Classic Cars: How Stock Car Racing Began

Would you believe that NASCAR is the No. 1 spectator sport in the United States? It’s the second most popular televised sport broadcast worldwide and continues to grow in popularity, evolving from a competition that was originally between cars that hadn’t been altered from their original factory build. Times have changed and technology has advanced, so naturally the sport has evolved, but how did stock car racing begin, exactly? How did these classic cars start this immensely popular American tradition?

Stock car racing was developed in the days of Prohibition, and began to spread in the 1920’s. Interestingly, stock cars were modified during this time to help alcohol producers outrun law enforcement while transporting liquor, which had become illegal to sell. The cars looked like all the other automobiles on the road, but they had been altered slightly to make them capable of reaching high speeds. “Moon runners”, as these individuals were called, began bragging about their 120 mph exploits, and soon after they began racing on the weekends. Thus, stock car racing was born.

Prohibition ended in 1933, and by this time racing had become extremely popular, as did the practice of modifying normal vehicles. The sport continued its growth though the next 15 years, and by 1948 it was a widespread sport. The sport was different in every region though, and eventually NASCAR was created in order to bring cohesiveness and regulation to the sport.

NASCAR was formed on February 21, 1948 by a man named Bill France. France began talks with drivers, mechanics, and car owners at the Ebony Bar at the Streamline Hotel at Daytona Beach, FL on December 14, 1947, to discuss uniform rules and insurance coverage, which resulted in the NASCAR formation. France is credited for many of the advancements of stock car racing as well as NASCAR, including the development of the Daytona 500 races, and the building of the Talladega Superspeedway that opened in 1969.

Stock car racing saw a lot of changes throughout the years, leading to the races we see today. Needless to say though, without the powerful classic cars of the 1920’s, stock car racing might have never come to be.

At Condon Skelly, we appreciate the history behind antique and classic cars, trucks, and motorcycles. Since 1967, we’ve been helping our customers protect their classics with affordable, industry-leading insurance coverage. We’re a group of collectors, enthusiasts, and professionals who specialize in insuring all types of collector vehicles. Please contact us today to learn more at 800.257.9496. 

Classic Cars: The Iconic 1966 Chevrolet Corvette

The Chevrolet Corvette has been called “one of the greatest lines of sports cars ever built” by many classic car enthusiasts, with a history covering more than 40 years. Interestingly enough, the ’66 model almost never existed; early versions of the Corvette were often called “too American” to appeal to American sports car buyers! It was in 1955 that the model was improved and started gaining popularity, later turning into one of the most iconic cars of the 1960’s.

Not only was the 1966 Chevrolet Corvette known for its style and class, it often makes cameos in movies, and has even been featured in Country songs. 1966 Corvettes, which were produced from September 1965 through July 1966, featured a newly introduced 427 cubic-inch engine. This high performance engine was actually originally listed and labeled at 450 hp but the rating was reduced to 425 hp shortly after introduction.

Other than the engine, the 1966 Corvette had many features that made it different from the previous year’s model. For example, the ’66 Corvette sported a plated, cast-metal grille with an “egg crate” insert not seen in previous models, in addition to ribbed rocker panel moldings, chrome-plated exhaust bezels, and spoke-style wheel covers.

These weren’t the only features that set the 1966 Corvette apart from other vehicles. This model had eliminated roof vents, replacing them with front fender sides that featured three slanting vertical air louvers. These Corvettes were available in a wide range of colors, with 10 lacquer exterior finishes, ranging from tuxedo black or ermine white to sunfire yellow and miland maroon. Interior colors varied too, with bright blue or red being popular choices.

Whether your classic or specialty car is a Chevrolet Corvette or not, Condon Skelly has the Insurance Policies to keep you financially protected. We’ve been helping our customers protect their classics with affordable, industry-leading classic, antique, and specialty vehicle insurance since 1967. We’re a group of collectors, enthusiasts, and professionals who specialize in insuring all types of collector vehicles. For more information, please contact us today at (866) 291-5694.

