A US made car with Italian designer lines, mini Hemi engine, and retailed for 14 THOUSAND AMERICAN DOLLARS back in the day.

Most Cunningham automobiles were high performance races cars built in Palm Beach Florida but the C3 was the closest Cunningham vehicle to approach production level status. The C3 chassis was built in the USA with a 331 CID Chrysler Hemi engine in it with Quad single barrel carburetors producing 235 hp. It was then shipped to Italy for a handmade aluminum body and shipped back to the US for final assembly. Roughly 45 of these vehicles were built in both Coupe and cabriolet body’s.

The founder of Cunningham, Briggs Cunningham had an awesome collection of cars locally called Cunningham Museum in Costa Mesa, California, which closed when he died in 2003. The collection now resides at the Collier Automotive Museum collection in Naples, Florida.

Cunningham’s cars bring huge money these days, $550,000 for a nice one, you would be hard pressed to even find one of these rare cars today in restorable condition for $100,000

Franklin cars were engineering marvels of the day and the Franklin Automobile Company was one of the first automobile manufactures competing with Cadillac and Packard.

From roughly 1902 to 1934 Franklin Automobile Company produced 150,000 luxury automobiles in Syracuse, New York. Yeah, 150,000. That’s a lot of cars! So where did they all go? You hardly ever see one sold, they are not commonly known brand, but apparently at the time they were one the large manufactures of the time.

Franklins were based on light weight chassis made of aluminum and ran air cooled engines ranging from 4 to 8 cylinders. The engineering of these vehicles was state of the art for the period and Franklin is credited for a lot of automotive engineering first, some of which are still utilized in modern cars.

The first Valve-in-head design. Cars of the period used valve located in the block with cylinder heads with no moving parts. Air flow on these L-head engines was terrible and the close proximity of all the moving parts created overheating problems. The valve-in-head design is a staple in all modern cars.

The First manufacture to employ an automatic spark advance. Cars of the period used a manual spark advance controlled by the driver.

The first to use aluminum pistons and alloy connecting rods. Steel pistons and connecting rods were heavy and required equal weight counterbalances to compensate. The lighter moving mass of lightweight materials allows for higher revving engines with smaller displacements to produce significantly more power.

The resulting lightweight cars with luxury appointments made these cars popular and car sales grew at an alarming rate. Nearing the 30’s the economy cooled and the stock market crash, sales followed suit and the Franklin Automobile Company ceased operations in 1933 after disastrous operating losses.

So where did the roughly 150,000 Franklin cars go? World War 2 started in 1939 and the war machine needed raw materials to build airplanes. Airplanes are made of lightweight materials and production requirements for war materials placed a high demand on these lightweight materials and there was a shortage of lite alloys. Americans had to ration and also recycle. Government programs like “Aluminum for Defense” encouraged everyone to collect and recycle aluminum, it’s believed that 10’s of thousands of Franklins were recycled and turned into airplanes to help defend the US in World War II.

Keep in mind that most of the cars of the period were made of steel, some had wooden frames and while steel was rationed it wasn't in as short supply as Aluminum.
A Franklin car today is very rare but they don’t bring the high dollars you think they would. So how much is Franklin worth? Some have sold in the $60k range and a select few for $100k.

While it might be possible to delay some car repairs, others are true emergencies and must be dealt with right away— in order to ensure the safety of the driver and everyone else who rides in the vehicle.

If paying for these repairs is a concern, drivers may have to consider a small emergency loan, such as a CashNetUSA cash advance. It is far better to use one of these services than to wait too long and risk a serious car breakdown or accident.

As for which car repairs deserve immediate attention, watch for these serious symptoms and call your auto repair shop for help.

Brakes

If the car is no longer stopping properly, this is a major red flag. If a car needs a lot longer to stop than usual, it may be caused by brake fading, which may require a replacement. If applying the brakes causes the car to move to the right or the left, the brakes may be doing something called “grabbing.” Grabbing can quickly lead to serious problems and should never be ignored, as it will just get worse.¹

Engine

If the engine regularly cuts out while accelerating, the car needs to be taken in right away for service. It might be something as easy to fix as a battery or even a pricier alternator, but it could also be indicative of a more serious problem.¹

Leaks

As drivers pull out of the driveway, if they spot any type of puddle that is left behind, it can definitely be the sign of something serious. Drivers should take note of the color of the liquid and let their mechanic know about it as soon as possible. For example, a dark-color puddle might be oil or power steering fluid, whereas a more colorful yellow, orange, pink or green pool of liquid could indicate a coolant leak.²

