If a vehicle from Ford could be more popular than the Mustang or the Taurus, it would be the Edsel branded vehicles which were in the market in the late 50s.  Considered by many as the most spectacular failure in the history of the United States, the Edsel was first marketed by the Dearborn automaker in 1957 and two years, two months, and fifteen days later, the marque’s life was over, stifled by low sales and awful reviews.  But that was back then, today, believe it or not, a certain Edsel convertible depending on its condition can fetch as much as a hundred grand!

If you don’t believe that, then you haven’t heard yet about Kelley Blue Book’s blue book value for a 1958 Edsel Citation Convertible. Back in the days, the convertible cost about $3,800.  Today, 50 years after the first Edsels took to the streets; its value is now from $64,000 up to $100,000. Neat huh? 

For something that has been the butt of many jokes, the Edsel convertible that was the ugly duckling surely has now become the beautiful swan.

The value of the Edsel skyrocketed due to the fact that it is an orphan.  An orphan in the sense that its parent company is dead and gone but the cars live on.  And the Edsel Citation convertible is not the only orphan to have increased in value according to Kelly Blue Book.  Here are the other orphans with high value today according to the autocahnnel.com.

1948 Tucker ‘48 Torpedo Sedan
Original MSRP $2,450
Value 2007: $250,000 - $450,000

1957 Desoto Adventurer Convertible
Original MSRP $4,272
Kelley Blue Book Value 2007: $130,000 — $180,000

1953 Nash-Healey Roadster
Original MSRP $4,063
Kelley Blue Book Value 2007: $56,100

1958 Packard Hawk Coupe
Original MSRP $3,995
Kelley Blue Book Value 2007: $53,900

1981 Delorean DMC-12 Gullwing Coupe
Original MSRP $29,500
Kelley Blue Book Value 2007: $26,000

1964 Studebaker Avanti Coupe
Original MSRP $4,740
Kelley Blue Book Value 2007: $24,100

1957 Hudson Hollywood Hardtop
Original MSRP $3,030
Kelley Blue Book Value 2007: $17,500

1953 Kaiser Dragon Sedan
Original MSRP $3,924
Kelley Blue Book Value 2007: $15,100

1960 AMC Metropolitan convertible
Original MSRP $1,749
Kelley Blue Book Value 2007: $12,300

With the value of these cars skyrocketing today, I’m kinda wondering whether a Ford Focus today can also cost a hundred grand 50 years from now.  But these cars are orphans, so that would mean that a Focus today can have a value of a hundred grand five decades if Ford will go the way of Edsel.  Hmmm… But that won’t happen though.

 

                                                                       

The swinging 60s era changed the face of the world by bringing vibrant colors and introducing a brand new lifestyle to the planet! Aside from the hip and groovy distinctive qualities of the 60s, in this decade rose the best quality cars that despite the many years taht have passed, the automobiles never failed to amuse the world and never lost its grand appeal at all! These are those cars like the 1966 Ford Mustang Convertible, 1965 Plymouth Belvedere I Pro Street Race car, 1963 Buick LaSabre convertible, 1965 Ford Mustang Mastback, 1968 Chev panel truck, 1969 Pontiac GTO, the 1969 Chevrolet Camaro and a lot more!

When we talk about the 60s, it is always associated with music! From Motown down to theatres, music played a big part during this colorful decade! If we combine cars and songs, what could be the possible outcome if we try to imagine ourselves back in the 60s? I’m definitely sure that it will be a BLAST! WOW!

You must be wondering what the best cruising songs of the 60’s are. Well you’re just in luck my friend because I’ve got bits of it and I’m going to share it with you!

Here are few of the hundred greatest cruisin’ songs from the 60s:

