Author Topic: Classic cars...  (Read 18867 times)

john.mancini

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Re: Classic cars...
« Reply #25 on: April 28, 2010, 15:53:23 »
What's happened to our fun-loving group?!?
We'd all agree that, technically, the word "classic" does have a definitive connotation for certain era automobiles. Couldn't we also agree that the word "classic" has become synonymous with antique and older cars for idiots like me? No harm, no foul!
John
John
65 230SL 519 Red 4-sp
98 911 cab
56 Ford F100
08 Porsche RS60 Spyder
23 Z4M40i

Benz Dr.

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Re: Classic cars...
« Reply #26 on: April 28, 2010, 22:15:36 »
Hey, I'm having fun.

   Pictures at 6:00 PM
1966 230SL 5 speed, LSD, header pipes, 300SE distributor, ported, polished and balanced, AKA  ''The Red Rocket ''
Dan Caron's SL Barn

1970  3.5 Coupe
1961  190SL
1985   300CD  Turbo Coupe
1981  300SD
2013  GMC  Sierra
1965  230SL
1967 250SL
1970 280SL
1988 560SEC

Douglas

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Re: Classic cars...
« Reply #27 on: April 29, 2010, 00:39:54 »
This thread is a classic.

Bernd

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Re: Classic cars...
« Reply #28 on: April 29, 2010, 13:04:40 »
Dan,

did you say Pictures, or did you really mean to say Pitchers?

Time for a beer...PROSIT

kayemoxon

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Re: Classic cars...
« Reply #29 on: April 29, 2010, 15:38:31 »
For what it's worth I would like to add my view from the UK; which is that one possible definition of a classic might be: 'A model that engendered marque loyalty whilst it was in production and which was actively sought after, subsequently, by enthusiasts.' Otherwise, whichever way you look at it, the issue degrades to a kind of cheap snobbery and we are all above that. Aren't we?

By the way my classic car is a 1967 250sl.

Regards from the UK
Kaye

Benz Dr.

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Re: Classic cars...
« Reply #30 on: April 30, 2010, 03:48:02 »
You see, everyone kind of has me all wrong. First of all, I know all about what everyone TODAY considers to be a classic car. That's not what I'm talking about. I'm talking about something that everyone who understands what really OLD cars are all about calls classic. This is a totally different thing.

What's kind of funny is when I hear someonre say, '' Those guys are snobs. How dare they say only their stuff is classic? ''
What everyone forgets is this club is nearly 60 years old. They started the classic car club thing. I didn't invent this, it was here before I was even born and probably most everyone else here as well. However, I do know what a full classic is. The owners of these cars also know. It's not snobbery, it's pride of ownership. I'm sure some people think that we MB guys are snobs too - it tends to go in different directions.
 
I was really hoping that this group would want to enligten themselve's a little bit and pick up some outmotive history along the way.
Just to sort of show you what I mean; the guys on TV that tell you all about the cars going over the block at the BJ auction have different names for differnt types of cars. It could be a Resto Mod, a Muscle Car, a Street Rod, a Custom Car and so on. You will NEVER hear them call ANY of these cars classics - they simlpy know better. They WILL call cars made during the late 20's and 30's classics, if in fact they really are, but only those cars. One of the reasons the general public isn't aware of these things anymore is simply due to the fact that so few of these cars are seen today and even fewer go across the block unless it's an auction only for these cars. In BJ 's early years full classics were a fairly large portion of the cars they moved but now everyone wants high performance cars from the 60's.
I tend to think these guys at BJ know more about cars than me and you. No one questions them about these facts either. They have a spot where the TV viewing public can call ot tex questions or comments about the cars going across the block but I've never seen anyone have an issue with the classic car thing. They sometime make mistakes and some very sharp types have a way of spotting it too but they're generally very right about specific auto history. They're paid to know this stuff and their job is to get it right.


