Antique Tyre Supplies is our Australian tire distributor and helps spread our collector vehicle tires across the world. We recently got an email from Ben McKinnon, Business Manager of Antique Tyres regarding one very special vehicle that just received some new shoes. The car is a 1921 Alfa Romeo G1 two-seat sports roadster, and it’s one of 52 built. In fact, it’s been confirmed as the oldest Alfa in existence today.

The car’s history isn’t as glorious as some rare automobiles, but it’s definitely interesting. Apparently, the car was used as a farm truck in the 1940’s, so to see it in this good of condition is a great feeling. The best part about it is the fact that it rolls on Excelsior 895×135 tires. From classic restorations like this to all out hot rods and customs, Coker Tire can give you the right tires, no matter which continent you live on.

Years ago some of us who sold parts and services for collector vehicles simply referred to what we did as a hobby business. Now it is clearly an industry employing thousands of people and securing and supporting the lifestyles of many families.

A number of years ago, a few of us (hobby business leaders) banded together to form an association of collector car related businesses (even competitors) to work on anti-hobby legislation and licensing issues. The idea was to protect our businesses and the hobby those business served. This new group we called ARMO was started (Automotive Restoration Market Organization) and we added other businessesin the new “industry”. We hooked up with SEMA which is the large automotive aftermarket association representing over 6000 member businesses and got involved and got the muscle of SEMA involved in our issues. Since those early days, a number of us have served terms on the SEMA Board of Directors and in leadership of SEMA. I was actually Chairman of the Board of SEMA from 03 to 05. We had OEM’s shutting down businesses over legitimate intellectual property issues and governments giving tax credits and outright passing laws to crush and scrap older cars. Because we came together and worked hard we made a positive impact on these issues back in the day.
Scrappage, issues about registering our Hot Rods and emission issues are always active and have never been completely solved or handled but as a part of SEMA, we had the power of numbers. While I was a SEMA Board member, we started the SEMA action network (SAN) which is a large group (millions strong) of individuals willing to contact legislators, beaurecrats and governors about issues we would notify them about which could adversely affect our industry. The SAN has been successful on most State and Federal levels. Hundreds of thousands of phone calls, emails and letters have been sent to our “leaders” expressing dismay, disapproval and disgust with these anti collector car bills and rulings. We have not only been “naysayers” because we have sponsored state and federal bills proactively helping our industry on things such as titling and scrappage.

Fast forward to the election of 2008 when the Obominals came to power in DC. Detroit is in a mess and when asking for a financial bailout from our government, the Detroit Three suggested a type of tax credit or refund from our government coffers to get rid of older cars so hopefully we Americans would buy more new cars! They also say these old cars are polluters and gas hogs. President Obama also endorses, supports and is pushing such a program. I guess he doesn’t care about putting down one industry to help another or how large our industry and voter base has grown to be. President Barrack Hussein Obama continues so push his “anti collector car” agenda his own way and hopefully partially and artificially propping up the Detroit Three (…or at least two!) and by paying our tax dollars to get rid of older cars.

We need to pay attention NOW MORE THAN EVER, and not hesitate to say NO to the Obominals or anyone who supports scrapping old cars! The SEMA action Network is a great avenue to stay connected on these looming issues. SEMA has a great staff of folks in Washington and Diamond Bar, California working on these things every waking moment.

Get informed!
Get involved!
Get busy!

NOW MORE THAN EVER!

From the road,

Corky

Car shows are always a great way to meet new friends, see old ones, sell your product and rub elbows with customers. When I was kid, I remember my Dad constantly traveling to shows to meet the prospective customers, see their company’s and factories. When I say travel, I don’t just mean a couple hours across the state to set up a booth, I mean, he was a “Get-R-Dun” kind of traveler. He would go all over the globe to meet with people from Australia, Germany, England and Brazil and many more. I didn’t quite understand why he wasn’t home all the time when I was growing up, but now since I have been in the business here at Coker Tire for 2 years now, I get to see first hand what those important travels accomplish.

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My good friend David Reidie opened his bike shop in Melbourne in 1981. Today its 27 years later and Harley City is Australia’s top Harley Davidson dealership. David just has just moved his bike shop into a newly renovated building. I stopped by to see him and check it out (being as we were in the neighborhood way Down Under and all). His store looked so sharp and it was nice to catch up with my friend. If you’re ever down under you’ve got to see his place!

Rodney Belbin from Shannons shows us his 1953 Holden. It is an original low mileage General Motors Australian built car that looks about like a three quarter size ‘47 Chevrolet. This super-rare car is motoring perfectly around Australia (ON THE WRONG SIDE OF THE ROAD!) with an all original interior. He even showed me a box of original 1953 spark plugs he found in the trunk! Rodney is certainly proud of his Holden. What a great car and a super guy! Here in the States, I use Hagarty Insurance for my collector cars, but if I was Australian, I would probably use Shannons. They are the big player and understand the Australian Collector Car market and also do collector car auctions. Shannons and it’s employees are definitely eating their own cooking. Their passion for the collector car culture shined through on this great event.

“Shannon’s Insurance in conjunction with TasVacations brings to the motoring enthusiast the Shannon’s Historic Rallye; the best way to experience one of the world’s most unique destinations with the taste of the world’s ultimate tarmac rally.”
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