With social distancing rules in full effect, all your most-anticipated collector car shows have gone on hiatus, hoping to return next year. So, what are you to do with all your free time? Well, you might like to hear that there’s still a lot of ways you can enjoy your collector car hobby while keeping your distance from the crowds. If you’re stuck on ideas, let us help. Here’s a look at six fun options:
Take a Long, Relaxing Fall Drive
The leaves are starting to change from greens to a fantastic array of red, orange, and yellow. The crisp fall air smells absolutely delicious and the weather is still somewhat cooperative for now. So, don’t let the opportunity to take some of the most relaxing road trips of the year pass you by.
You don’t even need to have a destination in mind. Just pick a road and see where it takes you. Make a whole day of it by bringing along a picnic lunch to enjoy at a park or beach you see along the way.
Go See a Movie at the Drive-In
If you want to spend the evening watching movies while showing off your collector car, then the drive-in theatre is the place to be. Although this might seem like a relic of the past, Canada still has nearly 40 drive-in movie theatres open still.
Nearly half are scattered across Ontario, while most of the remaining provinces have at least one of their own. The only exceptions are Yukon and Alberta, which are eagerly awaiting drive-ins to come back in fashion — and fast.
Head Out on a Virtual Test Drive
Although classics easily pull your heartstrings, it’s also fun to guess at which new cars will end up collectors in the future. To really have a chance at guessing right, you need to cozy up in the driver’s seat and take each one for a spin.
While doing so in person is currently off the table, virtual test drives are to the rescue. From Audi to Cadillac, car manufacturers have started rolling out their libraries of virtual driving experiences to give everyone a taste of what they have to offer.
Tour Collector Car Museums Online
Collector car museums are always a great time since they showcase a variety of classics in all their glory. If you are hankering for some time drooling over those prize specimens, then you’re in luck because many museums have taken their collections to the digital realm.
Your new favourite rides await at:
- Porsche Museum
- Mercedes-Benz Museum
- Museo Lamborghini
- Maranello Ferrari Museum
- Peterson Auto Museum
- LeMay: America’s Car Museum
- Lingenfelter Collection
Try not to lose track of time as you marvel at all the amazing collector cars that have hit the streets and racetracks through the years. You could spend literal days browsing the exhibits, trying to take in every inch of every last one.
Join the Digital Fun with iRacing
If you miss seeing car after car working their way around the racetrack, never fear, iRacing is here to satisfy your need for speed. Through this ultra-realistic racing simulator, you can get a feel for how all your favourite collector cars behave on the track. You can take them to their limits and beyond without fear of crashing or otherwise breaking them, ensuring you’re always having an awesome time.
Have a Blast with Remote-Control Cars
For a taste of the automotive world, just on a smaller scale, set your sights on the world of remote-control cars. The options range from ultra-realistic sedans to zany monster trucks and everything in between. You can build your own or buy them ready to run. Either way, you can upgrade them with new wheels, faster motors, and even paint new bodies.
Although you might need to run them at your local parks for now, once social distancing is over, you might have indoor and outdoor RC car tracks nearby. At those tracks, you can join official races and other exciting events or simply practice your heart out for your big debut later on.
COVID-19 really put a damper on the collector car show season this year, but here’s to hoping that by this time next year all will be well, and we’ll be enjoying the hobby to the fullest. As the collector car season comes to an end, don’t forget to get your beloved vehicle ready for winter storage, and start thinking about safely tucking it away.