Classic Cars: The History of Sports Cars

Defined by a Wikipedia article as a “small, two seated, two door vehicle designed for spirited performance and nimble handling”, the sports car has long fascinated classic car enthusiasts. Car lovers nationwide have differing opinions about what makes sports cars so great; is it the elegant body design, the tremendous power output of the high-rev engines, or the distinctive throaty musical note of the exhaust pipes?

Of course originally, cars were created as a functional solution to a problem, rather than an aesthetically pleasing piece of art. Although throughout the years we have had an eye for beauty and a thirst for power and speed when it comes to vehicles. This truth of human nature is what led to the development of the first “sports cars.”

The birth of the sports car can be attributed to the early 20^th century touring cars and roadsters. These were raced in early rallies, such as the Herkomer Cup, Prinz Heinrich Fahrt, and Monte Carlo. The actual term “sports car” did not make its way to standard car vernacular until after World War One, but the first sports cars are thought to be the 3 litre 1910 Prince Henry (Prinz Heinrich) Vauxhall 20 hp and the 27/80PS Austro-Daimler designed by Ferdinand Porsche.

Although there have been many developments throughout the years regarding different versions of the sports car, two companies ended up offering the first truly reliable sports cars. This was Austin with the Seven, and Morris Garages (MG) with the Midget.

One of the discoveries made about the development of sports cars as they entered the driving world more rapidly included the fact that the drive train and engine layout significantly influenced the handling characteristics of an automobile, which is crucially important in the design of a sports car. In order to potentially improve handling and weight distribution, alternate layouts were sometimes used in place of the standard front-engine, rear-wheel-drive layout of vehicles not classified as sports cars.

Prior to the 1980’s it was rare for a sports car to use four-wheel drive as this traditionally added a lot of weight to the vehicle. However due to safety issues, especially in adverse weather conditions, four-wheel drive has become a necessity and is quite commonly found in high-powered sports cars, such as the Porsche, Lamborghini, and the Bugatti Veyron.

Whether you own a classic sports car or any other type of classic or antique car, it’s important to protect it financially with the right type of 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 Car Insurance: History of the Mercedes Benz

Most people are aware of how luxurious a brand the Mercedes Benz is, but do you know how they originated? First off, their slogan, which is the German phrase “Das Bete oder nichts”, means “The best or nothing”, although this car company was not always the luxury brand we know of today. In fact, the first car, which is of course credited to Henry Ford for creating, was actually created by Karl Benz.

Karl Benz’s 1886 Benz Patent Motor Wagon is said to have been “one of the most outstanding innovations of its time” by many classic car enthusiasts. Just a few years later, in 1901, Gottlieb Daimler created a vehicle that he named Mercedes. Daimler, who was eventually the co-founder of Mercedes-Benz along with Karl Benz, gets credit for creating the first gas powered engine suitable for use in automobiles.

Perhaps more popular than the vehicles themselves is the iconic emblem we know for Mercedes-Benz. The evolution of this emblem has seen many different designs throughout the years. There are two emblems however that remain the most significant and identifiable.

The first emblem was created in 1909. The Benz & Cie. wanted to have the Benz name surrounded by a laurel wreath as their emblem. This logo was registered as trademark on August 6^th, 1909. At the same time, auto manufacturer Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft had applied for legal protection for the Mercedes-Benz star on June 24^th, 1909, and this was entered on the Register of Trademarks on February 9^th, 1911.

Almost 25 years later, the star emblem was officially used as a badge and signet on both the Daimler vehicle as well as the Mercedes-Benz. On February 18^th, 1925, both brands registered a new shared logo- Daimler’s Mercedes star inside Benz’s laurel wreath. This is said to have been a very symbolic action in anticipation of their merger, which happened on June 28^th, 1926. It was from these beginnings that the Mercedes-Benz trademark developed, and is still used today.

Whether you own a classic Benz or any other type of classic or antique car, it’s important to protect it financially with the right type of 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 Ducati Insurance: A Brief History of the Brand

Similarly to many other classic motorcycle brands, Ducati did not start out as a motorcycle company. In fact, Antonio Cavalieri Ducati and his three sons, Adriano, Marcello, and Bruno Cavalieri Ducati founded the company in 1926 and started producing radio components in addition to vacuum tubes, and condensors. During the war years, they started creating electronic military equipment, and it wasn’t until 1950 that they launched their first motorcycle, that was based off of the already well-established Cucciolo engine.

