What age do you consider a vehicle to be a classic?

[PlymCrazy]

Over the years I've heard various ranges of vehicle ages that qualify them as "classics", most commonly being 20 to 30 years old.
Please disregard what the insurance companies might qualify as a "classic".
I want to know what YOU think personally.
There's no right or wrong answer here.
This poll is subjective.

 

[YY1]

Florida and many other states say 25 years.

Starting to see cars like a '98 camry with "antique" tags.

 

[YY1]

Part of the issue is the "classic" era is not quite as much of a "moving average" as most "analysts" would like it to be.

 

[hdwrench]

i was just thinking about this yesterday! for me it’s not a *** years old thing. it’s more pre 19xx . in my mind pre 1980 can be a classic old car .but in my mind my 1984 harley i bought in 1984 is still new .

 

[JDmac72chrgr]

25 years; Camry a CLASSIC??? OOOHHH HELL NO!!!!

 

[1967coronet]

After picking 40 yrs. I see many others have also.
That classic year range also depends on the car or cars.
Mopar .... to me it ends mid 70s , dusters , cudas ect.
GM had a nice run in the 80s/90s with the Zs , then the W6 TAs and vettes up to the missing year lol.
Ford ..... the 5.0 stangs.

 

[WileERobby]

Not so much as "year" or "age"... to me, it's "CARBURETED". A carburetor engine is a classic.

 

[JDmac72chrgr]

Agree with WileERobby, Mechanical fuel injection works imo. Brothers 1993 bodied 1994 frame "D250" with 12V Cummins is a friggin BEAST. Adjust "pump" timing, oooohhhh yea!!!

Throttle is "ON or OFF", nothing in-between!!

 

[PlymCrazy]

In my mind, mid 70's is about the beginning of what I would call a classic, personally. Even that is a little "too new" IMO.

 

[JDmac72chrgr]

Mech fuel inj sitting on top (under tarp): rebuilt in 70s, never ran; saw it 12 yrs ago in garage of local MOPAR nut!!

 

[XS22J8R]

There is a specific list of classic cars that has been compiled, newest being 1948.
Approved Classics | Classic Car Club of America
Of course there are other terms for historical cars with definitions, Antiques which many states define as over 25 years old, vintage, historical and special interest. Vintage, Historical and Special interest are the classifications that perhaps need their definitions clarified?

 

[eldubb440]

In my mind, mid 70's is about the beginning of what I would call a classic, personally. Even that is a little "too new" IMO.

I'm not into anything after 1971, when the horse power numbers were diminished

 

[HawkRod]

For me the term "classic" is not just years, but also the car itself. A 98 Toyota Camry as a classic? No way. Although when it is 50 years old it may be a bit cooler to see it at a show.

An example of what I mean by the car making a difference.
An 87 K-Car. Classic? No way. Like the Camry, maybe when it's 50 years old I'd be more interested to see it at a show.
An 87 IROC Z? Sure. These are increasing in desirability and they were performance cars so those I'm OK with.

So I guess I'll put 35+ years old

 

[eldubb440]

and lets not forget the 85 MPH speedometers of the late 70s

 

[PlymCrazy]

I'm not into anything after 1971, when the horse power numbers were diminished

I can't recall who around here I heard say it, but I've referenced it many times since; "They stopped making cars in 1971".

 

[eldubb440]

I can't recall who around here I've heard say it, but I've referenced it many times since; "They stopped making cars in 1971".

might have been me

 

[440 PHIXX]

and lets not forget the 85 MPH speedometers of the late 70s

1980 is the first model year they were required. But you’re right, all ‘80 model year cars had them in September ‘79, and some had them before that… the ‘78 GM G bodies.

 

[eldubb440]

1980 is the first model year they were required. But you’re right, all ‘80 model year cars had them in September ‘79, and some had them before that… the ‘78 GM G bodies.

my 78 Bronco had 85 mph....... when I built it, I installed an earlier 100mph from a pick up truck

 

[68BabyBlue]

A lot depends on the age of the respondent. My dad had a close friend who was a past president of the AACA, and owned a 40 car collection. I remember him saying that the cars one coveted before becoming old enough to drive would determine the number. This has held true in my case, with the hobby cars I've owned ranging from 1960 to 1969 (all of which I remembered as new cars before I got my driver's license.)

PA uses 25 years an antique license standard, and I do have trouble getting my head around that stuff as "classic," as it seems too much like present day, and with a few exceptions, most don't possess any artistic quality that transcends the era.

I can't recall who around here I heard say it, but I've referenced it many times since; "They stopped making cars in 1971".

Agree. This was a major line of demarcation. The year the compression ratios dropped in preparation for unleaded fuel and catalytic converters. Ugly bumpers to follow in 1973. The start of the era when the government, rather than the consumer became a major force in car design. This is not meant to be political, just referring to the process that began after Ralph Nader published "Unsafe at Any Speed" in 1965. As the public mood shifted in that direction, I used it to my advantage, buying GTXs when they were out of favor, figuring they would be worth a bucket of money later.

 

[SlingLow]

I also believe it's era and not age. To think of today's cars as classics, even 50 years from now, makes me shudder. I search from 1960-1973 although my interest drops after 1970. Pre 60 cars can be cool (and therefor classic), just not my thing. Unless the right one comes along of course! Like a 58 Sport Fury in red.