Antique Car Definitions
There has been a debate going on among motorists as to what makes a car an antique! There are different groups who have their own set of hard and fast rules to differentiate an antique and an old car. According to the Antique Automobile Club of America, the main body responsible for recognition and appreciation of antique cars, a car is an antique if it is at least 25 years of age or older, which is still functioning and restored to comply with the manufacturer’s original specifications.
The above mentioned criterion to be an antique car is based on certain reasons. The average design age of a modern automobile is roughly half of the 25 years, which is twelve and half years. Thus, it is clear that any 25-year-old car which is still operational is quite a rarity. When a car reaches such an age, in most case it will be uneconomical to drive and inconvenient to run it for everyday use. The main use of an antique thus remain is to show up in car shows to demonstrate the quality of the design and built of the vehicle.
However, the definition from AACA has been refined over the years to include several classifications of vehicles. For example, in 1953, a new Class 18- ‘Antique Cars with four-wheel brakes’ was added to the definition. Though there have been changes to classes, the common thread remains the same that the vehicles have to be restored, that is too in good condition in (at least) its 25 years of age. Concours d’Elegance is one of the most famous classic car expositions that takes place throughout the USA, where you get to witness many antique cars that you may desire to drive! According to another group of people antique cars are those developed the years between 1880 and 1916.
There are various other definitions for the term antique vehicle, put forward by different motor vehicle departments. For example, the New York’s DMV allows any vehicle in excess of 25 years of age to be issued historical or vintage plates. However, vehicles are required to be insured under a specialty insurance policy to be qualified for the department’s vintage plates. Likewise, Massachusetts DMV classifies an antique vehicle as “any motor vehicle over twenty-five years old maintained solely for use in exhibitions, club activities, parades, and other functions of public interest. This includes test drives to prepare for such functions and transportation to and from repair facilities, and not used primarily for the transportation of passengers or goods over any way.”