The first Ducati bike was a 48 cc motorcycle weighting 98 lb., with a top speed of 40 mph and a 15 mm carburetor giving just under 200 mpg. The success of the Ducati brand can be attributed to their ability to keep up with the ongoing trends in motorcycle production. During the 1950’s the market moved toward larger motorcycles, and Ducati management appropriately responded, introducing their 65Ts cycle and Cruiser at an early-1952 Milan show.

Ducati management split the company in 1953 to be two separate entities; Ducati Meccanica SpA and Ducati Elettronica. Ducati Elettronica would go on to become Ducati Energia SpA in the eighties, while Ducati Meccania SpA, which was led by Dr. Guiseppe Montano, became the motorcycle manufacturing company that we know today. By 1954, Ducati Meccanica SpA was turning out 120 units per day as the factory was modernized with government aid.

Montano was a genuine motorcycle lover and realized the potential of racing to induce customers to buy these bikes. As a result, by 1956 the Desmo Ducati 125 won its first race in Sweden. Unfortunately, the man who achieved one of Ducati’s greatest feats; lapping every other motorcycle at the Grand Prix at Hedemora, died during practice for the following race. The death of Gianni Degli Antoni hit the Ducati brand hard, and it wasn’t until 1958 that they could once again race.

The Ducati brand had its up and downs in the following years, but today Ducati riders are some of the most loyal when it comes to brand allegiance. The company is reported to have achieved success and its great reputation from its racing roots.

No matter what type of antique or classic motorcycle you own, it’s important to protect it financially with the right type of Classic Motorcycle 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.

Vintage BMW Motorcycle Insurance: Motorrad, A Brief History

Since the inception of BMW motorcycles in 1921, there has been an cult following of loyal vintage motorcycle collectors.  These riders understood the quality of Bavarian engineering and still continue to support the Motorad brand. Although the avid collector is aware of the history of Motorad, we will be discussing brief manufacturing periods and the innovation that continued through the years.

BMW Motorrad: 1921-1945

In the early production years, BMW started manufacturing simple motorcycles with a flat twin engine designed for everyday use. One of earlier models of the boxer engine (designed by Max Friz), the 1923 R32 was engineered with a top speed of 62mph and a 486cc engine. The R32 became the foundation for all future BMW motorcycles.

BMW Motorrad: 1945-1955

By the end of World War II Bavarian Motor Works found their manufacturing plant destroyed by allied bombing. Which upon Germany’s surrender, BMW was forbidden to manufacture motorcycles. Although from US authorities eventually came around in 1947 giving BMW permission to restart motorcycle production at their heavily damaged Eisenach facility, BMW was able to re-enter the market. With no blue prints of their old designs, Engineers had to refer to old pre-war motorcycles as inspiration.

By 1950, BMW began to manufacture their most iconic development, the boxer twin engine. With 500cc & 600cc models, these horizontal, air cooled combustion engines became BMW’s main point of differentiation for the brand.

 BMW Motorrad: 1970-1982

Another significant period for the BMW Motorrad collection was between 1970 – 1982, BMW revisited their design and started changing up the styling of the motorcycle. For instance, this was the first series of tank alterations and redesigns. Also referred to as “toaster tanks” from previous versions, these redesigns included chrome plated side panels. Along side other innovations, one of the biggest was the electric starter. In this series of incremental innovations starting in 1970 the electric starter began to replace the gearbox-mounted kick starter, which the kick starter wasn’t fully eliminated in 1975.

At Condon Skelly, we appreciate the history behind antique and classic motorcycles, trucks, and cars. Since 1967, we’ve been helping our customers protect their Vintage BMW Motorcycle 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 about our BMW Motorcycle Insurance coverages at 800.257.9496. 

Classic Cars: History of the Lamborghini

Would you believe that the first Lamborghinis ever created were actually tractors? Designer Ferruccio Lamborghini, who quickly earned the reputation of being a master mechanic and prolific tinkerer, started piecing together tractors out of spare parts shortly after WWII. People loved them, and his tractor business took off overnight.

Ferrucio Lamborghini, born in 1916 on a farm in a rural town near Modena, starting Lamborghini Trattori S.p.A in 1949. They produced in-house tractors with modular construction and interchangeable components. The success of his endeavor turned the company into one of the biggest agricultural machinery manufacturers in Italy in the late sixties.

So how did we get from that to where we are now? Considerably wealthy by the early sixties, Ferruccio decided to build a factor of luxury sports cars. He wanted to build a super sports car to compete with Ferrari, which many people considered him crazy for even attempting. Constructing this type of vehicle was viewed as an unexplainable extravagance and something that would squander his fortune without ever turning a profit.

