The list of cars I’d like to drive is basically “every car,” in that if you give me a chance to take a spin in or on anything, I’m in. Cheapest economy thing? Give me the keys. Hammered farm truck? Slide over, I’m driving. Forklift? Tractor? Scissor lift? Yes, yes, and yes. Actual “cool” cars, trucks, and motorcycles? Obviously yes.
The list of things on wheels I actually dream of driving is much shorter, and pretty basic, I’m sure. Like every other car person, I’d like to take a turn in a bona fide modern supercar of any stripe – I don’t care if it’s a mere C8 or a Ferrari. I’d also like to drive a full-on monster truck (but no backflips, thank you), and a properly fast snowmobile and Sea-Doo are also on the list. And there’s all the old and/or weird stuff I’d love to experience. 1960s Mini Cooper, Honda City with Motocompo, first-year Viper, Amphicar, Subarus XT and SVX, Honda Prelude Si with AWS, every sporty thing from the 1980s basically … it’s a long list.
Always near the top, though, is a track day on a proper sportbike with a full set of gear and all the training and practice I need to put a knee down like an actual MotoGP rider. That looks incredibly thrilling to me, and I’d love to be able to say I actually did it. Of course, I’d be happy just to fit into a set of leathers, so baby steps.
(I was going to wrap it up there, but the gang has been chiming in on Slack, so I’ll include their comments “Tales From The Slack” style:)
What’s On Your Gotta-Drive (or ride, or fly, or sail) Bucket List? See you in the comments!
Top graphic image: DepositPhotos.com
Everything and anything.
I’ve been fortunate enough to have experienced a LOT of cars (and trucks, busses, and heavy equipment) for a dude who is not “in the industry” or a journalist, but I am always open to more.
I’m with you on the motorcycle track day. The worst part is that’s probably within my financial means, but I’m too chicken to commit to it, especially after that last Moto GP race.
I also added a V12 Lambo to my bucket list when I was at a track experience in Vegas (driving a different car, which was also cool but not a V12 Lambo). I’m not a big loud exhaust person, but that thing sounded sooooo good.
Cord 812, Studebaker Avanti, Lotus Esprit, Shelby Cobra, Caterham 7, M1 Abrams, ’66 Batmobile, Ecto-1, M577 Armored Personnel Carrier, the powerful Mach 5 and since I’ve listed so many other fictional vehicles, an Elio.
I saw a Suzuki Jimny this morning, I’d love to drive one of those, as well as a flat fender Jeep.
Since I was a kid I’ve loved heavy equipment, I’ve always wanted to drive a bulldozer, excavator, etc. There used to be a place outside of Vegas where you could go play with that stuff, I don’t know if it’s still around. I imagine it’s $$$.
I also want to drive old military stuff, like a deuce and a half or HEMMET.
And a Unimog, I’ve seen those in action and holy hell they look like fun.
And a small, British sportscar like a Caterham or Elise looks like fun.
I can keep going…
EDIT: And a King of Hammers rock racer, those look like a blast.
I’d love to drive a Caterham 7.
I got driven around in one a few weeks ago and it was a DELIGHT.
I would do unspeakable things to be able to hoon an Ariel Atom around track day and could die happy after driving a Pagani. My inner child still needs to fly an F-16
I love the chance to drive anything I haven’t before, but as for bucket-list stuff, off the top of my head I really want to drive a Citroen DS, a BMC Mini, ’60s Lotus Elan, Lotus/Caterham 7, Lotus Elise/Exige, and a Morgan 3-wheeler.
A HRC-prepped Honda RC51 is a dream bike, even better if it had lights & signals and was streetable. But I’d never do such a bike justice, and likely lose my license (or worse)
So, I think it’s a Ducati MH900e that I’d like to take out for a spin. Such a pretty bike.
The hardest part of a car bucket list is that I have to be able to drive most of these on the limit, which means I basically have to own it to avoid being terrified of beating on someone else’s precious car. In no particular order but with some basic explanations:
A110 1300/1600 because it’s my dream car, no notes, it’s perfect and I need to drive one, if not own it.
