Technical School me, please.....

Antiques and Classics are old cars with higher prices. At least that seems to be definition when you look at the sellers descriptions. Seriously the first response was right, lots of definition, even more opinions, and no agreements.

We had an antique store for years, and the generally accepted definition was just age, but the actual age was never generally accepted. Anything from 50-100 was often quoted by folks in the U.S.. Europeans thing in terms of 100s of years. In automotive terms, I think pre-war. Classics are cars that were ground breaking, either by style, quality or mechanically significant or different than their contemporaries. 53 Stude coupe, 34 Ford tri 5 GM, early Rolls etc come to mind.

JMHO.

 

"Yep, here in TX anything over 25 can be tagged as classic or antique..."

Here in Wisconsin we have collector, antique and hobbyist. I have some of each.

Collector is a car at least 20 years old, no major body changes.

Hobbyist is a car at least 20 years old that is not original anymore.

Antique used to be a car over 40 years old but got changed to a car at least 1945 or older now and must look original.

You also need to have a regular plated vehicle in order to get one of the above.

 

that list cant be right, there are no fords!

 

Arkiehotrods - thank you for the post and the list....pretty interesting.

Thank you guys for additional posts and inputs.....it is great to read your posts!

 

So in 1952, when the CCCA was founded, someone’s narrow taste 68 years ago still defines what the word “classic” is allowed to mean. In 1938 people that liked old cars created the VMCCA, and now “define” vintage to mean 25 years old. Some guy interested in old cars with a blog in 1995 created this site and now all of you get to “define” what a “hot rod” is or isn’t. At some point what a “word” means is dictated by it’s current use throughout greater society, and not by someone who hijacked it decades ago in the first place. Is a 1995 Honda vintage? Probably. Is a 1978 Caprice classic? Sure. A lot of people weren’t even born 25 years ago, to them all this stuff is classic and vintage. When does your experience stop dictating lexicon and theirs’ start?


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I always go by what the media report, like "Classic Hot Rod collides with light pole", then they show a picture of a crunched up 1983 Buick with the caption "bystanders rescued the driver of this vintage Cadillac which hit the pole".

 

WOW, there is actually a list. I guess I’m out, never had a good experience when a list is involved. It is kind of ironic that none of the cars considered praiseworthy here are on it. You guys should at least update it.

 

Hello,

The word, classic, describes just about anything. A girl who dresses up in fine clothes and has some class to her look, is classy. Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany’s is considered a classic movie. The Holly Golightly character just spewed class all over the screen and everywhere she went.


But, for those in hot rods and classic cars, that is open to discussion for many groups and individuals. What is considered a classic in someone’s eyes, is not in another. Some old cars could be called classic, because they have the lines, the style and character of being one nice looking car. Similar to Holly Golightly… but with 4 wheels. Those that have long skirts and some streamlining would fall in this group. For the standard 32 Ford guy, those swoopy “classic” cars would not fit in any category in the hot rod world.

At Pebble Beach, there are a bunch of classic cars roaming all over the place. Put in several hot rods and customs and that changes the overall look of the event. But, to those that drive/own the big time classic 30’s open roadsters, hot rods have no place in the same event. We all look at those cars with a blink of an eye when comparing them to cool looking hot rods that we like.

Jnaki

For those that have a swoopy car or big 30s sedan in the style of the majority of Pebble Beach cars, more power to you and your taste. It is the simple, but classic design of a Model A or a 57 Chevy that appeals to most in the hot rodding world. We do not need specific definitions from organizations to be able to use classic to describe a moment in time or a relationship that developed over the years or even our own hot rods created from our over worked brains.

They are all classic when used to describe something. When I met my wife in college, she had this “classic” style in walk, talk and clothes. That is descriptive of any hot rod in a sense… style, looks, and build in a classic style.

 

If enough people want one it will become one a ugly ass car has small chance. If no one wanted one new even if they have low sales numbers will not make it a classic. My friend had a 65 L79 SS Chevelle 3 speed thought it was worth more because it was rare. It was rare because every body wanted a 4 speed same today.