1.The Legacy Run: A Tribute in Motion
Some journeys begin long before the engine turns over.
This one began with a friendship, a forgotten car, and a shared love for American roads.
In the summer of 2024, I found myself standing beside a 1973 Chrysler New Yorker buried in weeds — a car that once belonged to my friend Hans Granberg, a fellow Finnish Mopar enthusiast whose passion for American automotive history matched my own. On his final visit to the United States, Hans used this Chrysler to tour across the country, especially throughout the Detroit area. He had plans to return, to drive it farther, to see more. But life had other plans.
After his passing, the car sat still. But it was never forgotten.
Bringing it back to life wasn’t just any project.
I moved to the United States for the very culture this car represents: the heritage of American engineering, the spirit of the open road, and the stories that live in chrome and steel. Reviving the Chrysler became a way to carry forward a piece of that culture.
Then came the moment that changed everything. The car was part of a multi‑vehicle crash with almost no damage, a scene that quickly went viral and reminded people of the durability and soul of classic American automobiles. Suddenly, this wasn’t just a tribute — it was a symbol of resilience, craftsmanship, and the kind of engineering that built the legends of the American road.
Now, the Chrysler is heading down from Detroit-to-Chicago-to-Route 66-to-Los Angeles-to-Monterey´s Car Week as a part of Route 66 centennial celebration.
The Legacy Run is more than a road trip. It’s a memorial in motion. It’s a way to connect past and present, to honor the people and machines that shaped our journeys, and to share those stories with others who understand what it means to love the road.
We’ll be documenting every mile — from neon-lit motels to desert stretches, from roadside diners to historic landmarks. But more than that, we’ll be sharing Hans’s story, the car’s story, and the stories of the people we meet along the way. This project is built on friendship, heritage, and the belief that some cars carry more than passengers — they carry meaning.
This is our way of honoring a friend, celebrating a century of Route 66, and keeping the spirit of the open road alive.
- We encourage everyone to join us along the route 66
- Take the trip. Chase the dream. Before it’s too late.
Who We Are
Markku Jaakkola and Jacob Gilbert are the co‑leads behind The Legacy Run, working side by side to bring the 1973 Chrysler New Yorker — and the story behind it — back onto the open road. Together, they share responsibility for planning the journey, documenting the experience, engaging with communities along Route 66, and honoring the legacy that inspired the project.
Markku is a Finnish‑born automotive storyteller and Quality Engineer who moved to the United States driven by a lifelong passion for classic American cars and the culture surrounding them. He has been selected in Top 10 on Feedspots and Influencer-heros Vintage car influencer lists.
Jacob brings a steady problem‑solving mindset, a deep love for American road‑trip traditions, and a commitment to preserving the stories found along the Mother Road.
As a team, they combine their strengths — heritage, technical knowledge, creativity, logistics, and a shared respect for the history of Route 66 — to ensure that The Legacy Run is not just a drive, but a meaningful tribute carried out together.
The Route
We are starting from Detroit on Saturday August 1st from Pasteiner´s Autozone book store´s Cars and Coffee event. There is about 300 classic and exotic cars at the show. Then we will drive through Detroit to Chicago, take the Route 66 to Los Angeles and continue on Pacific Coast Highway up to Monterey, California. We will participate on Concours D´Lemons at Monterey´s Car Week on Saturday August 15th.
ANNOUNCEMENT! The Legacy Project has been selected to Quail Motorsports Gathering 2026 at Monterey Car Week 8/14/26!! We are excited to bring the New Yorker to the show and share the Route 66 journey and Hans's story with everyone!
2. Media Coverage and events
- Route 66 News-Restored 1973 Chrysler New Yorker will be driven on Route 66 in tribute to its late owner
- MLive : After going viral in a crash, Detroit-built Chrysler sets out for Route 66 (2/22/26)
- Yahoo Autos : After going...(2/22/26)
- Jim Hinckley's America "Coffee with Jim" Podcast (3/29/26)
- Route 66 Voices: Finnish Mopar Enthusiast's 1973 Chrysler New Yorker (3/30/26)
- American Road Trip Talk: Chasing the Legacy: A Centennial Road Trip Along Route 66 (4/24/26)
- Driven Radio Show with Brett Hatfield ( 5/19/26)
- St. Clair Shores Memorial Day Parade (5/24/26)
- BLR Around the Thumb Rally (6/13/26)
- Motor Muster, Dearborn, MI (6/20-21/26)
- Hagerty : Two Friends, a Big-Block Mopar, and the 100-Year-Old Mother Road (7/29/26)
- Join the "Send Off" event at Parking at Pasteiner´s, Birmingham, MI (8/1/26)
Upcoming:
- Jim Hinckley's America podcast follow up (8/2/26)
- Steve Lehto´s YouTube Channel (TBD)
- Speed and Shine YouTube Channel (TBD)
- Albaquerque Journal (TBD)
- Hagerty (TBD)
- Quail Motorsports Gathering (8/14/26)
- Concours D'Lemons (8/15/26)
Route 66 Navigation App via Touch Media - Custom Official Partner
Route 66 Navigation is Custom Official Partner for The Legacy Run. Click the logo to access find out more about their Route 66 App and The Route 66 Passport
Legacy Run - Sponsors
Big Thank You to our Sponsors. Without you this trip would not be possible.
3. Support the Journey
This project is more than a road trip. It’s a tribute to a friend, a piece of automotive history, and a promise I made to keep a story alive.
In 2024, my friend Hans — a lifelong Mopar enthusiast from Finland — passed away unexpectedly. Before he left us, he toured the United States in his 1973 Chrysler New Yorker, a car that became part of his identity. After his passing, I brought that same New Yorker back to life and committed to continue its journey on the American road.
The car itself survived a widely reported crash a year ago, adding another chapter to its long and unlikely story.
In 2026, the car and I will take part in the official Route 66 Centennial, traveling the Mother Road from Chicago to Santa Monica as a living tribute to Hans, to American automotive culture, and to the people who keep these stories alive.
If you’d like to support this journey, you’re welcome to contribute.
Your support helps cover travel, documentation, preservation, and the costs of keeping a 50‑year‑old survivor car on the road for a once‑in‑a‑century event.
Contributions are voluntary and are not payments for goods or services.
They’re simply a way to stand behind the story, the car, and the legacy that inspired this project.
Thank you for being part of this road ahead — it means more than you know.
So where do I find more details on the August route 66 trip?
Hi JCC, we are still figuring out the plan as we go. Next is to make sure the Chrysler is in good enough shape to get through the trip. I’ll keep updating the blog as we get the details sorted out.
I remember the photos from that multi car accident. Reminded me of a Rodney Dangerfield line from Caddyshack when he crashed his yachts anchor through Judge Smails’ boat. “Hey you scratched my anchor!” But in this case “hey you scratched my license plate!”