Lancia Stratos – it’s the hero I hope to meet, more of a dream than a goal. More realistically, I really want to drive a Fulvia.
Porsche 911 (901) – I need to experience it for myself to get over the grief caused by the current pricing on these things. I used to want to yearn for one, but now, even if I can afford to buy one someday, I’ll never be able to insure it for its intended purpose.
A Cyclecar – They’re so cool.
An open-wheel race car – Probably Formula Vee or Formula Ford. Ideally for a whole competitive season.
A backbone-frame Lotus – Like the Europa, Elan and Esprit, I love the idea and would love to experience the result.
A Wankel-powered car – Ideally with a 4-barrel carb, like an RX-2/3/4 or an FB. I just think they’re neat.
A great classic hot hatch – I’m partial to the 205 GTI, but I could consider this bucket list item checked off by a Mk1/2 Golf GTI or any other sub-2000lb FWD thing with ass-first handling.
There are a few I’d be happy to just operate for a few minutes at low speed, though:
A Model T – Probably not that hard to get behind the wheel of one, I should start looking around.
Every classic Citroen – The Traction Avant, 2CV, DS and SM all fill this out in different ways.
An open-wheel race car – Probably Formula Vee or Formula Ford.
Anything TBH, that seems like a hoot no matter the power/age
Absolutely, I just listed the 2 that are easiest to find/afford and that have the most prolific and accessible racing series in my area.
Scammell Scarab.
If there’s only one three-wheeled* tractor-trailer in the world then that’s the only tractor trailer I want to drive. There aren’t more than a handful in running condition, and they’re all across the pond.
Closer to home… ALCO 4-8-8-4 “Big Boy” locomotive at over 100 mph.
*Five wheels with the trailer.
The only answer here is the Weinermobile. Full stop.
As a kid, one of my older brothers miraculously convinced my dad that we needed a 1997 SeaDoo SPX. Genuinely don’t know how we didn’t kill ourselves with it, but I’d give my eyeteeth to rip a clean, well-maintained version of it around a choppy lake again.
Also, driving a light tank looks neat too.
Countach and LM002, preferably back to back.
When I was a kid we were on vacation somewhere out west (in the US), and we stumbled upon a ‘pay for a ride’ place that had a white Countach with the dinning table sized huge rear wing. My father paid and I went for a ride. The driver at one point had it up to 120 before the end. I had a smile ear to ear for at least a few days. Tks for reminding me of that memory 🙂
Any chance that was in Estes Park, CO? There was a doctor (IIRC) up there who had a pair (one red and one white Countach) and set up a side business selling rides during the summer. I had that same ear-to-ear smile as a kid when my dad bought me a ride one weekend. Would have to have been around 1988-1991 or so.
I honestly don’t remember. Although Estes Park is entirely possible being both a beautiful and affluent area.
And I had an aunt (& godmother & a.sister to my father) and her husband and 5 kids primarily grew up in the Denver area. And although I could be mis-remembering… my ‘Countach ride’ I think was around that same time frame (maybe 1988).
Also I think I do remember the guy also had a red Countach for his ‘ride’ business. And I remember those were the only two cars available. So that had to be it.
I don’t remember that he was a doctor and this was a fun / side business for him, although that really makes a whole lot of sense.
While I think the Muira is more beautiful, in thr 1980s there was no car that was more captivating than a Countach!
Add Ferrucio’s own Riva Aquarama speedboat with twin Lamborghini V-12s to complete the experience!
Leaf-spring-era monster truck
Steam locomotive
…yes, I am 40, but also 5, how did you know?
I went to Tank Town USA in GA to drive an APC around a muddy course and added a few bucks to run a bucket loader. Just because.
Someone drove a smaller semi to an autocross one time, just the cab part – no trailer. He got to talking and he asked if I wanted to drive it, hell yes. It was an auto and the seats had 1.4×10^6 ways to adjust. Never got above 30ish but it was fun.
Did a $99 parking lot experience to drive a Lambo in a 20 sec course. Still want to try a real experience on track in a Lambo some day.
I’ve driven a forklift twice here when they bought a truckload of crap and had to unload it into the building, no one else wanted to try it.
