Classic and Vintage Cars Ownership and Restoration

Passionate Owners of Classic and Vintage Cars

The older they get it seems the more popular they become. The history of the motor car is an amazing story and every vehicle of the type described is without an age when it comes to the love and devotions owners attach to it.

The colours, styles, smell and fun enjoyed in riding in them went a long way to ensuring that someone would always be as passionate for them now as the first owners were when they came from the show room. The quality of the seats, the timber-framed dashboard and the often peculiar windows added to the romance and mystique of their day.

There was a running board on the side on which passengers could stand when entering or leaving as the vehicle was often much higher on the road than we are used to today. The bumper bars were just that, solid pieces of equipment that allowed you to bounce off anything you accidentally hit, such as the vehicle in front or behind when parking. They comprised chrome and rubber and were a statement in themselves.

The headlights were larger and often sat between the mud-guards and the bonnet like 2 eyes patrolling the view in front as you drove along. The former were always separate from the engine compartment and when bright young kids wanted to be different they could be stripped off and the old jallopies they enjoyed had a certain element of the dare-devil look about them.

Some vehicles were like tanks to drive because of the steel in the body work. Doors were huge and the top was often of a material or fabric to compensate for the weight below. As the car aged holes could appear in it and stripping the top off was another feature of many a run about driven by teens.

The wheels were huge as well and a spare wheel could be suspended on the side of the vehicle near the driver. The tyre on the other hand was narrow and contained a rubber tube which held the air that pumped them up. Punctures were common and the inner tube had to be removed and repaired and then replaced. That necessitated carrying a spare at all times for a quick change.

Roads were unreliable and often just dirt tracks which is possibly responsible for the height from the road to the floor of the car. Sitting in one today feels strange after all the modern innovations that have vehicles of far less weight, height and reliability than the great classics of yesteryear. Is it any wonder then that enthusiasts still return to days of old to recapture the romance and excitement of that era.

There is enough enthusiam today to bring back the old classics as this site demonstrates

Original article

Vintage Classic Cars - What Makes a Car Vintage?

Do you have an old car lying in your garage that you are thinking about selling? STOP! Before you do, it is important to know whether or not your vehicle is vintage. Vintage classic cars may not mean much to you, but they do mean a lot to your bank account! If you have ever been to a vintage car show, you know that there are many parts of vintage vehicles that sell for hundreds (if not thousands) of dollars. If your vehicle is in good working condition, it could be worth more money than you could even imagine!

So what exactly are vintage classic cars? A vintage classic car is basically any vehicle that was manufactured between the years of 1920 and 1950. Known as the 'real classics', vintage cars are collected by car enthusiasts around the world. So, if you have a 'hunk of junk' sitting around in your garage - you will want to make sure that its actually junk before you decide to sell it or send it to the crushers.

How can you tell if your vehicle is vintage? The best way to distinguish vintage classic cars from other vehicle types is by looking at the year that it was manufactured. If you don't know the manufacturing date off the top of your head, find the Vehicle Information Number (VIN) and type it into an online search engine. The VIN of a vehicle should be able to bring up a variety of information regarding the make and model of your car. If you find that your vehicle was manufactured between 1920 and 1950, you may want to reconsider your idea to sell!

While all cars made between 1920 and 1950 are considered vintage, there are some vintage classic cars that are considered more valuable than others. Many times, the value of a vintage vehicle is determined by the number of units. If you can, use the internet to find exactly how many models of your vehicle were manufactured. Additionally, find out how many are still in existence today. The less models that were made, and the more rare the car is today, the more it will be worth in the sellers and collectors market.

Another thing that helps determine the value of vintage classic cars is the relevance of the vehicle. The more history that a vehicle has behind it, the more valuable it will be to collectors. Similarly, if a vehicle carries memories that are generation specific, it may be worth more money as well.

If you have an old 'piece of junk' in your garage that you are considering selling or tossing - STOP RIGHT NOW! Before you make any final decisions, double check to make sure that your vehicle is not vintage. Vintage classic cars are worth a great deal of money (especially to collectors), so if you decide to get rid of your old car, you could be throwing away a huge chunk of change. Check your vehicle's VIN today to see if your hunk of junk could be changed into a piece of gold!

Tim Peddycoart Insurance Specialists for Vintage Classic Cars

http://vintageclassiccars.org/

Original article

Vintage Cars - Top Five Reasons Why They Are Still In Demand Today

While modern car sales continue to fall, vintage cars are getting hotter these days. According to research, there is a huge demand for them all over the world. Hundreds and thousands of vintage cars are sold each year and each car is worth millions of dollars. Indeed, these classic cars are now soaring not just in the US but to other Eastern countries despite the reports of the economic downturn.

