how old to be a classic???

[roosterjuicer]

my friends and i often argue about how old a car has to be to be considered a classic...

personally i think anything before 1980.

what do you guys think?

[nota]

Depends when you were born I suppose but yeah around 25 years old is my rule of thumb

[Prius]

IMO, a car is a classic if it was made before 1980.

[baddabang]

My rule of thumb: If it's older than Henk then its a classic.

[my porsche]

My rule of thumb: If it's older than Henk then its a classic.

So the Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost is almost up for being a classic?

[Egg Nog]

My rule of thumb: If it's older than Henk then its a classic.

Almost there...

[Coventrysucks]

I think you can insure some cars as young as 5 years as a "classic" if it is of particular interest.

Typically it tends to be over 15 years, and there is some legislation regarding cars older than 25 years making them exempt from certain requirements - i.e. emissions - that would obviously be difficult to comply with in a car of that age without substantial alteration, although, in its infinite wisdom, the current government of this country changed that so that it now fixed as any car older than 1976.

[Egg Nog]

I think you can insure some cars as young as 5 years as a "classic" if it is of particular interest.

Agreed. If I was in the right mood, I might be willing to say that something like the original Honda/Acura Integra Type-R has become a classic.

[Ferrer]

I think you can insure some cars as young as 5 years as a "classic" if it is of particular interest.

Typically it tends to be over 15 years, and there is some legislation regarding cars older than 25 years making them exempt from certain requirements - i.e. emissions - that would obviously be difficult to comply with in a car of that age without substantial alteration, although, in its infinite wisdom, the current government of this country changed that so that it now fixed as any car older than 1976.

Here legally cars older than 25 year are legally classics and, amongst other things, exempt from road tax.

[Rockefella]

Depends, at least for me.

Generally speaking, I'd go with 20 years. But then again, something like the Alfa 8c Competizione or Pagani Zonda are instant classics.

[Ferrer]

But then again, something like the Alfa 8c Competizione or Pagani Zonda are instant classics.

I can't agree with that. Sure they are future classic material, alongside cars like the Lancia Thesis or the Citroen C6, but they are not classics yet.

[Matra et Alpine]

Posing, selling, price-justification or competition.

The first 3 are all ego and money-making based, so leave it to the loonies at Barret-Jackson to pay over the odds

In competition the MSA Blue Book is very specific on the terms and ages for the three categroeies ...

Historic up to 1967 (Category 1)
Post Historic up to 1974 (Category 2)
Classic is up to 1981 (Category 3)

[McReis]

There are many different personal theories about what a classic car is. And of course we all know which new cars will become desired classics. Every new special sportscar or innovative cars like Smarts, Twingos and Multiplas will have success as classics.

Anyway, there is only one official definition of classic car that I know, and it comes from FIVA (Fedération Internationale de Vehicules Anciens).

According to FIVA, a classic car is more than 23 years old, that still looks and runs like it was originaly built. The car must be as original as possible. Every transformation should be made according to what was usually used at their production period and correctly documented so that future owners know how the car was in it's original form.
Other non-period changes are only acceptable when they're done to comply with road rules or to make place for parts that are impossible to be found, or replicated, within reasonable costs.

[Wouter Melissen]

Do they consider rust as a period transformation?

[McReis]

Do they consider rust as a period transformation?

Yes. And they also consider idiocy a classic.