What's the Essence of Classic Ownership?
dieselhead
Is it style? Is it driving thrills? Is it social? Something else?
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Chris Paukert
That's up to the owners, no? Could be style, could be driving thrills, could be wanton nostalgia, a love of perpetual recycling, the desire to be different, as an investment, or it could be that someone simply wants to get their hands dirty and doesn't want to work on a modern vehicle. There are lots of great reasons to own a classic, though high performance generally isn't one of them.
Chris Paukert
Editor-In-Chief
Winding Road // NextAutos
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The essence of the Infiniti brand distilled into one car and then taken
to the extremes to satisfy the world’s most demanding car enthusiasts …
this is the Infiniti Essence
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Reilly Brennan
Following up on this thread, I decided to do some digging around the defintion of these terms. Interesting, Wikipedia says vintage cars are only those built between 1919-1930. I wrote a piece about it here:
Wikiwrong: The Internet Encyclopedia's Strange View of Vintage Cars
dieselhead
As an outsider, but someone who has thought of buying a classic many times I was trying to get a feel for what the deal is. I was hoping that people who have taken the plunge would comment on the joys of classic cars. That would help me (and other forum players) see if it is for me.
"Acceleration is simple: torque divided by weight"
- Gordon Murray
Mena
Sometime in the next ten years I want to buy a late 60's/early 70's 911 and would like to hear from some owners of classic cars on their experiences. I am hoping that some classic car owners will jump in too.
Ducati Minor
I would like to own a Volvo P1800. To me, the essence of classic car ownership is taking pleasure in driving a vehicle from a different era, being almost in a time warp, and being more in-tune with the road. Along with that, classic car ownership is taking pride in preserving a piece of history. Those are the highlights I see when I think of that Volvo.
BillS
I agree with Ducati on the driving part (I also like the P1800 suggestion). I just talked to a guy who has a '73 Dino. He clearly loves the car and talked about driving it this morning (the restoration was finished last year). But he also added:
-- he loves showing the car
-- he likes classics because it is a way to get his wife involved
-- she loves the social aspects
-- they both like the travel (they've gone to Pebble each year since '92 and they now go to Goodwood every year)
ZeGerman
I own a '66 Pontiac GTO (pictured below). I bought the car when in the mid-90s when I was sixteen, and I still own it. Having a classic car is (to me) a fully hands-on experience. I love old cars because I have a deep affection for the hobby of working on them. I like looking through parts catalogs, eBay Motors, and swap meets. I like the way they smell (usually that means musty). I like talking to others about them. It wasn't really about performance in my case. Sure, I can roast tires with the best of them, but many ho-hum modern cars are faster than my GTO (for now...;-). Rather, classic car ownership is about being different, appreciating style from a different era, and having an interest or passion for something.
People at my high school thought I needed mufflers on my GTO. They didn't understand that "loud as hell" was how it was supposed to be...
Mena
Perfect. Thank you.
Ducati Minor
Wonderful pick.
ZeGerman
Thanks Ducati.
BoatsAnonymous
Your article brings back a lot of memories. My first new car was a 67 Pontiac Firebird: 400ci, 390, four speed with Air Induction. Working on the car was simple and direct, without exhaust constraints or catalytic converters. The bond between the owner and his/her car was magic. The car was a symbol of your best. My brother owned a 67 GTO at the same time and we enjoyed many competitive trips to the NJ shore together. My best friend raced his 64 (very elegant) Goat to many trophies at Englishtown, NJ. Collectibles make for good stories and good company. Todays offerings are a marvel of Engineering finesse, however few offer the sense that you and your machine are as one when you get behind the wheel.
ZeGerman
Your Firebird must have been pretty quick back when you owned it. A 400 Ram Air motor, 3:90 gears, and a 4-speed must have put many grins on your face.
Mark
Ham, great story, great car and beautiful photograph! A GTO at the tender age of 16??? Mindblowing!
Mark
The Hague.
