By Robert Emslie
None of us will ever be as cool as Jack. Hell, few of us are as icy smooth as Mr. Freeman there. But just like the two septuagenarian actors, one day we’ll all meet our maker. Before that happens, there’s a list – as used for the central plot device in The Bucket List – of the things one wants to accomplish before that day arrives. Since you’re reading Hooniverse, there’s a strong likelihood that your Bucket List has a number of automotive-related experiences on it.
Death and taxes are the two traditionally immutable events we all face, and today being April 15th, will go with the less painful of the two, death. The average life span these days is somewhere in the neighborhood of 75 years. That’s a goodly amount of time to get the things done that need to get done, but as there are so many mundane tasks that take up our lives – work, raising kids, trying to decide what to TiVo – that there’s little time left over for the things we want to accomplish for purely personal achievement.
That’s why it’s important to have a list. Having a document that delineates the most important, and personally fulfilling goals will strip the chaff from the wheat, giving you a better opportunity to undertake the important stuff.
As example, for me (considering only the car stuff) there’s the want of driving a Ferrari Lusso – preferably up Highway 1 through Big Sur, with a stop at Nepenthe. Sure newer Ferraris are faster and more adept at everything, but, despite Pininfarina’s best efforts, nothing else possesses such raw sex energy as the Lusso. I’d also like to watch, just once, the Monaco Grand Prix from one of those balconies facing the course. If possible, there should be a pouting French woman in a slinky nightgown watching from an adjacent balcony, for during cautions.
That’s just a couple of achievements from my list. How about you, do you have a list of lifetime goals? Are you currently crossing them off until you get to retirement age when you’ll have nothing left to do, or are they more extravagant, requiring means for which you are currently unable to provide?
Regardless of which, what’s on your bucket list?
Image sources: [moviewallpaper.net,durbinmedia.com]
Kamil Kaluski 
Jeff Glucker
I keep a running list of vehicles I would like to own in a folder on my desktop. My screen saver is also set to play these pictures when it starts.
<img src="http://i524.photobucket.com/albums/cc328/drdanger123/Screenshot2010-04-15atApril15113437.png?t=1271345748"width=400>
I heartily approve of your listicle. Some of those, such as the Koenigsegg Volvo, Muira, 190E Evo II and Lancia 037 will be difficult to get seat time in but what fun is such a list without a challenge or two?
I now know what a Zundapp DB is and I am a better person for it.
Always best to set high goals. Also, can't really see the name, but the Daimler Double Six Drophead Coupe would also be a diffucult car to aquire…but imagine how badass that car would be to drive down the road. take that Cruella!
link to the image = here
I give a hearty thumbs up to the Honda Coupe. I thought I was the only one.
I've always specified the 600 instead of an 800 because of its greater rarity, but same thing, really.
<img src="http://www.tanshanomi.com/temp/Honda_S600_Coupe.jpg">
I like the 800 for the faster motor, hot little car though.
– Nurburgring, in a Seven, if possible. In a BMW if not. Preferably at the wheel.
– F1 race in person, preferably Spa
– Pebble & Amelia
– Goodwood
– Land a car maker as a client
I try to keep my goals attainable (don't want to set that bar too high)
Bondurant / Skip Barber School (Preferably at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca)
Wide Open Baja
Attend Detroit Grand Prix (if they ever run it again, otherwise substitute any ALMS road course)
Drive Route 66 in a sports car
Own an Aston Martin DB7/DB9/Vantage (ok so this one is kind of high)
mine are all weird cars from the 80's/90's, basically. It goes like this (in no particular order)
Swedes:
Saab 9000 Aero 5-speed 5-door
Saab 9-3 Viggen 3 door, Electric Blue
Volvo 850 T-5R Wagon, Yellow (of course)
Volvo 945 Turbo Wagon (with Td04-19T, Ford Brown Tops, 4bar FPR, huge front mount, Getrag M90 swap, LSD, iPd suspension parts…)
Another C900, preferrably a 16v Turbo Convertible with the SE (basically SPG) kit
Germans:
Merkur XR4Ti (does this count?) with massively boosted motor, Tremec T5, side-exit exhaust
BMW E30 325iS 2-door
BMW E28 M5
BMW E34 M5
BMW Z3 M Coupe(!!!)
Mercedes W124 300D Turbodiesel (6cyl, please)
either an Audi 200 20v Turbo Quattro, UrS4, or UrS6. Would prefer UrS4.
