If you’re a true gearhead, you live and breathe cars. You wake up thinking about that new exhaust system and you fall asleep thinking about racing stripes. But do you have a gearhead bucket list? This article will cover the 10 things that should be on every gearhead’s bucket list.
Drive the Pacific Coast Highway, California
A drive through the Pacific Coast Highway just might be the best road trip in America. It starts in Orange County, winding its way up past LA and Ventura. The road hugs the cliffs along much of the drive where you can look out into beautiful blue water and rocky shores. When you finally get to Big Sur, things get even more beautiful. Keep going until you get to San Francisco if time allows, but at least make a stop in Monterey and Carmel. It’s a tough drive because the road doesn’t always have a lot of room for error, but it’s definitely worth it to experience this amazing piece of engineering.
Go to a collector car auction
You’ve purchased a vehicle or two in your life, but have you ever been to a collector car auction? If not, get down to one of the big ones like Mecum. You get the chance to see some truly amazing pieces go up for sale and sometimes even be in the room when they are sold. Plus, there are some really expensive parts that you probably shouldn’t be allowed to buy, but it sure is fun to look at.
Build a car from scratch
Building a car from scratch is not for beginners. It’s not like buying and upgrading the parts to your favorite ride. If you want to go this route, you need patience, skills with all kinds of tools, and most likely some serious money. This is about crafting something that will last a lifetime. You start with nothing and you slowly create what will hopefully be a gorgeous and well-engineered vehicle. If you really want to go all in, you’ll even get your own VIN and title once the project is complete and the car is street legal.
Join a car club
Car clubs are a great way to network with other gearheads. They also often have their own runs and events where you can show off your ride, get involved in some friendly competition, or just go for a cruise. Most car clubs will even let you put a small sticker on the side of your car to signify that you’re part of the club. Check out https://fastlanedrive.com for one of the best car clubs in California.
Road trip to the Bonneville Salt Flats, Utah
The Bonneville Salt Flats are located in eastern Utah near Wendover. You’ve probably seen these flats before. If you ever watched the Gumball Rally on TV, you have seen these flats (or at least some of them) as the drivers were tearing up the roads. The Bonneville Salt Flats is a long stretch of shimmering white salt that is flat as far as the eye can see. If you want to be a gearhead, you’ve got to drive on these flats at least once in your life. If you’re lucky, you might even get to see someone attempt to break a world record there.
Visit a car museum
Car museums are amazing places. They can be one-of-a-kind spots that house priceless vehicles like the Walter P. Chrysler Museum or they could be massive operations like the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles. Either way, car museums make you appreciate man’s best machines even more than before and anyone who doesn’t want to visit a car museum at least once is definitely missing out on something cool.
Drive off-road
You don’t have to go all out and buy a lifted truck that looks ridiculous before going off-roading. If you do want to take it up a notch, the Mercedes G63 AMG 6×6 is a great choice as it can handle pretty much anything you throw at it. However, there are plenty of other vehicles that are perfectly capable of taking you off-road in style. You don’t have to worry about getting stuck in mud or bumping into trees when you’re behind the wheel of a car like this, and there is nothing quite like cruising through nature with the top down on an open-air ride.
Take a factory tour
A factory tour is a great way to kill a few hours and get an up-close look at how cars are made. You might even learn something new about your favorite ride or other vehicles on the market. Plus, you’ll get to see how other people work and maybe check out some of their rides. It doesn’t matter what type of car you have, chances are that someone has taken a tour at the place where it was manufactured.
Go to SEMA
The Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) is the largest automotive trade show in the world. Every year, thousands of business owners and gearheads visit this event to check out new products, attend seminars, or just chat with industry experts. If you’re looking to see the latest trends in modifications, this is one show that you don’t want to miss.
Do a track day
What is a track day? It’s where street-legal vehicles are allowed to drive around an auto-cross course for fun. GoPros are usually permitted, too, so you can capture your experience on video and show off whatever awesome moves you made during the competition. Whether you’re looking for some action or just want to see how other people drive, track days are always a good time.
