The Evolution of the Triumph Bonneville

Many people call the Triumph Bonneville motorcycle a legend. In the 1950s, a team of motorcycle builders used a Triumph engine to create the fastest motorcycle of its time, after setting a land speed record at 214 mph. It was in 1959 that Triumph introduced the Bonneville to the buying public. Similar to the same motorcycle that set the speed record, the Bonneville T-120 had a 650cc air-cooled, overhead valve, parallel-twin engine and a four-speed gearbox with a chain final drive.

So how exactly did the Bonneville get its name? The Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah is one of the most unique places on earth, stretching over 30,000 acres. It’s been called a “place so flat it seems that you can see the curvature of the earth’s surface.” In other words, Bonneville is the perfect place to set a land speed record. Three Texan motorcycle builders and racers created a streamliner called the “Texas Cee-gar” which was powered by a Triumph Thunderbird engine. After setting the land speed record, this streamliner was the inspiration for the iconic Triumph Bonneville motorcycle.

After this first record breaking model, a Bonneville-powered twin-engine streamliner motorcycle ridden by Bob Leppan set a new world land speed record of 245.6 mph in 1960. A labor dispute grounded the production of Triumph bikes in 1973, however despite that a new 750cc Bonneville T140V was introduced this year. Years later, in 1990, the first of the newly designed Triumph motorcycles with modern design and engineering were launched at the Cologne Motorcycle show.

The Triumph brand may have realized its heyday during the 50’s and 60’s, with the pinnacle of the Bonneville being in the late 60’s, but the Bonneville is still around today, regaining popularity in the early 2000’s. The biggest news for the Bonneville motorcycle in 2009, on the 50^th anniversary of the first Triumph Bonneville, was the addition of fuel injection, a change that has occurred across all of the Triumphs Modern Classics. This Triumph Bonneville was a special, limited edition model that commemorated the original.

No matter what type of classic or vintage motorcycle you own, we can insure it at Condon Skelly. Your vehicle will fall into the antique motorcycle insurance category if it is completely original and at least 25 years old. We insure many different types of antique cars, trucks, and motorcycles so we’ll be able to craft the perfect policy for your vehicle. Please contact us today for more information. (866) 291-5694

How to Restore a Vintage Motorcycle

Whether you want to ride it, show it or just want a fun project to work on, there are many reasons to restore a vintage motorcycle. It’s important to realize though, that restoring a vintage motorcycle is not necessarily like restoring an old car or truck. While the process is mostly the same, early motorcycles often were not kept past their useful life, and many classic and vintage motorcycles were scrapped for parts.

The first step to restoring your bike is to purchase a book or manual that outlines servicing that particular vehicle, if possible. It’s also helpful to make sure that the bike will actually run before you go to the expense and trouble of cosmetic restoration. Typically, if the motorcycle has just sat for a little while without running and all the covers are in place on the bike, you can usually get it running to at the very least to turn over without much difficulty.

When beginning the restoration process, dismantle the motorcycle one section at a time, and restore those individual sections before moving on to the next. This can help keep you from getting overwhelmed. The sections you can usually work on individually include the front forks, the rear swing arm and suspension, the engine, the body, and the frame. If you do have a restoration manual for the bike, work through the manual from front to back and try to avoid skipping over steps.

Remember, restoring a vintage motorcycle to its original conditions is very challenging. Some people prefer to customize the bike to their own tastes instead, or create a hybrid. The bike hybrid craze started in England where bike enthusiasts took the best parts of a couple of motorcycles and put them together. One of the more famous of these bikes was the Triton, which was a mix of the Norton Featherbed frame, and suspension with a Triumph engine.

No matter what type of classic or vintage motorcycle you own, we can insure it at Condon Skelly. Your vehicle will fall into the antique category if it is completely original and at least 25 years old. We insure many different types of antique cars, trucks, and motorcycles so we’ll be able to craft the perfect policy for your vehicle. Please contact us today for more information. (866) 291-5694

The Top Reasons to Own a Classic Car

Are you thinking of adding a classic or antique car to your collection, or even purchasing a classic car for the first time? Classic and antique car collecting and restoration is a hobby practiced by people all over the world. Many celebrities even have histories for being car enthusiasts, like Jay Leno for example. He’s known of his huge collection of antique cars and motorcycles going all the way back to the early 20^th century. Here are some of the top reasons to own a classic car.

If you love tinkering.  What car enthusiast wouldn’t love to turn up the hood of a Model T Ford and customize it to their specifications? Or create their own unique “hot rod” from the shell of a discarded car?

If you love car shows. Classic car shows are a great way to share your love of automobiles with other like-minded people. Plus, it’s a great way to show off your pride and joy.

If you want to make a good investment. There are a high number of classic automobiles that are rising in value. Rare cars can only get rarer, and these cars just simply have a “cool” factor.

If you want to preserve history. Many car enthusiasts feel that there is a lot of history involved in each and every classic car, and letting them rust or deteriorate is causing us to lose part of our American heritage.

