Collecting cars can be a lot of fun!! A great deal of money can be made, too, but at the end of the day, it is the same as with any investment. The value of vintage cars can go down as well as up.
Caveat! This is not for the penny counters…
I asked one vintage car owner, “why do you love Vintage cars? Why do you even do it?” His answer fascinated me….
“When you get to my age and status, few things amaze me… It’s the memories I cherish”.
Fascinating… isn’t it?
Vintage car owners attest to how much love and care has gone into preserving the timeless brands of major car makers. At a vintage car show held in Accra recently, I realised, although the number of cars were few, to the disappointment of some persons at the event; it nevertheless gave me an insight into the potential of such an event for the future. The nostalgic stories participants shared at the event are simply priceless.
Like I said from the beginning, this isn’t for the penny counters. The value of some of these cars will astound you. It hit me; memories are indeed priceless.
Let’s deep dive, shall we?
After Ford rocked the automotive world with its new Mustang in 1964, the folks at Chevrolet got serious with a pony car of their own. The result was the 1967 Camaro, an aggressively styled convertible or coupe which changed the entire landscape of car manufacturing. Many enthusiasts of the 1967 Chevy Camaro admire these automobiles for their striking, robust appearance. This classic vehicle is a tribute to a past age in vehicle creation. Today, it is one of the most owned vintage cars in the world! Modern alterations have turned this classic car into the future! A real beauty!
The Ford Mustang GT350 and GT500 or better known as the Shelby Mustang, built by Shelby American from 1965 to 1967, and by the Ford Motor company from 1968 to 1970 is another true classic. From the first generation GT350 to the 5th Generation GT500, this classic car has history written all over it! It’s iterations today are a marvel! The all-new Shelby GT500 is arguably the most powerful street-legal ford in History, with a supercharged 5.2-liter V8 producing more than 700 horsepower, no doubt is the most advanced mustang ever for street, track or drag strip! But the 1967 GT350 is still desired by Vintage car collectors!
Special editions or limited-run models are clearly desirable because it’s ownership bestows a sense of exclusivity and also creates a sense of belonging to a particular class! Again, I repeat, this isn’t a cheap venture!
The kinds of cars that would previously have been considered classics from the automotive golden eras of the 1960s and ’70s are now old enough to be considered antique.
We all like to own beautiful things, and cars are no different. A well-designed and aesthetically attractive vintage automobile such as the Lamborghini Miura or Jaguar E-Type will always have collectors queuing up to buy into ownership, so demand will always be high.
So what really makes them special?
Vintage cars are created very much in an analogue world where designers used pencil and paper to create elegant shapes and flowing lines that would just not be possible on the computer-based design software used by modern car designers. Take the front wing of a Jaguar XK120 or the profile of a Ferrari 250 GTO, as great examples!
They just don’t make them like this anymore.
Business moguls such as, Osei Kwame Despite, was hot on social media after a photo of a vintage car he bought went viral. The car fascinated many social media users because of its look and the special customisations accompanying it.
It has turned out that, the car was not the only one to have been acquired by the business mogul to add to his large fleet of exotic cars. The Peace FM owner actually went shopping for many cars in what looks like an attempt to collect vintage cars!
Vintage designs are beautiful in every way, but are made in shapes that no modern designer could create nowadays, the way the metal frame underneath the bodywork used during the prototype stage and even “bucks” used to shape bodywork would have a direct influence on the car’s form.
These designs belong to a previous age that people fondly look back on, where designers were unencumbered by constraints such as crash tests, or aerodynamic drag coefficients, and instead created shapes that reflected the mood and trends of the time.
As the popular saying goes only those who have felt it will understand the love between a lover of vintage cars and his collection!