When does a car become a classic?

[getitupya]

As the title says........when in a vehicles life does it become a classic?

I am thinking about my 1988 8v Integrale in particular

thanks in advance!

[Hammer67]

I would say when they stop being used for general purposes and have something special enough about them to make people want to save them. Yours, clearly, qualifies. All IMHO of course.

[lowdrag]

I don't think there is a definite answer really. The McLaren F1 was a classic the day it was produced, but for some reason I'm not sure the Veyron will be thought of as being in the same league; IMHO of course. Of modern cars, I've always loved the lines of the Peugeot 406 coupé and think that might be a classic one day, but then I thought the same about the Calibra and that never made it. Yours is definitely a classic already though.

[davepoth]

Homologation specials are pretty much always classics straight out of the factory, due to rarity, pedigree, and coolness. Your car has all of that.

For more regular workaday motors, the change usually comes at around the time that people start looking for them for nostalgia purposes (I/my dad used to have one of those, or I had a poster of that on the wall and promised I'd have one) and the used values start to creep up.

[getitupya]

Cheers guys,

So there is no straight forward formula. I guess insurance companies take all these factors into account as well?

My thoughts were around classic rallying, (which I have zero experience in)I was wondering were there forms of motorsport I could do with out the need for roll cages/fire extingushers and all the rest?

[velocemitch]

Classic rallying (in the UK at least) doesn't get as modern as an Integrale.
The newest cars are the 'Classic' category (or cat 3) 1977 to 1982, two wheel drive non turbo, also although allowed to compete they can't win over all, only their respective classes.

If you want to compete with a car like that, best bet is Sprints and Hillclimbs, you don't need the full safety equipment.

If you still fancy classic rallying... and why not!... then you'd need to think a little less modern with the Car, for classic road rallies you don't need all the safety gear either. If you aren't in to the older stuff, have a look at modern road rallying, but again no turbo's or 4wd.

Edited by velocemitch on Sunday 26th December 12:13

[LordBretSinclair]

Depends on what definition of classic you are using. The OED says that a classic is "of the first or highest quality, class, or rank" but also goes on to say that classic cars are "of or pertaining to automobiles distinguished by elegant styling, outstanding engineering, and fine workmanship that were built between about 1925 and 1948."

It is very difficult to define a classic but personally I don't think that age has anything to with it. If a car was pants when it was new it doesn't follow that just because it is now 20, 30, 40 years old it magically becomes a classic. I hate it when you attend "Classic Car" shows which are full of cars which were rubbish when new but are now regarded as "classics" e.g. Austin Allegros (sits back and waits for torrent of abuse from AA Owners Club).

[fareaster]

This is appears to be the EU proposal

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

[LordBretSinclair]

fareaster said:

This is appears to be the EU proposal

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

Sorry to be pedantic but this is the proposal for "Historic" vehicles i.e. based purely on age - nothing to do with whether a vehicle is a "classic" or not.

[aeropilot]

getitupya said:

My thoughts were around classic rallying, (which I have zero experience in)I was wondering were there forms of motorsport I could do with out the need for roll cages/fire extingushers and all the rest?

As has been said, the 'classic' in 'classic' car generally, as opposed to Classic Rallying specifically having totally different meanings.

As also said, only bet for non-modified motorsport is spinting and hillclimbing. This is what I used to do with my old Sunbeam-Lotus.
As long as you are doing for fun rather than trying to be ultra competitive, you'll be OK with a 'grale.

[//j17]

In terms of the general definition of classic cars (as opposed to anything specific for insurance, road tax, motor sport, etc) then a car is a classic as soon as it's owner is willing to repair it despite the repair not being economically viable.

Not everyone will agree with that but if someone crashes their 1989 Skoda Estelle valued at £500 and is willing to spend £20,000 repairing and restoring it to concourse condition. Well they aren't doing it to make money or keep some old banger on the road they are doing it because it has some value beyond the purely financial due to it's age...to them at least!

[RichB]

LordBretSinclair said:

I hate it when you attend "Classic Car" shows which are full of cars which were rubbish when new but are now regarded as "classics" e.g. Austin Allegros.

Although I generally agree there is something nostalgic about seeing old Anglias and Cortinas etc. at regional car shows.

[ShadownINja]

//j17 said:

In terms of the general definition of classic cars (as opposed to anything specific for insurance, road tax, motor sport, etc) then a car is a classic as soon as it's owner is willing to repair it despite the repair not being economically viable.

Not everyone will agree with that but if someone crashes their 1989 Skoda Estelle valued at £500 and is willing to spend £20,000 repairing and restoring it to concourse condition. Well they aren't doing it to make money or keep some old banger on the road they are doing it because it has some value beyond the purely financial due to it's age...to them at least!

I quite like that definition.

[Hooli]

RichB said:

LordBretSinclair said:

I hate it when you attend "Classic Car" shows which are full of cars which were rubbish when new but are now regarded as "classics" e.g. Austin Allegros.

Although I generally agree there is something nostalgic about seeing old Anglias and Cortinas etc. at regional car shows.

I agree with both. The difference is Allegros were always st.

[Elderly]

//j17 said:

In terms of the general definition of classic cars ..... a car is a classic as soon as it's owner is willing to repair it despite the repair not being economically viable.

Shouldn't that be the other way around? My 13 year old load lugger (NOT a classic) is worth less than almost any work I have to have done to it, whilst my 41 year old coupe (a classic) is worth a lot more than any repair it may require.

[a8hex]

Funnily enough, this topic always seems to turn up at roughly this time of year every year. Its normal to wait till the start of January though.

I don't think there is or ever will be a definition of what a classic car is. It is largely in the eye of the beholder. What ever definition you choose there will be some exceptions for some people.

To some a Ford Anglia is a classic for others its just an old banger. From a historical or rarity perspective I suspect that there are now less road worthy Anglias than there are Pre-67 Ferraris. I don't think anyone would dispute the Ferrari's claim to classic status even if they personally didn't fancy one. So should rarity actually be a key defining point?

[fareaster]

LordBretSinclair said:

fareaster said:

This is appears to be the EU proposal

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

Sorry to be pedantic but this is the proposal for "Historic" vehicles i.e. based purely on age - nothing to do with whether a vehicle is a "classic" or not.

I agree age is not the only thing that defines "what is a classic car" but to most people, enthusiasts and the general public, classic cars are older vehicles. I would suggest that the words historic and classic are, in this context, largely synonymous.
In this case the OP did ask "when"

[kev_the_mole]

A car becomes an appreciating classic as soon as I sell it

[Dave Dax builder]

A car becomes a classic as soon as the resale value stops falling and begins to rise.

[slomax]

Hooli said:

RichB said:

LordBretSinclair said:

I hate it when you attend "Classic Car" shows which are full of cars which were rubbish when new but are now regarded as "classics" e.g. Austin Allegros.

Although I generally agree there is something nostalgic about seeing old Anglias and Cortinas etc. at regional car shows.

I agree with both. The difference is Allegros were always st.

I generally agree with this, although there are some cars made in mass that were crap, and I now see as classics. The Citroën 2CV for example, you don't see many on the roads nowadays and are actually quite cool (IMO). The hillman imp was generally considered as an inferior car to the mini and yet. The Morris 1000 was quite a good car, but it was cheap and mass produced, that's deffinately a classic. Just because it is rare doesn't make it a classic, I think the puma is going to be regarded as a classic soon as many of them have been chopped in due to rusty arches and people are only now realising what a great little car they are.