Mention classic American cars and the mind are drawn back to the 1950s. The Classic Car Club of America labels cars built before 1959 as classics. That tag is certainly deserved for cars built and designed during that decade as the American automobile manufacturers revolutionized the designs and technology of cars.
Names of the vintage American cars of the 1950s resonate to this very day. The Oldsmobile Rocket 88 Convertible, the Chevrolet Corvette and Bel Air Convertibles, the Dodge B500 Hardtop, the Studebaker Golden Hawk and the Cadillac Convertible and Seville - hallmarks of luxury - remain great examples of American automobile design of that era. The design of American cars during the 1950s was spectacular and their engines were powerful, and good example of that was the Oldsmobile Rocket. Produced initially in 1950 the vehicle was powered by a V8 engine and at the time was the most powerful automobile on the road. Another name synonymous with classic American cars of the 1950s is Chevrolet. Chevy's Bel Air range became one of the most popular vehicles for American motorists with sales hitting the 100000 mark during 1951. Chevrolet followed the trend for fins and chrome and by 1957 rolled out the Bel Air Convertible, which was to remain popular into the next decade. The 1950s saw the rise of car designers with the ability to wave their magic on the drawing boards and design the cars which appealed to the American public. One such designer was Virgil Exner who led to the likes of Dodge being able to produce what are now renowned as classics from that era. With the American motorist demanding regular change in style, companies such as Studebaker were happy to oblige. In 1957 they produced one of the all time great automobiles, the Silver Hawk. The Silver Hawk had plenty of varieties to tempt the dollars out of the wallets of the automobile loving public, coming in the Flight Hawk, Power Hawk, Gold Hawk as well as in a hard topped range. Mention of great American Cars of the 1950s often brings to mind the name Cadillac, a brand associated with luxury and opulence. By 1957 the Cadillac Eldorado Brougham was retailing at an eye watering $13000, a huge amount in those days. No wonder that the Cadillac range was associated with the stars of the era, and it will always be labelled a classic. Owners of such a car should use special classic car insurance from Leland West Insurance, and can get a best quote to suit their needs. For more details you can call at +1 559-431-8282. Or visit here: https://www.lelandwest.com/
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What's better than cruising with your very best girl on a Saturday night? Cruising in a Ford Thunderbird classic car, that's what. T-Birds first appeared in 1955, (the same year Disneyland opened its doors), and they have been going strong ever since. Those first Thunderbirds were small, classically designed sports cars that oozed style and speed at the same time.
According to our experts at Leland West Insurance Thunderbird classic cars underwent an evolution after they first appeared in 1955. First designed as two-seaters, a four-door appeared in the late 1960s, and in 1958, the ultra-classic convertible first appeared, leading the car to its' classic status almost overnight. The Ford T-Bird came in a variety of colors, from pristine white (remember "American Graffiti?") to classic and eye-popping candy-apple red. They seem to represent the 1950s, an age of innocence and youth that is long gone but certainly not forgotten. How can you collect Thunderbird classic cars? Well, there are several places to start:
What makes these cars so classic? Well, it could be the 1950s retro styling, with fins, porthole windows, and their sporty look, or it could be that many people remember them from when they were young. They were the "cool" cars then, and some things never change, Thunderbird classic cars are still cool today, so cool that Ford has brought back an updated version for the 21st century. Did you know Thunderbird classic cars were named for a mythological Native American bird, and they can be categorized into eras of style and development? Here they are:
Also read: How the Valuation is done on a Classic Car? In the vintage car community there are two main groups of people, those who restore classic cars and those who buy classic cars. Of course there are those in the middle who like to fix and collect them as well. Project classic cars is often a labor of love, there is a certain thrill that a person who loves to restore cars feels when they find the perfect project to start. While having the ability to restore vintage vehicles is a great thing to have, you also need to have the ability to find all of the necessary parts to turn the car from something up on blocks to its original glory that can run on the road again. In the past this was solely achieved with a lot of legwork. You would have to spend hours scouring newspapers, car magazines, and visiting car shows, and while all of those things have their place in project classic cars, the Internet, more specifically Internet auctions have changed the way that these men (and women) find car parts. Internet auctions make it possible for car enthusiasts to find everything that they need in one central location. While it is ideal for a restorer to physically see the parts or body in questions, digital photography goes a long way towards filling that gap. What's more, most Internet auction sites have ways of protecting both sellers and buyers so that if you don't get what is advertised you can get your money back. This does not mean that you should neglect doing your homework. It is possible to find out how a seller is doing in general. Make sure to check and see what other buyers are saying about a seller so that you can ensure that he or she is reputable. We at Leland West Insurance find project classic cars is an exciting venture, building something with your own hands can bring a lot of pleasure to a person, especially