AutoGuide Dream Car Garages: $500,000 Edition

Craig Cole's Dream Car Garage

“Half a million bucks” I thought when Luke first explained the idea of this story to me. My mind quickly drifted, the sum rattling around inside my mostly vacant skull. “With that much cash I’d be a pretty poor rich person,” my inner monologue continued, though of course that would make me exponentially wealthier than I’m ever likely to be in real life, unless of course dryer lint becomes a precious commodity.

But more importantly than that six-figure sum, how would I spend this imaginary windfall? I’ve been tasked with assembling a dream garage and anything is fair game. What should I include? What’s worthy of making the cut? These are tough decisions but I think I’ve got it covered.

Mid-1930s Cadillac V16 ≈ $100,000. Unlike most contemporary enthusiasts my automotive proclivities tend toward the old and stately; new vehicles just don’t have as much soul as vintage iron. Accordingly a mid-‘30s Cadillac V16 deserves a parking space in my fictitious dream garage. The one pictured above happens to be a 1936 model and would suit me just fine. The mystique, exclusivity and audacious beauty of these rare automobiles makes them undeniably appealing. This model comes from a time when the wreath-and-crest truly was the standard of the world; it’s the Cadillac of Cadillacs and something the brand should strive to emulate today.

Perusing vintage-car sites on the Interwebz reveals that a nice example of a 1936-ish Cadillac V16 can be had for around 100 grand. That’s 20 percent of my total budget but well worth it.

1963 Lincoln Continental Convertible ≈ $50,000/$150,000. But I’m not just a Cadillac enthusiast; Lincolns of decades past were fine automobiles as well and examples from the early 1960s are some of my favorite. Their exterior styling is subtle yet absolutely stunning at the same time. These cars’ imposing dimensions, slab sides and suicide doors make a statement modern Lincolns can’t even dream of.

Normally I’m not a fan of convertibles; they turn my stomach like doing shots of liquid smoke. But the ‘63 Conti is one of the ONLY vehicles I’d ever want with a folding roof. They look so long and so low, they’re unlike anything else out there, which is why I’d go with a drop-top in this instance. Sure, President Kennedy probably didn’t enjoy his time in one of these road-ruling Lincolns but I love ‘em. Now after doing a little digging it appears that pristine examples of these cars seem to go for around $50,000, which is good news because it means this car is not a budget-buster … in this scenario at least.

Vintage Airstream Camper ≈ $50,000/$200,000. A garage full of cool, old cars is all well and good but if these machines were mine I’d make certain to actually use them; under no circumstance would any of them be trailer queens. I’d drive each one as often as I could. Accordingly I’d want to visit far-flung destinations and to make these long-haul road trips a little easier I’d want a fully restored Airstream camper. They look bad*** and are surprisingly functional, plus there’s no risk of getting scabies from staying in some low-brow motel. Ideally I’d tow it behind the Continental but I’m sure my Caddy’s 16 cylinders produce more than enough torque to drag one of these aluminum-skinned capsules.

2006 Ford GT ≈ $300,000/$500,000. Now let me make one thing clear, just because I like old stuff DOES NOT MEAN I’M A HIPSTER, so banish the thought! Finishing this list in grand style I’m including a modern performance machine, though like my other selections it’s hardly new. Ford’s GT is one of the greatest supercars of the last decade. While newer models on the market today may be quicker or handle better this thoroughbred machine still turns heads like a stiff bitch slap and accelerates with the force of a solid-fuel rocket.

Propelling this sultry machine is a mid-mounted 5.4-liter supercharged V8 that puts out 550 horsepower and 500 lb-ft of torque. All that juice is routed to the aft tires through a six-speed manual transmission. What’s not to love? Of this car’s available color schemes I’d have no choice but to go with the orange and blue Gulf Oil livery for obvious reasons; it’s the best.