About Vintage Cars

Vintage cars are generally vehicles that were built between the wars. They represent the transition of the automobile from rare and unusual to common, practical and ubiquitous. Although there are some arguments about what exactly constitutes a vintage car, they are popular with collectors and some can fetch large amounts of money at auction.

What is a vintage car?

The term vintage is often used to refer to any very old motorcar. However, collections define the vintage period as beginning with the end of World War I (and therefore at the start of 1919). The end point is under some dispute, with some authorities preferring 1925, which is the point at which the Classic Car Club of America considers a car to become a classic. Most go with the end of 1930 and a few argue that cars remain vintage until the start of World War II.

What about older cars?

Cars built before 1919 are often called vintage by laymen but are referred to as brass era by collectors. Very few vehicles from this period survive and even fewer survive in usable condition.

What is significant about the vintage era?

The vintage era saw the transition of the motorcar from a rich man's toy to something almost ubiquitous. In terms of the vehicles themselves, innovations such as heaters, radios and even power steering showed up. The car also began to affect culture, with the first drive-through restaurants appearing in the United States. The thousands of car companies that came out of World War I vastly diminished in number and increasing standardization of controls led to the ability to get out of one car and into another.

How valuable are vintage cars?

Most surviving vintage cars are in the hands of collectors. Prices depend on rarity and condition and some of these cars can be worth a lot of money. Many collectors value cars as close as possible to their original factory condition. Although they are more practical and comfortable than the earlier vehicles, they do lack modern safety features such as seat belts.