something that has personal and monetary value. Classic cars are a great reminder of the past, and the beauty that these cars bring to the streets is indescribable. Taking the time to find the perfect parts, paint colors, and other elements for a classic car can be time consuming, but it speaks volumes about the care that car enthusiasts have for the integrity of these beautiful cars Also read: Leland West Classic Car Insurance to See You Through There are some people that believe antique cars should no longer be driven on our open roads. The reason they think this way is because these old vehicles are considered relics of the past that just cannot match the larger and efficient vehicles on the market today. On the contrary, there are a lot of vintage collectors of these roadsters. People do this as a hobby or to hopefully get a return of investment later when the market value of these cars go up again. A car is considered an antique if it is already 25 years old. There are not that many modern vehicles that are able to survive this long which makes the early models very unique. In fact, the price of these rare machines goes up because of the historical value each of these have. There are those who believe that the term antiquated should only be given to machines that were made prior to the Second World War. These machines served as the pioneers of today's vehicles since the technology back then paved the way for power steering, safety belts and other features that are required in all automobiles. Are antique cars simple to preserve? The response is no. This is due to car manufacturers no longer assembling these vehicles and the parts making these both difficult to locate and costly. Can the antique car be used daily? This really depends on the condition of the engine and since these are quite old, there is a possibility that these could breakdown. The brakes on the vehicle can also be a problem so checks must be done regularly. Will it be a good idea to get insurance for the car? The answer is yes. These machines are rare and are not equipped with an alarm system which makes it easy for anyone to hot wire and drive off. Where can a person buy an antique car? These vehicles can be purchased in a dealership. There are just a few around so the seeker can also try searching in the Internet and in the classified ads of the paper and automobile magazines. Those who do not understand that much about cars ought to be accompanied by a knowledgeable mechanic. A trained technician should be qualified to look over the inside of the automobile and decide if it is in fact worth buying at that cost. The individual should also take the automobile for a test drive to get the experience of remaining behind the wheel. Can the antique car be assembled by a person? The answer is yes. In fact, there are some associations who do this as a hobby and help the members find the missing parts in order to finish the vehicle. This can only be done if the individual is a skilled mechanic who knows everything about the car. Will the person make a lot of profit assembling and selling the antique car? The response is no. In reality, more money is used up putting the entire vehicle together than finding somebody to buy it. There are numerous antique cars to choose from. The person should look around and check if there is a model that is worth bringing home. Antique cars represent a moment in history where traffic did not exist and people can take a trip on the country road. By doing some research and saving some money, the individual will be able to buy that dreamed roadster. Also read: Leland West Buying Guide to Your Ideal Classic Car As the interest in restoration of classic car restoration increase so does the amount of owners that are in the midst of restoration of their vehicles. These enthusiasts are learning quickly that it can be a battle to get insurance on these vehicles.
Although there are many classic car insurance companies available, many insurance programs require that the vehicle be fully, or close to, fully restored prior to being eligible for the program. In turn the owners of these vehicles have no option but to try to get coverage in the standard insurance market. Many standard auto insurance companies have age restrictions for vehicles and the coverage they will offer the vehicles. There are many auto insurance companies that will only offer comprehensive and collision coverage to vehicles that are 15 years of age and newer. Some companies will go as far as 20 years old but this is also not much of a help when insuring a classic car. These requirements leave the vehicle owners with only one option in most cases, liability only protection. Although these cars are not fully restored, some classic cars mid restoration have values that would be sufficient to request comprehensive and collision coverage. Some insurance carriers in the standard market have gone as far as to require that the vehicle owners carry liability only but also require the owner to get a mechanic inspection done on the vehicle itself to determine road-worthiness. Most carriers request this for vehicle that are 40 years of age and older. If you own a vintage car then consider a reputed company like Leland West Insurance for insuring your classic beauty. Leland West will ensure you afford any possible damage which can occur with unfortunate incidences such as accident or like that, which can weight your pocket. Do you have an antique car that you would like to have restored? Antique car restoration is increasing in popularity. More and more classic or antique car owners are making the decision to try and restore their antique cars back to their original state. If you are one of those car owners, you will find that you have a number of different options. Those options include have your antique car professionally restored or performing your own restoration. After a close examination, you will likely see that professional restoration is your best option; it has a large number of benefits.
