Every year, millions of users visit the Kelley Blue Book website to learn about the value of their vehicles. While the symbol of KBB is unmistakable, people actually know very little about the man behind the book, Les Kelley.
Click here to learn more from Bridget Cassidy’s “Consumer Advocate” article.
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Keep cruisin’, classic fans.
This week’s Featured Friday–our regular weekly segment for our social media platforms that celebrates and highlights one of our many pristine classic vehicles–choice is the 1953 Kaiser Dragon.
I won’t lie to you, I chose this car from our list because of the cool-sounding name. Who doesn’t like dragons, after all? The green color, the shape of the hood ornament, it’s all reminiscent of a fire-breathing beast from Game of Thrones or Shrek, but the car itself is a different story, and a fascinating (albeit tad unsuccessful) one.
You can read more about this particular vehicle here in our previous write-up.
For more on this vehicle, you can check the link above, or you can visit our social media pages. Just scroll to the bottom and look for the icons. Or, do you want more on Classic Car Collection in general?
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And don’t forget to check out some of the new areas and changes on our website!
A lot of places in Kearney claim to be the best, but here at Classic Car Collection, we’re not just making a claim! Voted number one on TripAdvisor, we’re here to celebrate the glory and evolution of the automobile, and these are the five reasons why you absolutely can’t miss a cruise through automotive history.
From pre-war models to contemporary makes, we are sure to have something for everyone, no matter how “into” cars you might be.
Some of our vehicles are rarely seen, with as few as 20 ever being made. Our display also sports some overseas models, including a 3-wheeled British Reliant Supervan.
Our in-house historian–who is also one of our fabulous volunteers–researches and updates information on every single car in our database, providing placards that include thorough backstories and fun facts on all 200+ cars.
If you’re looking for some family fun on a budget, we offer some of the best prices for admission, lower than most museums in Kearney and surrounding areas. We also have senior, student, and group rates.
Whether you’re traveling through or you’re from the Kearney area, Classic Car Collection is the best tourist attraction in Kearney. No matter whether you visit with our paid staff or wonderful volunteers, we’re all here to help you enjoy the evolution of the automobile and celebrate its role in our lives. And, we hope to preserve that love of vintage autos for generations to come.
1974 Mercedes-Benz 280c, 2-door coupe, W114
Original cost: $11,630.00 (In 1974: Average car cost $3,750; average household income – $13,900; average house cost $34,900; gallon of gas cost 55 cents)
Previous owner(s): A Kearney woman ordered the car in 1974 from the new Dodge dealership in Grand Island, NE. Her son sold it in 1995 after she passed away. The second owner was from Newman Grove, NE. Her son, Doug Camplin and his family now own the car and have loaned it to the collection.
Number made: Model 280c, 1973 – 1976: 8,227
Engine, etc.: 6 cyl.; 167.6 cu.in., 140 hp; 3,300 lbs.
The Mercedes-Benz W114 (280c) and W115 were coupes and sedans introduced in 1968 and manufactured through model year 1976. Coupe models were designated with a “c” in the model name.
The W114 models had 6-cylinders and were offered as 230, 250, and 280 models. The W115 models had four cylinders.
The 280 Mercedes was available as a 2-door coupe or a four-door sedan. Standard features included air conditioning, tinted windows, and a central locking system. Headlights featured a sealed beam lamp and ribbed taillights were introduced. A center console was another innovation.
Mercedes-Benz focus was on safety issues, long before the public discussion began on this subject. In 1958 development of every new Mercedes included an increasingly rigorous regimen of crash-testing. The concept of anti-lock brakes was unveiled in 1970. The offset-frontal crash test program begun in 1973 included a “partial overlap” barrier crash to simulate concentration of forces in collisions in the real world. The invention of the “crumple zone” front end followed. Mercedes-Benz also pioneered the rigid-form passenger compartment and three-point safety belt.
The W114/W115 models were the first post-war Mercedes-Benz production cars to use a newly engineered chassis. It featured semi-trailing rear arms and a ball-joint front end. They were mid-sized models for Mercedes, positioned below the S-class.
The W114 had a facelift in 1973 that featured a lower hood, lower and wider grill, and lower placement of headlights. Inertia reel seat belts and a padded steering wheel were added to the interior. The center console and ribbed tail lights were introduced in 1974. Bumpers grew significantly in 1974 due to new U.S. Dept. of Transportation requirements.
Approximately 37,000 Mercedes-Benz passenger cars were exported to the U. S. in 1974.
Sources: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercedes-Benz_W114
www.conceptcarz.com/vehicle/Z7536/Mercedes-Benz-280C.aspx
http://www.mbusa.com/mercedes/benz/innovation (History)
http://uniquecarsandparts.com/heritage_mercedes.htm (History)