Porsche 944 Turbo
a Merc with a 48v V12 of any variety, preferrably CL600.
Mercedes C43 AMG
B5 S4, lol
Japanese:
FC3S RX7 Turbo II
Mitsubishi Starion (wide-body, intercooled)
Bug-Eye WRX
late-ninties Legacy 2.5GT with EJ257T swap/VF34 turbo/big top mount/super sleeeeper
Subaru SVX
NA Miata with a bridge-ported 13b N/A
1G DSM AWD with some mods (or hell, a Galant VR-4 would be even better)
Z32 300ZX Twin-Turbo
SW20 MR2 Turbo
ST185 Celica All-Trac
Amurricah
SVT Lightning with a HOWLING supercharger, kthx
20th Anniversary Trans Am Turbo
Grand National
Syclone
Mustang SVO
Fiero with a 3800 SII S/C swap
Otherssss
Lotus Elise S/C (yeah, right, I'll never have enough money)
Jaguar XJR (with the 4.0L 24v Supercharged I6, kthx)
Maserati Biturbo
there are more, but this list is already ridiculous enough….
Get out of my head! I personally lust after every one of those you listed. I currently am working on a 91 Volvo 745 with the exact list of mods. But I would but the M Coupe and the Elise at the top. I park next to a kid that has a M Coupe at school bit I have yet to talk to him. It may be a bit creepy for me to camp out by his car and wait for him.
Bondurant
24 Hours of LeMans (as a spectator, of course)
Restore a quirky french/italian car (I have a long list of candidates)
WRC Rally Monte Carlo (will exchange for Finland also)
Membership at Autobahn Country Club, with paddock
-Race at LeMons
-Get a decent autocross car (MR-2 or Miata)
-Land an engineering job at an automaker that isn't entirely soul-crushing
-Build some kind of kit car or hot rod.
-If/when I have kids, swap a V8 into a Volvo wagon
Here we go…
Attend:
Baja 1000
Vintage Drags at Bakersfield
WRC Event
Participate
Vintage Road Rally
Vintage Racing event
Rallycross
Cross-country roadtrip in something cool
24 Hours of LeMons [DONE]
Own/Build
A muscle car that's truly terrifying
BMW E9
65-67 Chevelle in black
Some kind of alt fuel/energy vehicle (biodiesel burbo, homebrew hybrid, etc)
Drive (upgrades to own when I strike it rich)
Maserati GT (current one)
Current Aston Martin
Aston Martin DB5
Ferrari 250
A very bucket-listy thing I got to do was for our honeymoon, we took a week to drive up Hwy 1 from SoCal to San Francisco in my dad's '68 Mustang California Special. Hard to beat San Simeon in May in a classic Mustang with your gal riding shotgun.
Just as an FYI, rallytravel.com makes attending a WRC pretty easy. We used them for Rally Germany and it was honestly one of the coolest experiences of my life. Couldn't recommend it more highly.
Damn you.
Who needs retirement savings, anyway….
Smoke, drink, don't exercise, eat crappy food – lower life expectancy to minimize retirement savings needs.
Otherwise, I'm sure doing Rally Mexico with RallyTravel would be very affordable. Given the locales, airfare is always the big cost. Oh, also, at least for me, the other big cost was the fact that I had to promise my wife one full day of shopping for every day spent at the Rally.
I just checked this site and for Finland at least you would save a lot by doing your accom. and car rental bookings yourself in the internet, accom via rally's website, link below.
Accom.: $70 a night per person
Car rental $60 per day, up to 4 pers.
Additionally needed: good roadmap, GPS in car or in phone……and that's it.
Flights from Helsinki to west coast US? From $1000 per person return if lucky. http://www.nesteoilrallyfinland.fi/en/default.htm…
Let me know when you get to the building of the Chevelle. I'll be there.
I saw Massa lose the championship in the last turn in Interlagos in 2008 and that made it for me. Other than that, the Lusso gets the spot too. It's the only bearable Ferrari along with the 550 Barchetta for me (although weirdly the 612 is growing on me). I wanted to fly Concorde but that's not gonna happen.
That race was so captivating that even my wife was excited.