• (Sittin On) The Dock Of The Bay - Otis Redding
• 96 Tears - ? & The Mysterians
• A Groovy Kind Of Love - The Mindbenders
• A Place In The Sun - Stevie Wonder
• A Whiter Shade Of Pale - Procol Harum
• Age Of Aquarius - 5th Dimension
• All I Have To Do Is Dream - Everly Brothers
• Apple, Peaches, Pumpkin Pie - Jay & The Techniques
• Are You Ready - Grand Funk Railroad
• Backfield In Motion - Mel & Tim
• Barefootin’ - Robert Parker
• Be My Baby - The Ronettes
• Bernadette - Four Tops
• Blue Velvet - Bobby Vinton
• Born To Be Wild - Steppenwolf
• Brown Eyed Girl - Van Morrison
• Build Me Up Buttercup - The Foundations
• California Dreaming - Mamas And The Papas
• Can’t Take My Eyes Off You - Franki Valli
• Cara Mia - Jay & The Americans
• Catch Us If You Can - Dave Clark 5
• Classical Gas - Mason Williams
• Cool Jerk - The Capitols
• Crosstown Traffic - Jimi Hendrix
• Da Doo Ron Ron - The Crystals
• Dizzy - Tommy Roe
• Do Wah Diddy Diddy - Manfred Mann
• Do You Believe In Magic - Lovin’ Spoonful
• Do You Know The Way To San Jose - Dionne Warwick
• Do You Love Me - The Contours
• Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is - Chicago
• Don’t Mess With Bill - The Marvelettes
• Downtown - Petula Clark
• Eli’s Coming - Three Dog Night
• Evil Ways - Santana
• Good Vibrations - Beach Boys
• Green Tambourine - Lemon Pipers

Are you one of those buffs who find buying, restoring and selling priceless auto vintage collections a headache? Well, not anymore. A nice article from eHow.com has the right antidote for your vintage car headache. Might as well share the antidote with you…

Buying
1. Purchase your car one piece at a time. The perfect frame could be in someone’s garage, while the seats may have to be remanufactured in Canada. Go to car shows, scan the ads in collector and car parts magazines, check salvage yards, scour the Internet, and ask friends if they have any auto parts lying around.

2. Beware of cars that are heavily rusted. Some rust may be unavoidable, but make sure it’s not corroding structural parts.

3. See in person any advertised car or parts you’re considering buying. If this is not an option, ask for detailed photos.

4. Get to know the car’s market well. If you’re starting from scratch, be prepared to spend a lot of money on tools and equipment in addition to parts for the car.

5. Look in the mirror and tell yourself that in all likelihood you won’t turn a profit on this. Don’t be bitter if it doesn’t turn out to be a money maker.

Restoring
1. Make sure you have enough room. Ideally, you need the equivalent of two adjacent garages: one to dismantle the car and keep the parts, and the other to build the car up again.

2. If you’re not sure you can do some of the work correctly or if it’s dangerous, call in a professional. In the end it will save time and money, if not your pride.

3. Use as much original equipment as you can get your hands on (hood ornaments, old mirrors, original radios) to enhance the value and raise the asking price.

4. Take your restoration cues (paint color and more) from publications of the same era that show your vehicle. Magazines like these are great to back up the work you’ve done when selling the car.

Selling
1. Clean the car extremely well.

2. Put together a complete sales package to market your car.

3. Collect any artifacts or knowledge related to the car’s history that might increase its allure and value. Car buffs love log books and proof of races won.

4. Determine your asking price. Compare your car’s make, model, year and condition to others listed in advertisements. Ask a fellow enthusiast for a valuation.

5. Choose advertising venues carefully, to get reasonable offers.

6. Try not to limit the car’s advertising to one geographic region. Different regions have different demands for the same vehicles, and buyers in another state may pay thousands more than local buyers would.

7. Take it to car shows and museums, and park it prominently near the venue’s entrance or exit.

8. Remind yourself as you sign the bill of sale that you weren’t planning to make a profit, and focus instead on that next fixer-upper.

 

There are a lot of wonderful car models these days. Since they already went through careful innovations and upgrades, they have been easy to maintain. Compared with a vintage car, it is far easier to take care of the current line of vehicles. Vintage cars need a longer time to pamper. Extra effort is needed to assure quality restoration of auto parts, might it be leather, rubber or metal parts such as those Audi axles and others. That is to keep them from wearing out and cracking in age, sunlight damage and critical weather conditions.

As based from news.carjunky.com, I have learned about several basic tips. It is how to keep a vintage car looking new or better. These are some of the clips I found:

Storage - Most damage are brought about by freezing temperatures and sunlight. In a garage, storage helps keep it covered and away. That is to reduce building up of dust. Another thing is that it keeps out the critters and bugs, which are settling themselves in the seat cushions, creating their house. During cold weather, you could connect it to an engine warmer if you intend to start it up, keeping the battery alive.

Leather Care and Rubber – Old cars’ leather interior necessary needs special care and cleaning. Hoses and other rubber parts need lubricants and moisturizers. That is to keep them supple, strong and in tact.