Classic Cars: History of the Jaguar

The Jaguar brand wasn’t always the automobile legend we know it as today. It was actually a motorcycle sidecar manufacturer originally, and was founded under a different name, the Swallow Sidecar Company, in 1922. Co-founded by 21-year-old Billy Lyons and neighbor William Walmsley in Blackppol, Jaguar’s legacy has always been about style.

The Jaguar name was made relevant by the production of a series of eye-catching sports cars, such as the XK 120 of 1949, which was developed into the XK 140 and XK 150, and the E Type of 1961. These were all successful vehicles and were prime examples of Lyon’s motto of “value for money”.

The sales slogan for the Jaguar vehicles, which acquired the “Jaguar” name in 1935, was “Grace, Space, Pace”. The exact text of this slogan varied, but always included these three words, as this was what embodied a Jaguar vehicle. After WWII, Jaguar certainly made a name for itself as a producer of stylish, high-performance vehicles.

Although Jaguars were always about style, it wasn’t until the mid-1950’s that they were introduced as luxury vehicles. By then, jaguar cars were recognizable for their distinct styling cues, such as a chrome grill and the leaping jaguar emblem. Through the 50’s and 60’s, Jaguar luxury cars grew larger with each redesign, topping out at more than 200 inches in length by 1970.

The Jaguar brand has quite a distinct history, and is still going strong today. Currently, Jaguar produces 4 distinct models; the XK high-performance coupe and convertible, the XJ luxury model, the mid-size “executive” XF, and the X-Type which is among the upper tier of all luxury cars available today.

Whether you own a classic Jaguar or a modern one, Condon Skelly has the Insurance Policies to keep you financially protected. We’ve been helping our customers protect their classics with affordable, industry-leading classic, antique, and specialty vehicle insurance since 1967. We’re a group of collectors, enthusiasts, and professionals who specialize in insuring all types of collector vehicles. For more information, please contact us today at (866) 291-5694.

Specialty Car Insurance: The Legacy of the McLaren Brand

McLaren Automotive is a British car manufacturer of high-performance vehicles, established in 1989 as a producer of road cars based on Formula One technology. Bruce McLaren, father of the McLaren brand of automobiles, started a racing career as a teenager in a modified 1929 Austin Ulter that had been given to him by his father. McLaren was just as talented of an engineer as he was a racer, and so in May of 1966 he developed his very own Formula One car. This vehicle debuted at Monaco and qualified in 10^th place with Bruce behind the wheel.

In early 1970, work began on the McLaren M6GT, with the plan to take an M6 Can-Am car and develop a couple body that would be competitive in long distance racing. McLaren had always wanted to build his own road car, but also have it be the fastest and quickest accelerating car in the world that translated the brand’s expertise on the race track. Together with chief designer Gordon Coppuck, Bruce McLaren planned to refine the prototype, eventually aiming to produce up to 250 cars per year. However, other than the original prototype that became his personal transportation, there was only one other M6GT ever built.

Enthusiasts speculate whether or not McLaren’s dream would have taken off. Tragically, on June 2^nd of 1970, Bruce McLaren was doing a test run at Goodwood when the tail section on his M8D lifted at 170mph. He spun off the track and was thrown from the vehicle, resulting in his untimely death at the age of 32.

While dreams of the fastest road car ever disappeared with Bruce McLaren, the brand lived on. In fact, the John Barnard designed McLaren MP4/1, developed in 1981, is said to be the most significant car in McLaren’s long history. The McLaren brand has continued to thrive, with its most recent model being the elegant McLaren P1, described as the “ultimate expression of aerodynamic expertise” by McLaren employees.

No matter what type of specialty car you own, it’s important to protect it financially with the right type of Specialty Car Insurance Coverage. At Condon Skelly, we know how exciting it can be to start a classic car collection. We’ve been helping our customers protect their classics with affordable, industry-leading insurance coverage since 1967. We’re a group of collectors, enthusiasts, and professionals who specialize in insuring all types of collector vehicles. For more information, please contact us today at (866) 291-5694.