Sounds and Smells

While driving, people should also keep their ears and noses open as well as their eyes— be aware of any odd smells that emanate from the vehicle, like smoke, burning oil or the smell of burnt toast or rotten eggs. Anything that smells nasty is a sign that something is wrong and should be looked at right away. Also, if your car sounds like it’s making popcorn while you are driving, it may be due to minor or serious pings occurring during detonation. If it gets noticeably worse as the car accelerates, take it right in for service.¹

Regular Maintenance

While any car can develop problems, some can be avoided through regular maintenance and service. For example, bringing in a vehicle for regular tune-ups can uncover any potential problems early on, such as worn-down brake pads and small cracks in the transmission. A radiator flush should also be part of routine maintenance, noted an article on the Autos.com website.³ This can help spot leaks or corrosion in the radiator, which— if undetected— can lead to more serious problems later on.

¹ http://jrautorepairs.com/mechanic/6-common-car-problems-you-cant-afford-to-ignore/

² http://www.artofmanliness.com/2011/09/06/car-leaks/

³ http://www.autos.com/car-maintenance/how-often-should-you-have-a-radiator-flush

I was recently asked to review a total loss claim from a motorcycle accident located in Ventura. The fact that it was a total loss and the guy was alive to ask for help was a miracle, but never the less I thought about it and reviewed his claim settlement to determine if I could help him.


The path was clear, although it was not going to be easy. He did not have an “Actual cash value” policy, he had a “stated value” policy. That meant that his insurance company just went to the available guides for average values of stock motorcycles. His problem was proving the motorcycle had as many upgrades and what the fair market value actually was.


I had him give me a written list of all the changes and upgrades and where or whom did the custom work. I took that list to several dealerships for upgrades pricing and then custom paint shops for costs. I did the prior to loss appraisal through this method and completed the appraisal that he submitted in support of his dispute with the insurance company’s determination of value.


The process took about 60 days and was very expensive, but the client was fully compensated for replacement. This process doesn’t always work out as this did, but it can be a path to getting your vehicles replaced with like and kind.


All the time I was performing this appraisal, I was thoughtful that had the client taken advantage of our appraisal service prior to his loss, and gotten an agreed value policy he would have had settlement far sooner and with much less expense and energy, not to mention the emotional stress, proving it pays to be prepared.

Protect Your Investment. Have it Appraised!

We all know teen drivers pose a higher risk behind the wheel than older drivers with more experience, but most teens and parents aren’t aware of what those risks mean. High auto insurance premiums might be the least of a parent’s worries if their son or daughter is involved in a serious accident. Consider the facts: Over a quarter of a million teenage drivers were rushed to the ER due to car accidents in 2010, and nearly one out of every one hundred of them died due to their injuries. These statistics from the Center for Disease Control (CDC) Teen Driver Fact Sheet should be enough to keep teens and parents vigilant about safe driving, but each year the trend continues.

The CDC also reports that teen drivers are three times more likely to be involved in an accident than drivers over the age of twenty. It’s no wonder car insurance premiums for teenagers are through the roof. Fortunately, the CDC and other agencies have developed sound strategies to keep teens safe on the road – strategies that also keep their rates affordable.

Click Here for the complete article by Jeff Rieger

Most gear heads call it Blood, Sweat and Tears, but good luck getting a return on those. What we really invest is Time, Energy and Money! So after you have invested your resources in that special classic or collectible, you need to protect it.

Protect it with Insurance. We all know that you can buy insurance, actually it’s required in most states to have a vehicle insured if you drive it on public roadways. You have a special car and you need a little more than the insurance required by law, you really need to have special insurance that covers your Blood, Sweat and Tears should something happened to it. Most folks don’t know that there is specialty insurance that specifically is used to insure your pride and joy. It actually covers the cost to replace the car vs. the fair market value.

Fair Market value is the price someone else would be willing to pay you for the vehicle while the replacement value is the cost to replace the vehicle and if it was custom the replacement value is what it cost you to buy the vehicle, restore/customize it and the associated labor to do it. In essence the replacement value covers your ‘Blood, Sweat and tears’. Oh and did I mention that this specialty insurance is cheaper than the fair market value coverage they will try and sell you? Yes, the proper insurance is cheaper than what you would pay for the inadequate stated value insurance.

If you have any questions about insuring the investment you have in your car, give us a call at the office and we’d be glad to give you the short story on classic and collectible car insurance.

If you have a passion for cars and are looking for a good fit for your experience, you may want to consider applying that knowledge to being an Automobile Appraiser.

