9 Oddball Automotive Bucket List Adventures I Need To Have

It’s no secret that my automotive tastes can be somewhat odd, but I wear that badge with pride. Anyone can love Porsche 911s or Nissan GT-Rs, but it takes a bit of madness to actively seek out a three-cylinder, five-speed Geo Metro for the potential fun factor, or to compete in a rallycross with a Buick Roadmaster sedan.

Don’t get me wrong; I’m all for hardcore track day battles in supercars and quarter-mile blitzing in high-horsepower muscle machines. But I’ve also come to embrace a broader enjoyment of the automobile that doesn’t always involve speed or power.

That brings me to my automotive bucket list, or rather, a portion of that list. Yes, things like driving a Ferrari F40 or cruising on Route 66 are on there, but such things are on every petrolhead’s list. Rather than rehash the boring stuff, here are a few of my oddball automotive bucket list items. If you feel so inclined in the comments, I’d love to hear about some of your lesser-known aspirations.

Reach 88 MPH in a DeLorean

Anyone who’s seen the Back to the Future movie trilogy knows why this is on my bucket list, and I’m probably not the only one who wants to do this. However, I need to take it a step further by adding in the Back to the Future soundtrack blasting on the stereo. The orchestral theme would be ideal, but I’d settle for Heuy Lewis singing The Power of Love. And if the stars align just right, it’ll all happen on a dark, stormy night in California.

The Kia Soul is already something of an oddball interest of mine. I think they look good, they’re quite practical for their size and I find them to be surprisingly fun to drive. I’ve been on the edge of buying one for the last few years, but I’ve always said that a condition of the sale would be a hamster suit like the ones they used in the TV ads a few years back. Yes, I’ve told that to Kia sales reps. Surprisingly enough, it wasn’t the first time they’d heard it.

Execute a perfect 2-3 shift in a Ferrari 575M

I had the occasion to drive a Ferrari 308 many years ago, and for a young 20-something car guy it was epic. I quickly became obsessed with making a clean 2-3 shift on the gated box, which I eventually did - albeit in slow motion at low revs. The 575 is one my all-time favourite Ferraris, and I long to bang a swift 2-3 swap with the V12 singing a 7000rpm soprano.

Sit in an Aston Martin Lagonda

I actually mentioned this a few weeks ago when I talked about cars that make you feel like a fighter pilot. I find the Lagonda’s styling to be as appealing as spoiled cheese, but the inside is straight out of 2001: A Space Odyssey. I don’t want to drive it; I just want to sit inside and pretend I’m preparing to launch from the main shuttle bay on the USS Enterprise.

Is the Aztek the ugliest car ever? The near universal answer to that question is yes, and when it first came out, I agreed. It’s still not pretty, but the Aztek’s looks have grown on me to the point where I want to buy one and turn it into something amazing. I’m talking big power, all-wheel drive tomfoolery, tuned suspension, and body kits with wings and vents to the point where it looks like a freaking Aventador on steroids. One of these days I’ll do it, and it will be epic.

Lead a cruise of beater cars from Hell to Paradise

No joke here - I grew up about 15 miles from a tiny town in Michigan called Hell. About 350 miles north in the picturesque Upper Peninsula of Michigan not far from Lake Superior is a tiny town called Paradise. Sure, you could just do the drive in any car and claim to have driven from Hell to Paradise, but it would mean so much more to do the trip with a group of beat-up, $500 rides barely clinging to life. Any CTZens interested in joining me for this cheap car challenge?

Drive a Ford Taurus SHO in a stage rally event

I’ve owned a ridiculous number of these cars in my life. I’ve also been a huge rally fan for well over a decade now. See where I’m going with this? It gets better though, because I think the first-generation SHO would actually be pretty good in a front-wheel drive category. The high-revving Yamaha V6 is an epic engine; the car actually isn’t that heavy considering its size, and the early cars with big rear sway bars were willing to dance with lots of lift-off oversteer. I think they’d make great cheap rally cars. I’ve yet to find anyone to agree with me on that.

Own a terrible Pontiac Fiero kit car

I really have no plausible explanation for this one, other than I actually like normal Fieros with the V6 and a five-speed. And despite the general consensus, they do make great platforms on which to build a number of kit cars. They look great when done right, but I want nothing to do with a good Fiero kit car. I want one with goofy proportions so people instantly know it’s a Pontiac in a not-so-clever disguise.

The twist in this plot? Before donning the ill-fitting body work I’d do a V8 swap, which is actually quite common in Fiero land. That way it would be an ugly kit car that’s supposed to look fast but everyone expects to be slow, but then is actually fast. Hey, I told you right up front: I have no explanation for it.

Drive across New York City

Most drivers try to avoid New York City at all costs, because if the traffic doesn’t stop you or some crazy cab driver doesn’t hit you, a road-raging psychopath will shoot you. I’ve done my fair share of avoiding the Big Apple, but those have been during work trips where time was of the essence. I very much want to set aside a day and just conquer the entire NYC area.

I’d start from Coney Island in Brooklyn, head northeast to Queens then west to the Brooklyn Bridge and into Lower Manhattan. From there, it’s north to Central Park and Bronx, past Yonkers to Tarrytown, and across the Tappan Zee bridge. I’d use all surface streets - no highways save for the bridge crossings. All total it’s about a 60-mile trip. If I can do it in one day without either getting shot, run over, or hit by a cab, I’ll cross it off my bucket list. If it doesn’t work out that way, perhaps I’ll give London a go.