I’ll try driving anything once to say I’ve done it. Life is short.
Forklifts are so damn fun to drive, especially the propane powered ones. I used to spend a big chuck of every workday on one, now I mostly drive a desk.
I’d love to ride a de-restricted 250cc 2-stroke sportbike. Similar power to my 400cc ZX-4RR, but 100+lbs lighter and a whole lot angrier.
Any 4AGE-powered rwd Toyota is a dream of mine too. AE86 is the obvious choice but I’d happily take an engine-swapped KP71 Starlet, Corona, Carina, or E70 Corolla
I really
wantedstill want a Mito..Same! A Mito Evo II is right at the top of my wishlist, even though it’s a 125
Those 400cc versions of RRs looked like a blast, I test rode an FZR 400 with a 600cc engine, and my knees were battling my elbows 🙁 would have been a hoot though
The ZX-4RR is an excellent bike, but it’s definitely heavier than it should be. It’s really not meaningfully lighter or smaller than a 750. I sat on a 90s CBR250RR at a track day a few years ago and it felt like a pocket bike in comparison. I probably could’ve dragged a knee standing up straight.
An FZR400 with a 600 engine would be a riot. The 400 had a much lighter aluminum frame and the 600 engine put out somewhere around 90hp at the crank
Suzuki Samurai
Chevy Kodiak
I’ve got two lists, one for cars and one for Tracks/Events
Cars in no particular order
Tracks
I’d love to have a go flying some really hairy big naval aircraft, like a Fairey Gannet or an Avenger. Or for something smaller, a Cessna 337. Bike I’ve always wanted to ride is a second gen Busa. Car, I’d love to drive an Atom or 7 and commute in it in all weathers . A Morgan 3 wheeler or there is a british firm that makes a retro style roadster which is fwd and powered by a honda goldwing flat 6. Actually on goldwings, I’d similarly love to commute on a mid eighties Goldwing (which I know is a 4cyl but they look so cool).
I’ve been very lucky and driven/ridden some cool things, but I still need to drive an OG NSX, FD RX7 and an Alfa SZ, all three of which are on my first day buy list should I ever win the lottery that I don’t play. That’s also the day I buy an RVF750, R7, ZX7RR, and a Honda SP2, all of which I’d love to ride.
I’ve also got some unfinished business with projects I worked on that I never got to drive: Evija (passenger ride only), 3-Eleven (I never even got to sit in one) and 2-Eleven. I know a guy with a 2-Eleven…
Then there’s things I only drove once that I’d love to drive again:
The prototype Exige V6 without the supercharger, which I think is a better road car than the 350 or 400 cars because it makes you work harder for less speed.
The Lotus Type 119, because a car with no engine shouldn’t be that fast or that oversteery.
400bhp pro-spec S13 Silvia, because it basically drifted itself everywhere.
F-14 Tomcat because I’m such a Top Gun fanboy, but any fighter jet will do, I’m not picky.
Jim Clark’s Indy 500 winning Lotus
1964 GTO
1969 Honda CB750K
All the Yangwangs
Kia Elan
Alpine A108, A110
Fiat Coupè
Mitsubishi FTO
150’+ motor yacht
Any of those big navy jet boats.
Similar to you Peter. I have a decent amount of motorcycle track experience, so I want to ride a kitted Superbike. MotoAmerica, BSB, WSBK, any of em. I know MotoGP is the top of the pile but honestly those bikes scare me too much. I’ve ridden a brand new 200 hp S1000RR on track, surely a fettled M1000RR won’t kill me…
One of the cool Kei sports cars (there’s a lot to choose from, but I only really need one of them)
the last A3 TDI w/ a manual
Lotus Exige S (preferably 260)
Ariel Atom
RSV4
Ural w/ sidecar
E46 M3 GTR
Lucid Air
Holden SS-V Ute (the last one)
Lotus Esprit V8
Mustang GTD
GMC Syclone
Viper (preferably the one with zero TC just because I want the challenge)
Anything with a manual column shifter (that’s in perfect condition, don’t need to make it extra challenging)
VW with the autostick
original NSX
air cooled 911
ok this isn’t a bucket list, this is a pining list.