11 replies to this topic

[pusb]

It seems really difficult to quantify what makes an old car a classic. Is it character? How popular the car was originally? How good it is to drive? How many are left on the road?

 

I started thinking about this the other day when I was out in my daily car. It is already 15 years old, absolute mint condition, with only 21k miles on the clock. Due to the low mileage (and the fact I only do about 5k a year) it should easily last another 10 years, at which point I could have a 25 year old car in mint condition (if I look after it). The only trouble is its a Fiat Punto, and try as I might, I can't ever imagine a Punto being a classic car!

 

So why is it some cars become classics and others don't?

[tomb1992]

i think its getting quite blurry to what makes a car a classic or a  retro car if that is still a phrase. In my eyes a classic is a car that is pre 1970 with some from off established history or following. any thing newer than that is considered a Retro ride in my eyes  . meaning a old Punto could only be ever considered Retro or old school 30 years in the future and not a classic car. 

Edited by tomb1992, 22 June 2015 - 09:04 PM.

[peter-b]

By definition a classic is 30 - 49 years old, 50 - 99 years old is pre antique and older than that is antique. In my opinion if its old enough to have outlived its brothers and sisters, its a classic.

[wingnut]

What sort of car have you got?

[Cooperman]

By definition a classic is 30 - 49 years old, 50 - 99 years old is pre antique and older than that is antique. In my opinion if its old enough to have outlived its brothers and sisters, its a classic.

So what age is 'Vintage'?

I guess that makes my two Mk.1 cars, both 1964, 'pre-antique'.

Edited by Cooperman, 23 June 2015 - 06:04 PM.

[Tamworthbay]

By definition a classic is 30 - 49 years old, 50 - 99 years old is pre antique and older than that is antique. In my opinion if its old enough to have outlived its brothers and sisters, its a classic.

that may be an Auzzy thing but over here! Over here there are veteran, vintage and classics but finding what is what is far less easy to get agreement on.

[Ben_O]

Classic is in the eye of the beholder to some extent.

 

Classic by design?

[peter-b]

I actually borrowed that info of the web, i think its more related to american vehicle sites. We have veteran, vintage and classic classifications in Australia. I did a bit more looking and found this, which sort of fits my comment about a classic being a car the out lives it's relo's, it states a post war car that is popular but no longer in production.

 

http://difference-be...intage-classic/

 

I'm not sure why it has to be popular to be a classic. Also the question arises as to will the clasifications be different in say another 50 years.

Edited by peter-b, 24 June 2015 - 01:05 AM.

[minimarco]

50 years or older is vintage
100 years or older is antique
Out of "fashion" like hand cranked windows is retro
A timeless design is classic.

The NA miata is the epitome of a two seater roadster and that makes it a classic, but subsequent versions is only referring itself to the NA, so I don't think they will ever be classics (NB NC ND)
In the mini's case, the classic mini is classic in its design and the impact it created on the world's imagination.
I think the R50 mini is also a classic. Like how the miata reinvented the british roadster. The new mini created its own genre of the fashionable small hatch.

[b_sdaddy]

Veteran – generally means a car made up to and including December 1918, but this period is sometimes divided as follows:

pre-1905: veteran (UK) or antique (Ireland) 1905 – 1918: Edwardian (UK) or veteran (Ireland)

Only pre-1905 cars may take part in the famous annual London-Brighton run.

 

Vintage – a car made between 1919 and 1925, according to the Classic Car Club of America, but 1919-1930 in the UK, or sometimes between 1919 and World War 2 (1939). There was a decline in quality from 1930, so post-1930 cars do not officially qualify. These may be described as post-vintage thoroughbreds if they are of a high standard e.g. Rolls Royce.

 

Classic – a post-war car that is popular but no longer in production. In the UK, the government allows cars built before 1st January 1973 to be free of road tax.

 

 

Going by this, Classic is effectively 'subjective' whereas the other two are date-defined.

 

I think a classic car must have 'something' that defines it as special. An forty year old Hillman Hunter although old enough, cannot be considered a classic as it wasn't actually good first time around!

[peter-b]

what about a Hunter GT?

[Tamworthbay]

Veteran – generally means a car made up to and including December 1918, but this period is sometimes divided as follows:
pre-1905: veteran (UK) or antique (Ireland) 1905 – 1918: Edwardian (UK) or veteran (Ireland)
Only pre-1905 cars may take part in the famous annual London-Brighton run.
 
Vintage – a car made between 1919 and 1925, according to the Classic Car Club of America, but 1919-1930 in the UK, or sometimes between 1919 and World War 2 (1939). There was a decline in quality from 1930, so post-1930 cars do not officially qualify. These may be described as post-vintage thoroughbreds if they are of a high standard e.g. Rolls Royce.
 
Classic – a post-war car that is popular but no longer in production. In the UK, the government allows cars built before 1st January 1973 to be free of road tax.
 
 
Going by this, Classic is effectively 'subjective' whereas the other two are date-defined.
 
I think a classic car must have 'something' that defines it as special. An forty year old Hillman Hunter although old enough, cannot be considered a classic as it wasn't actually good first time around!

You are right in terms of what the old established clubs (is the vintage or veteran clubs association or something like that?) want to decide for the rest of us but in terms of determining classic status this is where the problem comes, if it is based in comparison to cars of a similar age then 80s minis will never be classics as they don't compare well to other small cars available at the time in terms of performance, space, reliability, build quality or economy. And as for quality, that's subjective as well. I don't like Allegros but love Lancias. I don't for a second think the Lancia beta coupe is better made but it was certainly better designed.

I don't know why people are obsessed with pigeon holing cars. 'If it's this old and this and and was made on a Friday by a guy called alfonse then it's this, but anything else doesn't compare' seems to be a pointless way to look at things to me and seems very common if you read the posher classic mags (which is why I generally don't) It comes down to what YOU like, whether anyone else thinks it's a classic doesn't matter does it? The only exception I can see to this is where there are date cut offs for historic competitions where they have to make distinctions or you would have a 1960s mini up against Audi quattros.