1. 200 mph club
2. ZR1 up Pacific Coast
3. Tour Europe in an M5
4. Baja a Raptor (2011MY)
5. Go for a ride on the back of Randy Mamola's Ducati (no, YOU'RE GAY!)
<img src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/eb/Randy_Mamola_Ducati_2006_0618.jpg">
Automobiles:
Buick Grand National
GMC Syclone
Chevy El Camino '59-'67 only
Another aircooled VW type 1
keep dad's Citroen DS sedan and wagon and '52 Ford F-3 tow truck
(I'm gonna need more room)
Attend Events:
Bonneville
Pikes Peak
WRC
Baja 1000
King of the Hammers
LeMans
24hrs Nurburgring
Vintage Drags at Bakersfield
Goodwood hillclimb
Isle of Mann TT
Keep Racing:
LeMons!!
I would like to attend an F1 race and would prefer one of the old tracks (Spa, Silverstone, Monte Carlo, or Monza). There are several cars I would really enjoy having and driving but the big line item on the list is to begin and finish a project car hell where the subject is something old, small, and topless. I wish to take European delivery of a new car. I want to thrash a car on the Nurburgring. I want to attend O'Neil's rally school or the local version of it is allowed to happen (http://snovalleystar.com/2010/03/24/mill-site-could-become-rally-car-course).
In no particular order
ZR1 Corvette the old and the new.
Z06 Corvette.
'67 Vette any configuration will do.
Porsche 911
Ferrari, any kind will do
Military Humvee
BMW road race car, starting to almost get that one….Would like a 2002, will likely settle for E30.
Yenko, COPO anything
Two car transporter hooked to a 1 Ton Suburban with a BBC, lifted with 33' mudders on it
Vintage Historic Camaro race car
I'm sure there is more but this is the short list always on my mind.
I would like to compete in the Carrera Panamericana in something that could have competed in the original race, maybe a Packard. I'd like to run something wild at Bonneville. I've driven cross-country numerous times, but I'd like to do it again on a motorcycle. Gawd, I could go on and on.
Build this…
<img src="https://www.hooniverse.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/cyrobuka_01.jpg" width="640">
…and a hotrod version of this…
<img src="http://www.tanshanomi.com/temp/whitecorvette.jpg">
…and this…
<img src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_VDCGGBYmNCk/Sp6XzQ19TjI/AAAAAAAAHRs/ZBjk84L9pdU/s1600-h/Tanshanomi_CB250_mockup.jpg">
…and this…
<img src="http://www.tanshanomi.com/wp-content/uploads/man/1980_GP400.jpg">
…and of course…
<img src="https://www.hooniverse.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/new-showroom-150.jpg">
Oh, and one more: drive LeMons in some really Weird Science car creation.. Preferably a front-mid-engined, front wheel drive car that mates the outsides of the the stock drive axles to the inner halves of VW rear axles to form equal-length half-shafts that attach to a VW transaxle that sits where the motor was, equipped with a homemade Kennedy-style alloy adapter plate to mate it to a Ford 2300 four-banger that protrudes through the middle of the old firewall where the front seat was. The steering column is extended rearward, a new shift linkage is fabricated, and foot controls are relocated so the driver sits approximately where the middle of the back seat was.
Or an S-10 that's has a Polaris 2-stroke triple located in the front of the bed, which drives a belt-and-pulley snowmobile CVT, which is attached to a shortened driveshaft.
I'm not greedy; either one will do. I don't have to do them both to be satisfied with my life.
Oh, one more: Attend the Manx TT.
Holy crap…there's more. Thank you so very much for messing my mind up and totally ruining my productivity for today.
IFA (or MZ) BK350.
<IMG SRC."http://www.fahrzeugmuseum-gloethe.de/Monatsbild/Bk%20350.jpg" WIDTH="480">
Honda CBX.
<img src="http://www.members.shaw.ca/cbx4evr/pix/79cbx1000.jpeg">
Just last night my neighbor who has a thing for Hondas (He's got an early 70s CB360 and a pristine V65 Magna) rolled into my driveway on one of those 6 cylinder CBs. Beautiful, silent, smooth-running and still going strong at 89K miles. I am jealous.
Yeah. Forgot to mention that. Wouldn't it be cool as hell to take delivery of one (choose your model, I like the one that looks fifties), then drive it all over India, then ship it back here? I agree.
On the other hand, look at all I've checked off my list.
– Own VW dune buggy – check.
– Own a vintage panel truck – check.
– Own a forward-control van – check.
– Own BSA 500 single – check.
– Own a Honda MB5 – double check.
– Own a Honda CB350F – check.
– Own a Kawasaki H2 750 Mach IV – check.
– Roadrace a Bultaco – check.
– Own a Yamaha WaveBlaster II – check.
– 1000 mile club – check.
– 150 MPH club [car] – check.