Classic Trucks: The 1957-58 Ford Ranchero

Dubbed as “American’s first modern car-pickup hybrid”, the Ford Ranchero was introduced for the 1957 year. According to sources from Consumer Guide- Automotive, Ford Rancheros are among the most collectible artifacts of the 1950s, with a far reaching influence.

So what was the Ford Ranchero? Basically, it was a two-door Ranch Wagon with the rear roof section cut off and a bed liner slipped over the floor pan. The concept for this vehicle was introduced much earlier, in 1932, in Australia. Ford of Australia called this vehicle a “Ute” (Utility): a roadster with the body section behind the driver replaced by a fleetside bed. In 1957, the open-bed Ford Ranchero joined Ford’s wagon lineup and was joined by the more wagon-like Ford Courier Sedan Delivery.

The Ranchero was first offered in two trim levels and was built on the corresponding automobile assembly line, but sold as a truck through Ford’s truck division throughout the model run. The two models were the basic standard model; marketed to traditional pickup truck buyers such as farmers, and the custom model; available with extensive accessories such as stainless steel bodyside moulding and two-tone paint. The custom model picked up most of its options and accessories that were available on the Fairlane line.

While the Ford Ranchero rushed into popularity in 1957, with 21,705 being produced, a year later Ford attempted a facelift on the model. Only 9,950 were produced this year. The Ranchero still lived on for many more years though, ceasing production in 1979. For many collectors, however, nothing compares to the first 1957-1958 Ford Ranchero.

Whether you own a classic Ford Ranchero or any other type of classic or antique car, it’s important to protect it financially with the right type of Classic Car Insurance Coverage. At Condon Skelly, we know how exciting it can be to start a classic car collection. We’ve been helping our customers protect their classics with affordable, industry-leading insurance coverage since 1967. We’re a group of collectors, enthusiasts, and professionals who specialize in insuring all types of collector vehicles. For more information, please contact us today at (866) 291-5694.

Which Classic Cars Have the Most Style?

An article published by fashion and style GQ Magazine in 2010 highlighted what their staff felt were the most stylish cars of the past 50 years. While every classic car enthusiast will have different reasons for loving one classic car over another, some of the vehicles this article noted were the:

1964-65 Buick Riviera- GQ staff felt that these cars offered the “smoothest brand of masculinity going” with its unique side-vents and bold front grill. The 64-65 Buick Riviera was among the first generation of Buicks, and is considered a styling landmark.

1966- 1968 Ford Mustang GT- Among the first generation of Ford Mustangs, these cars are perhaps the best examples of American Classics. The 1966 Ford GT 40 is actually the only American car to be overall winner in 24 Hours of Le Mans.

1969 Jaguar XKE- Italian race car driver Enzo Ferrari called this car “the most beautiful car ever made”. Are you inclined to agree?

GQ is not the only publication recognizing the pure sense of style that some cars seem to carry. The Huffington Post also recently released an article with their take on what the 10 best looking cars of all time are. A few of their picks included the:

1973 Porsche Carrera RS- Only produced for two years in 1973 and 1974, this car is considered to be the most popular classic model among collectors.

1967 Ferrari 275 GTB/4- Many Ferrari fans will tell you that this car, of which only 330 were made, were “the best looking and performing variant of the late-1960s V-12 berlinetta.”

1964 Aston Martin DB5- This car has an iconic place in film. Most movie buffs don’t need to be told that Sean Connery drove this vehicle while he was playing James Bond in Goldfinger. The Bond car sold in 2010 for $4.6 million, and a non-Bond car sold for $833,000 just a few months earlier.

These are just a minimal sample of the many different models of classic cars of which car enthusiasts and critics alike define as “stylish”. What do you think; did we leave any game-changers off the list?

At Condon Skelly, we understand the appeal of and desire for classic cars. We are able to insure a wide variety of collector vehicles, from original antiques to newer exotic sports cars, as long as the vehicle is a true collectible. For more information, please contact us today at (866) 291-5694.

When Should You Avoid a Classic Car Restoration Project?

