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Despite cars being larger than the usual collectible, most owners always look for “one more” to add to their fleet. Jay Leno is a well-known car collector, but the average vintage car fan doesn’t have a Hollywood star’s space or budget.
Recently, WorthPoint had a conversation with a fun group of antique car collectors. While their cars are the central focus of their collections, their hobby is more than just the automobiles; it’s about preserving history and holding onto something more than just wheels and engines.
SO MANY CARS TO COLLECT
Collecting vintage cars is a serious hobby. In addition to adequate space to house these collectible cars and prevent rust, technical skills are essential for restoration. Furthermore, these cars are inseparable from their era. A 1936 Cadillac is a far cry from a 1956 Cadillac. Most car fans are very loyal to a brand, a specific era’s style, or a particular look, such as convertibles, cars with big chrome fins, or cars with rumble seats.
BY THE DECADE
For many car collectors, the period is important. While some love the sleek lines of the 1950s, others prefer the muscle cars of the 1970s, with their big engines and cavernous trunk space. With each decade since cars started rolling off the assembly line, innovation in design and function has flourished. Here are some of the vintage favorites, sorted by decade.
1908–1927
Ford Motor Company dominated the car industry during this time, and the Model T is arguably its best-known automobile. In addition to it being the first car built by moving assembly, it was the first car engineers purposely designed to be affordable and reliable. Ford deliberately marketed the car to the middle class, resulting in 15,000 orders within days of its release. These models are hard to find now, but collectors who have them know that they are more than just a car; they are a piece of American history.
1930s
Charles W. Nash, founder of the Nash Motors Company in Kenosha, Wisconsin, was known for efficiency. He pioneered making cars more efficient and affordable, focusing on accounting and production practices that kept prices within reach of as many families as possible, even during the Great Depression. Today, Nash owners proudly display their cars as reminders of the early years when meeting the demand for reliability and quality was crucial.
Photo courtesy: Eric Anderson
1940s
Caddys and Packards and Buicks, oh my! In the early 1940s, it was all about size. Big, rounded fenders, chrome, and long lines were prominent designs. Cars from this period can be hard to find because on January 1, 1942, the US government suspended car sales, and car plants were re-tooled to support the war effort. Many collectors prize the iconic early models from this decade.
One impact of the war effort on the automotive industry was the introduction of the Jeep Willys. Made to get around on the battlefields of Europe, the cars were rugged and reliable and, after the war, popular with civilian drivers. Historians have suggested that General George C. Marshall, the US Army Chief of Staff during World War II, called it “one of the best, if not the best, weapons of the war.”
1950s
Post-war prosperity and reopening factories meant America was hitting the road, and what better way than a shiny new car with an aerodynamic look? Car design in this decade mimicked the Space Race with rocket-inspired designs. Picking up where the 1940s left off, cars made in this decade were big and often had large fins and tricked out-chrome touches.
1960s
The muscle car is born. The star of this decade has to be the Ford Mustang. It came off the line late in the model year, in November 1964. Vintage car buffs know that early on, the model year for the first ones made is technically “1964 ½” since most cars come out earlier in the calendar year. Other popular models were the Chevy Camaro and the Plymouth Barracuda. Street racing was becoming popular, and the classic movie American Graffiti, while not released until 1973, bore the tagline, “Where were you in ’62?” as it chronicled the car culture of the time.
1970s
Imports started to become trendy in the 1970s as the energy crisis loomed. Some drivers wanted smaller, more fuel-efficient cars and were passing up the “big iron” of Chryslers and Pontiacs in favor of VW Beetles, Fiats, and other imports.
ASK THE MAN WHO OWNS ONE
An outdated slogan for Packard still rings true. Today, it’s no longer just men who own cars, but if you want the best information on vintage cars, go straight to the drivers. Car owners sometimes attend vintage car shows in stadiums or auction houses. However, small meet-ups of owners, drivers, and vintage fans are a way for collectors to connect.
WorthPoint visited one such meet-up in Danvers, Massachusetts, and spoke with vintage car owner Eric Anderson from nearby Marblehead. Anderson has owned several vintage cars, including a 1959 Edsel and a 1930 Nash Advanced Twin-Six Model 480. For him, it’s about preservation. “The vintage car community, both owners and non-owners, are preservationists,” Anderson said. “We celebrate artifacts in use. These people are determined to protect, relish, and promote what they perceive as treasures in jeopardy of disappearing.”
Isn’t that the essence of collecting? To hold on to something that could fade away if not preserved? It’s important to note that car collectors usually have other collections, such as die-cast models of their cars and advertising from gas stations and dealerships. However, every owner we spoke with said their most extensive collections were car parts and accessories. Vintage car enthusiasts are all about authenticity, so off-brand parts will not do when repairs are necessary.
The vintage car space can be daunting for those unfamiliar with many models and specifications. Still, the community of car collectors welcomes anyone interested in learning more about how the automobile steered our history.
Brenda Kelley Kim lives in the Boston area. She is the author of Sink or Swim: Tales From the Deep End of Everywhere and writes a weekly syndicated column for The Marblehead Weekly News/Essex Media Group. When not writing or walking her snorty pug, Penny, she enjoys yard sales, flea markets, and badminton.
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