# A classic question... classic car, that is **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 7, 2026, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-classic-question-classic-car-that-is/1032200 "2026-08-07T03:30:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 7
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2026, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-classic-question-classic-car-that-is/1032200/121 "2026-08-17T23:02:36Z")
Remember Folks, per the OP, you are getting a **Mint Condition** car and only need to drive it ONE YEAR. Hell, even a British car can probably manage that! ---
**Author:** ![scabpicker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scabpicker/32/8268_2.png) [@scabpicker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scabpicker)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2026, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-classic-question-classic-car-that-is/1032200/122 "2026-08-18T16:59:07Z")
Ehhhh, some of the cars of yesteryear were pretty horrible as they came off the production line. The one that sticks in my head was a mid-80s Camaro that one of the car magazines took for a long term test. It had many, many problems, and they gave up and gave it back well before the test was over. The most hair raising problem was it ejecting its cigarette lighter into the back seat and burning it. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2026, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-classic-question-classic-car-that-is/1032200/123 "2026-08-18T17:02:44Z")
> [@scabpicker](#): > > Ehhhh, some of the cars of yesteryear were pretty horrible as they came off the production line. That is most certainly true, but I am asking what mint condition non-modified car from at least 50 years ago you personally _would_ want to drive for a year…which your mid-eighties Camaro would probably not qualify for. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2026, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-classic-question-classic-car-that-is/1032200/124 "2026-08-18T17:16:41Z")
Lucas Electrical the “Prince of Darkness” ---
**Author:** ![Tibby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tibby/32/17030_2.png) [@Tibby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tibby)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2026, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-classic-question-classic-car-that-is/1032200/125 "2026-08-18T17:23:09Z")
I’ll go with a ['57 T-Bird](https://cdn.dealeraccelerate.com/cam/34/2387/114354/1920x1440/1957-ford-thunderbird-convertible). ---
**Author:** ![sb1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a87d85/32.png) [@sb1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sb1953)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2026, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-classic-question-classic-car-that-is/1032200/126 "2026-08-18T17:24:03Z")
OK I get one in Mint condition and only for one year. I will take a 1968 Jaguar XKE ragtop, Dark enamel blue, chrome wire wheels with red-stripe tires (Dunlops?) with the camel interior, camel canvas top. What a car! When I worked in Grosse Pointe the Doctor’s wife had one ---
**Author:** ![Spiderman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spiderman/32/230_2.png) [@Spiderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiderman)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2026, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-classic-question-classic-car-that-is/1032200/127 "2026-08-18T17:32:20Z")
You’ll have fun, fun, fun…at least until Daddy takes it away. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2026, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-classic-question-classic-car-that-is/1032200/128 "2026-08-18T17:57:12Z")
My drinkin’ buddy has one of these. I hang my hat on the pointy fender and put the beer can on the far end of the rear bumper. ---
**Author:** ![commasense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/commasense/32/3017_2.png) [@commasense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/commasense)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2026, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-classic-question-classic-car-that-is/1032200/129 "2026-08-18T18:22:50Z")
> [@scabpicker](#): > > Ehhhh, some of the cars of yesteryear were pretty horrible as they came off the production line. Yeah, I think the appeal of most the the cars people have mentioned here, including me, is almost entirely aesthetic or nostalgic. Not even the most expensive, prestigious, or technically advanced cars of 50+ years ago can compare to the cheapest and most basic cars of today in terms of safety, fuel economy, reliability, and other practical features. But in terms of style and visual appeal, today’s cars, with few exceptions, can’t hold a candle to some of the classics we’ve been discussing. ---
**Author:** ![WildaBeast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wildabeast/32/6_2.png) [@WildaBeast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WildaBeast)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2026, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-classic-question-classic-car-that-is/1032200/130 "2026-08-18T19:14:59Z")
I was a bit wishy-washy in my first post, but I think a mid-70s BMW 2002 is my final answer. It strikes just the right balance of sportiness and practicality. Something like a TR6 would be fun, but even within the mint condition / one year parameters of the OP, it works better as a weekend car than a daily driver. Besides, I already own a 2019 Miata, so I’ve already gotten the open top roadster thing out of my system. ---
**Author:** ![Pork\_Rind](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pork_rind/32/111_2.png) [@Pork\_Rind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pork_Rind)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2026, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-classic-question-classic-car-that-is/1032200/131 "2026-08-18T21:45:45Z")
> [@Gatopescado](#): > > Remember Folks, per the OP, you are getting a **Mint Condition** car and only need to drive it ONE YEAR. Hell, even a British car can probably manage that! As a guy that owned a brand-new, straight from the production line British car, I say: HA! ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2026, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-classic-question-classic-car-that-is/1032200/132 "2026-08-18T22:22:12Z")