So if people don't want to agree with me that's fine. The more you study history the more you tend to understand how things work. It's kind of like Tiffany; evey lamp for sale in the antique store is one until someone who knows points out it isn't. It might be old and it might be very rare but if it's not a real tiffany, you can't really call it one. 
1966 230SL 5 speed, LSD, header pipes, 300SE distributor, ported, polished and balanced, AKA  ''The Red Rocket ''
Dan Caron's SL Barn

1970  3.5 Coupe
1961  190SL
1985   300CD  Turbo Coupe
1981  300SD
2013  GMC  Sierra
1965  230SL
1967 250SL
1970 280SL
1988 560SEC

Witt

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Re: Classic cars...
« Reply #31 on: April 30, 2010, 04:04:35 »
Dan,

did you say Pictures, or did you really mean to say Pitchers?

Time for a beer...PROSIT

.........I'll drink to that......

How about the term "Classic" being applied to other things.....like: books, music, literature, sculptures, buildings, musical instruments, etc.......if it's great and old, people will call it: "Hey, that's a classic "!! Why argue with that......

CHEERS !
WITT !  ;)

PS: Dan, stop digging the hole you got yourself in, it is getting increasingly harder to get out of it......

66andBlue

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Re: Classic cars...
« Reply #32 on: April 30, 2010, 04:48:51 »
.......  Dan, stop digging the hole you got yourself in, it is getting increasingly harder to get out of it......
No problem, the good doctor can get out of any hole, or grip for that matter.  ;)
Just read this one here: http://www.sl113.org/forums/index.php?topic=2768.msg15675#msg15675
 :) ;D ;D
Alfred
1964 230SL manual 4-speed 568H signal red
1966 230SL automatic 334G light blue (sold)
1968 280SL automatic (now 904G midnight blue)

Danesgate

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Re: Classic cars...
« Reply #33 on: April 30, 2010, 08:57:00 »
...What everyone forgets is this club is nearly 60 years old. They started the classic car club thing... 

60 years may be old for North America, in Europe and the rest of the world, they are just upstarts...  ;)

Your terminology may be accurate for the USA and Canada, but perhaps not for coutries that have been motoring a little longer  ;D

Benz Dr.

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Re: Classic cars...
« Reply #34 on: April 30, 2010, 15:42:00 »
No problem, the good doctor can get out of any hole, or grip for that matter.  ;)
Just read this one here: http://www.sl113.org/forums/index.php?topic=2768.msg15675#msg15675
 :) ;D ;D

Ha! Thanks for that Alfred.
 I forgot about that stuff from way back then. That was when the group was still new and we were all having fun getting o know each other. I suppose we all think we actually know each other by now. I'm also sure that's wrong.......
1966 230SL 5 speed, LSD, header pipes, 300SE distributor, ported, polished and balanced, AKA  ''The Red Rocket ''
Dan Caron's SL Barn

1970  3.5 Coupe
1961  190SL
1985   300CD  Turbo Coupe
1981  300SD
2013  GMC  Sierra
1965  230SL
1967 250SL
1970 280SL
1988 560SEC

Witt

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Re: Classic cars...
« Reply #35 on: April 30, 2010, 21:51:25 »
No problem, the good doctor can get out of any hole, or grip for that matter.  ;)
Just read this one here: http://www.sl113.org/forums/index.php?topic=2768.msg15675#msg15675
 :) ;D ;D

.........well, at least he posted his submissions in the "Bodywork" section.....

CHEERS !
WITT !  ;)

Dahlknudsen

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Re: Classic cars...
« Reply #36 on: May 02, 2010, 19:51:44 »
60 years may be old for North America, in Europe and the rest of the world, they are just upstarts...  ;)

Your terminology may be accurate for the USA and Canada, but perhaps not for coutries that have been motoring a little longer  ;D

I would trust a native english man more on the difinition of the word classic. Any club in the world can make any difinition of any word they want, but does that mean that nobody else can use the word in its original meaning anymore?

Well anyway Ulf - I find it hard to quess what might be the classic car of tomorrow, but I learned one thing form this mile long discussion is that a classic is a milestone car, and I believe that my former car was a milestone car and it will become a classic that will be very hard to find in 20 years, as almost all manufactures cars of this model is located in our litle kingdom due to Svend Aukens love for the enviroment.... The WV Lupo 3L from 99 to 05(or Audi A2 3L). I beliece 70% of the cars made are in denmark now, and are mostly used by pendlers and therefore are quickly dieing these years. This car drives 33,3 kilometers on one liter of diesel. They set the standard for cars of today with start-stop, ecodrive, light, wind, etc etc...
I know I miss mine. I used 52 liters to go from here to Genova.
Its not a sports car, but its something else...

