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.” (more…)
From the first time I laid these country boy peepers on a board track racer motorcycle, I knew I would have to have one! (I should have said SOME!) I’ve been blessed to find and restore some great bikes in the years since. Today my good friend and restorer Dude Layne finished and delivered not one but two restored Indian board track racers. The 1909 Single (blue) and 1914 Single (red) motorcycles just look fantastic. They’ve taken their place as the first pieces of furniture in my new office in our renovated office complex. Whaddaya think? more pics in the gallery
After months of planning and preparation. Exhibits for Coker Tire Company’s 50th Anniversary and Honest Charley’s 60th Anniversary loaded up and headed west today on a truck bound for the NHRA Museum in Pomona, CA. The exhibit featuring cars, products and memorabilia will be on display at the museum through November 16, 2008.
Over two decades ago, mid-westerners stir-crazy from winters grip, decided to take their cars south. The group of friends and car enthusiasts legislated that a tour take place below the Tennessee-Georgia border, and the “Cabin Fever Tour” was born. There is no club or affiliation here, just a group of friends who love to drive their cars. This year the tour ranged 80-100 miles each day for five days, across northern Georgia and was at full song with 14 cars the day they stopped here at Coker Tire headquarters in Chattanooga, TN. It was great to see all the cars roll in off the road into our parking lot. The “Cabin fever Tour” visited the Coker headquarters, Machine Shop, Restoration Shop, Museum and Honest Charley Speed Shop. We’re glad they took the time to stop by and visit! The tour usually hits the road at the end of March or beginning of April each year.
Last November we worked with the American Diner Museum to find and purchase an actual 1950’s diner. Well, they finally found one for us up in Massachusetts, so we had it shipped across the country to our home here in Chattanooga, Tennessee.
The diner does need some work, so it’ll spend the next couple of months in restoration…after that, we’ll have a fully functioning diner for our friends that come down here to see the Warehouse, buy some Coker Tires, buy some Honest Charley parts, and maybe eat an old fashioned hamburger!
Yet another reason we love this job! Thank you to Larry and Jeannine for their comments, and most of all for restoring such a cool vehicle. This is a restored “Thermosmobile” used in the 1920s as a promotional tool for Thermos. The truck is currently at the Golden Age of Trucking Museum in Middlebury, Connecticut.
