Gifts for a dad who loves cars
Car dads are easy to describe and hard to buy for. He has the tools. He has the shirt. He has the truck, and he can tell you the day he bought it, what he paid and what it had on the odometer.
That last part is the opening. The gifts below are about his car and the years he has spent with it. They range from a free afternoon to a few hundred dollars.
Free preview before you pay. Nothing prints until you approve it.
§ 01
10 gifts for a car dad
Start with what he drives, or what he drove when you were small. Most of these work for both.
- 01$59–$449
A poster of his truck or car
$59–$449
His own truck, in its own color, on a road he likes, as a vintage-style travel poster for the garage or the den. Use a photo from your phone or an old snapshot from the family album. You can add up to two people from their photos, so the grandkids can ride along, and put a line along the bottom such as the truck's nickname. You see it free before you pay.
→ Custom car poster - 02varies
A drive with him, in his car
varies
Ask him to take you on the road he used to drive on weekends, or the route of a family trip you remember. Bring coffee and let him talk. It costs a tank of gas.
- 03varies
His old car photos, scanned and restored
varies
Collect the faded prints of him with his first car, his hot rod or the family wagon. A photo scanning service can digitize them, and a print shop can make one large print for the wall.
- 04varies
A scale model of his truck
varies
A diecast model in the right year and color. Pickups like the C10 and the F-100 have plenty of models; rarer trucks take more searching.
- 05varies
Fix the one thing he keeps putting off
varies
The radio that hasn't worked since 1998, a split seat, a dash clock. Pay a specialist to fix it, or do it with him.
- 06varies
Cruise night or a car show together
varies
Find a local cruise night or a regional show and go with him. If he shows his car, help him clean it the night before.
- 07varies
A professional detail
varies
A full interior and exterior detail by someone good. Dads who wash their own car every Saturday rarely pay for this themselves.
- 08varies
A serious tool he wouldn't buy himself
varies
A quality torque wrench, a low-profile floor jack with good jack stands. Ask his friends what he borrows most.
- 09varies
Garage comfort
varies
A garage heater, a shop radio or a small fridge. The garage is where he spends Saturday; make it nicer.
- 10varies
A book about his truck or his era
varies
A history of the Chevy and GMC trucks he grew up with, or of the muscle cars from his high school years.
§ 02
Why a poster of his own truck works
Our customers buy posters for their dads at Christmas, on birthdays and on Father's Day. The ones that hit hardest are about a car with a history: the Chevelle he bought new in 1965, the Corvettes he had decades apart, the farm truck his wife learned to drive in. One daughter gave her almost-90-year-old dad his poster early because she couldn't wait. She said he almost cried.
Pickups make great posters. A Chevy C10 or a Ford F-100 has a big, honest face, so use a photo from the front three-quarter angle where the grille and the side are both visible. Patina is fine: if his F-100 is more rust than paint, the poster can keep every spot of it.
§ 03
Getting the photo without him noticing
Take it while he is busy: from the driveway, in daylight, the whole truck in the frame. Side or front three-quarter works best. If the truck is long gone, ask your mom or an aunt for the family albums. A scan or a phone photo of an old print is enough.
Not sure about the year or trim? You can change the design five times before you pay, and after you order you get a full-size proof to approve. Nothing prints until you say so.
From customers
“Looks great! My dad was very excited to receive the prints on his birthday! High quality prints!! Will order more of his vehicles for later holidays and gifts.”
“I love it! Will be a gift to my father for Christmas. Excellent quality. Very unique gift.”
“I love that my truck is now on a fine art print on my wall. The ordering was easy and it came fast. Well worth it!”
Questions
What are good gifts for men who love cars?
Gifts about his car: a poster of it, a drive together, a scale model of the right year, or fixing something on it he keeps putting off.
What do I buy my dad who has everything?
Something only you can give: a poster of the truck he has driven for decades, or of the car from a family story, with the grandkids in it. He can't buy that for himself.
Can I order a poster of a car my dad no longer owns?
Yes. An old snapshot works. Many customers order a parent's first car or a car that was sold years ago.
Is a car poster a good Father's Day gift?
Yes. Order a few weeks ahead so you have time to approve the proof. US shipping is free and the pricing page lists delivery at 4 to 7 business days.
Free preview before you pay. Nothing prints until you approve it.