Adrian Ryan
I know exactly what you mean about old cars. I have had a '66 Mustang convertible since 1982 (of course it's red with a white top!) and have recently finished the restoration of a 1965 XP Falcon (Australian model) Squire wagon of which Ford Australia only built 93!
Besides old cars had real bumper bars and sounded like cars should sound.
Peter
You own a classic car because of emotion. I don't really care about having a perfect, concourse condition car. I like driving mine in classic car rallies. Drive it the way it was intended, in a rally in difficult conditions (in the winter across the Alps, or on sand-roads), with difficult navigation exercises, regularity sections (time-speed-distance for Americans), and tests of your driver-ability. To make things more difficult, often at night!
So while my 1969 Mercedes-Benz 280 SL is well maintained and technically top notch, the carpets could do with a refresh, and so could the upholstery. But hey, it only gets dirty anyway, so I'll tackle these things when I'm retired and need to slow down.
Peter
Marcsten
I have owned MGs, 2 E-Types, an Alpine, a Jag Mark II and others. I agree that it is emotional. Its great to be in something 'different' especially when it looks fabulous. No, it needn't be perfect, just 'nice'. I too appreciate the smell (usually burning lubricants and leather) the feeling of accomplishment when you repair one, and the looks on people's faces when you pass.
Nodyor
The car clubs, the lines, the testosterone, to be one of the few.
I have a convertible 75 Corvette, the classic body style that just about everyone recognizes and loves. But the heart of this beast is, well lacking.
I also have a heavily modified/customized wide body 71 "push button" Pantera. These are fairly rare cars, that most people are unfamiliar with, real nice lines and always causes crowds to gather round for a look. The heart of this beast sits right behind your head, it's scary loud with wads of power, speed and torque.
To answer the question of essence: lots of tinkering, mechanical and electrical. Don't forget the Sunday detailing session, it's therapy for the soul!
http://www.ocpanteras.com/MembersRides/Ride-1295/Ride1295.html
danspach
For me:
The sense of satisfaction of doing your own work without having an electrical engineering degree. The first hand admiration of pen and pencil engineering that has stood the test of time (and even some that hasn't but was still pretty ingenious.)
Enjoying a rip early Saturday or Sunday morning on the parkway and getting an "I-know-why-you're-out-here-this-early" nod from the guy in the cherry, but stock 240Z.
The fact that you have so many different styles and categories to choose from.
I also particularly enjoy reading well written pieces about classic cars that were made famous before I was even born. Learning about their development and achievements adds to the respect beyond the aesthetic. (Not directly related to why I seek classics but certainly provides fuel to the fire!)
Lastly, but critical to the end goal: some of them are "pretty" enough that my wife has given me "pre-approval" for later in life (I'm looking at YOU, Jaguar E-Type...she loves the 246 Dino, but dayyyyum $$$.)
- Dave
1988 BMW M3
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Thank you...It's wonderful....
lancenicolase
An Infiniti Essence owner is characterised by his
or her fearless self confidence; he or she is an intellectual hero
rather than just a successful money maker.” Francois Bancon, General
Manager Advanced Product Planning
Infiniti Essence began life not in the design studio but in
Infiniti’s product planning department. Francois Bancon, General
Manager Advanced Product Planning, and his team might not, at the start
of the project, have known how Essence would look, but they did know
what it had to be, why it had to exist – and who it would appeal to.
“Infiniti Essence is a brand icon,” Francois Bancon said. “It is driven
more by a conceptual approach than by any design execution. It is not
just an object. It isn’t a teaser for a new model. It is solely
dedicated to Infiniti brand promotion, to demonstrate and advocate the
Infiniti unique values.”
The concept called for a very clear understanding of who the
super-luxury coupe’s potential customers would be. Painstakingly,
Bancon and his team of advanced product planners built up a picture of
a typical Essence owner. It was a profile that showed an
uncompromising, risk-taking 42-year-old passionate about the best
things in life, but equally passionate about not flaunting them. “These
consumers don‘t need to demonstrate to others,” said Bancon. “They are
already at the next step of achievement that leads to rewarding
themselves first.”
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