However, by May 1963 he founded ‘Automobili Ferruccio Lamborghini’, buying a large plot of land in Sant’Agata Bolgnesese to build a large and ultramodern factory. Ferruccio was in a position to set up the best facilities for his purpose due to his experience with other companies: a very functional structure that was unrivalled in its field at the time.

The company’s first models were released in the mid-sixties and were noted for their refinement, power and comfort. Lamborghini gained wide acclaim in 1966 for the Miura sports coupe, which established rear mid-engine, rear wheel drive as the standard layout for high-performance cars of the era. In its first decade, Lamborghini grew rapidly.

Although Lamborghini’s are not as immensely popular and available as they once were, they are still considered one of the top luxury brands of vehicles. Whether you own a classic Lamborghini or any other type of classic or antique car, it’s important to protect it financially with the right type of 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 Cars: Are There Advantages to Manual Transmissions?

Many classic car enthusiasts will tell you there’s nothing quite like driving a stick shift, or manual transmission, vehicle. They call these cars “engaging”; forcing drivers to learn more about their vehicle and how it works. Of course, in the last decade and longer, manual transmissions have been pretty steadily replaced by automatic transmissions, which many of today’s drivers prefer as they are easier to drive. However, stick shifts haven’t completely gone out of style yet!

While there is not conclusive evidence that having a stick shift will automatically deter all car thieves, these thieves usually don’t have any practice handling manual transmissions. Therefore, it’s highly unlikely if you have a stick shift, it will get stolen. Carjackings have literally failed because the would-be thieves didn’t know how to shift gears. Theft deterrent is not the only advantage to manual transmissions though. As one article from Autosaur.com cites, the numerous benefits of stick shifts include the following:

Cheaper: Many people feel that cars with manual transmissions are cheaper to buy and repair. Of course, this may differ with classic cars, as many more factors go in to determine the value of classic cars than that of modern vehicles.

Safer. Not only does driving a stick shift require the driver to use both hands, leaving no room for distraction by texting or eating, accidents involving a vehicle accelerating uncontrollably simply cannot happen with a manual transmission. In a stick shift, a driver would simply have to step down on the clutch and coast to safety, should their car do that.

Better fuel efficiency. With stick shift, drivers have more control. So, if you know how to shift those gears, you can manage far better fuel efficiency than an automatic.

While you may not drive your classic car much, if at all, a manual transmission may benefit you if you do decide to drive it. No matter what type of transmission your classic has, At Condon Skelly, 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 Car Insurance: History of the VW Beetle

The history of the VW beetle goes back to 1924, and was actually an idea conceived by Adolf Hitler. While in prison following the failed revolt on the Federal German capital, he theorized that to solve Germany’s unemployment problem, the Government could build special roads, called autobahns, for motor vehicles, and mass-produce a car that the average man would be able to buy. Thus came the Volkswagen, also called “the people’s car”.

Work on these roads began in September of 1933, and the designs for the Volkswagen were not finalized until 1938, but the vehicle finally saw the light of day in 1939. Due to WWII, production was temporarily halted, but from 1945 on the Beetle was produced in significant numbers. The Beetle model was internally designated the Volkswagen Type 1 in 1945, and was marketed simply as the “Volkswagen”.

Later models were designated VW 1200, 1300, 100, 1302 or 1303. The first three model numbers indicated their engine displacement and the latter two were derived from the type number and not indicative of engine capacity. An interesting fact to note about the history of the VW beetle is that the same engine design has driven the through its lifetime.

The VW Beetle was designed to sustain high speeds on the autobahns. Eventually, the Beetle gave rise to variants, including the Volkswagen Karmann Ghia and the Volkswagen Type 2 bus. The Beetle marked a significant trend led by Volkswagen, Fiat, and Renault where the rear-engine, rear-wheel drive layout had increased form 2.6% of continental Western Europe’s car production in 1946 to 26.6% in 1956.

Although the VW Beetle has a rich and long history, manufacturing of the car ceased in Germany in 1980, and by 1981 Mexico was the only company that was still producing the vehicle. 65 years after its original launch, the last Type 1 VW Beetle rolled off the production line at Puebla, Mexico on July 30, 2003. This last Beetle, nicknamed “El Ray”, was delivered to the company’s museum in Wolfburg, Germany that year.

Whether you own an antique VW Beetle or any other type of classic or antique car, it’s important to protect it financially with the right type of 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.

