I've been contemplating putting a classic driver together. Funny enough mileage was one of the things I think I can get. LS power, efi, tweeking and there you go decent mileage. Anyway back on point. What options are there for insurance with this as the goal? Both classic companies I have dealt with specifically state that the car can NOT be a daily driver. Regular insurance would give you book value for what ever the vehicle is. Almost certainly this would not be enough to cover even a low buck redo to make it a driver. Anyone have any input? Hopefully this isn't a jack as I think this goes directly to the OP's point. Thanks. :thumbsup:

Chad -- Just talk to your "regular" insurance company and ask that about an "agreed value" policy. Almost anything can be insured if the two parties can agree... then it's just whether or not you want to write the check. :unibrow:

I am blessed to be able to have a short drive [3 miles] and a safe place to park when I get there. I am further blessed that we are constantly working with a lot of different musclecars to develop suspension components so I get the chance to drive everything from a 66 Chevelle, to a 70 GSX, to a 07 Z06 Vette.
No, it doesn't suck.

My favorite? If I had to get rid of them all...I would likely keep my 70 GSX. 560hp, 6 speed, stereo, A/C, drives very much like my Z06 with slightly less cornering potential and slightly less gas mileage.

Having said that, in the winter I drive my 97 Tahoe. 2 door, 2wd, dropped 12" with a 4 link and 18" wheels. It does nothing wrong either, but its not very fast:)

Greg,

I don't think that's true. Most "regular" insurance companies simply do not and will not write an "agreed value" policy - period. I wish it were different but would be totally surprised to find otherwise. An "agreed value" policy is a "product" which not only the individual insurance sales guy/girl needs to be interested in doing, but the entire company AND their underwriters must be OK with. I have seen "regular" insurance companies that will certainly write a "stated value" policy with language that makes it seem to be agree value - but it is clearly not even close. Remember that the other "party" (ie, the insurance company) is not "one person" or even "ten people". There are tons of pieces that have to be in place. Bottom line, if they don't offer it as a real product, chances are they can not and will not do this. As a matter of fact, most of the "classic" companies are prevented by law in some states from being the "primary insurance carrier" of an individual partially for some of these very same reasons. You have to have separate coverage with a daily drive in order to qualify for classic "agreed value" with your collector. State law.

I would be very interested in hearing any experience to the contrary myself - not for the pontiac but for a different vehicle. This doesn't mean you can't use your classic as a DD, but it does impact cost.

Good info..... I've never tried to talk my regular insurance company into covering my hot rods... but ASSumed they would IF I was willing to pay the premium. SO here's the $64 question then -- maybe you know -- would the classic insurance companies cover your DD at agreed value... without the usual milage stipulations and the "going to and from" restrictions. I've never asked them for that kind of coverage - and wonder if they even offer it if asked to.

Biggest problem I see with using a $$ hot rod as a daily driver is the insurance coverage issues. Wouldn't want your hot rod "totaled" for what might be a simple fender bender!

Greg, here's what I know. Please don't consider it all gospel but I'm pretty confident of the main items. Coincidentally, it seems like I'm always messing with insurance because of one change or another. Just switched insurance on the Pontiac, and I've been trying to decide what to do for a '72 Vette that is my sons (who will turn 21 in November).

At least here in PA, the typical classic companies are prohibied from offering "primary" insurance. I just went with Hagerty, and they need to see proof of primary insurance on a different vehicle - in your name. You must be a named insured on the policy and not just listed on the policy. So, Hagerty for example can not provide primary insurance if that DD is your only vehicle. That's the first part. In our case, we need to transfer the title of my sons DD (a Chevy Cobalt) into his name. Then we need to get him a separate main insurance policy. Then, there are a couply classic insurance companies that will write him a reasonable agreed value policy.

If you have another vehicle, then you could in theory satisfy the primary insurance requirement - even if you rarely drive that other vehicle. However then you've got the second part to deal with, which is that I have yet to see a classic agreed value policy that allows for daily driving. All of them have language restricting that kind of use to my knowledge. And I can understand why. Their rates are based on risk factors assuming that the car is driven in a certain way and cared for in a certain way. I guess it's possible that they could offer an "unlimited policy" but I really don't know.

For me, there are plenty of other reasons to not use my projects as a dd. One is safety. Let's be honest - these cars are FAR less safe than new cars, and by new I mean cars built within the past 25 years. Crumple zones, offset and collapsing steering columns, front and side impact air bags, stronger support seats, far better seat belt retraction and locking systems, rollover protection - could keep going for a long time with all the advantages. We'd all like to think we're good drivers all the time, but I know I'm WAY more careful behind the wheel of the Pontiac - primarily because I know it's riskier. Sure, we all rode in these things when we were kids. No seat belts, air bags, etc. We also watched family members smoke a pack of cigs a day, do no exercise, etc. Nothing against anyone wanting to use their project as a DD - go for it. But there are IMHO way more reasons than insurance to not do it which is why I was curious as to how many people have kids or long work commutes.

yep, there are the people who park next right next to you even if there are spaces all around

But yes I would drive mine daily, and I am planning on doing so when I finish

I did for 3 years, the cost of gas was outrageous.

We only have about 7 months of weather good enough to use a classic as a DD. Did that with a '70 455 Buick GS convertible with no issues.

IMO a well designed PT car should be able to without breaking a sweat... if the owner wanted to use it that way.

I love it, I never thought i would see a 69 camaro with a christmas tree on top.