Restored cars have a sense of adventure about them, don't they? One looks at an early Ford or even a Studebaker and remembers reading articles about cross-country trips in the 30s with great trunks attached to the backs. Or a VW Microbus! Yeah, that's the ticket. Take a few friends. Driver, take me to my childhood...Let me go on such an adventure. I know that owning such cars is a serious time and money drain, as they are tough to repair. But c'mon, one trip? Get it all spiffed up and ready, everything checked and changed, and take it on a goodly trip. Maybe not across the country, but Route 1 from Maine to Florida? Or Route 3, Route 5. The Boston Post Road, The National Road, The Old Carolina Road. Should be a hoot.
Anyway, I always think that when I see those cars riding efficiently along on a sunny weekend. Someday. Someday. I saw a great one last weekend, a yellow VW Bug, looked like a '68 with vanity plates. I looked wistfully in the rearview mirror as it passed. Who would I take with me on this trip? I'd never talk my wife into it.
I saw that great VW again later in the day. On the back of a Jerr-Dan tow truck. So I'm cured for now.
4 comments:
There are classic-car rental companies, perfect for your idea of the nice tour. If it breaks down, it's their problem - the companies in England typically bring you the most similar thing they've got available, and then deal with the broken one.
And I read not long ago that Hagerty, a very well regarded insurance company for classic cars, has set up a sort of Air-B-n-B for classic cars.
I've found that people think you're a bit weird if you drive a 50+year old car to work every day. My excuse is that it was a cheap 25 year old 'beater' when I bought it as a poor grad-student, and I haven't managed to kill it, yet.
You can rent Corvettes or Harley's to drive on Route 66 for the American Road experience. Apparently this is very big with German tourists (at least pre-COVID).
An old box van with curtains on the windows and a sign saying, Don't come a'knockin if this is a-rockin'.
Naaaaaaaah, I'm too old.
My Lincoln Mark VIII was wonderful. I eventually gave up and sold it, I can't fix 2 cars as a regular thing. Now I just have my 87 Sammy, no way that's going anywhere, its for my Granddaughter, she took dibs on it. Well that and my 2019 BRZ, one of the last of the real sports cars.
I did have a 69 Cutlass, but it was very far from stock, a 502 crate motor graced its engine compartment.
I learned to wrench on a 56 Plymouth wagon, when it died in Ontario California. I drove it from Ontario Canada, so it seemed appropriate. I put a couple of motors in it, the last being a 53 Red Ram Hemi. I made friends all over America and the guys at the wreckers, where I did all this, knowing almost nothing, were amazing.
Post a Comment