Hagerty Turns Rusty Parts Into Rolling Art

TRAVERSE CITY, Mich., Oct. 11, 2016 -- A team of classic car experts from Hagerty, the worldwide leader in collector car insurance and valuations, built a drivable 1930 Ford Model A in less than 100 hours using only what they sourced from last weekend's Antique Automobile Club of America (AACA) Eastern Fall Meet in Hershey, Penn. Beginning with only a rolling chassis, the team of four Hagerty employees rose to their self-imposed "Swap to Street" challenge.

In an effort to illustrate the accessibility of the collector car hobby, the total cost of the project was less than $10,000. After completing the build, the team took on an additional challenge, the 700-mile drive back to Hagerty's Traverse City, Mich. headquarters. Overcoming a persistent oil leak, dead starter and some minor repairs along the way, the team traveled two days at an average of 30 mph, covering nearly 300 miles of the trip. Reluctantly, the team loaded the car in a trailer to be hauled the remainder of the way to save time, but felt it successful nonetheless. 

"I consider the 'Swap to Street' build a total success, even though we did have to trailer it the rest of the way home," said Davin Reckow, Hagerty Parts Supply Specialist and project welder. "The decision wasn't because of mechanical issues we couldn't overcome — it was merely to save time. We all have day jobs and families that we needed to get back to and at the rate we were going, we would have been on the road for a couple more days."

This is Hagerty's second annual "Swap to Street" challenge, after successfully rebuilding a 1946 Ford pickup last year. While last year's pickup came with a dilapidated cab and a few other parts, this year's vehicle started with nothing but the rolling chassis. Every other part used to build the Model A was sourced from the AACA Hershey Meet. The team used either stock or modified parts for the car, depending on what was available.

"The second 'Swap to Street' build brought new challenges, but we again proved that a functioning vehicle could be assembled within just a few days, solely from parts that we could find at the show," said Reckow. "You don't have to be an everyday mechanic or have a lot of money to do something crazy and fun with an old car – you just need the passion, desire and the camaraderie that comes within this hobby. We hope the 'Swap to Street' build inspires others to put a project together."

The build was live-streamed and seen by more than 750,000 enthusiasts via Hagerty's YouTube Channel and Facebook feeds. Through social media, tens of thousands of viewers were able to interact with the Hagerty team and experience each challenging and successful moment they had along the way.

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About Hagerty:
Based in Traverse City, Michigan, Hagerty is the world's leading insurance provider for classic vehicles and host to the largest network of classic car owners. Hagerty offers insurance for classic cars, trucks, motorcycles and motorcycle safety equipment, tractors, automotive tools and spare parts, and even "automobilia" (any historic or collectible item linked with motor vehicles). Hagerty also offers overseas shipping and touring insurance coverage, business coverage and club liability coverage. For more information, call (800) 922-4050 or visit www.hagerty.com. Hagerty also provides online Valuation Tools and publishes Hagerty Price Guide, which are the premier guides for post-war collectible automobiles. For more information please visit www.hagerty.com/valuationtools