– 130 MPH club [bike] – check. (Originally this was going to be the 150 MPH club, too, but once I learned what the road looks like at 130, I'm really okay not going any further).
– Take a bike over Galena Summit the first day it opens in the spring – check.
– Drag race – check. (It was in a 17-second Toyota Tercel, but it still counts a check.)
– Race a go-kart – check.
– Ride in a diwheel – check.
– Make lots and lots of valued friendships with other gearheads, bikers, and greasemonkeys – BIG CHECK.
That BSA 500 single is the hotness
Well, it was a unit Goldstar, not the "real" Gold Star. But still, indeed yes.
<img src="http://www.tanshanomi.com/temp/myb50ss_web.jpg">
You mentioned having an H2, that's on my list. I've never ridden one, and everything I've heard about those screaming maniacs warns me away from those things, but I still want one to see if I measure up. Obviously you lived to tell about it, maybe I would, too.
The H2 motor was not nearly as uncontrollable, power-wise, as I had been led to expect. You just need to know from the start that there are certain combinations of riding environment, RPM and throttle movements that had to NEVER, EVER meet each other. Approach the motor gingerly and it won't bite (although I kept the stock pipes on it. With expansion chambers it would have been a different story). The handling, however, really WAS just as scary as you've heard. I got rid of it when it became obvious it was either sell it or start making mods to the chassis.
My automotive goals are as follows, each in a car more specific than the last:
North American transcontinental marathon in something classy [anything really, too many options]
lap 'the ring', even if I drove it in something worthless, it doesn't matter
Vintage hillclimb in a stodgy Brit perhaps an MG tc
Amateur rallycross/autocross in something Swedish
Autobahn: has to be a BMW. again, undecided [idk, a CSL??]
200 mph club in a ZR1
finally get around to restoring my great-great grandpappy's orig 1929 Chevrolet 4-door
to own:
Wagoneer, last gen
70' Chevelle ss 454
Grand National
As many Buicks as I can get my hands on
[Bikes: jus thought id throw em in too
Ducati Monster m900+
BMW R69, R60/2 &/or GS('95-on)]
"-Teach my wife to love wagons
-Teach my wife to drive a stick
-Get my wife to ride on the back of my motorcycle – Complete!"
haha the trifecta!
My wife currently drives a 5-spd wagon and wants a dirt bike.
She's a keeper!
I want to find a patinated but fundamentally sound Rambler wagon in the North Woods.
Tatra, EB110, S600, 993 C4S, any 60's Lancia, Alfa or Ferrari (all three preferably), RX-3, Bentley 6.75 of some sort, '67 Fastback Mustang.
The EB110 and Ferrari might be a stretch, but the others will hopefully come along someday.
Buy a car outright paying entirely in unrolled pennies… find the scuzziest sleazeball dealer imaginable and make him earn his $4,000 markup.
Drive a Corvair in front of Ralph Nader's house.
Drive from Blaine Washington to Homestead Florida (Basically diagonal across the country)
Blast down the unrestricted Autobahn at 2AM in something capable of 200+
Build Super-Commuter Se7en (BMW Diesel, if it can pull 35mpg in a fat-ass 3 series just imagine a featherweight Se7en)
Monster Miata / 20b-REW Miata
Super-Sleeper Volvo estate… look stock, sound sort of stock… pressurized V8 under the hood
Test just how well those guard rails work.
Work doesn't allow me much time to post, so I'll just state the two things on my list I have accomplished…. PIT-maneuvering another car, and driving all of Route 66.
What was your favorite state of Route 66?
Probably Arizona.
Take from me and Mr. Z600, the place ain't all that bad.
If you even go from Blane to Homestead in the Sleeper Volvo estate, I call shotgun.
Attend:
Indy 500
LeMans
Goodwood
Monaco GP
Pebble Beach
Daytona 500
Drive a Ferrari, maybe even own one.
Own/restore a small classic British or Italian sportscar.
Get my 77 Corvette back on the road.
Restore a classic car of some sort, Cadillac to Crossley to BMW to Packard, I'm not picky.
Go into the dealer and order a new Corvette EXACTLY the way I want it.
Never drive a normal boring car as my daily driver.
My plan for retirement is to build a car. I'm not sure yet if it will be a kit, my own design, a hot rod (but not with a standard Big 3 V-8) or a heavily modified standard car. I've started a notebook with a few ideas. I'm sure it will NOT be a Cobra, or anything based on a Fiero, MR2, or VW, other than that I'm open. I've got 30+ years to plan.