But why do people love these cars? Why are they are so popular? Following are some of the best reasons why these cars are still in demand today:

Passion For Collecting Excellent Finds
People are fond of collecting all sorts of stuff from jewelry to gold coins, silverwares, potteries, porcelain and even cars. By and large, people who collect cars are mostly men. Their passion is not limited to modern and brand new cars but vintage cars as well. Just like Jay Leno, the famous host of the Tonight Show in NBC. He now owns 300 vehicles excluding his 60 motorcycles. Included in his car collection are several Stanley Steamers from the early 1900s, muscle cars from the 1950s and '60s, and a 1932 Packard Twin Six 12-cylinder coupe. It only shows that people will do anything just to add a good piece to their collection, even spending millions of dollars.

Vintage Cars As An Investment
Financial experts believe that people should start investing in order to protect their wealth against inflation. However, a lot of people did not know that selling these cars are very lucrative. Classic cars are considered as excellent investment mediums. Those that are for restoration are very cheap to buy but after a few modifications and repairs, they can be sold twice or thrice higher than the original value. Surely, this type of investment is profitable. However, aside from having a million dollar worth of bank account, interested investors need to be well verse with the car industry and the different types of vintage car in order to maximize the profit and not to be ripped off the car's actual value.

Some of the important things one should note before investing in this venture are the best car manufacturers, the types of vintage cars, the manufacturing year of the chosen car, the car's general condition, functions and different features and the market price of cars.

Restoring Vintage Cars Can Serve As A Trophy Of Honor
Since they went through so much history, people are keen to add them in their collection. They take pride and glory for owning them. Also, it gives one a great achievement to restore a car to its former condition and splendor.

Vintage Cars Have Upscale Designs
They are very stylish. Their lines and overall body was artistically made. Their chic and classy design can make every head turn.

Nostalgic Appeal
Truly we cannot go back in time. But driving a classic car can give the owner the opportunity to reminisce and to relive what was long been gone. It can bring back good and bad memories. Since these cars had stood the test of time, some of them were survivors of war and tragic times in the early 1900s.

Indeed, classic cars or vintage cars are still in demand nowadays. Despite the economic crisis that the whole world is facing, still many people are willing to spend money for exquisite classic cars. The next time we see a vintage car passed by, hopefully our perception has changed and we think of them not just as a piece of metal but a great artwork that survived time.

At truegoodlove, learn how love can mean so many things - from love of cars, to how love can be incorporated in education and history. Love indeed is all around us. To learn more about love visit the links today.

Original article

Vintage Volkswagen Racing: The Beginning of Deano Dyno-Soar

Dean Lowry joined Joe Vittone and his VW dealership Economotors in Riverside, California in 1955. After realizing how easy it was to repair and service Volkswagen Dean learned all he could and increased his skill level. He decided to make a career of Volkswagens and increasing their performance on the drag strip.

While working for Century Motors in Alhambra, California, Dean helped to build a racing VW beetle that he raced regularly for five months. He then built a dragster with a Porsche engine and began campaigning it in several local drag racing events.

Joe asked Dean to return to Economotors in 1963 and began once again to work with EMPI performance parts. He developed exhaust systems, carburetor kits and valve kits. At this time, Dean built the famous Inch Pincher race VW, one of the most famous race cars.

In 1968 Dean left Economotors again and partnered up with his brother Ken to start their own VW repair and service shop in Santa Ana, California. The brothers wanted to focus solely on building and repairing VW engines full time. This new business was called Deano Dyno-Soars, after Dean's nickname of Deano or Dino.

The Lowry brothers stuck with the dinosaur theme throughout their business, and took up the color purple. They created the Purple Dyno-Soar engine, which was painted purple. The racecars and even their service shop was also colored purple. It became their trademark color.

The Lowrys often went drag racing with Dean's daily driver, a 1954 VW sedan with a 2180cc engine. The car had been lightened to reduce the weight. Custom lightweight spun-aluminum wheels were designed specifically for drag racing VWs and made their debut on the Dyno-Soar racing vehicle. It's best time was 11.62 sec and was the car to beat in the NHRA H/Gas class.

One major advancement Deano Dyno-Soar made in the VW racing world was developing an aftermarket crankcase that allowed VW engines up to the size of 3 liters to be built and housed in the rear engine compartment. It was known as the Ultra Case. Deano Dyno-Soar also designed and developed the first set of aftermarket cylinder heads for VW drag racing. They allowed larger valves to be used than a regular VW head.

After winning numerous races and trophies, they decided to retire the drag racing VW in 1972. The business also called its doors in 1972 and the brothers went their separate ways.

Blaine is an avid air-cooled Volkswagen enthusiast, having owned many vintage Volkswagens over the years, he loves to share his passion with others.

Visit OldeSkool Vintage VW for more vintage Volkswagen information.

Original article