Finding the Right Parts – Knowing that you have an old model car, it is a bit harder to find compatible parts. Not all working parts can keep on functioning efficiently with the make, model and year of the car.

Protect Your Engine – Just like in medicine that synthetic drugs have side effects, new level of ethanol in gasoline have adverse effects on metal parts of the car’s antique engine. Older model engines are usually made to run on straight gasoline. If you use ethanol without protection, it may cause corrosion of some metals of the engine. It might as well damage natural rubber and cork parts.

Things You Can Do:

• Run a non-alcohol based fuel stabilizer
• Install a water separation filter and fuel filter – make sure you keep spare filters
• Replace fuel lines and gaskets or o-rings with new ethanol resistant materials
• Repair or replace the fuel tank if it has been damaged

Some people don’t often use their vintage cars. It might be because they want to keep the mileage low. However, it won’t be good for the engine. It has to be regularly used or keep its rpm running high so as to cleanse out the carburetor, valves, circulate the oil around and help the engine run better and longer. Along with flaunting it out in the streets, you unintentionally keep its engine working in great condition.

As much as I do, there are also people who would like to see the return of the vehicles which are currently not in production for the U.S. market.  With the aid of sachee.com, I have learned few of the other people’s thoughts and preferences.  It has been in response with their “Question of the Month”.  And, they seemingly became the reader’s wish lists.  Some hopes for the resurrection of Volkswagen vans, sports cars and cords.

Personally, I would like to have the Volkswagen Microbus back in the market again.  However, with its return, I expect that it would be better and that it would come equipped with upgraded parts such as my favorite premium Volkswagen glow plug duraterm and others.

I would like to share with you some of the emails that have been featured in the site, answering “What motor vehicle that is no longer produced would you like to see make a return to the U.S. marketplace? And why?”  And maybe, it would be great for you to give your own views.  Let me give you few short ones.

“… a new Volkswagen "pop top" camper van…  I liked the small footprint and great gas mileage, and I don’t want to lumber around in a gas-guzzling, American-style camper.”

“… the Porsche 944.  Produced in different incarnations from 1983-91, I would like to specifically see the return of the 944 Turbo, a four-cylinder, turbocharged car that in 1988 Turbo S trim made approximately 250 horsepower and went from zero to 60 miles per hour in 5.5 seconds…  The top speed of the Turbo S and 1989 Turbo was approximately 155 mph – one of the fastest production cars in the world…  The car had excellent components for handling, including brakes from the Porsche 928, large sway bars, forged rims, Koni shocks and a limited-slip differential.”

“The classic MGB Roadster, of course.  A return of the also-classic Triumph TR6 roadster would also be a welcome sight.  Of course, these cars would come with the requisite AAA roadside service…”

“… the Cord.  … With its low profile and exhaust headers, it was the most attractive car I ever saw.”

“… the Austin-Healey 3000… always seemed to be the ultimate statement of what a British roadster should be.”

“I think it would be really fun if Volkswagen did a new Microbus.  VW should make it retro in style, following the style of the really old split-window Microbuses of the 1950s-60s.  It would also be fun if the automaker could do this and include the flip-up front windshields like the old ones…”

“I think the 1957 Ford Thunderbird convertible should be brought back…  That T-bird;s distinctive, porthole-equipped top has never really been brought back, and that was a signature that today’s convertible don’t have…”

“… the Packard motor car. … Packard epitomized the utmost in engineering, styling and prestige…”

“… I have always preferred the Falcon to the ford Mustang, and I’d like to see Ford bring back the former…”

“… the Oldsmobile.  It was stylish, wonderful-running vehicle.  And going way back, we liked the Studebaker…”

You can find the complete details from the site.

Vintage cars are so great to look at. They may not have the sleek styling and modern amenities such as OnStar which newer vehicles have but their old school design has a charm of its own. If you own one, then you know the challenge of restoring a classic car in to a pristine condition. So if you have your classic car already restored, you have to maintain its showroom shine. And there are some things I would like to share with you on how to do just that.

First is how you keep your car. Make sure that it is protected from harsh elements such as frigid winter snow and direct sunlight. These two acts of Mother Nature contribute a lot to the aging process of your vintage car. So just keep it in a garage where it will be away from direct sunlight during the summer and snow in the winter. While in a garage, it will also help prolong the life of your car’s exterior if you covered is that dust will not accumulate where they should never go.