In our blog post titled, “What to Consider When Making a Classic Car Investment”, we stated that if refurbished correctly, classic cars carry the potential for a large profit. However, for many classic car enthusiasts, refurbishing or restoring is far from the reason that most invest in a classic car. In fact, some enthusiasts feel that you should never restore a classic or vintage vehicle, saying that the reasons for avoiding a classic car restoration project far outweigh the reasons you should.

For example, J.P. Vettraino, car reviewer featured on AutoWeek.com, claims that you will not make money taking on a classic car restoration project. He states that in almost every case, the car and the job to restore it will end up costing more than either one of them are worth. The car’s value after a restoration project will simply not support the cost of both the car and the rebuild, according to Vettraino.

Classic car enthusiasts also point out that you’ll typically spend more than you planned by taking on a classic car restoration project. Even if you set aside some cash, you will likely find that you’ll buy things you didn’t account for, such as tools or parts for the car you didn’t realize you needed. Not only this, but as is the case with many classic or vintage cars, some parts no longer exist. This means you will either be forced to use a part not native to your classic, thus decreasing the value of the restoration, or you may never finish the classic car restoration.

Les Jackson, who offers an Intro to Auto Restoration course in a community ed program, states that despite the reasons there might be to avoid a classic car restoration project, there could still be benefits. “There can be more of a community aspect to restoring a car,” Jackson says. “When you stop for gas, people ogle and marvel.” When it comes down to it, this may be the only reason you need to choose to restore a classic vehicle.

At Condon Skelly, we understand the appeal of and desire for classic cars. We are able to insure a wide variety of collector vehicles, from original antiques to brand new exotic sports cars, as long as the vehicle is a true collectible. For more information, please contact us today at (866) 291-5694.

Classic Car Spotlight: The Lincoln Continental

It’s believed by many that the very first Lincoln Continental, developed as Edsel Ford’s one-off personal vehicle in 1939, was planned to be put into production if successful. Ford commissioned a custom design in 1938 from the chief stylist, Eugene T. “Bob” Gregorie, ready for Edsel’s March 1939 vacation. The design, allegedly sketched out in an hour by Gregorie working from the Lincoln Zephyer blueprints and making changes, was an elegant convertible with a long hood covering the Lincoln V12 and long front fenders, and a short truck with what became the Continental series’ trademark, the externally-mounted covered spare tire.

Lincoln Continentals of the 50’s were known for their price. In fact, Continental for ’56 was one of the most expensive cars in the world. With a price tag of $10,000, it rivaled Rolls-Royce. Despite this high costs though, Ford Motor Company actually lost money on each one sold. This vehicle was an image builder for the company, as well as test beds for new ideas and concepts. However, between the stories of dealers turning potential buyers away because they were not deemed to be the right kind of people to own Continental, and its sticker price found affordable by only the world’s wealthiest, the Continental became a bit of a myth in this decade.

Another distinguishing feature of the Lincoln Continental, at least in the 60’s, were what’s known as “suicide doors”, or rather rear-swinging doors. There is no definitive answer as to why they are called this, however many people speculate that they got this name due to the fact that if the latch was opened while driving, the door would get ripped open by the air flow. In an era of no seatbelts, one can only imagine what would happen to the vehicle’s passengers.

Although Lincoln Continentals surged on through the 90’s, Lincoln announced the end of the model production after 2002, after a few slow-selling years. The cancellation of the Continental was due largely to the continued shift in the consumer marketplace away from large front-wheel drive luxury cars.

Whether you own a classic Lincoln Continental or any other type of classic or antique car, it’s important to protect it financially with the right type of Classic Car Insurance Coverage. At Condon Skelly, we know how exciting it can be to start a classic car collection. We’ve been helping our customers protect their classics with affordable, industry-leading insurance coverage since 1967. We’re a group of collectors, enthusiasts, and professionals who specialize in insuring all types of collector vehicles. For more information, please contact us today at (866) 291-5694.

