Classic Car Watches

The Japanese Honda Motor Company is the world’s largest manufacturer of motorcycles and internal combustion engines, as well as the world’s second-largest Japanese automobile manufacturer. Its automobiles are known to be safe and easy to drive, making them ideal first cars for new drivers. Personally, many of my friends drove a Civic, Accord or CR-V in their first few years as licensed drivers, and my brother still drives a black Accord. Honda is also behind a dedicated luxury brand, Acura, which debuted in North American in 1986.

Many Honda owners are very fond of their cars, as they are safe and reliable. Forbes named five Honda vehicles in their list of the safest cars of 2009, including the Accort sedan and the Pilot. Honda has recently branded itself as safety-oriented, joining Volvo and Subaru with that comforting reputation. In this economy, that’s a smart move, as analysts say that car buyers are looking for safety over low cost. If you or someone you know is especially proud of their Honda, pick up a Honda clock as a birthday or housewarming gift. This automobile brand is certainly here to stay.

I was born with no hearing in my right ear and very limited hearing in my left ear. So though I can hear a bit, I have relied on my eye sight to get me through life. One unfortunate side affect of my hearing disability is that I can never find an alarm clock loud enough to wake me up.

For this reason I have invested in a neon clock. Neon clocks are perfect for someone like me because they are so bright that I can always tell what time it is. Good thing too — because I was oversleeping way too often!

I have trouble being on time. I can admit that this has always been a problem for me and I have had a tough time improving my timeliness. I think a big part of my problem was that I never wore a watch or had a clock in my car.

In a recent effort to try to be on time more often I made my first adult purchase, I bought a new car. So far, I must say that car clocks make all the difference in the world. Now that I can always see the time, it’s easier for me to schedule my time more effectively.

Let’s face it, people who have been alive for more than thirty years have received a lot of birthday gifts, and sometimes it’s tough to even remember what you got last year!  I too, can’t remember what I got last year, but I do remember what I got for my 22nd birthday from my grandpa.  Now when you’re 22, you’re probably not expecting to receive a wall clock as a birthday gift.  But I was delighted when my grandpa gifted me with one of his favorite automobile clocks.  Grandpa collected those clocks over the course of several decades, and though I liked to think he would be around forever, I knew he would one day pass.  When he gave me that automobile clock, I knew it would be something that I could remember him by forever.

I hung my grandpa’s Chevrolet clock in my room and now it helps me keep track of time and reminds me of all the wonderful memories I shared with him.  I’ll probably pass it on to my kids one day. 

I’ve always been fascinated by my grandpa’s clock collection, even now that I’m an adult.  I’m not sure what it is about time, but he has a passion for clocks.  He told me a few weeks ago that he had over two hundred different clocks around his house!  I don’t know how my grandma stands it.  In addition to all the cuckoos, rock clocks, and wind-up clocks, he has an extensive collection of collectible clocks.  His collectible clocks range from Loony Tunes to automobile manufacturers, and he has entire hallways and rooms with different themes!

 While I don’t think I’ll ever want the excess of collectibles my grandpa has, I do have my own passion for driftwood.  I’ve started to build up a tidy little collection in my den, and I kind of wonder if one day I’ll become just like my grandpa.  I suppose one day, it just dawns on you that your collection has swelled to a size too large, but it’s not as if you would want to stop either! 

Though it wasn’t the first muscle car, the Ford Mustang is quite possibly the most recognized muscle car in America’s past.  While the newer Ford Mustangs offer a much smoother ride and more luxurious features, nothing beats the roar and the power of the classic 1950s Mustangs.  These classic automobiles revolutionized the industry with their unique headlights, shape, and powerful engine.  The older Mustang models are some of the most prized possessions at classic car shows.  

Mustangs, for all their grace and power, have become so well recognized in America that the car has generated an entire line of paraphernalia.  Whether purchasing a Mustang clock for your garage, a Mustang lamp for your den, or a Mustang watch to wear most everywhere, owners of these amazing automobiles are proud to display their enthusiasm, and with good reason! 