Perhaps, the greatest benefit of having your antique car professionally restored is the end result. In the United States, there are a fairly good number of individuals and companies who specialize in antique car restoration. Many of these individuals and companies are highly trained and experienced in car restoration. This experience often means that you are guaranteed better results, when compared the results you would likely get when doing your own antique car restoration. Of course, it is important to examine which professional you hire. Be sure to view samples of previous restoration projects, examine feedback online, or inquire about restoration training. Since the main purpose of antique car restoration is to restore an antique car back to its originally state, antique restoration parts are needed. The parts that will be needed will all depend on your antique car, namely its make. Although it is possible to find your own antique car restoration parts, it can be extremely difficult and time consuming. Many professionals do not have this same problem, especially those who have developed their own antique car restoration businesses. Overtime, many antique car restoration specialists develop close working relationships with antique car suppliers. In fact, many specialists have an individual who works only on finding the needed antique car restoration parts and accessories. This allows them to save time, something that you may not have to find your own parts. Documentation is another benefit of having your antique car professionally restored. Many professional antique car restoration experts will provide you with documentation of the restoration project. This may include a detailed list of all of the changes made or even pictures. If pictures are provided to you, they will likely include before, during, and after pictures. These items will not only allow you to show your friends or your family how your antique car was restored, but they may also come in handy if you are looking to sell your antique car, whether it is now or later on in life. When it comes to buying a restored antique car, many buyers want detailed information on what was restored and what is original. As you can see, there are a number of benefits to having your antique car professionally restored. If you would like to learn additional benefits, you are urged to contact one of your local antique car restoration specialists or companies. Consider a reputed company like Leland West Insurance for insuring your classic beauty. Leland West will ensure you afford any possible damage which can occur with unfortunate incidences such as accident or like that, which can weight your pocket. For more details, visit here: http://lelandwestinsurance.eklablog.com/ So you've bought the classic car of your dreams, but it needs a lot of work. Should you take your classic car to a restoration shop?
It depends. A lot of classic car owners, like to take their cars to classic car restoration shops. That's because many classic car owners do not have the time to complete the job. Others prefer to buy one of those repair manuals for classic cars and do the work themselves. Whatever you choose to do, it doesn't hurt to take a look at the shops for classic cars near you. To help you decide whether a shop is right for you, we've come up with a list of some of the top things you should consider. Read the list below to see if a restoration shop is right for you. Plan Of Action Before hiring a shop to fix your classic car, you want to outline some objectives. Take a minute to answer these questions:
Having a budget is the most important question to ask. If you don't set spending limits, your budget can grow very fast. To help set a budget, think about the finished product. Are you looking to do a complete overhaul of the engine, exterior, interior? Or are you looking to focus on one or two portions of the car? Once you answer these questions, you'll need to figure out your timeframe. Knowing your timeframe will help a lot when talking to mechanics and different car restoration shops. Finally, be sure to think about how much work you plan to do yourself. Do you plan to buy a classic car restoration manual and do some of the work yourself? This will help cut down on costs at the restoration shop. Research Once you have a plan of action in place, it's time to find the right car restoration shop. You can find out a lot about the car restoration shops near you by:
When you visit the shop be sure to ask for customer references. This is a very important step. When talking to customer references, be sure to ask the following questions:
When asking these questions, think about how the answers fit with the plan of action you created. Choosing The Right Shop Now that you've got your plan of action and the research done, you're ready to select a restoration shop. It is not uncommon to select more than one shop for restoration work. You may select one shop for engine repair, another for body work and maybe even another for the interior. It all depends on your plan of action. After you have identified several good shops, call the shops to discuss your restoration project. Be sure to cover your, budget, time-frame and how much of the work you plan to do yourself. When you visit the shop be sure to ask for customer references. This is a very important step. When talking to customer references, be sure to ask the following questions:
When asking these questions, think about how the answers fit with the plan of action you created. Choosing The Right Shop Now that you've got your plan of action and the research done, you're ready to select a restoration shop. It is not uncommon to select more than one shop for restoration work. You may select one shop for engine repair, another for body work and maybe even another for the interior. It all depends on your plan of action. Consider a reputed company like Leland West Insurance for insuring your classic beauty if you own one. Leland West will ensure you afford any possible damage which can occur with unfortunate incidences such as accident or like that, which can weight your pocket. For more details, visit here: http://lelandwestinsurance.jigsy.com/ The year was 1980 and Gary Numan's Cars was at the top of the Music charts. In Britain at the time and throughout Europe, fast cars and so called 'Yuppys' were the order of the day in what becoming an increasingly competitive and socially divided world, prior to the technological advances brought by the infant information age.