"-Teach my wife to love wagons
-Teach my wife to drive a stick
-Get my wife to ride on the back of my motorcycle – Complete! "
Ahh, my wife loves wagons ever since I gave her my Accord Wagon, she can drive a stick, and I talked her into going to the MSF class and she bought a scooter. So I'm feeling pretty good about my spouse here. 😉
Mrs. engineerd does not understand my love of wagons. I'll point one out and she crinkles her cute nose and says, "It's a wagon!" One night we were out for dinner and walking back to the car we saw an A4 Avant. I pointed it out and she said, "That's not that bad." Suddenly, the A4 jumped way up on my list of future cars.
I taught her how to drive stick, but we've only been once. I need to get her back out so she can get more comfortable with it. I should also force her to drive my car to work one day.
You anywhere near SoCal?
I'm at project car overload right now…
Re: "Project Overload" is has more to do with time…like I can't handle LeMons + Falcon + Country Sedan + Junior + Hooniverse + stay employed all at once.
Re: The Country Sedan itself…Depends on what your end goal is. It'll never be a carshow queen, but you could make a bitchin muscle hauler, tow-rig out of it for a couple grand (above the purchase price).
They require more attention, not always parts. Sometimes things just need adjusting, or more time to warm up (or cool down). Typically, you drop a few hundred bucks on upgrades, spend a little time getting them sorted out…then things are good until you screw with something else.
With The Wagon (as we call it), right now, it sits too much. It's always started for me, but I haven't been able to use it enough. I was using it on Fridays and weekends all the time…just not lately.
There's a to-do list on it, for which I have all the parts or supplies…just no time.
Yeah, I can see that. It's really amazing how much adjustment the manufacturers have been able to engineer out in the last 40 years.
Ahh, gotcha. I had a 1968 Country Sedan – very similar to Mad_Science's truckster, and she thought it was fun. No way she would have driven it as her car, but she enjoyed riding in it. It was lowered, though, so driving it could be a challenge. (Disclaimer: I bought it lowered and acquired the springs to raise it back to factory height. Sold it before doing the work, though.)
My wife just bought a Yamaha V-Star 950 Tourer last Saturday (her first bike), and were scheduled to take the MSF class together next month.
Everything on my list are converibles:
a MR2 Spyder
a BMW Z3
a 76 Eldorado conv.
a big Austin-Healy
a Nash Metropolitan
early Mercury Cougar conv.
I'm a pragmatic person…none of those are really too unobtainable.
I want to own and drive many of my dream cars. These would include:
Trabant 601
Original Mini
1966 Toyota Publica
Citroen 2CV
Citroen DS
Lada 2101
GAZ 24
Lada Niva
Honda N600
1994 Nissan Sentra SE-R
Peel P50
Jeep CJ-5
Honda City Turbo with the accessory scooter
Nissan Pao
Nissan S-Cargo
Renault 4
Yugo GVX
Hakosuka Skyline GTR
R34 Skyline GTR
AMC S/C Rambler
1969 Chevelle SS 396 L78/M22
Spridget with a rotary swap
original Mini with the Minimania kit to use a Honda VTEC engine and the AWD system from a CRV
Caterham R500
Trabant with a Hartman blocked GSXR 4 running the rear wheels on a custom chassis
Unimog-any one will do
Falcon GT/HO Phase III
Schwimmwagen
Trabant universal, cut down to a ute, and fitted with AWD and a small turbodiesel from VW
Those are just the ones I can think of off the top of my head.
good call on the pao
My auto-related bucket list looks something like this:
1. Drive the Nurburgring Nordschleife
2. Go to the Goodwood Festival of Speed
3. Go to the Daytona 500
4. Go to the Indy 500
5. Go to the Monaco F1 race
6. Go to the Belgian Grand Prix
7. Build an outrageously overpowered go kart
8. See a Space Shuttle launch. DONE
9. Drive a Ford GT
10. Drive a Lamborghini Miura
11. Drive a Porsche 917
12. Drive a Koenigsegg CCX
13. Go to the 24 Hours of LeMans.
14. Fix up a British car.
15. Go on a tour of every major track in the world.
16. Run in La Carerra Panamericana
17. Visit the Porsche, BMW, and Mercedes-Benz museums
18. Drive a car in a rally event
19. Build a 24 Hours of LeMons car and race it
I'm afraid I won't get to scratch #8 off my list, considering the last one goes up in September.
