> You can't really define on the basis of age, either. Ten
> years ago a Spitfire
> would still probably have been called a classic, even though
> the most recent
> ones would be only 10 years old. Yet I would hardly call my wifes'
> 12-year-old Citroen BX a classic. Austin Allegros are
> mostly older than
> Daffy, and many would dispute their classic status -
> although even they have
> their followers, and I would not want to deny them their
> right to call theirs
> a 'classic'. But I'm not sure there's many fighting the
> corner for the Morris
> Marina...
Some cars are classics the moment they roll off the line (Ferrari, Mini,
Aston Martin), others become classics for any number of reasons. Most small
British sportscars gained Classic status simply because the Motor industry
here abandoned the idea - when the MGB, Midget and Spitfire were
discontinued at the start of the 80s, there was no natural replacement
(though the "Hot Hatch" trend took their place in the marketplace). It was
10 years before Mazda launched the MX5 (Miata), a more worthy successor
though built in the wrong country! A generation grew up in that time -
nostalgia built up rather earlier than you might expect.
Some cars become Classics on the simple basis of being survivors. I
recently found myself noticing an Allegro at the local supermarket, and
muttering "you don't see many of them anymore!" - this to me marks my own
acceptance that these truly dreadful cars have become Classics. The very
fact that there are so few left makes them unusual in their own right,
whatever negative qualities they have. Remember that the MGC was described
when new as the worst understeering car ever tested by one of the major
motoring magazines (I forget which), yet few would deny it's status as a
Classic. On the other hand, the Allegro is very ugly - something I find hard
to forgive!
Finally, don't dismiss the Marina out of hand. From what I've seen,
they have at least one active and well supported owners club, something I've
yet to see of the Allegro. I won't be buying one myself....
Cheers,
Bill.
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/ \ William Davies
/ \ Total Triumph Enthusiast
__ __________________ __
/ \ ______ ______ / \ 1959 Herald 948 Coupé Y128
\__/ \ || / \__/ 1959 Herald 948 Coupé
| A \____||____/ A | 1959 Herald 948 Saloon
| = H H = | 1960 Herald 948 Saloon Export
=====U==============U===== 1961 Herald 'S'
\________________________/ 1961 Herald 1200 Coupé
| | | | 1964 Herald 1200 Saloon
|_| |_| 1973 Spitfire MkIV
1959 Standard Atlas Pickup
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