Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration.

[clan chieftain]

For years on umpteen forums it has been debated about when does a classic become a modern. Now I would reckon it has been decided by the new MOT laws. Its pre 1960.
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The Clan Chieftain

[Riley Blue]

Classic has never been dependent on year of manufacture.

[Brian M]

[peter scott]

Pre-war stuff is already catagorised. My feeling is that anything that is no longer in mainstream use and is of post war design falls into the classic catagory.

Peter
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https://www.nostalgiatech.co.uk
1939 SS Jaguar 2 1/2 litre saloon

[clan chieftain]

I have always felt the same as Brian. Only cars built after 1st January 1973 are modern. I was only saying pre1960 bcause of the new MOT laws and getting a debate going which it has.
I wouldnt go as far as a name change for the forum though and I would reckon that us owners of moderns are in the minority.
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The Clan Chieftain

[Riley Blue]

You'd be better off trying to define a 'modern'.

[D4B]

[ukdave2002]

The noun classic means something that is a perfect example of a particular style, something of lasting worth or with a timeless quality, it doesn't have to relate to age...

So to use the the word classic correctly, by definition there must be pre 1960 (or what ever age threshold you prefer) vehicles that are not classics

I have said before I quite fancy a Lotus Sunbeam; circa 1980 it may not be old but IMHO its a classic

I think that we have to accept that Classic Car is a loose term applied to everything old and other stuff no longer in production, with beauty being the eye of the beholder

Dave

[buzzy bee]

At the end of the day classic vehicles are what ever you feel classic is, if that makes sense, its all up to the indervidual, which makes things so interesting.

[Inglewood]

[colwyn500]

I think Larry might have had tongue in cheek.

I mean, I don't think a Marina is a classic but I am wrong because he and many others do! The fact that they love and cosset and think about them all the time proves that.

Personally, the most "modern" classics that I can think of are the Fiat Coupe, Mazda MX5 and the original Ford Ka (which I hated when it came out) and I will argue those till the cows come home.

There are probably "Classics" being built today and I agree that there are many old cars pre 1960 or 1971 and even 1939 that aren't technically "classics".

The other term I hear a lot these days is "Iconic", Fiat 500, Ford Pop, E-type etc. In my opinion if someone has the money and energy to keep a car going after the time when the main dealer has lost interest, they are running a classic.

[Minxy]

Ahh the old 'what's a classic debate'
I would agree with uKdave above, the term classic does not really lend itself to motor vehicles and I never use it. My car is referred to as 'the old car' I certainly do not, and never have, considered it a classic.
If the term classic is applied then in my opinion the vehicle needs to have been/is a forerunner of design uniqueness. Age does not a classic make.

[Peter_L]

The terms 1962 Mini or 1990 Ford P100 refer to the car and its age.
Whether one describes them as classic is a personal thing and I don't think can ever be tied to a date. I am old enough to remember both the above making their first showroom appearance. There are those out there who can't abide either, there are likely others who love one and detest the other.

So for me, Classic is an ageless, non specific description of a vehicle that is cared for, doted over and loved by at least one person.

[Bitumen Boy]

Thinking about it, all "classics" have one thing in common. They've all survived because someone simply liked that vehicle enough to spend time and/or money on repairs to extend its life beyond the norm, rather than simply scrapping it and buying something more recent. Or, come to think of it, even if they just tucked it away in a garage/barn/shed thinking "one day I'll get that fixed..." because they just can't bear to scrap it, and eventually either they do get round to it or someone else comes along and rescues it, who either had one themselves back in the day or simply likes the shape of it and fancies a challenge. I would guess something along those lines is how the vast majority of cars - or bikes, caravans, rollers etc etc etc - owned by users of this forum are still around, simply because people liked them.

[Ironhead]

i don't think my family regard my Herald as a classic,it's just an old car