Father’s Day is just around the corner, and if you’re anything like me, you probably haven’t picked out a gift yet. There are Father’s Day gift idea lists as far as the eye can see, but this one is all about the car guys. We’ve got everything from car wash to car posters to cars (diecast, of course). Click on each link to snag your pops something that you think he would enjoy.
STUFF AND CLOTHING
I think pretty much every dad loves gadgets, gizmos, and contraptions. Here are a few that I wouldn’t mind having.
1) Jeep Poster
Steve’s Poster Store has some amazing stuff on his Amazon page! He’s got everything from vehicles to patent papers for Morse code. Every dad loves some quality garage or man cave art.
This Turtle Wax box is great for spiffing up the family hauler before a vacation or a trip to the ballgame. Turtle Wax has been a favorite amongst car guys for a long time, and this kit will not disappoint.
4) Griot’s Garage Car Care Kit
While the Turtle Wax kit is great for the family hauling wagon, the Griot’s Garage kit is for that extra special vehicle in Dad’s garage. You know the one; it’s the one you can’t eat in, the one that doesn’t go out in the rain, the one that gets more attention than the family pet. The guys at Griot’s Garage (yes, it’s a real place!) actually have a hands-on car care school so you know these guys are serious. The Griot’s Garage kit is the only one good enough for a ride that special.
5) AAA Roadside Assistance Kit
Bad things happen. They usually happen on a dark, cold, rainy night on the side of a two lane road. Every car you own should have some kind of emergency prep kit whether it’s a prepackaged set like this one or some of the same stuff crammed into an old backpack. Like the Boy Scouts motto says: Be Prepared!
This is a great addition to the your emergency kit whether you buy one like the AAA kit above or build your own; just remember to keep this within reach of the driver’s seat. We’ve tried this one on a scrap window here at the blog and they work best when you hit the window in a corner rather than in the middle of the glass.
7) Car Mouse
I first saw one of these little guys at our local bank, and I thought it was pretty cool! Now you can jump on over to the Service Station and surf the old interwebs in style.
If Dad’s a car guy, you need to get him a gift subscription for MotorTrend OnDemand! There are so many original shows such as Roadkill, Dirt Every Day, Hot Rod Garage, and more with exclusive content found only on MotorTrend OnDemand. There’s also live racing coverage, and a huge vault of classic automotive programming.
Now that you’ve signed Dad up for MotorTrend OnDemand, it’s time to help him rep his favorite shows! Freiburger and Finnegan are always up to something, and they come out with new sticker packs based on recent tomfoolery-filled episodes.
10) Take a page out of my in-laws’ book: get a small, inexpensive toolbox and fill it with some favorite candy for your favorite dad!
It’s the perfect answer to almost any question!
12) Make America V8 Again Tee Shirt
No matter your political affiliation, I think every true car guy can get behind this statement.
You may have seen the blinker fluid coupons or videos; now there’s a tee shirt! Whether you want to play dumb or just watch reactions on the faces of passers by, this shirt is sure to turn some heads.
One of my favorite car culture sayings on a tee shirt. ‘Nuff said.
Sometimes you just need to be reminded which is which, just like wearing a name tag at work. Notice there’s no brake…who needs to stop??
Most car guys don’t dress up a whole lot unless they’re forced to, but if you have to don a monkey suit and a French cuff shirt, at least you can show off your affinity for car culture a little bit.
You gotta keeps the pipes hydrated when you’re bench racing with your buddies or smack-talking at the race track, and it’s hard to beat this Ozark Trail tumbler. You can use it for piping hot coffee or ice cold soda or water, and it’ll hold ice for well over 24 hours! It seems like every one and their brother makes a stainless tumbler these days, but I couldn’t be happier with mine.
This is the smaller brother to the 30oz tumbler and is, in my opinion, better suited for hot beverages because of the size. If you’re a serious caffeine junkie, go for broke and grab the big one!
18) Fidget Shifter
Fidget spinners are for Beiber-loving tweens and weak-kneed hipsters. Become a better road racer with just a keychain! Ok, probably not, but they’re still REALLY cool!
TOOLS
Every dad needs tools! No dad ever has enough! I own most of these, and the ones I don’t personally own are made by a brand I trust because I own other tools made by them.
1) Gearwrench 118 Piece Tool Set
This is a great starter set if Dad is just getting into wrenching. Armed with this set and a few other necessities, he can tackle the oil changes, brake jobs, and most other basic tasks on the family war wagon.
2) Gearwrench 24 Piece Combination Wrench Set
Gearwrench is best known for their ratcheting wrenches, but they make some healthy combination wrenches, too! They’re longer than a standard wrench, and I can tell you from personal experience that they work very well.
3) Gearwrench XL Ratcheting Wrench Set
When the regular wrenches just won’t cut it, you gotta break out the big guns. This set is invaluable for breaking loose stubborn nuts and bolts, as well as releasing certain serpentine belt tensioners.
4) Gearwrench Ratcheting Serpentine Belt Kit
This is by far the best serpentine belt tool I’ve ever used. I’ve used Snap-On, Matco, Mac, and a host of others and I would pick this one almost every time. There are a few applications where this tool wouldn’t fit, but 99% of the time it’s perfect.
5) Lisle Pneumatic Fan Clutch Wrench Set
This is the best tool I’ve seen for removing stubborn fan clutches. I have yet to see a clutch it wouldn’t remove. Well, there was one, but we had to cut it off with a torch so I won’t count that one!
6) Lisle Ford Triton 3 Valve Broken Spark Plug Removal Tool
The ubiquitous Ford Triton 3 Valve engine strikes fear into the hearts of most techs and weekend warriors, but this special tool from Lisle makes a bad situation a lot more tolerable. I’ve extracted many plugs with this tool and it hasn’t failed me yet (knock on wood).
This thing is great for filling up a radiator after draining the cooling system for a repair. Many modern cars have bleeder valves to remove air from the system and this funnel makes it a lot easier to bleed.
Most dads like big trucks, but it can make an underhood repair or inspection a nightmare! This guy just hooks over the tire and gives dad a leg up, making his life a little easier. After all, isn’t that what Father’s Day is all about?
9) Astro Pneumatic Brake Caliper Wind-Back Tool
I used this exact tool for a blog article a while back, and I’ve used it extensively before and after. I had a Blue Point (Snap-On), but someone borrowed it and never gave it back. While the Blue Point seemed to be better quality, this one includes many more adapters and has a left-hand thread tool necessary for many calipers. It has served me well even in a professional setting, and if I had it to do over again, I would buy the Astro Pneumatic over the Blue Point.
I bought this to use these on dual piston and quad piston calipers, but now I use it for just about all my brake jobs. Before I got this, I would fight with some big screwdrivers, but this tool makes my life a whole lot easier.
DIECAST CARS
Part of what makes a car guy a car guy is his love of cars. I’m sure many of us dream of having a Jay Leno garage one day, but until we get our own late show on a major TV network, diecast models will have to do. These are a few of my favorites.
5) ’58 Chevy Apache Pickup Truck
I hope this gave you some ideas! Remember, Amazon has free shipping for eligible orders over $25. Happy Wrenching!
While I wasn’t paid for this post, it does contains affiliate links. When you use some of the above links to purchase products, I get a small commission at no additional cost to you. Thanks for your support!
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