A couple years back, I wrote a story in Hot Rod Magazine that was essentially the ultimate gearhead bucket list. A few of us threw ideas at the list and I glued the whole thing together for the story. It got a great response and I still hear from people who have it taped to their shop wall, which is really cool. I was recently thinking about my own automotive/gearhead dreams and goals and tried to pin down what the absolute number one thing on my list would be. Truth is, I am having a damned hard time nailing that specific thing down. I am waffling between driving a funny car, setting a record a Bonneville, driving a monster truck, and several other things that I am craving to do on an equal basis.
I bet lots of you guys out there know exactly what’s in your personal number one spot and I am just an indecisive weenie, so we want to hear what your “must do” automotive bucket list item is. Is it a race you want to attend? An event you want to compete in? A car you want to drive or own? An engine you want to play with? A hero you want to meet and hang out with? What is it? Spill the beans!
BangShift Question of the day: What is the #1 Thing on Your Automotive Bucket List?
Nothing ! I’ve either done it , or don’t care about it anymore . Maybe if push came to shove , building a Porsche 356 or 911 ” Outlaw ” doing an updated Dean Jeffries* on it . Yeah ! Thats still on the list !
( * DJ having built the first known Porsche ‘ Outlaw ‘ )
I gotta go with driving a 60’s era NASCAR around Atlanta, Talledega, or Darlington. No, its not likely to happen. But, it would be my end all, be all gearhead dream for me to drive a race car that started life as a street car that doesnt have power steering, brakes that can fast, and no driver comfort things like cold air pumped in to the helmet.
On the top of my list is having both or either of my sons taking over the maintenance and competing with my racecar.
I’m starting to fit the quote, “Work fascinates me; I can sit and watch it for hours.”.
Go 200mph in the quarter mile, my way, in a SBC powered FED.
Drive a car 200mph. I have 2 good dragstrips nearby,and it is about 5 hrs. to the Willmington mile. Sounds duable. Now all I need is a big pile of money.
Build a car starting from a pile of tube and a sketch.
To photograph an NHRA national event. There are lots of dreams I had in the past, and unless cash falls from the sky they will remain dreams. So I’ll concentrate on something I might actually be able to do.
The March Meet, Pomona swap meet, Long Beach swap meet, Donut Derelicts, Bob’s and whatever else I think of on the Left Coast!
I was able to do #1 on my bucket list in 1995 and that was doing 100+ mph on a public road in downtown chicago under the train tracks just like in the movie Blues Brothers, so I guess I hafta do # 2 now and thats go as fast as I can in a LSR car
#1 is driving a top fuel dragster. #2 is driving a pro stock. #3 is hoping that #1 or #2 come true.
own and drive a Studillac
To road trip route 66 in my 71 Camaro from beginning to end with my wife and take my time doing it!
Mine is pretty simple and doable. Get the Mercury done the way I want it and cruise down PCH on a nice sunny day.
Run Bonneville!
I want to tune the world’s fastest piston engine, wheel driven vehicle. This would have to be a Streamliner at Bonneville. I’m pretty close to that goal already, albeit with a Doorslammer. I think this is a do-able goal.
To finish up my late brother’s ’29 Ford Tudor on ’32 rails with a built ’48 Ford flathead, then take it to Bonneville with some of his ashes, and attend the races, then hit Route 66 with the car.
attend a landspeed event. microphones and cameras do nothing to justice for real sounds and sights..
conquering an unusual vehicle was my bucket list for a long time. It is as satisfying as one might conjure.
To go to Frank Hawley’s driving school and drive an Alcohol Funny Car would fulfill my list.
Finish my pickup……its been nearly 13 years now!
Buy a cool car on the west coast or out west someplace and drive it home to NY and take my time.