Classic and Collector Cars

For our purposes, a classic car is one which established a trend, revealed new technology, or somehow became representative of a time or a generation. A Jaguar XK-120 is one, as is a '64 Ford Mustang and a '55 Chevy. Collector cars are those who were not necessarily special in their own time, but in retrospect are desirable if they are really clean, or evoke nostalgic feelings from baby-boomers for whatever reason. There are many cars that are distinguished both style-wise and mechanically, but somehow few people want them. I owned two of those, a Jensen Interceptor (English body, 383 Chrysler V8, 138mph all day long) and a Jensen-Healey 2 liter Lotus-Engined roadster. Both much better cars than their price would indicate.

I'm also restoring a Jaguar Mk IX Sedan, 1959, and it's in the collectable category - not remarkable, but when it's totally done, and it's 50 years old and perfect and a design of another era, it makes for an interesting car, and one you can drive daily if you wish..

But here is the latest toy, getting restored this winter for sale next summer: a collectible 1970 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme Convertable. This picture was taken on a beautiful mid-December day at 8,000 feet in the rockies, with the perfect occupants - two high school girls ready to rock 'n' roll.

This cars looks good from 100 feet, but the engine is totally worn out, the recent paint job is terrible and needs to come off completely, but it does have a new top, only minor damage to the grille and bumper, and will be a totally restored car by next june, where hopefully it will excite some middle-age crisis guy to buy it to impress teenage girls...