Looking for a last-minute gift ideas for Father's Day? Or maybe you just want to spoil yourself. Here's our list of must-haves for the man-cave
Car models
If your budget doesn’t extend to the beautiful Chryslers we’ve been featuring in Unique Cars lately, you could try something a bit easier to park. Something like one of these Chrysler models from Trax. The Chrysler by Chrysler model is part of the 1:24 Super Series and retails at $225.
The smaller 1:43 scale Select Series features vehicles like the Royal AP2 for $159.
Find them at topgear.com.au
BACK TO THE FUTURE MODELS
At $1099 this model’s not cheap, but it is a 1/6th scale Back to the Future Delorean with exterior body cabling, functional gull-wing doors, flux capacitor and LED headlights, tail lgihts, roof console and dash displays. If you’re really flush, you can spring for the 1/6th scale Marty McFly complete with body warmer, Walkman, skateboard and camcorder the size of a breeze block.
Check out the car at www.popcultcha.com.au
and Marty at www.hottoys.com.hk
FORD AUSTRALIA BOOK
This is a cracker! Michele Cook and Doug Wallace have painstakingly documented the 88 years in which Ford has built cars in Australia. ‘Ford Australia’ brings you the stories from the boardroom, the design studio, the factory floor and the race track, representing a fascinating insight into the company and its successes and failtures, challenges and victories.
It’s a bittersweet tale, and it can be yours for just $60 from newhollandpublishers.com
DASHCAM
We’ve had one of these Kaiser Baas R20 dashcams on test and it’s a great unit. Easy to use, with intuitive software, great quality 1296p video, an inbuilt GPS and g-sensor, it’s strong value at $249. If you’ve got a classic car and feel you need digital back-up to your insurance policy, you can’t do much better. Even if you never crash, you’ll get very cool cruise footage.
Find the dashcam here: kaiserbaas.com
And check out the in-depth independent review here: dashcamownersaus.com.au
CAR COVERS
You’ve heard of Carcoons, right? – those fancy bubbles for millionaires to keep their precious cars in climate-controlled conditions in their garages. Less well known is the outdoor Carcoon for average Joes like us with single-car garages who want to keep another car dry and protected.
From around $1k, they’re good value and ought to last a lot longer than a cheap knock-off.
For more information head to www.carcoon.com.au
SEBRING POSTER
Guy Allen (not our Ed!) is a Brit artist with a nice line in historic race posters and 70s Italiana. This A2 signed Sebring 12-Hour is part of a limited edition of 100 which retails in the UK for £75. Available from guyallen.co.uk
HDT STUBBY HOLDER
Do you pine for the good old days when no trip to Bathurst was complete without launching flaming toilet rolls at Ford fans?
Well, now that you’ve done your duty, sit back in the easy chair on alfresco, crack open a cold one and show your allegiance with this HDT stubbie holder.
You get Brocky’s A9X celebrating the back to back wins in ’78 and ’79. Just $10 at hdt.com.au
SHANNONS APP
Shannons has launched an app for your phone or tablet. It gives Shannons customers the ability to instantly request a quote for an insurance policy, capture incidents and upload claim information. It also provides direct access to the club and the auctions.
Available from the App Store or Google Play.
PONTIAC TIN
Artificially aged to look agreeably vintage, this tin sign features the classic Pontiac logo and would look great on the wall of any man cave or garage.
It measures 40.5×31.5cm and costs just $18. Although Pontiac’s been dormant since 2009, GM still holds the rights to the name. Maybe it’ll rise from the dead again and we can all become dewy-eyed over G8s, the Commodore’s ugly American cousin.
Find it here at ebay.
CLASSIC INSTRUMENTS
It’s surprisingly hard to find great clocks for your muscle car. You want something tough and classy-looking, good quality but not Euro-chintzy. Step forward Classic Instruments with their latest full sweep and short sweep clocks. Both feature a rugged air-core movement for long-lasting precision and durability. Available in AutoCross Gray and Yellow, G-Stock, Hot Rod, Velocity Black and White, and White Hot.