Why Buy a Pre-WWII Vintage Car?
There’s a special joy that comes from driving a classic car, particularly if it’s an iconic model that enthusiast onlookers will recognize and admire. But what about owning a car even older than a classic? What’s the appeal of owning a truly vintage — even historic — automobile that dates back to before World War II, especially if it’s in such delicate condition that you’d rather preserve it in storage than drive it? There are many reasons to love and own those cars, too.
For most of the 20th century, “collector cars” referred to ones exclusively built before WWII. This slowly changed as time went by. Today, classic car meets are often packed with 1960s and 1970s American muscle cars, 1980s German sedans, and road-legal specs of iconic rally racers.
But pre-war classics are not merely collector cars. Because they were made in the infancy of the automobile industry itself, they’re also the original collector cars. That gives them a special kind of historic value that will only ever increase with time. After all, even modern 2020s models will eventually become vintage — but the prewar models will always be the first.
In this way, owning and driving a prewar car is a bit like paying homage to the idea of the car itself. These were the vehicles that existed when the car hobby began — the cars that created the hobby itself. What could be more iconic than that?
Owning any post-WWII classic car will get you attention. You can probably count on turning a few heads while taking it on a Sunday drive. People will take out their phones to take a photo of your car while it’s parked on the street. But bring it to a car meet, and you’re suddenly just one of many other enthusiasts with one of many other attention-grabbing cars. Unless it’s a true rarity, you won’t stand out.
With a pre-war vintage car, you can stand out even among your enthusiast peers. There’s an appeal to these historic models that never wanes. Whether you show up with an original Ford Model A or a restored 1930s Cadillac roadster, there’s a good chance that even car meet attendees won’t have seen a car like it before — outside of a museum. Just be prepared to answer questions; you’ll be asked many by excited spectators!
The vast majority of pre-war era vehicles have been sold and exchanged many times. And according to data gathered by Hagerty, the average price of cars that have repeatedly gone to auction is far more stable than the average price of cars traded just once. A post-war classic that hasn’t been around as much could fetch an unusually high price at auction — or an unusually low one — so treating it like an investment is a riskier prospect.
As Hagerty says, “The cars themselves have been bought and sold for longer than most of us have been alive, making for a mature market. Mature, but not showing any sign of decline.” There’s every reason to think these cars will remain valuable for a very long time to come.
So why buy a prewar vintage car? Whether you’re interested in preserving automotive history, standing out from the countless muscle cars at your local car meets, or just want a stable and safe investment vessel, there are many reasons to be interested in owning a historic vehicle.
At Show Cars of Boca Raton, we’ll procure just about any vintage, classic, and historic vehicle for you from all over the continental United States. Visit our vintage car store in Boca Raton, Florida, to let us know what model interests you most.
They’re the original collector cars
For most of the 20th century, “collector cars” referred to ones exclusively built before WWII. This slowly changed as time went by. Today, classic car meets are often packed with 1960s and 1970s American muscle cars, 1980s German sedans, and road-legal specs of iconic rally racers.But pre-war classics are not merely collector cars. Because they were made in the infancy of the automobile industry itself, they’re also the original collector cars. That gives them a special kind of historic value that will only ever increase with time. After all, even modern 2020s models will eventually become vintage — but the prewar models will always be the first.
In this way, owning and driving a prewar car is a bit like paying homage to the idea of the car itself. These were the vehicles that existed when the car hobby began — the cars that created the hobby itself. What could be more iconic than that?
They stand out even more than modern classics
Owning any post-WWII classic car will get you attention. You can probably count on turning a few heads while taking it on a Sunday drive. People will take out their phones to take a photo of your car while it’s parked on the street. But bring it to a car meet, and you’re suddenly just one of many other enthusiasts with one of many other attention-grabbing cars. Unless it’s a true rarity, you won’t stand out.With a pre-war vintage car, you can stand out even among your enthusiast peers. There’s an appeal to these historic models that never wanes. Whether you show up with an original Ford Model A or a restored 1930s Cadillac roadster, there’s a good chance that even car meet attendees won’t have seen a car like it before — outside of a museum. Just be prepared to answer questions; you’ll be asked many by excited spectators!
They have stable pricing in a mature market
The vast majority of pre-war era vehicles have been sold and exchanged many times. And according to data gathered by Hagerty, the average price of cars that have repeatedly gone to auction is far more stable than the average price of cars traded just once. A post-war classic that hasn’t been around as much could fetch an unusually high price at auction — or an unusually low one — so treating it like an investment is a riskier prospect.As Hagerty says, “The cars themselves have been bought and sold for longer than most of us have been alive, making for a mature market. Mature, but not showing any sign of decline.” There’s every reason to think these cars will remain valuable for a very long time to come.
Buy a prewar collector’s icon at Show Cars of Boca Raton
So why buy a prewar vintage car? Whether you’re interested in preserving automotive history, standing out from the countless muscle cars at your local car meets, or just want a stable and safe investment vessel, there are many reasons to be interested in owning a historic vehicle.At Show Cars of Boca Raton, we’ll procure just about any vintage, classic, and historic vehicle for you from all over the continental United States. Visit our vintage car store in Boca Raton, Florida, to let us know what model interests you most.