Nobody wants the Morgan F-Series three wheeler? I’m (not very) shocked! ---
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2026, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-classic-question-classic-car-that-is/1032200/133 "2026-08-18T22:29:17Z")
Easy pick for me. 1955 Chevy pick up, second series V-8 265-cubic-inch small block. ---
**Author:** ![YellowDog51](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/a5b964/32.png) [@YellowDog51](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YellowDog51)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2026, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-classic-question-classic-car-that-is/1032200/134 "2026-08-18T23:47:23Z")
I had a 1971 Datsun 240 Z. I’d take a nice new one in a heartbeat. Of course it lacked modern safety features, but it was seriously fun to drive. It was kind of a Japanese muscle car knock off-of a British sports car. Plenty of power and good suspension. And it ran forever. And it was a babe magnet - still married to one of them. ---
**Author:** ![scabpicker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scabpicker/32/8268_2.png) [@scabpicker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scabpicker)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2026, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-classic-question-classic-car-that-is/1032200/135 "2026-08-19T00:12:22Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > That is most certainly true, but I am asking what mint condition non-modified car from at least 50 years ago you personally _would_ want to drive for a year…which your mid-eighties Camaro would probably not qualify for. Yeah, that was an example of how even a “mint” car can be pretty bad. It was an assurance that even a “mint” car can go to hell in a year. It wasn’t an entry for submission to the thread. As far as how reliable British cars were in the time period, British Leyland (basically their version of GM) was already into the process of going out of business at the time. That had many reasons, but quality was certainly one of them. In the words of one salesman, “Well, we looked at it like this. The car had a one year’s guarantee, and it was guaranteed to go wrong within that year.” ---
**Author:** ![scabpicker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scabpicker/32/8268_2.png) [@scabpicker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scabpicker)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2026, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-classic-question-classic-car-that-is/1032200/136 "2026-08-19T03:53:15Z")
> [@pkbites](#): > > No. > > The Dukes drove a 1969 Dodge Charger. It wasn’t anyone’s pick for this thread, but I kind of feel the '68-'70 Charger needs a mention. I had access to one for a few years. It had been in the family since new. It wasn’t anything special, a '68 non-RT with an auto and a 4bbl 383. The thing that impressed me was how well such a huge car could handle. Flat through a corner, and it communicated well what end might come loose if you pushed it. It wasn’t my BRZ, but it handled much better than any of the other US cars I’ve driven of its era. So, if the restriction was for the same qualifications as this thread, but it had to weigh more than 3000 lbs, I’d pick a second gen Charger with any Chrysler big block you chose, but a manual transmission, please. Chrysler electronics are a little better than Lucas’ electronics, at least. ---
**Author:** ![gkster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gkster/32/14107_2.png) [@gkster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gkster)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2026, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-classic-question-classic-car-that-is/1032200/137 "2026-08-19T14:06:06Z")
A mid 70s Volvo station wagon for me. Safe, reliable, easy to drive. It’s the car that I learned to drive in, as a teen, and as an adult I drove a 1988 wagon until sadly it finally gave up in 2007. One feature I liked was the great visibility; with every other car I’ve driven since, there are huge blind spots when turning around and looking back. ---
**Author:** ![jnglmassiv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f07891/32.png) [@jnglmassiv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jnglmassiv)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2026, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-classic-question-classic-car-that-is/1032200/138 "2026-08-19T15:32:42Z")
> [@scabpicker](#): > > It wasn’t anything special, a '68 non-RT with an auto and a 4bbl 383. That’s close to my 68 Plymouth Satellite 2dr, 273 2bbl I had in the mid 90s and mentioned upthread. No power brakes or a/c or passenger side side mirror but the power steering was very spinny. It started well here in freezing Chicago winters but had modern sealed batteries, if course. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Passing\_Through](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Just\_Passing\_Through](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Passing_Through)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2026, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-classic-question-classic-car-that-is/1032200/139 "2026-08-19T15:41:33Z")
1969 Chevelle. My first car in the 80s. ---
**Author:** ![california\_jobcase](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9d8465/32.png) [@california\_jobcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/california_jobcase)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2026, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-classic-question-classic-car-that-is/1032200/140 "2026-08-20T03:15:44Z")
Wow. Too many to choose from! OK, then- An R1 1963 Studebaker Avanti with a four speed and A/C. Barring that, a 1959 Chevy El Camino with a six cylinder and a three on the tree. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-classic-question-classic-car-that-is/1032200.md?page=6) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-classic-question-classic-car-that-is/1032200.md?page=8)