Posted by Steve White on Jan 27, 2012
Widely regarded as the greatest investor in the world, Warren Buffet has been known for making excellent investment decisions, such as buying into Coca-Cola and American Express. However, he did make a mistake when he was given the opportunity to dabble in the classic car market. In the year 1980, he was offered the Harrah Collection, which consisted of a total of 1,400 classic cars of the finest quality, including a 1913 Pierce-Arrow, 1932 Rolls-Royce Salamanca, and 1932 Bugatti Coupe. He could have owned the collection for less than a million dollars, but he passed. Several years later, a small portion of the collection was sold at an auction for $69 million.
This shows the unpredictability of the classic car market, and experts have failed for many years to analyze and track its movements. Unlike commodities such as gold and wine, no independent market index has been available to enable investors to understand the machinations of the classic car market, until a few years ago.
In 2007, a banker by the name of Dietrich Hatlapa wanted to expand his small collection of classic cars by acquiring a 1960 Porsche RS60 Spyder. However, he was disappointed and astonished to discover that no credible historic price-performance information existed at that time to provide guidance for his investment, and he had no way to compare his intended purchase with other assets. As such, he decided to develop the first authoritative independent classic car index by establishing a research organization called the Historic Automobile Group International, or HAGI.
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Posted by Steve White on Jan 25, 2012
Classic car lovers who will be in Texas this weekend should make a trip to the city of McAllen to attend the inaugural McAllen International Car Fest. This fantastic car show will take place from the 27th to the 29th of January, 2012 at the McAllen Convention Center, and it will feature a splendid display of classic automobiles, a swap meet, and live entertainment.
Throughout the three-day event, there will be close to 200 automobiles on display in the exhibition halls of the convention center and the adjacent parking lot. The cars will be divided into more than ten different categories, which include antique cars, classic cars, muscle cars, hot rods, race cars, exotic cars, modern cars, concept cars, and others. Custom motorcycles will also be showcased during the event. Those who wish to test their driving skills can take a spin on the Road Skill Test Track, children can have fun constructing model cars at the Kids Model Car Build-Off, and enthusiasts of remote control cars can take part in the Miniature Car Drag Race.
The show hours of the McAllen International Car Fest are 4:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. on Friday, 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. on Saturday, and 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. on Sunday. Tickets are priced at $10.00 for adults, $7.00 for students aged 13 to 18, and $7.00 for seniors. A three-day pass costs $25.00.
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Posted by Steve White on Jan 23, 2012
The Central Texas Museum of Automotive History was established in the year 1980, and it is situated in Rosanky, Texas, about 40 miles southeast of Austin. The mission of this museum is to collect, restore, and preserve historic automobiles, as well as auto-related accessories and collectibles. Its collection provides a comprehensive insight into the development of the automobile throughout history and its social and economic impact on people around the world.
Presently, the museum has more than 130 vehicles, which are displayed on a rotational basis. These vehicles collectively cover the entire history of the automobile, and they include steam buggies and high-wheelers of the 1900s, boxy utilitarian cars of the 1910s and 1920s, classic era cars from the 1920s to 1940s, dream machines and land yachts from the 1950s to 1970s, highly-efficient passenger and sports cars of the 1990s, and beyond. Besides stunning automobiles, visitors will also get the chance to see cut-away engines, early automotive tools, diagnostic equipment, gas pumps, hood ornaments, automobile and gas company signs, license plates, models, toys, and memorabilia from The Great Race. The museum also has an automotive library that features automotive publications that date back to as early as the turn of the 20th century.
The Central Texas Museum of Automotive History charges admission fees of $5.00 for adults and $2.50 for children aged 6 to 12. To find out more about the museum, you can checkout its official website.
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Posted by Steve White on Jan 20, 2012
It is not easy to get financing for a classic car. Most auto loan providers only offer financing for ordinary cars, because they are unable to determine the values of classic cars accurately. The only companies that are willing to offer classic car loans are lenders that have extensive knowledge about classic cars and specialized classic car financing companies. If you want to get best loan rates and terms, it is recommended that you get financing from a lender that specializes in classic car financing.
Choice Motor Credit is a reliable company that offers hassle-free financing for classic cars. It provides private short-term equity loans for a wide range of collector cars, including vintage cars, classic cars, muscle cars, hot rods, exotic cars, and others. The amount of loan offered by the company can range from $10,000 to $500,000 for a single vehicle. This classic car loan provider has very simple lending requirements, and it usually gives out loans without requiring credit checks, financial statements, verification of bank accounts, or tax returns.
The loans that are provided by Choice Motor Credit are specially designed to make it easier for you to free up equity in the car that you currently own, allowing you to get the financing you need to purchase a new car. Whether you need equity loans for several classic cars or car collections, or you are restoring or customizing classic cars, Choice Motor Credit has the right classic car loan program for you.
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Posted by Steve White on Jan 18, 2012
Jeff’s Fun Run has enjoyed great success for the past three years, and it is set to be better than ever before this year. This highly anticipated poker run will be taking place on the 21st of January, 2012, at the Ken Grody Ford in the wonderful city of Buena Park, California. It brings together a wide variety of classic cars and offers many exciting activities.
Last year’s Jeff’s Fun Run drew more than 160 vehicles, and more vehicles are expected to participate in this year’s event. Some of the types of vehicles that will be taking part include classic cars, sports cars, hot rods, and motorcycles. The poker run will take participants to some of the popular automotive-based spots in and around the city, including the C. W. Moss, Chopit Kustoms, Reid’s Rod Parts, Lime Works, Kugel Street Rod Komponents, Moon Equipment Company, and Speed Shop, where playing cards will be given out. It will end at the well-known Bob’s Big Boy Broiler for food and festivities.
If you wish to be a part of the 4th Annual Jeff’s Fun Run, you can register at the event’s official website. Entry fee is $25.00, and it includes a free t-shirt. Proceeds from the poker run will be donated to organizations that are involved in cancer research.
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1960 Ford Thunderbird Acworth, GA
1955 Chevrolet 150 Springfield, OR
1941 Willys TK Spring hill, FL
1978 Ford Ranchero PU Jerome, ID
1969 Chevrolet El Camino Jerome, ID