jimcol711

the cars of the 50's 60's and very early 70's are such incredible pieces of machinery....most are very beautiful, built like tanks, alot of fun, very agressive, loud, powerful, etc. there are thousands and thousands of enthusiasts who own a classic car (or a stable of them) and baby them, restore them to factory specs, mod them to be 8 second monsters, go for sunday drives, show them off to freinds, enter them in shows, etc.

i personally was fortunate enough to have the chance to own a 1969 Buick GS California. My father helped me get a loan for it, we paid $6600 bucks for it. it was ABSOLUTELY mint, it was a show winner, all original, and we bought it with 14,000 original miles on the clock. It was so much fun to own that thing. It probaby wasnt any faster than my CL-S is now but it sure SOUNDED good, that car got more attention than my CL-S ever has, it was something special. I then sold it to my dad because i needed a year-round car and then he ended up selling it when he became disabled and could no longer drive it. It was sad to see it go. all i have left of it are photos and memories. memories i will always remember.

i have alot of doubt that any car in production now or in recent history will someday have the respect, admiration, and soul that a car like a 57 Chevrolet Bel Air or a 1965 GTO have. Cars today just arent exciting like that...they are bland, often cookie cutters of other cars, and downright forgettable. not to mention, with all of the technology in cars these days, they have become much too complicated for the average enthusiast to maintain on his own or modify....where will we go in 30 years to get an ECU or 02 sensor or DVD navigation replacement for a CL-S??? these types of technologies will cetainly not stand the test of time, electronic components like we are cluttered with now will surely break down long before our cars could ever be considered "classics" not to mention the incredible speed at which electronic technology moves these days, 25 years from now, the stuff we have in our car now will be a thing of the past, something not available besides maybe at swap meet or something.

i think that automakers have painted themselves into a corner in regard to enthusiasts and collectors, etc...they have made it incredibly expensive and nearly impossible to maintain or modify a car without extensive training and experience in the automotive field. The average joe can do a brake job on a 1971 Mustang and change the carburator, etc...todays cars, thats just not possible without experience, training, and a hell of alot of expensive tools. service manuals for classic cars are like 200 pages long....the service manual for a CL-S is like a phone book for New York City!!!

i just really think that its going to be interesting to see all of the cars we drive now just fade out of memory.....in my opinion, classic cars will ALWAYS be cars built pre-1975..anything after that went WAAY downhill till the early 90s and everything after that is much to complicated, expensive, and soul-less to ever become a "classic" car.

allmotor_2000

I think the CL-S 6spd Turbo will become a "classic car"

Rod

Supras, RX-7s, 300ZXs

joeshmoe

I couldn't agree more. This is my little well-built piece of Americana.

http://us.f1.yahoofs.com/users/114f1...NYwL.AYRw1bBjy

Pappy

Nah...don't think so. I agree with Jim, some pre 1976 cars are classics and I say 1976 because supposedly, that was the last year of the Caddy Eldo convertable. I really don't think anything around now is exciting enough to considered a classic. Well, maybe some exotics.

dhlesq

Last gen Supra for sure.
Last gen RX-7 to a lesser but more fervent extent (the rotary crowd).
I think that the 300ZX will not be a classic - the design isnt aging well.
M Coupe (I sincerely believe this one will be a classic even though its a love it or hate it design).
I wouldnt be suprised if the Jaguar XK8/XKR coupes become classics though of course it depends on how many they make.
The current crop of Aston Martins are all destined to hold value as classics I think.
Any of the tuner mustangs, such as Roush(sp?) and Saleen
Z06 possibly
Heck, even that retro Tbird could be a classic if they cease production.


The key to any discussion about whether a car becomes a "classic" is whether automobile enthusiasts want to buy one used years and years after its production run is over; whether people are willing to buy it even if its in bad shape and restore it to some better condition.

What we may find going forward is that the attributes that make a car "classic" change over time. I know that for my parents generation, a classic car is one that was popular when they were a kid, and a perfect specimen is one that is as close to looking like it did when it came from the factory as is possible.

For the current generation, the cars that become collectible may be the ones that remain the most moddable. Ten years from now, people may all be scrambling for civics and 240sxs and german 1.8T engines. Who the heck knows.

I know this though, if I were to buy a car today in the anticipation of it becoming a classic, it would be a Supra. I also would not try to restore it to complete OEM. I think the well-modded last-gen supra is going to be very desireable for years to come.

GS Dave

I think you have to differentiate something that will be classic vs collectible. On thing the muscle cars had was usually low production numbers for the higher performing cars. They also had styling that evoked an emotional response. I'd also say that performance can bring a car into this realm. With those ideas in mind, there are very few cars today that I think will become the collectible classics of tomorrow. I think the 50s-60s cars will always be more desireable.

If I had to hazzard a guess I'd say.