Taking care of the rubber components of your vintage car is also something that you should do. Just like skin, they need to be moisturized now and again. The leather seats should be cleaned with solution specially formulated for leather. The rubber tires should be wiped with lubricants to make it moist. Keeping rubber moist reduces the risk of it breaking due to dryness. Aside from the tires, you should also pay attention to other rubber components such as rubber hoses.

If you want to replace a certain component in your car, be prepared to spend a lot of time looking for the right vintage parts that corresponds with the make, model, and year of your car. While you can use replacement parts, this can hurt the resale value of your vintage car. After all, who said that restoring a car is an easy thing to do?

You should also protect your engine by carefully choosing the right type of fuel for it. Older engines are made to run on pure gasoline. But through the years, the gasoline sold at refilling stations is mandated to have a mix of ethanol top reduce petroleum fuel consumption. If you use a fuel with a high content of ethanol, you run the risk of ruining your car’s engine. The reason for this is that ethanol is highly corrosive. In fact, the engines of flex-fuel vehicles are specially designed to combat its corrosiveness.

 

                         

The best vintage and historic motor sport in the planet only has two more weeks left before the grand opening of the GP100 at SeeRed begins! I visited the site www.vscc.co.uk where I searched for some updates about this ground-breaking event. There are discounted tickets on the opening day according to the article that I read from the site. The action packed GP100 at SeeRed will commence at Donington Park. The celebration is about the first century of Grand Prix Racing.

Highlights of this entry include:

• Twenty Edwardian Racing Cars, don’t miss this one off event!
• Fifteen pre-war Bugattis racing for the Williams Trophy Race with other special cars such as Alfa Romeo P3, Aston Martin and Frazer Nash Nurburg.
• The ex Hans Reusch Alfa Romeo 8C-35 in which he won the 1936 Donington Grand Prix with Richard Seaman competing in the Historic Seaman Race
• Thirty One cars competing in the race for 1.5 litre Formula One cars built before 1966 including ex Formula One driver, Richard Atwood in a BRM P261.
• Twenty Four Formula One cars from the 1967 – 1984 period competing with the Thoroughbred Grand Prix car championship.

In addition to the Grand Prix car action, thrilling support races will complete a stunning weekend of on track action. These grids include:

• The British Racing Drivers Club 1950s Sports Car Race, the final race of their 2006 championship which features Mark Gillies driving Rodney Smith’s Maserati 300S, fresh from the Goodwood Revival and Hubert Fabri’s exquisite Aston Martin DB3S amongst others
• The ex Bob MacIntyre Matchless and 1948 Swiss Grand Prix Velocette in the two Lansdowne Motor Cycle Races, surpasses anything else that will be seen in historic motorcycle racing anywhere in the world!
• Sports Racing Masters competing in a 1 hour race including Shaun Lynn and Chris Ball driving Ford GT40s, and Julian Bronson in a 1965 McLaren MB1 with other fiery endurance racers from the 1961-1965 era

Off track there is plenty to keep all spectators amused with several air displays featuring a Spitfire and an Aontonov bi-plane, an indoor display of ‘Racing Car Oddities and Delights’ from the Past 100 Years, a Vintage Car Concours, Ferrari Owners Club display, Veteran and Edwardian Grand Prix Run Rally, bouncy castle, trade exhibition and Car Clubs Classic Car Party sponsored by Classic and Sports Car Magazine and Aon.

Advanced tickets sales have been extended and will close on Monday 18 on the website, or by telephone on Tuesday 19 September at 5pm and are priced as follows:

SATURDAY 23 SEPTEMBER
Advance tickets are available to members of car clubs, Vintage Sports-Car Club members, CSMA members and Classic and Sports Car readers for £12 per person.

SUNDAY 24 SEPTEMBER
Advanced Tickets
Public Ticket: £20.00 per person
Car Club members, Vintage Sports-Car Club Members, CSMA members and Classic and Sports Car Magazine readers: £15.00 per person (Includes an infield car parking pass)
All tickets on the gate £25.00 per person

The Lake Oswego Heritage House, famed for its annual Car and Wooden Boat Show, will be displaying vintage cars and boats. The annual show, set on Aug. 26, is Heritage House’s biggest fundraiser.

But this year is a bit different. Organizers are jubilant to have an affiliation with the Oswego Heritage Council. Don Rasmussen Mercedes-Benz of Portland and Wilsonville is also a major sponsor of the show.

