Woody or F100 (to carry long boards to the beach) Early 60’s VW Cal Bug (daily driver) Porsche 356 Speedster (to take the wife out to dinner)
OK I get it, you're preparing us for the inevitable end to the Jalopy Journal and HAMB and Garage Journal and Atomic Industries.
Two cars..your preferred early Ford roadster for around the island, and a '40/'41 Ford p/u (I know you like these), for the run to the beach, bed filled with your diving gear. Probable both combined would be under the cost of a '33/'34 Sedan.
Agree a RPU would provide the hauling and the open air like a roadster. Even a closed cab truck, like mid 30s-early 40s would also be nice. Sent from dumb operator on a smart phone
Man, saw the headline and about freaked. Got me to thinking about your succession plan for TJJ, presume there is one. Whatever you decide, I agree with @32Stoker, you need an Outlaw also!
You don't want all that sand and salt water inside your hot rod, do you? Why not put a hitch on a hot rod? Put all that wet scuba shit in the trailer.
Cuz again... I'll be retired, not dead... And yeah, I plan to continue on with, at the very least, The Jalopy Journal once I retire... in like 12 years.... if I'm lucky.... So you guys are stuck with me for the duration.
I first thought would be the quintessential woody but we all know the prices for a decent woody would settle a big portion of the national debt! The idea of a early roadster pickup, a 40/41 which I know you are fond of or what about a ute? A nice wagon of the correct time period certainly would check all the boxes, room for people, storage space for all the scuba gear and of course room on top to haul the occasional too long to carry items. Then there is the 40's and 50's sedan delivery's & panel truck's, you got a while but there is no time like the present to start looking. HRP
The day we were leaving Kona a couple of years ago I spotted a ‘56 panel out in the wild. I say go for it....but get an RPU too...
My heart stopped for a second. Loved Kauai. That would be the island I would pick. Keep dreaming. When your kids have their own families on the Mainland, the boss may have a different retirement option for you. . I’d pick an RPU.
I like the big island myself having been to a cruise night with many cars there. Also larger island to drive around. Exterminator
We spent a week in Maui recently and I could certainly see how handy an old panel truck would be. It's too bad Ford never did a Suburban version of the F1/F100 panel, to haul a few people as well.
I think u answered your own question. Roadster with full size pickup bed - a rpu. Keep the bed a little rough for wet gear & strap it all down. Vents in the bottom & tailgate to dry things & a lockable cover to keep things. Sounds workable to me
Kauai is an excellent choice, the northern part ( Princeville ) is my favorite. The wife and I were there a few years back. I totally enjoyed sitting on Hanaleigh pier for a full day by myself just digging the scenery and the water. The pace of life is slow there, and no one is in a hurry driving wise. While there, I photographed this elegant IHC woody that fit right in with the surrounding environment. So indeed, there are cool rigs on the island, I am sure that what ever you choose, it will be cool. I suggest that your choice be two rigs, one to sacrifice to the rust and red clay, and one to keep out of the rain and clay.
A fellow Camsnapper has a 35 Plymouth sedan with a barn door on the back. . . Neat looking car and storage space in the back
Here's my vote: Plenty of room for scuba tanks and wetsuits in the trunk. Get a 4 speed and a 409 for "hotrod" aspect or go with the venerable 283/327 and pg for some fun. The lowrider crowd will be bugging you but that's ok. The key is you can have the top down on those balmy evening cruises.
Can't argue with your choice of islands but, living on an island isn't all it's cracked up to be. Speaking from experience here. I spent all of 1990 on St. Croix, USVI, while rebuilding a mostly destroyed Hess Oil refinery that Hurricane Hugo destroyed in '89. The beaches were great when we could get to them, the restaurants were pretty good considering that a lot of them had been destroyed by the wind. The price of everything was completely out of sight because almost everything had to be brought in by air or ship. This was true even before Hugo. The one thing St. Croix didn't have that Hawaii has is active volcanoes. It's a long swim to anywhere if you miss the boat. Not trying to bust your bubble, just saying that vacationing on an island is one thing, living on it is another.
Well Ryan, I'm partial to Woodies and Hawaii is the perfect setting for one. On retirement, I will tell you one thing. The day you can retire, do so. At the very best, we are only on this earth for about one hundred years, and in reality statistics show it's between 75 and 85 years. You have never heard anyone on their deathbed saying "I should have worked more". That decade you have before retirement will go very fast Ryan!
I’ve got a huge soft spot for 56 F100 panel. It’s what my pops owned and the vehicle that introduced me to « old cars ». Don’t forget Kauai gets a huge amount of rain and a topless hot rod may not be the best idea just for that reason. The panel seems like a no brainer to me. Through all your gear in and go. Here’s the one I grew up in circa 75.
I'm going to probably get tar & feathered for this. My wife and I also plan on retiring to a tropical paradise as well, we just have to choose between Okinawa Japan, Thailand, or possibly the Philippines. It's not hot rod at all, but I can't get over the mental image of a clean looking VW bus parked on the beach. The hot rod could be for evening cruising and dinner dates. RS Mike View attachment 4601935
You scarred me with the title to this article. Good thing I stopped to read this before going off to the main board to start rumors. Not to everyone's liking but, if you get the chance take a look at the Frankie & Annette movie Bikini Beach. There's a white '32 roadster with a pickup box instead of a deck lid in the big chase sequence. Sort of like the conversion kits Sears sold to turn a car into a truck. Good luck on the retirement dream, don't know if I'll ever get there myself. Looking forward to seeing everybody in August! -Dave
A friend bought a collector car from Hawaii.....it was a complete rust bucket. Guess the salty breeze took it’s toll! My opinion of Hawaii has since tanked.
Jeez, I love Kauai but cruising is limited there. Not a lot of road to cruise on. They get a lot of rain but it usually blows over quickly. My preference would be 1930's coupe. Just the two cents from a Haole
Way ahead of ya.......Panels and sedans....hot rods and hauling. https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/they-call-me-panelman.1099578/page-6#post-13478058 It's funny how it seems like people want different things then where they grew up. Country wants city and city wants country....not 100% of the time, but you get the idea. I grew up at the beach, went almost everyday (even when raining), I live about 20 min from the same area but rarely go to the sand. Now I long for wide open spaces, with very few people and a shop. I do like driving up and down the coast at night remembering what it was like before the mass influx of people. I guess my time at the beach and surrounding areas has spoiled me to the point I don't see the draw of Hawaii.
Are woodies really that good of a choice? They don't like a lot of weather.......sun, rain, humidity etc. I'd be thinkin panel van with maybe non traditional A/C! I use to spend a month at a time visiting four islands. A week at each. It's tough to pick just one!
I own a timeshare on Kauai and we're there nearly every year. Some time in mid July this year. I've taken SO many picture of that International woody over the years. I think if I retired there I'd want a Subaru Outback but if I were going vintage, hmmmm. Not sure. I've seen a PURRFEFCT '40 Ford Panel in red there a few times. Right now I'm thinking a vintage 4x4. Maybe an F-250 or a Chevy 3100?
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