In article <B9019BE6.A9A%dspence@oanet.com>, Don Spence
<dspence@oanet.com> writes
>CLASSIC - a term defined by the Classic Car Club of America to include only
>specific important marques built between 1925 and 1948.
>VINTAGE - formerly a term describing cars built between 1915 and 1925 but
>now used broadly, especially in England, to include cars manufactured
>between 1920 and 1942.
>ANTIQUE - a general description of any car that is 25 years old or more.
>All Full Classics are antiques, but not all antiques are Full Classics
>
<snip>
Two nations divided by a common language! About the only thing that
most Brits seem to agree on is that "Antique" means "over a hundred
years old". (This is actually the legal definition under English law).
We can't call a 1977 Morris Marina (or a 1977 Aston-Martin Vantage) an
"antique". We can't call them "veteran" or "vintage," because these
terms also seem to have strict definitions (even if those definitions
have changed dramatically over the past few years). We can't call them
"historic," because the gifted and benevolent statesmen who govern our
country have changed their minds about what that word means. (Around
1998 - I think - the then government ruled that any car over twenty-five
years old was "historic," and was exempt from taxation. Subsequently,
the government decided, in its wisdom, that only cars that were over
twenty-five years old *in 1998* were historic...)
>
>As for my humble collection, all are legally "antiques" (25 years old
>minimum), they are surely "veterans" (at least most of their components are)
>and they are definitely "Classy", especially the 'S' Type, but alas they are
>not classics. Just fine examples of a particular period and genre of motor
>vehicle.
"Period". Hmm. Now there's a word that could be hijacked quite
nicely to cover cars that aren't antique, vintage, veteran or classic.
"I have a period Morris Marina." "My 1976 Aston is a period piece." I
like it!
ATB
--
Mike
Ellie - Historic Herald 1200 (1963)
Carly - Period Spitfire 1500 (1977)
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