Ford Mustang Cobra R
Dodge Viper
Porsche Boxter S
Any Ferrari...
Any Lambo...
Ford Lightning
Possibly the Supra, but I'm not sure
Buick Grand National(not truly contemporary, but not in the muscle car era)
Mazda Miata
Honda S2000
Acura NSX

I could list more, but I think you get whre I am going...

jimcol711

i see where you are going but i dont entirely agree...there are big differneces between 90% of the cars you just listed and classic cars today:

first of all, to become a classic car enthusiast now is realitively inexpensive...you can pick up an old muscle car of your choice in decent shape for well under 10,000....if you plan on doing a full restoration, you can usually find the car you are looking for for under 5,000....

i dont think for one second there will be a day when a lambo, porsche, NSX, ferrari, etc for anywhere NEAR 5k-10k even in JUNKED condition...and if you were to someday find a 1995 NSX for example for like 8 grand in 2020, where are you going to find parts at reasonable prices??? good luck!!!!

for classic cars now, you can get TONS and TONS of parts for any motor built back then, most are cheap too!! swap meets are just bursting at the seams with great parts, new, modified, or just used and in need of a good reconditioning. you can pick up headers for a 350 small block for like 175 bucks and they will be GOOD QUAILITY!! headers for our car now when good quality are over 1000!!! sheeesh.

i just dont see any of the cars you listed as having any potential of becoming classic cars or even really collectable cars for anyone besides the extremely wealthy...that sucks pretty bad considering that now, even a guy with a low-middle class income and a family can pick himself up a muscle car and turn wrenches on it in the garage during his free time and have something hes proud of...that just wouldnt be possible with any of the cars you listed besides maybe the Miata or the Buick GN...

F23A4

Sorry to disagree with you Jim, but GS Dave has a pretty good list of likely future-classics. Future classics will be whatever cars are Pop culture icons, like the Miata or Viper.

The only exception I might make is with the Lambo and Ferrari; as they're currently exotics, they're automatic future-classics. AND I would add the Z06 Corvette.

synth19

I wish my dad still kept his '77 Trans Am...it was mad white trash pimp. Firebird on the hood and everything.... :sigh:

lrutt

I think the first gen Miata's will be some day, just like the old MG's etc. They really revived the roadster. The C5 vette will be, but all vettes seem to be to some extent. The C5 is so much better than the last version though. Obviously the SVT vehicles from ford, supercharged Cobra and Lightnings. I'd be willing to bet that 30 years from now the Chrysler 300m might be. It's sweet styling and a revival of a name plate. Vipers and prowlers obviously.

I know I'm keeping our Miata, and I will likely keep my special edition F150 Harley Davidson special truck, I think it might be as well for the HD connection.

Nicky Pass

Mustang...especially the 03' Cobra
Camaro
Corvette...especially the ZR-1 and Z-06
Supra Twin Turbo
S2000
NSX
Viper
...Basically any car over $50K

shaHn78

not any car over 50k cos money really doesnt have that much to do with a car becoming a classic as its "soul". But more importantly, a car doesnt become classic cos its a "good or great" car (i.e accords or camrys... can u imagine these fine cars ever being called CLASSICS?)... but its got more to do with how ppl receive it and how much influence it has into the heart of enthusiasts.

And enthusiast, i think, play a very important role becos as long as there are guys willing to tune supras and miatas and mustangs 50 yrs from now... these cars will have a great demand which will enable them to step closer into being labeled a "classic"

But classic is one of those words (like rice) which varies from person to person, so we can sit here and call any car a future "classic" and it would just be OUR OWN opinion/liking.

Johnny Rad

Without a doubt, the Audi TT will be a classic / collectible.

GS Dave is right on the money with his definitions and picks. However, the Miata's larger production numbers and modest performance preclude it from this classification. Neat in a few years? Sure. Cool? Not quite.

Pappy

Sorry, I meant to say 'collectables' instead of classics.
Definitions:
Classic: Car that is 20 to 24 years old.
Antique: Car that is 25 years old or more.
Collectable: Any car that appreciates in value.

jimcol711

the point you guys are still missing is that currently, being a classic car enthusiast is an AFFORDABLE hobby for almost anyone under the sun.....you guys are all talking about big dollar, high tech cars like lamborghinis, M3, ferrari, etc...these will be well out of reach for 99% of all people even in the future....and even if some joe shmoe could afford to plunk down 10-20k in 20 years from now for a 2003 M3, where are the parts and electronics going to come from?? intricate parts for todays cars are going to be incredibly rare in the future and very expensive when available...

Haus

First, I whole heartedly agree w/ GS Dave - excellent list!
Secondly, don't laugh....but I think the current tuner trends may point to some "plain" imports becoming popular (not in the polish it up and take it to the Concours like a BelAir, but in the buy one cheap and make it fast again like most Mustangs). I think that 280 - 300 Z's will be popular, Integra's, Eclipse, maybe even Civics...


..........Damn, I almost had myself convinced I was on to something. Never mind, nope GS Dave nailed it...maybe there will be a new category of "ricer classics" at Barret Jackson some day
:-)

INFAMOUS-TYPE-S

The Honda Civic........the Chevy Nova of the 1990's. the B16a the 350 of the 90's. I bought my civic in 93. Hooked it up with the motor swap, custom hood and front. all the extra's the bomb ass paintjob and I put it in storage, Where it will stay untill 2013. When all the brats forget about it, I'll bust out my 20 year "Classic". The Honda Civic the foundation of the "Import Racing Renaissance of the 1990's"

Champagne for my REAL Friends, and Real Pagne for my Cham Friends!

ga2000

my father has a 1976 caddy eldo convertible 500 cubic inches 190 horsepower lol go figure but beautiful car

pennykmpr

My guess for classic cars include

Chevy Cavalier
Honda CIvic (w/ big spoiler)
Pontiac Sunfire (without a doubt)
Pontiac Vibe
Anything GEO (metro, storm etc..)
......and last but not least the KIA rio. <-----classic in every aspect

pennykmpr

Haha just kidding. or am i>???????

PerFecto

Rod has the right idea there but also i think the 2002 SS, FireHawk, and cobra ... The Supra, RX-7, and the 300ZX will always give me that warm feeling on the inside

Sarlacc

The 300zx is such a timeless design, so beautiful.

the supra is also a good choice, not a lot of them around.

I would love to add the 3rd generation Prelude to the list, but that is just me being byassed, god i loved that car sniff sniff