Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration.

baconsdozen · Joined: 03 Dec 2007 Posts: 1119 Location: Under the car.

I wonder what the average age of classic car owners would be. Is it possible that they tend to be older,say retirement age or more?
I have always had cars a few years old but waited until fairly recently to buy one thats over hald my age,is this typical.
Incidentally having retired recently I find work on 'other things' seems to expand to fill all the available 'spare' time I though I would have. Anyone else noticed this?.
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Thirty years selling imperial hand tools for old machinery(Now happily retired).

roverdriver · Posted: Thu May 12, 2016 10:52 am Post subject:

When I was 15 I bought a vehicle built in 1918.
When I was 18, I bought a 1930 model car.
When 20 and 21 I had a 1939 model and a 1948 model, then reverted to a series of one make/model all built between 1927 and 1931. I continued to run one of those, a 1928 model, until I was 47 years old in 1990
Re-entered classic car motoring in 2000 and currently run a 1950, 1959 and a 1982 all of the same brand.
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Dane- roverdriver but not a Viking.

peter scott · Joined: 18 Dec 2007 Posts: 7219 Location: Edinburgh

Me born in '49
My car in '39
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https://www.nostalgiatech.co.uk
1939 SS Jaguar 2 1/2 litre saloon

Rick · Site Admin Joined: 27 Apr 2005 Posts: 22829 Location: UK

I've always preferred cars to be older than I am, so I started out with cars from the 1960s (initially 1960 and 1967) and gradually worked back further in time from there.

RJ
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Rick - Admin
Home:https://www.oldclassiccar.co.uk
Videos:https://www.youtube.com/user/oldclassiccarRJ/videos
OCC & classic car merchandise (Austin, Ford ++):
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Rootes75 · Posted: Thu May 12, 2016 1:42 pm Post subject:

I a 40 now and I bought my first classic car back in 1994, a Ford 10hp 7W that I still have.
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Various Rootes Vehicles.

Phil - Nottingham · Joined: 01 Jan 2008 Posts: 1252 Location: Nottingham

When I was 18 I bought my first car a 1961 Reliant Regal 3 wheeler and 19 when I bought my first 1961 Auto Union 1000S real car - quite new really but both were looked on and looked really old fashioned.

We had a 1974 banger Hillman Hunter GLS in 1988. Our 1st Rover P5B arrived in 1992 - a 1969 built model + a 1983 Metro Auto runaround and the 1938 Rover 16 arrived in 1996 when I was by then 42 and the 1964 3 Litre Coupe arrived in 1998.

The 1958 S2 Land Rover arrived in 2002 and 1972 S3 Land Rover in 2006 when I was 52. Have not bought/sold any since. We have 7 in total with the newest being the 1973 Rover P5B Coupe which replaced the 1969 one in 2003 when I broke it for spares. Now nearing 62 our oldest car is 78 and youngest is 43.

One of the 7 is my wife's 1968 Mini Traveller Mk2 she bought in 1972 and still has and that is getting close to 50 years
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Rover P2
Rover P4
Rover P5 & P5B
Land Rover S2 & S3
Morris Mini Traveller Mk2

Ellis · Posted: Thu May 12, 2016 8:59 pm Post subject: Re: Older cars,older owners?

bob2 · Joined: 06 Dec 2007 Posts: 1728 Location: Malta

My cars are all a bit older than me bar one, which is the same age as me.

They are all from the 70s although as such the design goes back to 59 as regards the mini and the late 60s with regards to the hunter.
I would like to have earlier cars and would like to own something prewar one day but am reluctant to sell any of the ones I have!
I have always liked older cars than me for some reason, however not even I have an answer for what is that reason!!
Oh btw I'm 38

baconsdozen · Joined: 03 Dec 2007 Posts: 1119 Location: Under the car.

