sheetz for a bite to eat.
Since you’ll be driving up 95 if you want to stop at exit 152 in VA I’ll buy everyone ice cream
Please tell me you cleaned the interior
It appears Torch covered the mold with vinyl seat covers XD
oh right, the guy who chainsawed toxic batteries…I suppose my expectations should be tempered 🙂
Are you going to share any more details on the route so some of us can at least honk as you pass by, maybe try to flag the cab down and then act disappointed when it speeds by?
Otto (not-his-real-face)!
We’re just lucky they found a public domain image of an appropriately youthful von Bismarck and spared us Jason’s face distorted and ‘shopped onto a teenage body.
oh man, that could have been terrifying lol
Otto grew up so fast!
Awesome! Really eager to see the taxi in person 🙂
And please, please, please leave the meter running for the whole trip for extra hilarity. You should do a “guess the fare” contest!
Oh, that’s coming.
And a Cross Cabriolet Copart Cab Cross Country Cavort Cost Contest grand prize?
Just give both of them to JATCO Xtronic CVT (the commenter). Can’t turn them down without breaking the bit…
I thought prizes are supposed to be rewarding.
As I said in the kickoff thread – if you guys 1. survive and 2. are on the way back, take the I-20 corridor and hold an Autopian meet in my driveway in Atlanta!
I was under the impression that once they reached LA they’d be flying home and the taxi would take up semipermanent residence in the Galpin lot.
I’m sure Beau is positively thrilled about the prospect.
Please tell me David at least gave him the pick of the Jeep cats…
I thought David was starting to regret shipping crappy cars to California. So he’s doing it again?
I have the popcorn ready for this one!
Good luck and God Speed. And may the Gods of Nissan CVTs smile upon you.
We all are looking forward to hearing about your journey ( And the ensuing breakdowns) 😉