At the Geneva Motor Show in March that year a car was revealed that was to technically change the future design of most road cars - The Audi Quattro. The four-wheeled drive turbocharged road car, rally car and angular designed coupe, stole the show and proved that Audi with the new Quattro really had made 'Vorsprung Durch Technik' a massive advancement through technology. The original or Ur Quattro as it became known, as opposed to subsequent quattro models with a small q, was not the first 4x4 road car; this honour is held by the Jensen FF. However the innovative four-wheel drive system that Audi developed for the Quattro, did away with all the previous problems of additional driveshafts and extra weight. The Quattro team had produced a practical solution that amazed the motoring world of the day and led the way for the development of all modern 4x4 road cars. Audi in the 1970's was not the most avant garde of the stoic German manufacturers, however they had a young and enthusiastic research and development team and more importantly, since 1969 the financial backing of owner Volkswagen, which was needed for the Audi Quattro to be born. The seeds of the Quattro had sprouted three years before the car was launched in 1977 when chassis engineer Jörg Bensinger and a team of Audi engineers were visiting Northern Scandinavia to evaluate the performance of another Audi car, the front wheeled drive 100 series saloons. While there, Bensinger was highly impressed by the performance of a protype of Volkswagen's Iltis military vehicle which was also being tested under extreme conditions. The Iltis had new four-wheel drive technology and superb handling which easily outmaneuvered all competition in the snow and ice. Jörg Bensinger was impressed and on his return to the Audi factory at Ingolstadt, with the encouragement of Walter Treser, a former rally driver and head of advanced development at Audi, in March 1978 the Quattro project commenced. The Quattro design team started out by taking the worlds first 5 cylinder engine from the highly successful turbocharged 170 mph Audi 200, which was in parallel development at the time. To the 2144 cc engine the team added a single overhead camshaft with two valves per cylinder, which boosted the engines output to 200 bhp at 5500 rpm. This gave the Audi Quattro a top speed of 137 mph and the car could do 0 to 60 mph in just 7 seconds. What took the world by storm though was not the power of the engine but the ingenious configuration of the new four-wheel drive system. Based on the Iltris concept, the design reconfigured the transmission and did away with the cumbersome and heavy traditional transfer box and driveshaft. The Quattro team took the new engine and mounted it on the car in line, rather than in the usual transverse layout of the time. This allowed the gearbox to be attached to the back of the engine in a usual rear wheel drive manner. On the Quattro, power was transmitted through the gearbox in the usual manner, to a small grapefruit sized differential box immediately to the rear. From there it was conveyed by a typical rear axle. But what made the quattros configuration so special was that it also transmitted power forward, using a hollow gearbox output shaft, to a similar differential that drove the front wheels! The cars unique handling and sensational road holding that won so many Rallies throughout the 1980's in its sporting configuration, was further enhanced by the Macpherson suspension, all round disc brakes, and low profile radial tyres. When the World Rally Championships changed the rules to allow four wheeled drive cars, the future of the Quattro was certain. In order to comply with the World Rally organisers rules of homologation, Audi had to produce a minimum of 400 cars per year to be considered a production vehicle. The development project was pushed forward and Audi attempted to build 10 new cars per day or 2000 per year. All in all, Audi managed to produce 11,452 Quattros over the period 1980-1991. The rally versions the A1 and A2 evolutions, went on to win multiple World Rally Championships between 1981 and 1983. Today the latest versions of Audis including the stunning RS range, still use the old Quattro technology! For more information about Antique and Classic Car Insurance consider Leland West Insurance where you will get a comprehensive guide to antique car insurance. To learn more, please visit here: https://lelandwestcover.wordpress.com/ |
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