25 Unique Holiday Gifts for Car Lovers
Gifts for Car Guys & Car Gals
Want to know the perfect gifts for car guys? Or car gals? Have you ever wondered what to get someone who likes cars? Fortunately, it’s not rocket science. Our guide covers some new and exciting gift ideas from Speedway Motors as well as some old favorites. Take a look to find the perfect car enthusiast gifts!
What to buy a car lover on Christmas? Keep reading!
1-4: Tools
Tools are always a winner, and these are sure to get lots of use in the shop.
These Wheel Fitment Tools sure are slick. These allow you to actually mock a tire up in your car's wheelwell to determine what will fit and what rim dimensions will fit the best. No more guessing when it's time to order wheels. With this tool, you'll know just what width and backspace will work best with your car.
Engine swaps are part of life in the shop, especially with race cars. These 4-Point Lift Slings and 2-Point Lift Slings are designed with the racer in mind, allowing quick engine changes when minutes count. These even allow the airbox to remain in place on sprint cars and others with tall injectors on top of the engine. But they're not just for racers. We've used these in the shop on single 4-barrel small blocks and injected LS engines.
Turbos require a lot of fab work to get both the hot and cold side plumbing in the right place to work with your car and engine bay. They're also expensive and will melt down if any of that metal that you're cutting and grinding happens to make it inside. These T4 Turbo Mock Up Jigs allow you to simulate that expensive turbo for fabrication while the actual turbo sits safely on the workbench.
Speaking of mock up, how about a complete LS Engine Mock Up Block? Lightweight mock up blocks are handy to have in the shop for fabrication of mounts, determining engine and driveline fitment, as well as test fitting and building exhaust and accessory components. But the plastic blocks on the market are prone to breaking when heavy components are bolted to them. These steel mock up blocks solve that problem. They're made from 12-gauge and are strong enough to handle everyday life and use in the shop.
5-8: Safety
If you're looking for ideas for the racer on your list, safety equipment is a great way to show some love.
Speedway Motors has some new harness options that will make great gifts. There's now a cam-lock option in both HANS (with narrow shoulder belts) and standard with 3" shoulder belts. They're available in both black and silver to compliment any race car interior. There's also a new HANS-compatible Lift Latch version (pictured below). Not sure which one to buy? Check out our handy Harness Guide and check out all of our harnesses here.
Not only do these mid-top driving shoes look cool, they're also designed to keep you safe. They're made of suede and flame-retardant cotton and SFI 3.3/5 rated for protection in case of a fire. They're available in sizes 6-14 to outfit racers of all sizes and feature a soft-compound sole for comfort and maximum pedal feel.
It's a good idea to have a fire system in any race car, and it's a requirement for several sanctioning bodies. In 2023, World of Outlaws and a few others are requiring this FireBottle AMSC500 Automatic Remote Fire System in every car. They can be actuated manually with a supplied pull cable or automatically with a heat-sensing trigger.
9: Cloth-Covered Vintage-Look Wiring Kit - 12 Circuit
New wiring is a must for just about any old car project. But sometimes all that fresh vinyl-covered wire looks out of place on a vintage car or nostalgia hot rod. This 12 Circuit Cloth-Covered Vintage-Look Wiring Kit offers all the benefits of a new harness kit, including 12 circuits with modern mini fuses, all with cool cloth covering over the GXL insulated wire that looks right at home in an early car or truck. As a bonus, it's all engineered to work with popular '69-up GM steering columns and aftermarket replacements.
10: Digital Display Oil/Water/Volt Mini Gauge
Gauges are a must have to protect that expensive engine under the hood and keep tabs while you're out on the road. This nifty combo gauge does the work of a whole gauge pod in one compact 2-1/16" package. It will monitor oil pressure, water temperature, and voltage all at once. It can be set to scroll through each reading or to stay on the one that really needs attention. It's easy to hook up and the LED display is easy to read.
11: Kontio Classic Whitewall Tires
Whitewall tires add a cool, timeless look to classic cars. Problem is, tire technology has advanced a long way since those bias-ply wide whites were all the rage. These Kontio Whitewalls have got the look, but deliver the performance you'd expect from a modern radial. They're available in various sizes for that hot rod "big and little" profile, too.
12: USB Ashtray Kit
That ashtray in your old car or truck is a great example of how times have changed. Now, we're more likely to need a place to plug in electric gadgets than a place to drop ashes. This handy USB charge port and bracket make clever use of that ashtray. There are two charge ports, one a 1A and the other 2.1A, allowing charging of all your phones, tablets, and you name it.