Your list is awesome. I think #15 is fucking awesome.
Like many people here, my own bucket list is just too long to really be practical. But boiling it down to what I really, really must own but haven't yet returns:
1) Corvette, preferably C6, but C5 Z06 might do.
2) Some sort of car I've built myself, be it a Se7en that I use as a toy or a Daytona Coupe that I use as a daily driver. (heh)
As far as car activities go, I'd love to:
1) Run 24 hours of Lemons. (Sort of accomplished, built a car, entered, raced, but we didn't finish. I would love to finish. [not win]) Hopefully that will be accomplished this year.
2) BABE Rally (done, will do again)
3) Drive the length of California SR 1
4) Tail of the Dragon in something more fun than an Astro (maybe my hypothetical C5 Z06!?)
5) Cross country on a motorcycle
1. Lap the Nurburgring in an early nineties Porsche turbo
2. Lap Laguna Sece in a leader (1000+cc)bike
3. Learn 200+MPH on the Bonneville salt flats in a dodge viper
4. Go flat out through Eau Rouge at Spa Francorchamps in a Lotus exige
5. climb Pikes peak in under 15:00 minuets in a EVO
6. Finish the Baja 1000 in a Bug
7. Drive a leg in the 24 hours at Daytona in a protoype car
8. New York to Los Angles in under 35 hours
9. sup10 sec 1/4 mile in a car i built from a pile of steal
10. build and tune a 1000+ HP dyno queen with my own 2 hands
My wife wants to do Baja in a bug. If you build a car she will navigate.
In no particular order:
Attend:
Monaco Grand Prix
Nürburgring 24 Hours
Indianapolis 500
Any LeMons race DONE
Belgian Grand Prix
Sebring 12 Hours
24 Hours of Le Mans
NHRA California Hot Rod Reunion
Daytona 500
Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance
Kohler (nee Brian Redman) Challenge at Road America
Petit Le Mans
Goodwood Festival of Speed
Goodwood Revival Meeting
24 Hours of Le Mans
Retromobile Paris
Italian Grand Prix
Long Beach Grand Prix DONE
Drive (or Own if Circumstances Allow)
Any Ferrari DONE
1967 or '68 Eldorado
E39 M5
E30 M3
Facel Vega
Boss 302
Lamborghini Espada
Citroën SM and/or DS
2004-'06 Pontiac GTO DONE
Audi Sport Quattro
Pantera
Holden Torana SS A9X
Monteverdi Hai
'67 Galaxie 500XL
'65 Impala SS
VW Phaeton
Participate In:
Any LeMons race
At least two laps of the Nürburgring
At least one lap of the old Targa Florio course
A road trip from Chicago to Santa Monica on Route 66 in an old car
I'm sure I've forgotten a few things.
I don't know if I want to buy a left hand drive Caterham or import a older right hand drive Caterham. I don't care really. I just want one.
A partial list, in no particular order:
1) Own a '67 or '68 Eldorado
2) Own (or at least drive) a Ferrari DONE
3) Attend the 24 Hours of Le Mans
4) Attend the Goodwood Festival of Speed
5) Attend the Goodwood Revival
6) Own a VW Phaeton
7) Own a '65 Impala SS (preferably a black big block coupe like my dad had)
8) Attend the Indy 500
9) Attend the Belgian Grand Prix
10) Attend Retromobile Paris
11) Attend Rally Finland
12) Buy something unusual by LeMons standards (Nissan Axess? Mitsubishi Precis? Mercury LN7? Eagle Medallion?) and campaign it
13) Attend the Southern 500
14) Drive at least two laps of the Nürburgring Nordschleife
15) Own a Citroën DS and/or SM
16) Attend the Isle of Man TT
17) Own a '67 Galaxie 500XL
18) Drive (or own) an IMSA GTP or FIA Group C racecar
19) Drive a lap of the Targa Florio course in Sicily
20) Attend the California Hot Rod Reunion
21) Own an E39 M5
22) Own a Facel Vega
23) Attend the Monaco Grand Prix
24) Attend the Knoxville Nationals
25) Own an Acura NSX
This is about all I could find: http://gpltd.bcsims.com/track_images/targa/map/ma… http://www.ddavid.com/formula1/images/floria12c.j… http://www.targaflorio.info/planimetria.htm http://www.targaflorio.info/cartina3d.htm
Hope those help, and enjoy your trip!
