How to Determine If A Car Is Vintage

Owning an old car is something that many people use as a marker to demonstrate that they have “made it”. This should be clarified – in this respect, ten years old is not “old”. When discussing old cars, most of the time we are talking about antique, vintage or classic cars. These titles for groupings of motor vehicles are all the more confusing due to the fact that individuals have vastly differing definitions for each. Witness, for example, the fact that some view an antique car as any that was built between 1880 and 1916, while the Antique Automobile Club of America rates as antique any vehicle that was built more than a quarter of a century ago. 

A vintage car is, in most people’s view, one that was built during a golden age that occurred between the World Wars. Between 1916 and 1919 very few cars were produced in much of the world, because the war effort directed resources away from the automotive industry and towards the development of military vehicles. There are differing views on when the vintage car era ended, but most are agreed that it began in 1919, the year after the First World War ended. With the knowledge that came back from the war, manufacturers were able to make enhancements to road cars that would be used for day to day purposes. Also during the post-war period there were many states which built paved roads, opening up the possibility for drivers of going from state to state without having to negotiate bumpy, poorly maintained tracks. 

A hallmark of vintage cars is their greater level of comfort when compared to cars that went before. Before the 1920s, it was unheard of to have in-car heating. This was changed, as well as the addition of an in-car radio system allowing the passenger to travel not only in comfort but in a great deal of style. Along with these developments on the passenger side of the matter, there were changes which made life easier for the driver – not least of which was the implementation of a foot brake in most cars. Prior to this development, the hand brake lever was the only means of slowing a car down. Anti-freeze was invented allowing cars which were cooled by a radiator to be operated all year round. 

Vintage cars have a certain look to them that will be familiar to enthusiasts. With large, front-mounted headlamps and spoked wheels, along with a canopy-style roof, there is an element of gentility to a vintage car that is often depicted in films set during the post-war era. For some people, this was the golden age of automotive development, as it saw cars go from being something which only a few people had to being something familiar. It allowed not only the way people traveled to change, but also the distances they would travel and the way that towns and cities were set out. If you are in possession of a vintage car – you will know.