The perfect car for a first date depends on your intentions
This week we asked, “What’s the best car for a first date?” And it was a question that our Facebook audience actually agreed on. Whether it was your folks’ car or your own, discerning your first dates’ true intentions was easy. “Anything with a back seat” was a common response, second only to ‘50s and ‘60s cars with couch-like bench seats and, most importantly, properly running cars. Who wants to pick up their date in a squealing, misfiring mess?
It is said that a first impression is everything, and getting there in style is a sure way to nab that chance for a second date. Elegant luxury cars like Rolls-Royces or late-model Mercedes-Benzes are hard to beat, but who has access to those? Here are five cars that improve your chances without wrecking your wallet.
1949 Studebaker – Preston Madsen made a great point: The backseat of ‘49 Studebaker is curved for maximum comfort. And if you have the ’51 Starlight coupe trim line, a wraparound window makes it easy to proudly show off your hot date.
1959 Pontiac Bonneville – The body’s long lines and carefully placed chrome accents alone are enough to make any lady’s jaw drop. And it makes anyone feel right at home: It had a back seat resembling a living room sofa. If it was a group affair, how about that trunk space? Tom Ruddiman reflected on his past escapades, “Do you have any idea how many people you could sneak into a drive-in in that trunk?”
1950-‘55 Nash Rambler – The front seats reclined flat, as if it were a bed on the go. What more could you ask for? Even my 1961 Cadillac with six-way power seats can’t do that — though I wish it could. As Patrick Cowden stated, they are the best make-out seats.
1955 Chevrolet Bel Air – The Bel Air is one of the most recognizable classics, and it carries a rather romantic aura. Yet some have been rebuilt for power, like Harry M Scott’s 1955 Bel Air two-door hardtop. It flaunts a 409-ci engine with dual four-barrel carbs. If she doesn’t appreciate the thrill of horsepower, at least you will know early on that she’s not the one for you.
Custom vans – For people with high expectations, we are talking velour interiors with the possibility of waterbeds. The possibility of televisions and kitchenettes for those long nights and early mornings are a bonus. Or, as Herbert Rex Shanahan III mentioned, his 1983 Ford 150 conversion van: “I could make a group of girls scream in the back of that thing… Doing donuts in the snow.” Good one, Herbert.
