What era do you consider when calling a car a classic?

[froggy]

Just looking at a few other options really but what era do you consider a classic car to be from?
Officailly our vans are classed as historic vehicles but realistically most call them classics, so are Pre 73 cars (tax exempt) classics or historics?
What about other cars from the 70's what are these called?
Mid 80's cars are now considered as Retro and anything mid 90's onwards are called modern.
Any thoughts / opinions?

 

[strongy]

a good indicator of when a car becomes classic is when it stops depreciating. or mabee when owners begin paying to have the cars restored.most country's say 25 years.but then some may say a mk1 ford mondeo is a classic :roll:

Vintage cars are vehicles that were built before 1938. Veteran cars built before January 1919.

 

[Shorty]

It's the 60's for me fella...

so many great classics from this decade from both sides of the pond... probably include some of the late 50's also

lets say '57 to '73 for arguments sake!!

 

[67panel]

classics not defined by age,its what it means to people.










philosophy by budda dave

 

[K@rlos]

I've got a 1986 BMW 5 series moth balled atm and I'd consider that a classic. I though 25 years + was classic and 50+ was historic :?

 

[Doris]

classics not defined by age,its what it means to people.

This is my sorta thinking. not just the age. for example a 1990 Peugeot 205 GTi or a Lotus Carlton are classic cars now i.m.o.... but a common all garden Sierra GL form the same era isn't,yet.....in 30 years the Sierra will be a classic in the traditional sense.

 

[lard]

Over 25 years - that's what I work on and it's probably based on the old tax exempt class! If a car can last 25 years and still be desirable enough for someone to covert or restore it then it must be somehow significant for it's performance, design, innovation or culture!

(though you do get some odd cars creep through! law of averages, somewhere a Nissan Bluebird will be mothballed :shock: )

Anything newer than this is a modern/future classic - time will tell if they are still around in the years to come!

Your 5 series Westy R is definately a classic 8) - fancy an E30 325 myself

 

[Nugsy]

For me and the example used above a lot, when cars all looked different they were classics that is until the sierra was released that change the face of car design for the masses.

Once they all started to look similar their are only a few that could be considered classics but they were classic because they stood out from the 'normal' cars that took over

As a youngster i was a Mk1 and 2 Escort boy, and loved the late 80's early 90's when my freinds all drove XR2 and XR3's and i used to leave em for dead in my Dolly Sprint

But for me classics are pre 78 i'd say when real chrome was in abundance :lol: and wood trim was made of real trees

 

[OLIVE-BAY]

to me classic and iconic go hand in hand a car/van is instantly iconic thus will become a classic its what it does that breaks the mould ie the beetle cheap transport for the people, vw camper aircooled cheap family holidays, then mk1 golf gti first hot hatch, mk2 golf gti refined and often referred to as the best gti. the honda CBR600f light weight and nimble Honda fire blade 900cc the weight of a 600cc and fast enough to frighten the pants off anyone.. today cars are pop out cars I struggle to see the difference in them :roll:

this is my take on it

 

[froggy]

Tend to agree with what you have all said, me and the wife were talking (i know but it does happen sometimes :lol: ) about what year / decade is considered classics but dont think you can really say any car from the 70's is a classic (30+ years old).
Will have to have to at another think as we bought classic car weekly to try and decide on a little project but is a Alfa GTV (or spider 2002 model) really considered a classic :?

 

[doz]

Just to throw something new into the mix. How about Iconic? The Ford Cosworths, Pugeot 205 Gti or what's sat in my garage a Lotus Carlton. They don't fall in to hsitoric or classic yet their desirable still.

 

[AxlFoley]

Im not sure what I concider a classic, but my insurance company consider my 1988 Golf Mk2 to be a classic!!

 

[john the horse]

classics not defined by age,its what it means to people.

..in 30 years the Sierra will be a classic in the traditional sense.

I had two of these junk wagons i spent more time under the hood than spiderman!! good for slidin in iceland carpark though{ or was that bejams)

 

[Danbury Doug]

i used to leave em for dead in my Dolly Sprint

I love Dollys! I have a 1500 HL in poo brown! :mrgreen:

Not too many years then, before my Pug 205 daily runabout becomes a 'classic'! :lol:

 

[Pete B]

The word 'classic' in relation to cars is so often misused. Get a dictionary out and it will tell you something along the lines of 'classic' refering to an item that has significant importance due to its design, style or position in folklore, NOT its age.
The 'real', Issigonis Mini is a classic in design and folklore terms. Despite its age, the Marina is not, it's just a Morris Minor with different clothes. What the Marina is, is 'Historic'. Old, maybe interesting to some, but in no way a classic. The Mk1 Golf GTI is a classic, the first of a breed, it spawned the whole Hot Hatch catagory. A Mk3 GTI may be getting on a bit but is not a classic. Good car, but didn't break any boundaries or set new levels.
People like to use the 'classic' label for anything a bit old, unusual or mildly interesting, regardless of that items true standing.
Regardless of the label attached, I do have a thing for older/classic/historic/interesting/etc vehicles. Last weekend our local 'classic car show' took place and was attended by all sorts. From 4x4s, '50s yanks, MG and Triumph sports cars, modern Ferrari and Astons, superb Cobra and GT40 replicas to the humble one owner 1974, 850 Mini with 24k on it. And an early Marina pick up...... Highlights for me were the superb Citroen DS (a REAL classic) and my mates 1910 Renault taxi.
For my two pen'orth, forget the label and just enjoy the old motor, there are good points to most old things if you look hard enough, as I tried to tell that lovely blonde in the pub last night, not that it did me any good......
Oh, have a look in Classic Car Weekly this Wednesday for the review of Maxey Classic Car Show, should be a pic of me and my boy with the bus and his rat look Raleigh chopper. :mrgreen:

P.S. Have had a thought, perhaps the term 'Nostalgic' may be more appropriate to certain vehicles, even if they are a load of cr*p, (Allegro, SD1, Viva, Maestro etc) then if it brings back happy memories and makes you laugh, then that has to be a good thing!

 

[Grazy]

My 1991 MK2 Gti was insured as a classic at 20 years old !!! :shock:

 

[john the horse]

so am i nostalgic, historic, a classic or just plain old and knackered!! :lol:

horse

 

[Pete B]

so am i nostalgic, historic, a classic or just plain old and knackered!! :lol:

horse

:lol: old and knackered, reckon that's what the blonde in the pub thought of me!! Good judge of character some may say.... :roll:

 

[analord]

I would agree around the 25 year old "rule", however we have a 1998 Fiat Barchetta and I consider that to be an emerging classic. we also have a SAAB 9000 turbo and, as much as I love it, its unlikely to be a proper classic.

 

[Pete B]

I would agree around the 25 year old "rule", however we have a 1998 Fiat Barchetta and I consider that to be an emerging classic. we also have a SAAB 9000 turbo and, as much as I love it, its unlikely to be a proper classic.

Now it's late, I'm tired and I need my bed but I presume, with the greatest of respect, the above is a wind up following my earlier post The Barchetta to the best of my knowledge, is just a random Fiat saloon with a pretty dress. Beauty in the eye of the beholder and all that. Whilst the 9000 may not be the epitomy of its breed, Saab is synonimous with high performance turbo charged engines bunged in family saloon cars. Have just turned down a '98 900 16v 3 door myself last week, 175 bhp of rock solid engineering, good for 250k easily (Need more doors, bugger...)
As previously said, age does not make a 'classic', age just makes it old.....