Dear mid-60s Buick caregivers who have that road trip itch,
What's the point of owning a classic car if you don't drive it? However, going to an unfamiliar place with a car that is much more vulnerable than most can be unnerving.
Modern GPS navigation can help, but there is no hiding a GPS system so that your classic car remains classic. Smart phones would appear to be the obvious answer, but even mounting these is difficult without detracting from the classic look of your car. Both Apple and Android have an answer to this: voice-dictated directions that tell you where to go without needing to look at your smart phone at all.
This feature has been around for a while and can be used with any car, including a classic. However, Apple has added to iOS 15 some additional conveniences. If your car has a Bluetooth capable stereo, not only will Siri (Apple's voice system) dictate the driving instructions over your stereo, but it will then allow you to play music from your smart phone in between the instructions.
Biquette has a Custom Autosound stereo with Bluetooth:
Other ways to have Bluetooth in your classic are a hidden stereo or a Bluetooth conversion for your car's original radio. The simplest is a simply a portable stereo that supports Bluetooth.
I ran a test to see how well Biquette's stereo works with my iPhone SE and Siri. Everything worked just as it would in a modern car. However, there is one potential issue that is less of a problem for a modern car - background noise. I still haven't replaced all the window weather-stripping and Biquette's exhaust is louder than I would prefer. On the freeway hearing the instructions could be a problem especially for a car without an overdrive transmission.
Nonetheless, it is worth an experiment if you have a need to travel with your classic to unfamiliar place. It sure beat fumbling with maps like we have all done in the past!
Cheers, Edouard
