Volume IV, Issue 2

So, how does one protect their ride from the bad guys? Obviously, having a Lo-Jack™ device would be invaluable in tracking the car once it is gone. If my garage overhead door had windows in it (which it does not) I would be covering them, pronto! Is it time to buy wheel locks/boots?

A large number of theft re-ports have been surfacing lately. Hemmings Motor News and the Los Angeles news media are among those covering this story. It seems the San Fer-nando Valley in particular is being targeted?

The thieves are more than brazen, doing their dirty work in broad daylight, after disabling security video and alarm sys-tems. The thieves have the heist process down to a science. They arrive with a truck to use both as a battering ram to breach gated properties, and as a push vehicle. Once the ride is off the owner’s property, it is pushed to a waiting trailer where it is loaded.

As these vehicles are readily identifiable, being multiple award winners well known in the car community or so unique as to be 1-2-3 of a kind, it is not likely they shall be seen again on U.S. streets. I suspect they go

directly from the waiting trailer to a waiting container for ship-ment overseas?

Another disturbing piece of info I ran across a while back was a You Tube® video show-ing how easy it is to breach an overhead door closed via an electric garage opener. All it takes is a coat hangar. The time needed to open the door is less than a minute! The task is ren-dered far simpler, and quicker, if the overhead door has win-dows in it. This is because the thief can see where the wire needs to go to unhook the catch, instead of having to fish for it.

All that is required is to use the wire to release the catch that engages the drive mecha-nism. That would be the part with the rope/handle on it. Once the catch is released, the door is able to be opened manually.

Us vs. Them: Protecting Your Ride

GDYNets® on the Web

Find GDYNets on the web:

CCC® -THE FORUM

http://ccc.activeboard.com

Car Collector Chronicles-scribd

Saved 62 - 1962 Olds web site http://www.freewebs.com/jeandaveyaros The Gray Lady - 1955 Cadillac Coupé de Ville web site

SAVED 62: A website devoted to our 1962 Oldsmobile Dy-namic 88 convertible. The site also has a lot of information on Oldsmobiles and its founder, Ransom Eli Olds.

THE GRAY LADY: This web-site features our 1955 Cadillac Coupé de Ville and Caddy in-formation.

DAVE’S DEN: A website de-voted to a myriad of interests. Foremost is extensive informa-tion on the “Steel City” of Gary, IN. There are also offerings on steel making, U.S. Steel-Gary Works, U.S. Marine Corps, M14 assault rifle, of course Oldsmo-bile, and the tragic story of the murder of Gary, IN Police Lt. George Yaros.

A GDYNETS® PUBLICATION © 2011, G. DAVID YAROS. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

February 2011 Car Collector Chronicles

Car Collector Chronicles®

Exploring:

Car Collecting Today

Classic Rides

Reports From the Field

Oldsmobile (1897-2004)

Cadillac (1902- )

Allanté (1987-1993)

Corvair (1960-1969)

IN THIS ISSUE:

Us vs. Them: Protecting Your Ride

1

GDYNets On the Web

1

Car Collectors, Who are They?

2

The Nethercutt 4

Coming Next Issue

4

Photos 5

CCC® Forum EMail: OldsD88@gmail.com

I am a member of the Historical Vehicle Association, or HVA (http://

www.historicvehicle.org/). Recently, this body commissioned a survey to de-termine who collects cars. It queried 13,000 individuals in both the U.S. and Canada. The picture revealed by the survey is of interest. Here are the highlights: Of the estimated 2.75 million historic vehicle owners in the United States and Canada, 95% are male. The mean (average) age of enthusiasts is 54.8 years old. 65% are between the ages of 45 and 65. There are 5.5 million historic vehicles in Canada and the United States, of which the number in Canada is 0.5 million and the number in the U.S. is 5.0 million. The 2.75 million historic vehicle owners in Canada and the United States spent nearly $35 billion in 2009. Historic vehicle owners own an average of 2.0 vehicles worth close to $25,000 each, for a total value of nearly $50,000. This is quite large considering median annual income of between $75,000 and $99,999 per year. The average enthusiast is likely to have been involved in this movement for 10 years or more. They attended one or more historic vehicle events in 2009. The vast majority (92%) of historic vehicle owners do at least some hands-on work on their vehicles, everything from cleaning and polishing to completing full restorations. The average historic vehicle owner spends 11.1 hours per month on this kind of hands-on work. A large percentage (56%) of enthusiasts have college degrees, which is greater than the U.S. average of 35%, or 50% of the Canadians with college or trade certifications or university degrees. The most common reason (84%) for ownership is a sense of personal nostalgia. The most common types of historic vehicles owned by enthusiasts are “Post-war Classics” Fewer than 2% of respondents indicate they purchased their vehicle through live auctions. Instead, these vehicles were most often (57%) purchased directly from a friend, family member or other historic vehicle owner, while 16.9% were purchased through eBay® or other online auction, 7% from a specialty vehicle dealer, and 5% through a used car/vehicle dealer.

