The Stories of The Hobby

Coming home from another great car event made me think about the interesting world of the collector car hobby.  For owners and collectors of classic cars, the past and its stories is a fundamental part of the hobby, and these stories ties the community together.  After all, our history is simply a series of stories.  

Your insured’s constantly look back to see how things were done “back in the day." How much should I gap my spark plugs? What should I use for clutch lining? Many of them want to know the history of the car. Where was it sold new?  Who owned it? Even when they see a car they like, they want to know its’ story. What awards has it won? Who owns that car? Is it for sale? The love of collector cars is as much about questions, as it is answers.

For me, there's nothing I enjoy more than hearing the stories of finding cars on a tip. An ad reads “1908 Brush, it has wooden wheels.” That's it, and a phone number. A call is made. A deal is struck based on the seller's description. No pictures. In the middle of the night an old trailer gets hitched behind a motor home and the buyer heads west with a few thousand dollars in his pocket. Fifteen hundred miles and 24 hours later, the sad little car is loaded and heading back to its new home. The total transaction takes place in 72 hours with 3000 miles driven, all the while drinking Coke and eating nothing but donuts and beef jerky. A story for the ages is cemented and recounted many times over the years, told from the perspective of a 13-year-old kid who rode along to keep the driver awake with a promise to never tell Mom how poorly they ate. 

Compare that to today. A car is found on the internet. An email is sent to the owner. A reply is received that includes a video showing every angle. Another question is raised and the owner live chats while walking around the car, getting in and driving off, making the viewers feel like they are there. The buyer and seller agree on a price and money is transferred. The car is sold in less than two hours and it arrives at the buyer's door 10 days later in a truck that looks like it hauls a NASCAR for a living. 

Two stories. Both true.

These are the types of stories your clients have. Stories about their first car, in my case a 1917 Smith Motor Wheel that I got when I was 14 that is pictured on the right. Stories about the collector vehicle that they tracked down across state lines because "they just had to have it." Stories about the cars that they drove their girlfriend to prom in and then found at an auction years later. These stories tell you how dear their collector cars are to them, and why protecting them correctly is so important. For 50 years, this has been Condon Skelly’s focus. We appreciate you entrusting your collector car clients with us. As always, if you have a suggestion or comment, please contact me directly at jkruse@condonskelly.com or 856-234-3434 x110.

Happy Motoring!

Jim Kruse, Director of Condon Skelly

This year Condon Skelly was given the unique opportunity to support a rider in the Cannonball Motorcycle Run, the Race of the Century for motorcyclists. Dave Minerva, a motorcycle enthusiast and long-time friend of Condon Skelly, will be riding his original 1916 Harley Davidson from Atlantic City, NJ to San Diego, CA. All riders must have a pre-1917 motorcycle to participate. Dave will be attempting the 16 day route along with 100 additional riders.

"When I asked my friends at Condon Skelly if they would insure my 1916 Harley for the 2016 Cannonball, their only question was 'Can we come along?'," Dave said. Some of the Condon Skelly team recently went to visit Dave at his garage and see the bike that he is restoring. We will be following him through his entire experience and we want to share his journey with you! The Race of the Century kicks off September 10th and there is still a lot of preparation to be done before then.

Follow Dave on Facebook as he gets ready for the race and then embarks on his journey. 

Max was driving his 1967 Chevrolet Camaro to a car show one Sunday afternoon. While at a red light, he noticed smoke coming from the hood of his car. Max quickly pulled over to the side of the road and as he got out of the car, the engine burst into flames. Luckily for Max he was not injured; however, his Camaro suffered significant fire and water damage.

Max reported the incident to our claims intake center and we were able to get the vehicle appraised that week. Max bought his Camaro 20 years prior and never thought to have it appraised. The actual value of his Camaro today was $60,000, but he only had the vehicle insured for $25,000. The total cost to repair the vehicle was $34,000, much more than the $25,000 his policy afforded. Max received a check in the amount of $25,000 from Condon Skelly and unfortunately, the remaining costs of repair were out-of-pocket.

Imagine if Max had totaled his vehicle; he would have been covered for less than half of the vehicle’s value! Assessing the total value of their auto when it comes to insurance is a common oversight by classic auto collectors. It is important to know what a vehicle is worth and to have insurance coverage reflect that.

Don’t let this happen to your clients!

With the classic car industry constantly evolving, it is important to take note of the changing value of your clients' cars. If you are unsure if a vehicle is properly insured right now, or need to increase the value for a client, contact our Increase in Value Manager, Bruce Weed. With years of experience under his belt, Bruce will make sure the true value of your clients' vehicles is protected in the event of a loss!

Bruce Weed
800.257.9496 x6017
bweed@condonskelly.com

Come See Us at These Upcoming Car Shows

June

O.C.T.O Meet 2016                                         Bloomington Gold
June 11, 2016 in Long Beach, CA                       June 23-25, 2016 in Indianapolis, IN

MRSA                                        
 June 17-19, 2016 in St. Paul, MN                      

July

ICCC Convention                                            NCRS Convention
July 11-17, 2016 in Mobile, AL                           July 17-21, 2016 in Providence, RI

Black Hills Corvette Classic                           NCCC National Convention
July 13-16, 2016 in Sioux Falls, SD                    July 17-22, 2016 in Omaha, NE

Corvette Homecoming
July 14-16, 2016 in Bowling Green, KY

August

Vettes on the Plains                                       Corvettes at Carlisle
August 12-13, 2016 in Bowling Green, KY          August 25-28, 2016 in Carlisle, PA

Pebble Beach Concours D'Elegance
August 12-16, 2016 in Pebble Beach, CA