Does your kid stop in their tracks every time a muscle car rumbles past? Do they spend hours watching engine rebuild videos, or ask questions about how brakes work that you cannot answer? Then you have probably searched for a summer camp for kids who love cars and found mostly one-day workshops or programs where kids watch more than they do. At Long Lake Camp Adventures, campers ages 7 to 16 get their hands on real cars, real tools and real projects, all summer long, at our overnight camp in the Adirondack Mountains of New York.
A Summer Camp for Kids Who Love Cars, Built Around Real Projects
Our automotive summer camp program is led by Graham, our head of automotive, alongside two full-time mechanics who live and breathe motor vehicles. Campers do not just read about engines here. They change oil, rewire cars, sandblast panels, weld mounts and turn the wrenches themselves, with a mechanic right beside them the whole time.
Our fleet of project cars spans the 1950s through the 1990s, and every summer campers pick up where the last group left off. Here are a few of the builds waiting in the shop.
The Camper-Built 1929 Ford T-Bucket Hot Rod
Our most ambitious project is a 1929 Ford T-Bucket hot rod that campers built from the frame up. When the project started, there was not a single part on the frame. Campers drilled every hole, welded every mount, ran every brake line and gas line, and turned every nut and bolt it took to build a car. The first time that engine turned over was one of the most exciting, rewarding sounds those campers had ever heard, and today the hot rod is on the road.
The T-Bucket is never really finished. Each summer campers fine-tune and upgrade it, working on the custom interior, the wiring, gauges and lighting, and even a custom grill made with help from our blacksmiths. Then comes everyone’s favorite part: taking it for a spin around camp.
Muscle Car Restoration: The 1971 Plymouth Roadrunner
The whole automotive program started with a true American classic, a 1971 Plymouth Roadrunner. When we picked it up, it did not run and looked rough. Over a few summers, campers had it purring, and it even passed a New York State inspection. Now the Roadrunner is getting the full treatment: a frame-off restoration. The body sits on a rotisserie so campers can reach every inch of it, and each summer brings it one step closer to being rebuilt from the ground up.
A Turbocharged BMW Drift Car
When campers asked for a Fast and Furious style project, we listened. Campers are turbocharging a 1995 BMW 3 Series, plumbing the turbocharger and intercooler, installing a hydraulic e-brake and lowering it on an all-new suspension. When it is finished, it will be a seriously powerful drift car, built by kids who can explain every part of it.
Everyday Maintenance and Off-Road Adventures
Not every lesson is a big build. Campers also learn the basics every driver should know, like changing oil and tires, checking and refilling fluids and making quick fixes, on a loud, fast 1971 Buick Skylark. Next in line is a 1972 Buick Skylark GSX. And when the work is done, there is time for cruising in the classics and riding in the Jeeps.
Our off-road favorite is the Mangler, a 1991 Jeep Wrangler that campers ride through the woods with our mechanics behind the wheel, getting stuck in huge puddles, climbing embankments and using the winch when needed. Like any hard-working trail rig, the Mangler always needs maintenance and upgrades, so campers get real hands-on time keeping it trail-ready. Kids who love mud and horsepower should also check out our off-road program and the ATVs in adventure camp.
What Kids Learn Beyond the Engine Bay
Car projects take time, and that is part of the lesson. Campers learn patience, planning and the value of not rushing a job: measure twice, cut or drill once. They work as a team, solve problems when something does not fit, and feel real pride when a car they worked on starts up or rolls out of the shop. Many campers get so connected to a build that they cannot wait to come back the next summer and finish what they started.
Safety Comes First in the Shop
Safety is our top priority in every activity, and the shop is no exception. Campers wear proper protective gear, learn how to use each tool before they pick it up, and always work with a mechanic beside them. Projects are matched to each camper’s age and experience, so a seven-year-old and a sixteen-year-old can both have a great, safe time in the shop.
No Experience Needed, and Open to Every Camper
You do not need to know a socket wrench from a spark plug to join. Our program welcomes complete beginners as well as teens who have already done some wrenching at home. Automotive is not just for boys, either. Our girls have built running cars from scratch, and the shop is open to every camper who wants to learn.
A Morning in the Shop, an Afternoon on the Lake
Our summer camp for kids who love cars is also a full overnight camp, and automotive is just one of dozens of activities. Because every camper builds their own schedule, a morning under the hood can be followed by wakeboarding on the waterfront, forging steel at our blacksmithing lean-to, or a trail ride with our horses. Kids who love to build things often head next door to our engineering workshops, too.
Summer Camp for Kids Who Love Cars: FAQ
What ages can join the automotive program?
Campers ages 7 to 16 can join, with projects matched to each camper’s age and skill level.
Does my child need mechanical experience?
No. Our mechanics teach the fundamentals first and build from there.
Is this an overnight camp?
Yes. Automotive is part of our co-ed sleepaway camp, so campers spend their whole session working on cars alongside every other activity at camp.
Where is the camp located?
We are in Long Lake, New York, in the Adirondack Mountains, with chartered buses from New Jersey, Queens, Westchester and the Albany area, and a bus home to Dobbs Ferry, NY, in Westchester after every session.
Ready to join the gearheads? Request a free Adventure Pack, see summer 2027 sessions on our Dates & Rates page, or call us at (914) 693-7111.
