Most car enthusiasts will understand the draw of a classic, or old, vintage car, whatever label you give it, there’s something special about these motors. Often, they’re small, free from tax and are built from materials that make them lethal by today’s standards.
We’re talking about the kinds of car that wouldn’t pass today’s safety standards by a long shot, thanks to their lack of airbags and indicators that flap up like a wing, instead of blinking – we’re looking at you, 1950s Morris Minor.
There’s no conclusive answer as to why people continue to spend time, money and tears on vintage cars, it’s different for everybody. Sometimes it’s purely for the gravitas of having a quirky old car, while for others it’s a project to be constantly worked on. Whatever the case, there’s no denying that they’re expensive, or that they’re continuously popular with fanatics.
We’ve got three different models here that some of you might recognise, indeed you might even know about the bittersweet love of taking care of one of them. If you do – we’d love to hear about it!
MK1 Golf
The Volkswagen Golf has been a particular favourite across many different buyers for years. It’s many iterations have seen Golfs display competitive performance and market-leading efficiency figures. However, what about the Mk1?
Well, the Mk1 is where it all started for the Golf range; heralded as a small family car, this was actually the successor to the VW Beetle. It came on the market in 1974 to appeal to the modern buyer with its front-wheel-drive and hatchback style that weren’t to be found on the aging Beetle. They were only available until 1980 and there’s very few of them still about, so if you’re going to pour your heart out and buy one, you need to be careful you’re not picking up an imposter model.
Most fell and continue to fall victim to rust and road salting and general corrosion can be an issue. But, if you have the time, you’ll be rewarded with a 1.6-litre engine that can motor surprisingly well, despite it’s age. If you’re looking for some camaraderie, then you’ll enjoy the Mk1 Golf Owners Club, which holds events, clubs and support groups for all you long-suffering fans out there.
Vintage Mini Cooper
Who doesn’t love one of these treasures? They’re among the most British cars that existed, and they’ve popped up in films for years, the cheesiest reference is possibly Austin Powers 3, when Michael Caine drove one emblazoned with a Union Jack on the roof.
Originally made in 1959, the Mini Cooper – and it’s successors – is considered by most as the icon of the sixties, as far as cars are concerned. Production halted on the Mini Cooper in 2000 and it was voted as the second most influential car of the 20th century, one ahead of the VW Beetle. It was made by the British Motor Corporation and featured a space-saving transverse engine front-wheel drive layout, which allowed most of the car’s floorplan to be used for passengers and luggage.
Performance versions of the Mini Cooper and Cooper S were built and enjoyed success as rally cars. These won the Monte Carlo Rally in 1964, 1965 and 1967, which is perhaps what provides some of the draw to this model.
Vintage VW Beetle
We’ve already mentioned a bit about the Volkswagen Beetle and although it was replaced by the Golf, it still has a strong fan base. This two-door, four passenger, rear-engine economy car was manufactured by VW from 1938 until 2003, so the original enjoyed quite the life span.
Originally, Ferdinand Porsche was commissioned to design and build the Beetle, which was similar to the Tatra V570. It was built to fit the new structure of the roadworks in Germany in the late thirties and early forties but there were several payments that had to be made to Tatra-Ringhoffer for the infringements that Porsche made by designing the Beetle.
However, with more than 21 million of these vehicles produced, the Beetle is currently the longest-running and most-manufactured car of a single platform ever made. When you’re buying a vintage VW Beetle, you’re not just getting a car, you’re also purchasing a little piece of history.
Feature Image: Quotesgram
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