Re: Vintage or Antique?

[20mercman]

quote Mini Motors:

The last thing I want to do is start an argument with a club that someday I’d like to join, but I would have thought that age was the determining factor, not manufacturing date. By these rules, a ’52 will be a classic, even 50 years from now. I see where this rule will keep out the “undesirables”(electronic ignition,etc), but I would think that someday, even an ’80 deserves the moniker, “antique”. That’s assuming that gasoline will sill be legal 50 years from now.

But that does answer the original question, and either way, I’m happy. “Classic” does have a better ring to it over “vintage”.

There is no argument here! This is a great discussion. I have been thinking that rules will need to be updated eventually. I don’t know how long the current by-law on model designation has been in effect, but if it was from the time the club was formed, the 1950 motors were only 16 years old. 😉 I agree that I like the term "classic" as a better moniker anyway. It would be hard to argue that a 64 year old collectable anything to not be considered as "antique" at some point. One thing to consider is that new and young members will have a whole new set of personal memories that represent their own version of "vintage". When I was 8 years old, my dad traded in our 1955 Mk-25 for a new 1975 Mercury 200. I still have fond memories of the Mk-25, but also grew up with the 1975. It is surely a "classic" in my own mind!

Steve