When you do purchase a classic car, your next step should be insuring it. Remember that a standard auto policy will not cover all the unique financial aspects of owning a classic or antique car. 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. (866) 291-5694

Classic Cars: The Top 5 Most Valuable Corvettes

1963 Grand Sport

Only five of these vehicles were built before General Motors pulled the plug on the racing program that created it. These cars weighed 1,350 lbs. lighter than a stock Corvette coupe and had a 377 cubic inch aluminum V-8 engine putting out 550 horsepower. They ran with a 4-speed transmission and 4-wheel independent suspension. Because this car is so extremely rare, it is valued between $6 million to $8 million!

1969 Chevrolet Corvette ZL-1

Now valued at $1.4 million, this vehicle had an aluminum engine churning out over 500 horsepower and was considered the most powerful version of the already strong L-88 Corvette. In fact, the ZL-1 was the most powerful production Corvette available until fairly recently.

1967 Chevrolet Corvette L-88

This vehicle, valued at $1 million, is considered by many car enthusiasts to be the best of the second generation Corvettes. Among these so-called “mid-year” Corvettes, the very best were the 20 L-88’s built that year with an engine officially rated at 430 horsepower. It’s real output was actually more than that.

1969 Chevrolet Corvette L-88

1969 was the final year of production for the L-88 option package on the Corvette. 116 of these vehicles were built this year and they were intended for race track duty. Prices can vary a lot depending on the car’s racing history, but the average value is $478,000.

1953 Chevrolet Corvette

This vehicle was the first production Corvette. It had a 150-horsepower 6-cylinder engine and a two speed automatic transition. The car isn’t necessarily considered to be well-built, but only 300 were made and their value is about $300,000.

At Condon Skelly, we understand that your classic car is your pride and joy, and that you want to do everything you can to protect it for years to come. We provide a wide variety of collector vehicle insurance, 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

The Most Desired Classic Muscle Cars

Muscle cars are the product of the American car industry that adheres to the hot-rodder philosophy of taking a small car and putting a large-displacement engine in it. Opinions on how the classic muscle car originated varies, but the 1949 Oldsmobile Rocket 88, created in response to public interest in speed and power, is often cited as the first muscle car.

These vehicles are still highly sought-after today. Here are 5 of the most desired classic muscle cars:

1971 Plymouth Superbird 440: This hardtop was rebuilt in a unique design that met the requirements of NASCAR at the time. The Superbird was equipped with a Magnum 440 cubic V-8 engine and the standard horsepower was 375. The typical asking price for this vehicle is $107,000.

1968-1969 Dodge Charger R/T 440: This hardtop is arguably the most visually striking and memorable of classic muscle cars that there is. The charger has been in various movie scenes throughout the years, increasing its popularity. Most recently, it made an appearance in “The Fast and the Furious”.

1969 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1: This is actually one of the rarest of muscle cars, and one of the most powerful and best remembered. With 500 horses in an aluminum v-8 engine and a top speed of 125 miles per hour, the ZL1 could hit 60 mph in about 5.3 seconds.

1970 Buick GSX: This car made its debut in 1965, but didn’t really seize national attention until 1970 when the model was launched with a 7.5-liter engine and capability of 400 horsepower.

1970-1971 Plymouth Barracuda: This car has a rich and long history. Though it launched in 1964, it took more than six years to become a hit. In 1970, Plymouth introduced a 7.2-liter engine capable of 390 horsepower, which brought the Barracuda into the mainstream of the muscle car community.

At Condon Skelly, we understand that your classic car is your pride and joy, and that you want to do everything you can to retain its appearance for years to come. 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

Underrated American Classic Automobiles

At the time that many classic cars were built in America, the innovations implemented by them seemed minor. However, they proved to be revolutionary for car technology. Many of the most important vehicles built in the U.S. since the end of World War II are overlooked to this day. Here are just a few underrated American classic cars and trucks.

1955 Chrysler 300: Many experience car enthusiasts will tell you that this vehicle was the first “muscle car”, even though conventional wisdom says that it was actually the 1964 Pontiac GTO. The 1955 Chrysler was called 300 because with the Carter 4 barrel carburetors, solid lifter camshaft, and a larger-than-usual exhaust, the engine generated 300 horsepower. This was the first modern American production engine to do so.

1949 Oldsmobile “Rocket” 88: This vehicle was the first mass-produced, popularly prices, thoroughly modern, OHV V8 to take hold in the marketplace. The first Oldsmobile V8 was rated at 135 horsepower- enough to make the 88 one of the quickest cars of its era and a dominating presence in early stock car racing.

1973 Dodge D-100 Club Cab: Pickup trucks were originally just thought of as work vehicles, and today many still are only used for functional purposes. However, this vehicle started a revolution in how pickup trucks were used in America- not just as workhorses but as personal transportation. This truck was the first of its kind to have enough weather –protected room that you could take your groceries home in the rain, and also featured two small jump seats to add extra passengers.

These are just a few of the most underrated American classic cars and trucks. Many car enthusiasts cite other American cars they believe are underrated as well, such as the 1981 Dodge Aries and Plymouth Reliant, the 1960 Ford Falcon, and the 1977 Chevrolet Caprice.

