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How
to Put More Muscle in
Collectible Car Insurance Policies
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After
spending a small fortune on their favorite collectible
car, the last thing Baby Boomers want to do is spend
a fortune on insuring it.
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(ARA) - Baby
boomers are notorious for spending big bucks on things that remind
them of their childhood. Old Spiderman comic books, memorabilia
from television shows like The Brady Bunch and All in the Family,
and muscle cars -- with their small bodies and big engines --
are among the more popular collectibles.
Its
easy to understand why television and movie memorabilia are so
popular. Most of the shows still air in re-runs today, and theres
a lot of hype right now about Columbia Pictures Spiderman
2, which is set for release next summer. But what draws people
to the gas-guzzling muscle cars?
Its
all about nostalgia, says Jill Bookman of American Collectors
Insurance (ACI), recognized by the old car hobby and insurance
industry as the countrys premiere provider of collector
vehicle insurance. Chevelles, GTOs, Camaros and Super Bees
were heavily marketed to young buyers in the 1960s and 1970s.
People who drove them back then have money now, and want to keep
memories of their younger days alive, she says.
When he was
a kid, Jim Anderson, 56, of Cloquet, Minn., drove a 1966 Chevrolet
Chevelle. I got it right after I graduated from high school,
and sold it four or five years later because I needed a more economical
car, but I always regretted it, says Anderson. Fast forward
37 years. Anderson now owns three Chevelles, one in working order,
the other two in various states of restoration.
If
you graduated in the
1950s
-- these were the years of chrome, fins and powerful engines,
along with a bunch of gadgetry. Cars got longer, lower,
wider and heavier during this decade. Popular factory
and dealer-installed options included air conditioners
with air coming out through clear plastic tubes on the
rear package shelf, station-seeking radios, under-dash
record players, power windows, front seats and radio antennas.
The Chevy Bel Air and Ford Thunderbird were among the
most popular models.
1960s
-- Detroit answered its customers cries for performance
at blue collar prices during this era. Cars
with small bodies and big engines were extremely popular.
Chevrolet offered Chevelles, Novas, Camaros and Corvettes.
Ford offered several models of Fairlanes, Galaxies and
Mustangs.
1970s
-- The rising tide of Japanese and European imports heavily
impacted Detroit and American car manufacturing. In many
ways, the most interesting U.S. models in the late 1970s
were throwbacks to an earlier era. Chevrolet's 1978 Silver
Anniversary Corvette came with a Stingray-like fastback,
while Ford's Mustang King Cobra was a throwback to the
muscle car days, sporting stripes, a cool snake decal
and a 122 horsepower engine. The Ford Pinto, Pontiac Firebird
and Buick Skylark were also popular during this decade.
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Andersons
uncle, Art Martin, 69, also of Cloquet, shares his passion for
classic cars. Martin has a 1961 Belair, 1961 Biscayne, 1963 Corvette
Stingray and a 1978 Silver Anniversary Corvette.
I bought
these cars because they remind me of the cars I had when I was
between 18 and 24 years old, says Martin. The 1961
Biscayne is actually a clone of the car I had to sell when I built
my house. Martin says he got the 1963 Corvette Stingray
from someone in a similar situation.
Neither Martin
nor Anderson drive their collectible
cars much. Anderson says they tend to sit in the garage
between tune-ups and test drives. After spending thousands
of dollars on a car that will just sit in a garage most of the
time, the last thing you want to do is pay a fortune to insure
it, says Anderson.
Instead of
insuring their collectible cars with their regular policy carriers,
both he and his uncle took out special collectors policies
on their cars. It makes financial sense. This way, insurance
only costs us about $100 per car for the entire year, says
Anderson.
Specialty
insurance companies like American Collectors Insurance are able
to offer such low rates on collectible cars because they present
low risk factors. They are kept in garages, tend to be well
taken care of, and are driven very few miles, says Bookman.
In addition to low premiums, policies offered by ACI are written
for an agreed amount, rather than for actual cash value. Meaning
a 1964 Mustang wont face four decades of depreciation in
the event of a loss. We recognize that the blood and sweat a collector
puts into restoring the vehicle means something, says Bookman.
For more information
on insuring your collectible car with American Collectors, or
to get an instant quote, call (800) 360-2277 or go to www.americancollectors.com.
Courtesy
of ARA Content
More resources
to collectible and muscle cars on the Web:
MuscleCars.net
Motional
Memories
MuscleCarClub.com
Related
Links:
Shopping
Cars
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