john.mancini

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Re: Classic cars...
« Reply #37 on: May 03, 2010, 14:23:59 »
Possibly no one on the planet understands the term "classic car" more than Paul Russell. Check out his website, www.paulrussell.com. He lists all
of his inventory as "classic". What the hell was he thinking?????
Time to shoot this horse.
« Last Edit: May 03, 2010, 14:55:09 by john.mancini »
John
65 230SL 519 Red 4-sp
98 911 cab
56 Ford F100
08 Porsche RS60 Spyder
23 Z4M40i

paulr

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Re: Classic cars...
« Reply #38 on: May 06, 2010, 10:58:22 »
Interestingly, some people in the UK ask...is it a classic ?...as if it's a make of car. My answer....Yes....of course it is.

al_lieffring

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Re: Classic cars...
« Reply #39 on: May 06, 2010, 12:59:31 »
I find it intresting sometimes to look in Noah Webster's 1828 American Dictionary of the English Language.

CLASSIC, from L. classis, The first order of Roman citizens.  An author of the first rank; A writer whose style is pure, correct and refined; primarialy a Greek or Roman author of this character.

I don't think Homer, Plato or Aristottle were working on the design staff at Daimler Benz in the early 60's


glenn

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Re: Classic cars...
« Reply #40 on: May 06, 2010, 13:28:09 »
'Classic, Antique, Collector, Exotic'    --   If I'm selling. ..

'Piece of junk, rust bucket, money pit'   --  If I'm buying. ..

PPP    Pervasive Pagoda Persiflage. ..

mdsalemi

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Re: Classic cars...
« Reply #41 on: May 06, 2010, 14:42:46 »
I don't think Homer, Plato or Aristottle were working on the design staff at Daimler Benz in the early 60's

Thank goodness.  Can you imagine those 170 horsepower, from 170 HORSES?  Can you imagine wondering what kind of wood these chariot wheels would be made of?  Makes the whole Coker tire deal kind of irrlelevant.

My guess is, Al, that it might be useful NOT to get rid of that dictionary, but augment its use with a newer one?
Michael Salemi
Davidson, North Carolina (Charlotte Area) USA
1969 280SL (USA-Spec)
Signal Red 568G w/Black Leather (Restored)
2023 Ford Maverick Lariat Hybrid "Area 51"
2023 Ford Escape Hybrid
2024 Ford Mustang Mach Ex PEV

Benz Dr.

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Re: Classic cars...
« Reply #42 on: May 07, 2010, 04:54:51 »
OK, let's say that there's modern or post war classic cars, and then there's antique or pre war classic cars. The modern ones are just about whatever you want them to be and often are just that. :-\

The pre war classics are more selective and rare. In that case only the absolute best cars are good enough to be considered classic and therefore they get the ' Full Classic ' designation. I believe the CCCA actually had the term ' full classic ' copy righted.  8)

This is all factual automotive history. I suppose even Paul Russel considers what the general public believes when he advertises his cars. I'm pretty sure a guy that savy actually knows what a full classic is but that wouldn't be his main goal in life - i.e. educating the dumed down public.  :) 
1966 230SL 5 speed, LSD, header pipes, 300SE distributor, ported, polished and balanced, AKA  ''The Red Rocket ''
Dan Caron's SL Barn

1970  3.5 Coupe
1961  190SL
1985   300CD  Turbo Coupe
1981  300SD
2013  GMC  Sierra
1965  230SL
1967 250SL
1970 280SL
1988 560SEC

hauser

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Re: Classic cars...
« Reply #43 on: May 07, 2010, 22:02:59 »
Doesn't anyone know any better than to use the "C" word around Dan!   :o ;D

Benz Dr.

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Re: Classic cars...
« Reply #44 on: May 07, 2010, 23:18:00 »
HEHEHEHE........take me as you will......
1966 230SL 5 speed, LSD, header pipes, 300SE distributor, ported, polished and balanced, AKA  ''The Red Rocket ''
Dan Caron's SL Barn

1970  3.5 Coupe
1961  190SL
1985   300CD  Turbo Coupe
1981  300SD
2013  GMC  Sierra
1965  230SL
1967 250SL
1970 280SL
1988 560SEC