13: Hairpin Cover
We call this polished aluminum cover a "hairpin cover" since it's a great way to hide the heim or rod end on the end of your radius rods, but it can be used for just about anything. Need a beautifully formed cover for something under the hood or even inside the car? Look no further. These are just the ticket and the flange with holes pre-drilled makes them a breeze to mount.
14: Chevy Pickup Steering Wheel And Horn Assembly
'47-'54 Chevy trucks are beautifully designed and increasingly popular as restoration or hot rod candidates. They also had beautiful steering wheels with a neat deco flair and distinctively shaped horn button. Problem is, they were huge and designed to work with the old, original steering column. We've taken all that was cool about these wheels and made these Chevy Pickup Steering Wheels to fit in the interior of a modern street rod. That means a 15" diameter and a hub that not only mates to a '69-up GM steering column, but also has been resized to perfectly match the diameter of these later columns.
15: 2014-17 GM Truck Front Coil Over Conversion
All trucks look better lowered. This coilover kit makes it easy to drop the front of your '14-'17 Chevy or GMC truck. They're also adjustable, so you can dial in the perfect stance, from stock height all the way down to 3" lower. And, they use the stock coil spring, so ride quality is not adversely affected.
16: Red Serape Mexican Blanket for Custom Seat Cover, 84 x 64 Inch
Upholstery is expensive, and let's face it; it doesn't make your car go any faster. Somewhere along the way, hot rodders wanting to spend all their pennies on go-fast goodies decided that a cheap Mexican blanket would suffice as a custom seat cover. That tradition lives on in hot rods, customs, classic trucks, and anywhere else that there are other mods to prioritize over custom stitchwork. Our Mexican Serapes are big enough to cover the front and back of most seats, and they're priced to keep some money in your pocket for the stuff that really matters.
17-20: Apparel
Car folks want to show their colors everywhere, not just in the garage. Not to mention the fact that they tend to be really hard on clothes. Speedway Motors has all you need to outfit them in some fresh duds (without grease stains or burn holes) this year.
This shirt from 1320 Video answers the question before it's asked. They're never really done, right?
These Skeleton Gloves are made from 2-layer Nomex with a leather palm. They're sure to stand out in a sea of ho-hum driving gloves and offer a firm grip on the wheel to boot.
Car events tend to be outside in the sun, so we've got you covered with these straw hats. Show your colors at the car show, race track, or anywhere you need to do battle with the sun. They're available with our logo under the brim or some cool classic car illustrations.
There's nothing better than a good, worn in hoodie. These Speedway Motors Hoodies have a lived in feel and vintage vibe that makes them perfect for car events when the weather turns cool.
21-24: Gearhead Accessories
Not comfortable buying parts or apparel? Well, there are more gifts to consider below...
Can coolers are always handy to have around, and this Speedway Motors Rubber Tire Stack Can Cooler is will fit right in out in the garage. It really does look like a tiny stack of tires, and features a foam liner for extra insulation and to absorb moisture.
Everything looks cooler with some old school pinstripes! These 'striped glasses come as a set with two pint glasses and two rocks glasses and are available in red, blue, or green pinstriping.
Old cars are often lacking some of the creature comforts that we've grown accustomed to in our late models. Among those are storage for small items and cup holders. These consoles are available in black, gray, or buckskin and offer some modern convenience right there on that old bench seat or transmission tunnel.
Somewhere along the way, it was decided that hot rods should have a racoon tail on the antenna. We've got you covered with no need to harm any of the small mammals that may be currently rummaging through your trash.
25: The Best Gift for Car Lovers?
When all else fails, gift cards and electronic gift cards have saved many Christmas mornings. Sometimes the best gift for a car lover is support at their favorite speed shop. We offer both physical gift cards you can buy in-person or online and electronic gift cards. If you buy an eGift Card, you choose when it will appear in your car lover’s email.
Buy both snail mail and eGift cards here: Gift Cards—Speedway Motors.
Shop our 2022 Holiday Gift Guide. Use our list function to make holiday shopping and sharing even easier. Copy our gift guide to add or remove items, or create your own!
Hopefully, our list has inspired a great gift idea. For even more gift ideas for car lovers, visit our page with 90 More Gift Ideas for Car Lovers. We put together 90 specific gift ideas for every kind of car person and car lover. Buying gifts can challenge the best of us, but we’re confident you’ll find the perfect gift for your car lover this season!
