Classic Cars and the Pleasure of Owning One

Until I started writing about them it was a subject that had never really crossed my mind. But what a wealth of pleasure they bring to those who are lucky enough to own and drive a classic car. They may be seen in rallies driving up the highway of any state or country. They are also well known for being parked beside a river in the cool of the shade from trees while the family has a picnic on the banks. Perhaps you have spotted them parked on a hillside overlooking some great ocean views.

Wherever you see them there is one outstanding thing you cannot miss. Their beauty! They shine from the love and attention detail their owners pour into them. They sparkle from the immaculate finish on their bodies and they grab you with amazement at their wonderful lines.

They are rarely streamlined as in today's models but the more bulky they are the more amazing they appear to be.

They lumber along, rarely getting up to any speed of note. They have a smell about them which may indicate burning oil or fumes from the engine that are coming from God knows where. They have a certain noise quality that often comes from having no muffler or an inadequate one. But all that aside to have a drive in one is a look back into the past when speed did not matter, when horses were still around as the main power force and when the world was just waking up from the effects of 2 world wars.

Vintage cars have an official date of from 1919 until 1930 and it was when researching them that certain facts came to light. One can appreciate the struggle automobile pioneers had in overcoming the huge obstacles presented by the prejudice against them and the lack of facilities for motoring that existed at that time.

The early cars had no windscreens and when that was overcome there were no wipers and often very muddy roads. Insects were also a lot more prevalent and the tracks they drove on were mainly used by horse and buggies. That meant huge ruts that could break an axle, bog tires and cause havoc to ones clothes when trying to dislodge them.

Most had no doors, the engines were cranked up to start and headlights were lit by matches. One wonders why they gained in popularity at all, but they did. In fact it was these same pioneers who allowed motorized vehicles to be use in the wars for transport, personnel carriers, and for such things as tanks, trucks and other heavy vehicles.

Because the earliest cars were hand made they were also very expensive so only the wealthy could afford them. Gasoline was also very scarce and the noise of a back firing engine sent many a horse bolting away in startled confusion. This could result in a serious accident for the rider or passengers in a carriage.

With these barriers already in place against them the men who pressed ahead and made these cars are probably owed a great debt by all in society. Unlike the streamlined marvels of the modern world they did it tough.

So why would people take them on now? What is the attraction in owning and driving one? Could it be their rarity or the challengers they offer their new drivers. Whatever it is the classic car is obviously never going out of fashion.

Read more on this subject including the history of classic cars