Well crap, I have never actually sat down and made a list. I'll get back to you in a couple days…
Lap the Nurburgring in the most American Car I can think of: An El Camino SS454
Work at Leno's Garage
do you think you have to watch his talk show to work there? i'd hate to miss Stewart and Colbert
My car-related dreams? Watching an F1 race live, driving a Formula 3000 car, and owning any of the following:
Mercedes CLK Black
Ferrari 430 Scuderia
Ferrari 612 Scaglietti
Lambo Gallardo LP560-4
Audi R8
Audi RS4
Porsche 911 GT3
Mercedes G500
Tesla roadster
Corvette ZR1
Artega GT
Aston Martin Vantage V8
Mercedes McLaren SLR
Datsun 240Z
Ford GT
BMW M3 sedan E90
Porsche Cayman S
KTM X-Bow
BMW E30 M3
Fiat 500 abarth ss
VW Phaeton
BMW Z8
BMW E28 M5
Volvo 1800 ES
BMW 135i
Audi A2
Citroën DS
Pagani Zonda
Nissan GT-R (R32 or R35)
Citroën Traction Avant
Subaru SVX
Porsche 959
Renault Megane R26.R
Quick "shortlist" off the top of my head, I could probably fill more in later but I won't bore ya'll
Cars To Own:
Ford Torino Fastback
1975-1977 Ford Granada 2-door sleeper streetrod
1940’s woody of some sort
Any motorcycle (cruiser)
1958 Mercury Turnpike Cruiser
Some undetermined microcar
Some undetermined small roadster
Volkswagen Beetle
Cars to Drive
1948 Tucker
Ford GT
1971 Porsche 911
Pre-1978 Ferrari
any Edsel
Ford Model A
Chevrolet Corvair
Any large FireTruck
anything with wheels, really.
"Exotic" Places to Drive:
Lap the Nuburgring
any route through The Alps
Tail of the Dragon
Pikes Peak
Route 66 end-to-end
Pacific Coast Highway
Canadian Ice Road
That death-cliff-thing in South America
Things to Do:
Build a LeMons car and race it – currently in pupal stages
Restore my 1988 Thunderbird – may have to settle for another specimen
Assemble a Model A – currently preparing to begin this
Work on a pit crew – DONE: Nascar BGN Darlington spring race, 1998 (filmed live in pits)
Rescue a car in minor need of attention – DONE (Angstmobile)
Rescure a car in need of major attention (not my own)
Build a motor
Build a go-kart
Participate in a Demo Derby
Races to see:
Short-tracks – Accomplished throughout high school (but not done – how I miss this)
Nascar – DONE (and done)
Pikes Peak Hillclimb
Any WRC event
Vintage racing (RoadAtlanta, RoadAmerica, etc)
Sebring
LeMans
(have no desire to see Indy cars or any race at IMS)
Hell, with the economy the way it is right now, I'm just damn happy I can make my car payments. I've put all dreaming on hold as it only depresses me.
Own a front engine Ferrari, preferably V-12, and definitely not an automatic.
Drive a 1.5L turbo F1 car on a road course. Maybe buy one.
Build a Caterham.
Build a 60's road racing car for the street and install a modern Italian V-8.
Own a CTS-V coupe or wagon.
Build a TQ midget with an 800cc 2-stroke snowmobile engine.
Own a road course, like in my backyard.
I like Mad_Science's take on this, so, beign the most sincere for of flattery…
Attend:
Le Mans
Monterey Historics
Any European Grand Prix event
Participate:
Circuit race a Miata (SCCA is fine)
Vintage racing in any number of cars from the 60's or early 70's
Several laps of the Nurburg Nordschleife, driving just about anything
Own:
Another 1st gen Miata
Another 76-77 Audi Fox – preferably wagon this time
First gen Audi 100 (yes, the crappy OHV one) or Super 90
Saab 99 (preferably turbo)
Saab Sonnet III (V4 or 2 stroke) or any 2 stroke Saab
Audi UR Quattro
Pre-catalyst 6.3 or 6.9 Mercedes
Mercedes W123 TD Estate of one model or another
First gen Porsche 911
Lamborghini Espada
Type IV or notchback VW…to be modified
Citroen 2CV
Subaru STI (current platform or previous with wing-delete)
Honda V4 Interceptor (does that count?)