CAR COLLECTORS, Who are They?

Car Collector Chronicles Page 2

“There are 5.5

million historic

vehicles in

Canada and

the United

States, … and

2.75 million

historic

vehicle

owners.”

The average historic vehicle owner spent the following in 2009 - $8,770 Restoration, repair and maintenance, including parts, materials and payment for services rendered at restoration and repair shops $1,600 Purchase of actual historic vehicles $1,005 Magazines, books, DVDs, models, museums, posters, seminars, tools, clothes, and automotive memorabilia $698 Travel to historic vehicle shows and events $557 Registration and insurance $35 Club/Association dues and fees $12,665 TOTAL The average historic vehicle owner drives his historic vehicle(s) 30 times per year, or roughly 2-3 times per month. Since owners own an average (mean) of 2.0 historic vehicles, this equates to 15 times per year per vehicle, or just over once per month. The majority (60.8%) of historic vehicles were driven 300 miles or less in 2009, and only 3.2% of historic vehicles were driven more than 2,100 miles in this same period. The average historic vehicle was driven 484 miles in 2009. Historic vehi-cles traveled 2.7 billion miles in 2009. Close to one-half of respondents (48%) report belonging to at least one historic vehicle club or association. There are 15 thousand historic vehicle clubs and associations in the United States. The average historic vehicle enthusiast spent the following number of hours per month engaged in the indicated activities related to historic vehicles - 6.3 hours On the web/internet related to interest in historic vehicles (not including social networking) 1.9 hours Social networking 4.9 hours Watching television programs related to historic vehicles 4.9 hours Reading books or magazines related to historic vehicles 18.0 hours TOTAL Data © 2011 Historic Vehicle Association Of particular note is the fact that over 79% of car collecting folk do make it a point to vote. What this means is, we intend to make our voices heard on matters of concern to us. It is not my intent to get on a soapbox here. Suffice it to say there are many pending issues in state and federal legislatures of which we need to be aware, and be heard (E-15, emissions testing, registration require-ments, etc.).

“There are

15,000 historic

vehicle clubs

and

associations in

the United

States.”

Car Collector Chronicles Page 3

Car Collector Chronicles Page 4;;

THE NETHERCUTT I have just returned from a unplanned trip to Los Angeles, CA. While there, I had a chance to take in the exhibits at the Nethercutt Museum (http://nethercuttcollection.org/) in Syl-mar. The Nethercutt displays the personal car collection of the founder/owner of Merle Norman cosmetics. The vehicles are housed in 2 large buildings and consist of vintage rides from the 1910’s through the 1930’s. There is also a large collection of hood orna-ments, motometers and automobile badges. Admission is, get this free. However, to see the cars displayed in the Grand Salon, one must have an advance reservation. All cars are maintained in operable condition. I will close this month with some pics from the Nethercutt Museum.

It is hard to see, but what the badge reads is “Oldsmobile Legion of Honor.” I wonder what one had to do to earn one?

Ok, I’ve had my say for the month. Now its your turn! I invite/encourage submission of your comments, opinions and contributions, and ask that you help spread the word about our pub. Everything sent shall indeed be reviewed by me. Submissions should be sent to CCC® at OldsD88@gmail.com. Now, that you have finished reading our pub, come join in the ongoing dialog between other CCC® readers and like-minded car collector folk on the CCC® Forum. Stop by, check us out and share your views … . _______________________________________

-- RESTORE 'EM, AND DRIVE 'EM! COMING NEXT ISSUE: The Ride That Got Away—NOT MotoMeters If I am lucky, your comments on CCC® –THE FORUM will provide grist for the mill?

Car Collector Chronicles Page 5;

The Grand Salon of the Nethercutt. “Grand Salon” is a term for an automobile showroom back in the 20’s.

A 1912 Oldsmobile Limited Motometer

Early illumination

Anyone able to state what marque this logo represents?

Car Collector Chronicles Page 5;