A car guy's Father's Day, part 2

Gene Peterson: “Actually, my first dream would be to have a four-bay garage to hold more cars, the boat, and kid toys.

Second would be to have my car loan paid off. Third is pure fantasy: Since no one car will do for me, I want a Subaru Outback Wagon to tow the boat and to use in bad weather; a Mazda Miata for bright, sunny days; a BMW 3 Series for going out to dinner; an older (1965-1967) Pontiac GTO or LeMans convertible for cruising on early Sunday morning jaunts; and, last but not least, a two-wheel drive Tacoma pickup for doing dump runs and hauling wood.  Oops, better make that a six-bay garage…”

Jake Fisher: “Since my ultimate Father's Day gift would be something that my son and I could enjoy together, it would have to be a trip to an international FIA World Rally Challenge race. Maybe we'd go to the Acropolis Rally in Greece, Rally Japan, or even the Rally of Turkey. We'd rent a car and travel through the country, as well as camping out to see World Rally and the fans up close and personal. I don't expect anything like this soon, as my son is only two. But in a few years, I think this could be a reality. For now, I'll have to settle with watching the movie ’Cars’ with him. I told my wife that it was for my son…but she knows better!”

Tom Mutchler: “It’s just my wife and me, but who can resist the opportunity to spend freely? Given that, we’ve always wanted to take a cross-country trip with our mountain bikes and whitewater kayaks. I’d love a Dodge/Freightliner Sprinter converted into a mini-motor home by Sportsmobile. Lots of room to change out of wet suits, a refrigerator filled with goodies, a place for a nap -- all with turbodiesel fuel economy. Failing that, a classic 1985 Avion 25H trailer and a used GMC Sierra Denali with Quadrasteer might suffice.

“Still, by definition, something you can sleep comfortably in isn’t exactly exciting to drive. For that, I’d like to start my car collection. Start with a 1991 Lotus Elan M100, add a 1979 Mercedes 450SEL 6.9 for its sleeper value, maybe a new Mazda MX-5 Grand Touring or Ford SVT Focus for newer, inexpensive fun -- and a big garage to store everything.”