Ashley · Joined: 02 Jan 2008 Posts: 1426 Location: Near Stroud, Glos

I've always loved old cars and I think it's because when I was growing up in the fifties, lots of parents friends ran prewar Rolls and Bentleys or other exotica. They cost about the same or a bit less than new Morris Minors etc and there was a belief that they'd be more reliable. Then my uncle, an artist, painted the third Lady Astor, became famous and bought a new Alvis Grey Lady DHC, which looked stunning in its day.

My dad was a dentist and one of his fellow students at Guy's Hospital had a Harley St practice and used to visit in a beautiful velvet green XK150. My dad bought a new Morris Minor traveller in 1952 and kept it through numerous new engines and until plants grew out of the woodwork. Eventually I got him to buy a Healey 3000, but he was always saving money. Sad

When you drive them, as Bacon says, they're mostly pretty horrible to drive with a few exceptions. Bentley MK VI and R Types are incredibly good even now, except if you've driven into a tight space in a supermarket car park.

The Continental made much better driving cars in the main. I remember a BMW327 that was light years ahead of most ours and also the Peugeot 403 as driven by Colombo. Citroens too, 2CV included.

Minxy · Joined: 22 Sep 2010 Posts: 273 Location: West Northants

When I set out to buy an old car several years ago one of the main prerequisites was it should be older than me. The Minx is three years older and the Lanchester between seven and twelve.

Ray White · Joined: 02 Dec 2014 Posts: 7274 Location: Derby

I was born in 1954 and my first car was also 1954. It was a superbly cared for low mileage Austin A30 in grey with red interior. I was much taken with the "Austin of England" script and it's very old fashioned small rear window. What I was not so impressed with was the feeble 803cc engine with white metal crankshaft bearings which failed. As recorded elsewhere this was replaced with a race prepared 1098 cc engine with twin carbs from a crashed A40 farina MK2 rally car. It transformed the little car and with an anti roll bar and other improvements made the A30 a joy to drive.

I don't know if the 1961 Isetta 300 bubble car could be called a "car" as it was taxed as a motor tricycle but I was driving that around (and often breaking down) from the age of 16.

Today my Austin Swallow (I like Austin Sevens) is 1930 while my Dodge Brothers tourer dates from 1926.

Last year I nearly bought a 1902 steam car and if another veteran comes my way at a reasonable price - it must be pre 1905 to qualify for the LB run - I would be interested. I would like to take part in the run before old age or incapacity gets me. Wink

minormatt · Joined: 03 Aug 2015 Posts: 48

I was born in 1984

1st car was a 1964 Morris Traveller
2nd car was a 1967 Morris Traveller
I've also got
1972 Morris Minor Pickup
1964 Minor Tourer
1972 Mini Clubman
1982 Mini HL
1967 Austin Healey Sprite
1928 Morris Cowley pickup

1995 Transit
1996 Transit
1998 Transit

Plus modern day to day cars (at least 10 years old)

The only one I don't own now is the 64 traveller because it rotted out

gillberry · Joined: 27 Nov 2007 Posts: 702 Location: Norwich

We have had cars older than us, the same age as us and at the moment a couple of years younger than us Very Happy

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1968 Volvo Amazon estate (Gracie)
1967 Cheltenham Nyala caravan

Keith D · Posted: Mon May 16, 2016 2:39 pm Post subject:

I was born in 1943.
My Chrysler was born in 1926 (bought in about ten boxes in 1978 and restored by 2007)
The Morris Cowley was built in 1927/28 and bought by me in 1984. (Now undergoing body restoration again)
Austin Seven from 1932 was bought by me in 1996 in boxes. Back on the road in 2008.
Austin A40 tourer built in 1950 and acquired by me around 1972. Never been unlicenced in it's life and only subjected to mechanical rebuilds.
Conclusion:- Three of my four oldies are much older than I am and one seven years newer.
I enter less and less Club rallies nowadays as I don't see the 1970's and 80's cars that are swamping these events as being old! I long to travel on a run that consists of only vintage cars, or at least prewar again!

Keith