Ferrari 308
Jeep J8
Ford Model T
Build/Restore:
Any of the older cars on the 'Own' list
Complete (tatesfully) my current restomod Mercedes W114 project
Turbo Diesel Jeep Cherokee XJ conversion (I live in the US)
Mercedes M116 3.5 V8 280SL Pagoda conversion
Shelby Cobra coupe kit (Superformance or other)
Austin Mini, European first gen Ford Escort, Datsun 510 or other period 4-cyl subcompact
First gen Ford Mustang
Drive:
Citroen DS
E-Type Jaguar
Lamborghini Countach
Ferrari Daytona
Sherman Tank
V16 Cadillac
Original 30's V8 Ford
Citroen Traction Avant
Mazda 323 GTX
Lotus Elise
I could go on and on, really…
kick ass somewhere in a type 67 nsu prinz.
How about a '60 Prinz? http://sacramento.craigslist.org/cto/1687153013.h…
type 67 is a body / engine configuration. not model year.
and yes… i know too well about that sactown car.
1. Own a Porsche before age 30. Done; got my 924S at 17
2. Take said Porsche on cross-country road trip.
3. Tail of the Dragon is 924S. I'm really hoping it'll happen this summer; I'm going hiking in the Great Smoky Mountains, and TOTD is right there. Cross fingers…
4. Own an air-cooled 911, a 912 would do, as well
5. Own an old American car, preferably pre-1970. No brand or model preference, just something cool with a V8 and a manual.
6. Attend LeMons. The American Irony race is this weekend, and I really wanted to go, but fortunately, there's another race in MI this fall. Once again, cross fingers on this one…
7. Max out a car on Autobahn and/or American highway out west.
7. Lap the 'Ring and other race tracks in something fast and/or fun
8. Get some decent driving training. This should happen before I ever venture onto a racetrack.
9. Get a motorcycle.
10. Compete in LeMons
11. Compete in a rally
12. Bring an old car back into primo condition (my 924 counts)
13. Do an awesome engine swap
14. Own something British, Italian, and French
I'd continue, but I've got more video editing to do. Ugh.
Basically everybody's probably covered every automotive machination I could have hatched. I'm as car-centric as the next hooniversian, but to tell you the truth, a piston powered dream of mine that would easily trump all the manna from the hooniverse….
Fly a Supermarine Spitfire.
This is a bit interesting for me. I used to have a better set up for a lot of cars (including better income). I did collect a bunch for awhile.
Hopefully, I can get back to it in a year or so.
Car things I have done that will always stick in my mind:
Take a ride with my Dad in a rail buggy in the Oregon dunes (a Chevy 427 strapped to a truck chassis with seats and a cage). I was about 15.
Drive an old school dune buggy (girlfriend in high school had one and I use to drive it a lot till her parents sold it).
Attend a driving school (Skip Barber with Mad Science Junior, and Mrs. Computer Science (my daughter).
Drive and finish 24 hours of LeMons. Drove twice, finished once. The first race had a race ending "incident" with me at the wheel.
Rent Quads and drive the dunes in Pismo. The entire Mad Science Sr. clan spent a weekend racing around the dunes. What a hoot!
Run around the swamps/glades by New Orleans in an Air Boat (with the Science Boys, we got stuck and had a blast).
Run the Rubicon Trail in my Jeep.
Cars I've had that were on my list:
My first car was a '59 bug convertible. 36 hp…going everywhere slow. What a great car for high school.
The '88 Mustang 5.0 convertible. Crappy build quality, cheep fun. The first new car I ever owned.
The 3/4 ton '95 Suburban. The best looking, driving and toughest family hauler ever.
The '93 3rd gen RX-7. Beautiful and scary fast.
The '68 Mustang GT/CS (California Special). Beautiful and lots of fun.
My current '04 Rubicon Jeep.
On the to do list:
Drive in a rally
Place in the top 25 at LeMons
Rebuild an old Porsche 914 or a Datsun 510
Attend LeMans, WRC Rally event, and Pikes Peak Hill Climb
On the car list:
Porsche 914 (6 cylinder)
'67 Chevelle (the same black one Mad_Science wants)
Datsun 510 (dang, I had one and sold it)
55 Chevy (dang, my family had one and sold it)
Lotus Esprit
Lotus Elise
DeTomaso Pantera
Shelby GT 350
1929 Ford Model A coupe
<img src="http://www.tomlaferriere.com/CarsForSale/1929ModelACoupe/1929ModelACoupe%20005.jpg" width="600">
In 1976, my uncle took me for a ride in his—identical to the photo. I was 9 years old, and I have been an auto enthusiast ever since. It has been sitting in his garage since 1980….I have begged to buy it, but he prefers that it sit under 34 years of dust.