The wooden boat show, which was not held last year, will sport a number of classic boats - some over 75 years old. “We are ecstatic. The Heritage Council offered us this great opportunity. It’s something we will look forward to doing every year,” said Kristen Winn, the chair of the Wooden Boat Show which is now in its tenth year.

Organizers expect that this year’s display will draw more visitors to the admired car show, now in its 8th year. Last summer, the show drew more than 2,000 onlookers.

A shuttle bus, driving from the US Bank parking lot to George Rogers Park, will be available this year with services donated by Laidlaw, said The Regal Courier. This will give attendees opportunities to view some of Oswego’s Lake’s unique crafts (close to 30 wooden boats are expected to be on display behind the Lake Twin Cinema) and then take a quick jaunt to the park where a wide variety of more than 200 cars will be shown.

“We’ll have everything from Volkswagens to Maseratis,” said car show chair Steve Dietz. It is that variety that makes the annual show unique. Cars will be brought in from locations ranging from Vancouver, Wash., to Salem. “We’re really looking forward to it this year. I think it could be our biggest turnout,” said Nancy Headlee, the executive director of the Oswego Heritage Council.

The 1927 S sport wagon will illuminate the show like the Mercedes mirror. The vintage sport wagon, by Vintage Car Investments Limited, will be shown by Mike Eshaia. According to the report, Eshaia claims that they seldom come up for sale. And this particular Mercedes is even more unique. “This is an original car. Someone in Europe used this car. They ran it,” Eshaia said.

A number of different auto clubs will grace the show with vehicles on display. Around 50 awards will be handed out during the afternoon and the Lake Oswego Lions Club will be serving pancakes and hamburgers during the day. Also, raffle tickets will also be sold for three gift baskets valued at more than $500 a piece. Local businesses contribute to the various items given away in the baskets.

“I think it’s going to be a very good show. The weather is usually great and it’s just a fun, casual atmosphere,” Headlee said.

The Car and Wooden Boat show will be held on Sunday, Aug. 26, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The annual event will be open to the public at no cost.

 

Volkswagen was able to find the oldest living Volkswagen diesel in America.  It was specifically located in Tehachapi, California near Bakersfield.  Though it went to deleterious weather conditions, it remained to be in working condition and was even proven to be quite tough.  A premium quality Volkswagen Rabbit radiator might be contributing to the impressive performance of the vehicle through time.  Most probably, the car might have been actually made with highly engineered parts, especially in the engine bay.

The vehicle was a 1977 Rabbit - first VW model in the US.  Equipped with 1.5 L oil burner, it has a seemingly low horsepower of 50.  That is despite its curb weight of almost same with the new VW Touareg’s spare tire.  Volkswagen provided Clint Wilson, the car’s owner, a new Touareg V10 TDI.  He will be using it for six months as a reward.  But, I guess it won’t be enough as a reward.  They should have given him a complete frame-up restoration for the old one.  And, that should be for both his Rabbit and Beetle.  That is since he was able to prove his loyalty to Volkswagen for those long years.

There was a press release about this matter, which I found from jalopnik.com.  It has been stated that:

“Diesel engines are noted for their long-term reliability and durability, so we didn’t think it would be a problem to find a 1977 Rabbit that was still in great condition, like this one," said Steve Keyes, Volkswagen Public Relations Director. "The entries for the oldest (and the soon to be announced highest mileage search) not only represent cars that were well-built and well-maintained they are also interesting stories from people who are passionate about Volkswagens and diesel.”

This discovery created another good image to Volkswagen.  They were able to prove that they are capable of providing durability and efficiency to their cars.  For this, they are to be admired by a lot of people.

Volkswagen will be providing clean diesel TDI engine in some of their recent models, such as the 2009 Jetta and Jetta Sportwagen.  It is expected to be available in the market by late first quarter of 2008.

Classic car enthusiasts, this is what you are all waiting for - The Monterey Classic Car Weekend.  It started with the Pebble Beach Tour d’Elegance.  It’s followed by Christie’s Auction, which features Steve McQueen’s 1963 Ferrari 250 GT Lusso.  60 cars lined-up.  There’s also the 7^th Russo and Steele Monterey Sports and Muscle at the Marriott Auction.

This event shall be taking place until Aug 19, Sunday.  From mercurynews.com, I found the details of the upcoming events prior to the major feature - the 57^th Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance.  Here they are including the featured classic cars in each:

Aug. 17 (Friday)

Aug. 18 (Saturday)

Aug. 19 (Sunday)