The Case of a Hotel Valet and a Crashed Lamborghini

Earlier in July, at the Le Meridien Hotel in New Delhi, a hotel valet attempted to park a guest’s Lamborghini Gallardo Spyder, however apparently was not an experienced enough driver to be behind the wheel of such a powerful car. As he accelerated, the vehicle veered out of the man’s control, through a crowd of people, and into a concrete barrier. Fortunately, nobody was seriously injured in the incident, as the only injury sustained was to the driver himself and was minor.

Unfortunately however, the hotel simply calls this incident an “accident” and so far has taken no financial responsibility for the damaged specialty car. The car’s owner claims that the vehicle is worth nearly a half a million dollars, due to the high cost of importing it, and estimates that the damage done to the car comes to just over $330,000. In this case, the owner of the Lamborghini has filed a complaint against the valet, however if the hotel refuses to pay, this means that the owner is financially responsible for the damage done to his vehicle.

Although this type of case might have a different outcome here in the U.S., the scenario still shows how important it is to have the right type of insurance coverage for specialty, exotic, or classic cars. In addition, it should serve as an example of the importance of taking care of your exotic car; perhaps thinking twice about letting anyone else behind the driver’s seat, even if it is someone who should seemingly be an experienced driver.

Whether you own a Lamborghini or any other type of specialty or classic car, it’s important to protect it financially with the right type of 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.

Exploring Jay Leno’s Classic Car Collection

Most classic car collectors know that Jay Leno’s garage boasts a rather impressive collection of classics, antiques, and collector vehicles. Referred to as the “Big Dog Garage”, Jay Leno’s collection has it all, from classic cars to supercars, to restoration projects and road tests. Below are some of the most impressive vehicles in his collection, as cited by Business Insider’s transportation writer Travis Okulski.

1955 Buick Roadmaster

When he bought it in 1972, Leno only paid $350 for the 1955 Buick Roadmaster! He restored this car in 1973 and drove it everywhere. It was even the car he used on his first date with his wife. This wasn’t the car’s only “first”. This car was the beginning of Leno’s extensive automobile collection.

1986 Lamborghini Countach

Leno’s 1986 Countach was actually one of his daily cars, with almost 70,000 miles on it. The Lamborghini Countach features a Lambroghini trademark first with its’ scissor doors; hinged at the front with horizontal hinges, so they lift up and tilt forward. It’s unique look made it one of the most popular cars there was between the 1970’s to the 1990’s.

1937 Fiat Tiopolino

While the top speed of a 1937 Fiat Tiopolino was only 53 mph and contained a small five gallon fuel tank, this vehicle was able to get almost 40 miles to the gallon. At the time of its production, the Topolino was one of the smallest cars in the world, and this vehicle is one of the oldest in Leno’s collection.

This is just a tiny sample of the classic cars living in Leno’s Big Dog Garage. His collection has been admired by many, and serves as an inspiration to both beginner car collectors and seasoned enthusiasts. 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.

The Rising Value of Japanese Classic Cars

The last decade has seen the introduction of many notable classic and antique cars. Some of the most iconic antique cars just celebrated their 50^th anniversary this year, including the Pontiac GTO, 1964 ½ Mustang, and the ’64 Studebaker Excalibur. While all of these cars have their place in the hearts of classic car enthusiasts, there is a group that is becoming immensely popular in very recent years. That is, Japanese classic cars.

According to an article by reporter Charles Fleming of the LA Times, back in 2006 vintage car collector  Terry Yamaguchi paid $5,000 for a bright orange 1973 Datsun 240Z, to sell it a couple years later for only a little more than she paid for it to begin with. What’s it worth now? A surprising $20,000!

This significant price hike is not limited to the 240Zs either, according to Fleming. He reports that the value of Japanese classic cars has skyrocketed in recent years, noting that a 70’s Toyota Celica could cost up to $20,000 and a well-maintained Datsun 510 has the potential to go for as much as $25,000!

Ironically, the growing popularity in Japanese collector cars is due in part to the fact that they’re cheaper than American or European classics. Mike Malamut, a retired car dealer who’s been collecting for 35 years, calls collecting Japanese classics a “way to enter the collector hobby for relatively little money”.

This idea of collecting Japanese classics is still foreign to many, however many classic car events on the West Coast are now centered around Japanese “nostalgic” cars. A few Japanese classics that stick out to collectors in particular are Mazda’s rotary-powered pickup trucks, 80s Mistubishis, and old Skylines.

Whether your Classic Car is American, Japanese, or European, we can insure it at Condon Skelly. Since 1967, we have been helping our customers protect their classics with affordable, industry-leading insurance coverage. We are a group of collectors, enthusiasts, and professionals who specialize in insuring all types of collector vehicles. Please contact us today for more information.