There’s been a lot of discussion in the media lately about the uncertain future of Chrysler, the makers of Jeep.  While the other major American automakers, GM and Ford, seem to have a plan to increase sales and secure their future, Chrysler has floundered much more than the other two.  For decades Jeep, one of Chrysler’s brands, has been the premier maker of the unique Jeep vehicles first commissioned by the army.  Whether you’re in a Wrangler or an old CJ-7 or CJ-5, the classic Jeep vehicle has a unique look that is seldom mimicked with success. 

It’s sad to think that Jeep could be gone forever, though it seems likely that some rival automaker would want to pick up the brand name at the least.  With an uncertain future, Jeep enthusiasts have begun to stockpile their paraphernalia including Jeep watches, Jeep clocks, and Jeep license plates.  It’s a great time to secure one of these timeless collectables while they’re still being produced. 

What Henry Ford did for the manufacturing of automobiles, a man named Harley Earl did for automobile design.  Earl worked for General Motors, and was the designer behind the innovative sports cars of the 1950s.  Perhaps Earl’s most renowned project was the Chevrolet Corvette, named after a small but maneuverable fighting frigate.  The corvette project was nearly canned by GM prior to the release of their first V8 engine.  The new engine coupled with other new technologies allowed the corvette to transformfrom an impractical sports car to a true performer. 

Today the corvette has become a symbol of speed, power, and wealth, and sports a full line of products and paraphernalia including stationary, towels, clothing apparel, and even timepieces like watches and the Corvette clock.

That’s what Dodge’s official site says their vehicles are all about.  Dodge is an American brand of cars, SUVs and trucks, made and sold by Chrysler all over the world.   Founded in 1900, Dodge is well-known today for its contributions to the classic muscle cars of the late 1960s and early 1970s.  They sold automobiles suitable for racing as well as economy models during these years, even partnering with Mitsubishi at one point to attempt optimum market expansion and visibility.   Everything changed at Dodge, and indeed for all American automobile makers, when the oil crisis hit in 1973.  Their more economical “downsized” product lines were not as popular as the muscle cars had been, and in 1979, Chrysler chairman Lee Iacocca requested Congress’ help in saving Dodge from filing bankruptcy.  By the 1990s, Chrysler had repaid the debt and chose Dodge as the division to start making waves in the car marketplace, which they did by unveiling the Dodge Viper.  Over the years the success of Dodge trucks waxed and waned, and during the 1970s the company dropped its medium- to heavy-duty models, a category in which they have recently begun to participate again.

Dodge actually received a great deal of attention and increased sales due to the 1990s  TV show “Walker, Texas Ranger”, which used Dodge’s most current models as well as the Viper, Ram, and minivan.  During the 1980s, Dodge also imported small pickups from Mitsubishi until the sales of the popular Dodge Dakota rendered the imported trucks irrelevant.  When Daimer and Chrysler merged in the late 1990s, Dodge was able to expand many of its product lines and experiment with new ones, such as the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter line of vans, which has become utilized by leading freight companies such as FedEx and UPS in recent years.  The Dodge Durango minivan has proven quite popular in recent years, in part because its size places it right between its competitors.  The current Ram’s head logo was standardized on all Dodge vehicles as of 1996 with the exception of the Viper.  Get a collectible Dodge clock or watch to match your favorite vehicle!

An earlier blog addressed the history of United States freeway Route 66, but didn’t mention the famous song “Route 66”.  American songwriter Bobby Troup wrote the song in 1946 while driving west from Pennsylvania to Los Angeles, admitting he only added “Don’t forget Winona” because it rhymed with “Flagstaff, Arizona”.   Nat King Cole had a big hit with the song the year it was written, and over the years, the song has become a pop standard that many artists have covered, including the Cramps, Buckwheat Zydeco, Mel Torme, Bob Dylan, Depeche Mode, Bing Crosby and the Andrews Sisters, Rolling Stones, Perry Como, and many more.

The song “Route 66” was featured in two major 2006 movies, “RV” starring Robin Williams, and the animated “Cars”, featuring Chuck Berry’s rendition as well as a newer version by John Mayer.  If you can’t stop humming that song and you already have a copy to sing along with, you might want to consider a Route 66 clock in fond tribute to your own road trips–both past and future.