Packard: The History of an American Luxury Classic

The story of the Packard automobile starts in the early 1900s, founded by James Ward Packard, his brother William Doud Packard and their partner, George Lewis Weiss in the city of Warren, Ohio. 400 Packard automobiles were built at their Packard factory from 1899 to 1903. Being a mechanical engineer, James Ward Packard believed that they could build a better horseless carriage than the Winton cars owned by Weiss, an important Winton stockholder.

From its beginning, Packard-build vehicles were perceived as highly competitive among high-priced luxury American automobiles. The company was often referred to as being one of the “Three P’s” of American motordom royalty, along with Pierce-Arrow of Buffalo, New York and Peerless of Cleveland, Ohio.

For most of its existence, Packard was guided by its President and General Manager James Alvan Macauley, who also served as President of the National Automobile Manufacturers Association.  Macauley made Packard the number one designer and producer of luxury automobiles in America, and was inducted into the Automobile Hall of Fame.

The Packard legacy stayed strong through the 30s and 40s, but by the end of World War II, even though they were in excellent financial condition, several management mistakes became visible. Postwar Packards sold well, but they had become virtually alike in styling by this time, and management had decided to direct the company more to volume middle-class models, thus concentrating on selling lower priced cars.

Management also tried to enter the taxi cab and fleet car market. These actions eventually diluted Packard’s image as a luxury brand, and they lost many buyers. Sales continued to dwindle until June 25^th, 1956 when the last Packard rolled off the production line at Packard’s plant in Detroit, Michigan.

Whether you own a classic Packard or any other type of classic or antique car, it’s important to protect it financially with the right type of Classic Car Insurance Coverage. At Condon Skelly, we know how exciting it can be to start a classic car collection. We’ve been helping our customers protect their classics with affordable, industry-leading insurance coverage since 1967. We’re a group of collectors, enthusiasts, and professionals who specialize in insuring all types of collector vehicles. For more information, please contact us today at (866) 291-5694.

Collector Car Insurance: The Appeal of the ’55-’57 Chevy Nomad

While you may not think of a station wagon when talking about classic and collector vehicles, many classic car enthusiasts consider the Chevy Nomads of the mid-50’s to be some of the most iconic cars of their time. Experts from ConsumerGuide Automotive have called the Chevrolet Nomad the “prettiest wagon ever built and a car with immense, longtime appeal simply because it’s a classic Chevy.”

The creators of this collector car were Chevrolet studio head Clare MacKichan and stylist Carl Renner. MacKichan’s group had suggested at “sport wagon” as one addition to Chevy’s all-new 1955 line. MacKichan stated, “The Corvette theme was a popular one.”  Based on the Corvette model, Renner had come up with a sketch for a station wagon roof that caught the eye of General Motor’s Harley Earl, and Earl asked that it be incorporated into a station wagon version as one of three Corvette idea cars for the 1954 Motorama.

The end result was the Corvette Nomad. This prototype featured a fiberglass bodywork on a 1953 Chevrolet wagon chassis. Renner’s roof design complimented the lower body lines of Chevy’s recently announced sports car. Originally unveiled in January 1954, the car was such a hit that Chevy quickly ordered MacKichan to adapt its roofline to Chevrolet’s forthcoming 155 passenger-car styling.

The unique styling of what became known as the Chevy Nomad continued through 1956 and 57. Chevy’s were given a more conventional full-width grille, pleasing customers who didn’t like the Ferrari-inspired ’55 front end. General Motors discontinued the original Nomad Sport Wagon at the end of the 1957 model year due to low sales and the introduction of a new body for 1958, but the Chevy Nomad is still considered to be a milestone vehicle.

Whether you own a classic Chevy or any other type of classic or antique car, it’s important to protect it financially with the right type of Classic Car Insurance Coverage. At Condon Skelly, we know how exciting it can be to start a classic car collection. We’ve been helping our customers protect their classics with affordable, industry-leading insurance coverage since 1967. We’re a group of collectors, enthusiasts, and professionals who specialize in insuring all types of collector vehicles. For more information, please contact us today at (866) 291-5694.