There are lots of different ways to work with cars and live the lifestyle. Many of the common opportunities are riddled with laws, regulations and assorted pitfalls. Leveraging someone else’s experience is perfect way to avoid the business obstacles and focus on your passion. If you enjoy being around cars and being considered a valuable asset within your local market I know just the opportunity you may want to consider.

When I was young I enjoyed working on cars, but I realized that I did not want to be a mechanic as a occupation. Later I discovered that I was quite good at finding that gem of a car that was under priced, buying it and sorting any deficiencies and then selling it at a profit, but that wasn't without risk either. I've watched accountant count other people’s money and Real Estate agents make handfuls of cash closing deals and taking a cut of the sale. My friends and associates already relied upon my experience and opinions about cars, how can I capitalize on my current network and my experience to deal with classic and collectible cars on a daily basis?

I can help the guys at the car club get the proper insurance for their specialty car, I can help a neighbor get a better settlement on his late model car insurance claim or I can help a business associate on the other side of the country decide if he may want to buy a local car for sale. This would be great, but how can an individual do all this and be recognized as an authority without spending endless years developing a process and providing high end presentations people would pay for?

Why re-invent the wheel, at Auto Appraisal Network we have worked out the process, established a reputation as a leader and we take care off the back-end issues associated with a staffed office. If you’re passionate about cars and want a rewarding occupation, then consider joining our network of nationwide automobile appraisers. Your get more out of it than you put in.

It seemed like a good idea in the beginning. Back when we were paying $5 a gallon for gas, many states and the federal government thought we could stretch our gasoline reserves out a bit if we added a little ethanol to each gallon. Anywhere from 5% to 15% ethanol mixtures were mandated to be sold at the pumps. Indeed, cars can run on the various ethanol mixtures and ethanol is a renewable resource so it all sounds good.

No so much says the Florida legislature, the alcohol additive attracts water, the additives in gasoline can make the water corrosive and this corrosive mixture eats away at your car from the inside out. So while we move closer to a renewable solution, this particular solution is far more costly than just buying the same ole gasoline that we have been using all along. Ethanol will reduce the lifespan of your car forcing consumer to replace their car sooner than if they hadn't used the Ethanol.

Thanks to US car manufacturers voiding new car warranties if you fill up with Ethanol and the actions of many consumer advocates, Florida for one will not mandate Ethanol be sold to consumers. Specialty Vehicle Lobbyist have played a keep roll in reversing the legislation which would be even more devastating for Classics and Collectibles that were designed and built for vehicles to run on gasoline. New cars incorporate special materials designed to be compatible with Ethanol, while the classics and collectibles are made of materials only compatible with straight gasoline. Filling up an older car with ethanol could be catastrophic.

Look for additional states to follow the lead of Florida in dropping the mandate for ethanol based fuel.

Produced from 1977 – 2004 the Lotus Esprit is a Sports car made in the UK based on a steel frame with Fiberglass body panels and powered by a 2 liter 160Hp and later a 2.2 Liter NA, fuel injected and Turbo. In 1996 Lotus produced a V8 powered Esprit using an Aluminum block twin turbocharged that produced roughly 350 HP in a 3,000 lbs car.

For a car model with a 27-year life span it has 6 distinctive design changes each one improving on the previous and keeping with the Power to weight theme of making it more powerful and lighter you’ll have one fast car. The 3.5 Liter Turbo V8 had very impressive 0-60 MH time of only 4.4 seconds and a top speed of 175 MPH.

Your modern, classic or custom car VIN (Vehicle Identification Number) is more than an arbitrary number assigned to your car to make it unique, the VIN is packed with encoded information about your cars drivetrain, body style and manufacturing information.

Late model cars starting roughly in 1981 all have a 17-digit VIN number which contains the country of origin, drivetrain and body style. The same VIN is used to track information about your cars registration, accidents and insurance claims history.

Classic Cars have roughly the same information but its split between the VIN Tag and either Cowl tag, Fender Tag or Door tag depending on the manufacturer of the vehicle. Ford uses a Door Tag to document the Factory Paint, trim, Body type and Date of Manufacture. General Motors uses a Cowl tag to record the same information on all the GM products and Mopar uses a Fender tag for this information. Classic cars have shorter VIN numbers, but roughly the same information is encoded in them.

People often call us and ask for us to validate the numbers on their car as a Numbers Matching or factory original car. In order to do this we collect all the applicable information from the designated locations to determine what exactly they have.

If you have a classic or collectible car you would like to find out more about, you can contact our Orange County office in Lake Forest, CA @ (949) 387-7774 and we’ll tell you where to locate the applicable ID information and we’d be glad to decipher this information for you.