All aboard. You ship sails daily from your driveway. Destination unknown. But the weather is always sunny and the journey always enjoyable. The commute is a short hop. The road trip is a circumnavigation. The buffet is fully laden and your are ready to sup on all that is luxurious. You sir, are a Captain. And a Captain is nothing without his ship. His lady. His passengers.
Detroit has no ocean but a big lake. As such, they have experience with lots of Captains and the ships they require. Albeit mostly second rate Captains of ore ships who ply the inland sea but Captains none the less. On to the ships. Captain! Aside, Salute.
The 1965 slab sided Lincoln. The Kennedy car. For $15,000 you can live out your Captain fantasies and those carried over from watching Parker Posey in The House of Yes. Introduced in 1961 this beauty was as flat on the sides as Twiggy was on her front. But both somehow were quite attractive. With miles of electrics and a drop top that filled the enormous trunk this was indeed a dreamy ship. Go for the powder blue to get the most nautical effect. Maybe with a white interior and pretend you are ferrying guests from a Yacht moored of Monaco. The 340HP 462 provides propulsion as silent as Clancy's Red October. The rear hinged door is debonair. Go for an excellent condition hard top over a so-so convertible. And, as any Captain knows, check your charts for safe passage. Or, in land lubbers terms, measure the garage to make sure it will fit.
1968 Cadillac. The newest, biggest, smoothest V-8 ever offered is yours today for around $10,000 in perfect, shall we say, ship shape. We shall. With dozens and dozens of configurations you are sure to find a broker who has one of these cruisers that will raise your sails. Limo? Four door? Coupe? Yes. Yes. Yes. By golly your passengers will enjoy the ride to with laid back rear seating and carpeted footrests. For cabin trimmings do try to find one that has the optional DuBarry cloth with Leather trim. Best to get one of these and also hire a trusty helmsman so you can enjoy the company of your charges on board, the good ship Cadillac. The difference between the Cadillac and the Lincoln? Best brush up on the difference between International Style and Federalist Style.
W126 Mercedes 560 SEL. With their 2380KM of coastline the Germans are certainly capable of constructing a ship that meets their specific North Sea needs. It is the W126 and it is yours with low miles and all options for $15,000. There were dozens of variants and over 800,000 produced, but you are looking for something specific sir. Either the high compression 5.6 liter V8 with 300HP. Or, if you don't mind searching the deep blue for a while, an AMG modified version with the DOHC 6 liter V8 and locking differential. This machine will pound through the harshest waves and fastest currents. The rakes and rafes out there will hold out for the 2+2 seating variation that creates a rather sporty Barchetta feeling. Set sail, to an electronically limited 155MPH.
Photos: cteinternational.com, oldcarmanualproject.com,
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