At Condon Skelly, we understand that whatever make it is, your classic car is your pride and joy, and that you want to do everything you can to retain its appearance for years to come. 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 Cars: ‘57 Chevy Bel Air

For many car enthusiasts in their 50s or older, the 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air is one of the most desirable classic cars there is. The ’57 Chevy Bel Air was a full-size vehicle that was produced by the Chevrolet division of General Motors. This vehicle was part of the second generation of Chevys and was called the “Hot One” in GM’s advertising campaign.

Motor Trend Magazine gave the ’57 Chevy Bel Air top marks for handling. In 1957 the Chevy’s engine displacement grew to 283 cu in with the “Super Turbo Fire V-8” option producing 283 horsepower with the help of continuous mechanical fuel injection. These so-called “fuelie” cars are quite rare today, since most Bel Airs were fitted with carburetion.

The ’57 Chevy Bel Air is among the most recognizable American cars of all time, and well-maintained vehicles, especially Sport Coupes and Convertibles, are highly sought after by collectors and enthusiasts. The most popular color back then and still today is Gypsy Red, especially in the convertible form. Red and silver paint and upholstery typically decorated the car’s fresh-looking interior.

At Condon Skelly, we understand that your classic car is your pride and joy, and that you want to do everything you can to protect it for years to come. 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. (866) 291-5694

Why Classic Cars Are a Good Investment

Are you an investor looking for alternative ways to make money, while having fun at the same time? Investing in classic cars could be an excellent idea! Many people now are leaning towards classic cars as an investment, due to their increasing value. Most classic car collectors are in it for their love of cars, but for those who are on the fence about whether to purchase a classic car or not, here’s why classic cars are a good investment.

• Many financial advisors are looking at classic cars for investor’s portfolios in the same way they have looked at property in the past. There are actually several financial agencies that track the classic car investment market, and the success rate has been very good.
• There are a high number of classic vehicles that are rising in value. Rare cars only get rarer, so if you find one that is considered rare now, purchasing it will be a good investment.
• People look for heritage and “pedigree”. You’ve got security in your investment if your car has a good history.
• Classic cars simply have a “cool” factor. Rare and hard to find cars are especially appealing to older individuals who may have had that car in their youth, or knew somebody that had one.

It’s important to keep in mind, investing in classic cars isn’t easy. But, if you do your research and know what you’re looking for you could find yourself with a very smart investment. At Condon Skelly, we understand that your classic car is your pride and joy, and that you want to do everything you can to protect it for years to come. 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. (866) 291-5694

Antique Motorcycle Insurance: History of the Matchless Motorcycle

Matchless is one of the oldest makes of British motorcycles, with the first models being manufactured at the start of the 20^th century. This is truly a unique vehicle, with the original Matchless motorcycles being produced from 1901 only until the First World War.

Matchless was the trading name of Collier & Sons, the father H.H. Collier and his sons Charlie and Harry. The Matchless tank badge was a winged “M” and the brand actually started as a bicycle manufacturer, as did many motorcycle manufacturers of the time.

The first Matchless motorcycle prototype was made in 1899 with general production starting two years later in a factory in Plumstead, London.  It was the Isle of Man TT (IOM TT) races, though, that put the company on the motorcycle manufacturing map.

Matchless actually had a long history of racing participation and success. A Matchless, ridden by Charlie Collier, won the first single cylinder race in the first IOM TT in 1907 with an average speed of 38.21 mph in a time of 4.08.08. The Matchless machines won again in 1909 and 1910. Versions of the Matchless motorcycle have participated in many IOM TT and Manx Grand Prix races up to 1997 with varying success.

This is just a brief history of the Matchless motorcycle, one of the antique vehicles that we insure at Condon Skelly. Your vehicle will fall into the antique category if it is completely original and at least 25 years old. We insure many different types of antique cars, trucks, and motorcycles so we’ll be able to craft the perfect policy for your vehicle. Please contact us today for more information. (866) 291-5694

Collectible Car Insurance: Tips on Buying Classic Cars

When purchasing a car, there are many factors to keep in mind, such as gas mileage, insurance costs, etc. When buying a classic car however, there are even more important features and potential issues to keep in mind. Vintage and classic cars are a very fun item to collect for many people, however if this is your first time buying a classic car, it’s important to keep the following tips in mind.

Do your homework. Know what the classic car you are considering is actually worth. With the advent of technology and social media sharing, it’s really easy to get in touch with experienced car collectors who are “in the know”.

Don’t start with a rusty car. You may be able to replace panels or repair rusty spots, but once a car has rust, it always has rust. This is a sign that the car has not been taken very good care of, and you should probably pass on that purchase.

Check that all the parts belong to that car. This means looking at the engine, transmission, and rear axle to make sure they all link up to the vehicle’s VIN number. The transmission and rear end will usually be stamped with date codes, which you can look up to determine if the dates sync correctly.

Buy what you like. It’s easy to want to purchase a classic car that is being sold at a really good deal. However, if you do plan on taking any leisure trips in it, wouldn’t you want a car you’d truly love to drive?

Consider the color. You may be surprised by how much a rare color combination can drive up the value of a classic vehicle. It’s always wise to invest in classic cars that are one-of-a-kind.

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. (866) 291-5694