We love Classic cars – and insure anything, from 1980s Fast Fords to vintage Bentleys

In case you didn’t know, here at Coops Insurance we’re huge fans of Classic Cars, and we love delivering the perfect classic car insurance policy for every owner, no matter what the classic car is.

Classic vehicles came in all different shapes, sizes, colours, interiors, engines and sounds. There was no focus on the drag coefficient a vehicle, no focus on how pedestrian-friendly it was in an accident, and some cars didn’t have a roof or even doors. There was no or little focus on safety, there may have been a seatbelt or two in a car or van if it was manufactured after 1968 although wearing one wasn’t made compulsory until 1983, crumple zones didn’t exist, ABS didn’t exist and neither did airbags or side impact protection. Materials used to make vehicles were mainly sheet metal, materials were not generally reused and the thought of protecting the planet when manufacturing vehicles back then didn’t even enter into it. 

Through the years vehicles have evolved, and some might say improved. We have come a long way from the dangerous days of the 1948 British Grand Prix where Luigi Villoresi would race and compete with other drivers at speeds of around 115 mph in his gorgeous single-seat Maserati 4CLT/48 that had no roof and no doors. 

Classic vehicles are now a good investment, but should they be locked up hidden away somewhere waiting to mature in value gathering dust, or should these vehicles be out on the open road where they were intended to be used and seen by both those who remember seeing them on the road back in the day and those who have never seen such a vehicle? Classic vehicles have a nostalgia that you simply cannot emulate with a modern vehicle. They hark from a time when cars were cool, cars were part of the family, style, sound and aesthetics played a large part in the design of the vehicle, roads were less congested, there were no speed humps around and no speed cameras and driving or riding brought about an almost spiritual connection between the driver or rider and their vehicle, because when out on the open road the vehicle would reward back with a sound, a feeling, a tingle, a sensation. And focused on that very moment in time it was all about that feeling. 

Today, the feeling of the drive or ride itself is long gone and we now get in or on our vehicle with our focus of where we are going, what we’ll do when we get there and what the day holds in store for us. The emphasis when manufacturing a car now seems to be cost, safety and quite rightly protecting this beautiful blue host planet of ours called Earth by concentrating on reusable materials and cutting down on harmful exhaust emissions. 

What sort of Classic Cars will Coops Insure? Everything!

Bentley Dreadnought Special

Classic vehicles come in all shapes and sizes and none are more exquisite and stylish than this 1931 Bentley. From the outset, this Bentley looks period and looks although it’s original and straight out of the factory however, this Bentley is in fact a one off. It started life as a 1931 Rolls Royce 20/25 and was then re-bodied into the Bentley Dreadnought Special that you see here. It is powered by a Rolls Royce inline-six engine and a Godfrey Marshall K300 Blower. These magnificent machines are extremely rare and certainly a completely different driving experience compared with the modern vehicles that are on the road today.

1986 Ford Capri 2.8 Injection

Classic fords are a very strong future investment at the moment and good examples of 1970’s or 1980’s classic Fords are continuing to rise in value, and this particular model is a 1986 Ford Capri 2.8 injection special.

Back in the day it was a fast affordable car and the promotional advert from ford focused on the car’s performance claiming that it went like lightning. It was quick for a 1980’s car with a top speed of 131 mph, and a 0-60mph time of 7.9 seconds which was quicker than a Porsche 944 2.7cc and a VW Golf GTI 1.8cc.

The Capri you see here is a 1986 model, it has half leather interior, a 5-speed gearbox, a limited-slip rear differential, RS 7 spoke alloy wheels, colour-coded grills and colour coded mirrors, all of which came as standard back in the day. It has been re-sprayed its original mineral blue colour and those with a keen eye will notice a few small subtle exterior changes to this particular Capri from standard but are quite easily reversible.

Modified 1962 Rover P4 110

Rovers used to be a regular sight on the U.K roads back in the day, with the brand synonymous with luxury, comfort and smooth engines with low down torque.

They were built at the Solihull factory in Birmingham and the Rover you see here is a 1962 P4 110 2600cc model, which was a common sight on the road back in its day. If you drove a P4 110 2.6cc then you were seen as successful in business and the envy of other drivers.

This model had, from original, leather interior, a 2.6cc engine, a wooden dash facia and was in a class second to maybe Rolls Royce for luxury. You would be forgiven for thinking that this particular Rover is standard and as it was straight out of the factory, but it is actually hiding an unexpected secret. This is no ordinary Rover P4 110 because the original 2.6cc engine has been removed and replaced with a massive 552ci 9.1 litre big block ford 385 engine, and the only clue to the incredible power that is lurking under the bonnet are two rear exhaust pipes that poke out from the rear of the car. 

If you have a classic vehicle then you are one of the fortunate few so cherish it, look after it, maintain it, get it out on the road while you still can, let others see and hear it, because once it’s gone it’s gone forever, never to return.

Want to talk Classic Cars, check out agreed values and make sure you have the best cover at the best price then just give Coops a call or complete our online Classic Car Insurance Form.