Do You Consider a 1986 Car To Be Old Or Classic?

[ChiliPepperGarage]

I got this car in a trade for another car I wasn't using anymore. It's a 1986 Corvette Pace Car Edition, moderate miles, 100% stock. FYI: unlike the 1978 pace cars, all '86 convertible Corvettes were Pace Car editions and came with the stickers that the dealers had the option to install or not. So it is not particularly rare or have any added value other than being kind of cool. It is in quite good condition and even though it's an automatic, it is fun to drive and makes a nice cruiser. I kind of like having an auto in a convertible as it makes it a little more pleasurable to drive and enjoy without the temptation to hammer on it all the time. It's great to just put the top down, slap it in drive, crank up the tunes, and cruise.

Anyway, I'm an old car guy (in both senses of the phrase) and my other two Corvettes are a '79 and a '73. I have a bunch of other older cars too. I tend to think of anything newer than 1980 as a late model car. Probably because of my age but also because that's when cars started getting more plastic, computers, electronics, etc. and just started having a different feel to them. When the C4 came out it was a big advancement in technology and was considered to be pretty impressive for the time. Today, not so much when compared to modern cars.

What I like about it though, is that it handles pretty well, has okay power, has a lot of creature comforts and a modern car feel while also still having a bit of old car in it if that makes sense. But to me, I still consider it to be a newer car.

So I'm wondering how most people think about it. Would you call it old or classic? Am I just a dinosaur considering a car has to be '70s or older to be old? Oh, and I don't own any jorts or New Balance shoes.

 

[boatpi]

You could use our electric car, but I don’t think this particular addition is going to be worth any sort of real money for many many years to come. They were very good cars at the time, but not spectacular as you look back and considering the overall numbers produced they’re just not that collectible.

 

[PlanB]

I don't know about a classic but they were fun cars. I had an 84 and an 85 back in the 80's. The 84 with Crossfire injection kind of sucked (acceleration lagged) but the 85 with Tuned Port Injection made for a great responsive car. Handling with good tires was pretty good as well for the 80's.

 

[77charger]

IMO depends on car. 86 fox body an iroc or vette classic.

86 Buick ls Sabre old lol.

 

[Todd Mohr]

They are still pretty cheap, drive nice and are reliable. It may not go up in value a ton, but they are rising. You're not gonna lose money and they are fun to drive. JMO

 

[ltbaney1]

its a cool car and if you enjoy it go for it. from my limited knowledge, you wont loose money on a corvette.

 

[Dkahnjob]

I bought an 86 C4 brand new. Waited almost a year to get it, the first convertible in several years. I also had a white 89 C4 convertible.

Fun cars.

 

[Blue Oval]

I have a 94 Mustang I have owned for 30 years. I just think of it as old and can’t believe I have owned it that long. Insurance companies at one time treated 25 year old cars as classics. It might be a classic at 25 years old if it wasn’t still in production.

 

[JDKRXW]

Cool car ... but not as cool as the GMC motorhome in the background

 

[sonicss31]

Just old Corvette, not a classic yet. I’m a C5 guy but always liked the C4 for the tilt front end.

 

[Todd Mohr]

Cool car ... but not as cool as the GMC motorhome in the background

Why do I have an urge to restomod one those? They are kinda cool.

 

[lakemadness]

I’d say that’s leaning more towards old and not classic. Maybe a little classic just because of the pace car status, but as you said they’re just decals.

A close friend has a ‘78 pace car, his dad ran in the ‘78 race.

There are many classics that are in the ‘80s. In my opinion it depends on the car, history and rarity.

 

[dribble]

Unless its a Buick Grand National or GNX, no.

 

[monkeyswrench]

I'm a middle age old car guy. I refuse to accept anything I've driven as a daily could be considered a classic, like Fox Bodies.
I'm not that old yet
Because of the stuff I've driven, I look at most 60's cars as "late models". Factory disc brakes, independent front suspension...modern stuff. Corvettes will always be a "classic" though. Some more desirable than others, but still a classic part of Americana.

 

[ChiliPepperGarage]

Okay, so a little more info on why I'm asking. Some of you might remember that a couple years ago I bought a C5 Z06 out of Iowa and drove it back to northern NV on mostly two lane roads going through cool small towns. . I posted a bunch of photos of that trip. I still have great memories of it and want to do another cross country trip this summer.

I want to do it in an older car because they are conversation starters and that can lead to finding other old classic cars in these small towns. I want to do a little photo journal of the trip and hope to talk to old car guys in each town. I want to hear stories about the old days and the mischief they got into. Maybe video them as well. Ideally, I'd have some one with me to record it and then edit it all together like a full length movie. I'd title it, "Searching For John Milner".

I'd like to use this car because it's comfortable and gets good gas mileage. It's also not so nice that I'd be afraid to drive it on dirt roads or worry about it. I avoided a lot of dirt roads with the Z06 because it was too nice and had only 30K miles on it. I'm afraid thought that it might not be much of a conversation starter and people will look at it as just some cheap older Corvette.

So if you saw this car at a gas station or a dinner, would you give it a second glance or not care? This would be in small rural towns and not CA or AZ where there are tons of rich guys with fancy cars. Or should I just deal with using more gas, travel at a slower pace in less comfort and use one of my other older cars?

 

[Boatymcboatface]

As a kid born in the early 70s that body style is what I picture as a corvette. I had no idea on the performance capabilities, but they looked cool as hell driving around town.


It should definitely start conversations and I’m sure it will be a joy to drive around! Hope you have a great trip and look forward to the seeing the pictures.

 

[Blue Oval]

There is a classic for you. Best friends car that was restored this summer. Her Fathers car. It was left in storage over 25 years. It took an act of god to get it out. Storage people tried to take ownership of the car. Thank goodness Lisa won. Cost some $$ to get it out of storage. Fun car to drive.

 

[Crazyhippy]

Cackalacky Run Drag and Drive

1/4 mile National level Drag and Drive in the Carolinas at Rockingham Dragway (The Rock), Darlington Dragway, Virginia Motorsports Park (VMP)

cackalackyrun.com

Late March drag and drive. You would need a helmet, and some drag radials... youre more tha. Welcome to run with my group. We will have tools, and beer (after driving is done).

There is also Sick Smokies in the fall, and I've been doing https://sestreetyeet.com/...

A clean C4 will turn heads in the backroad towns a beat up one, not so much.

 

[530RL]

Classic cars are for insurance purposes typically 25 years old.

With a classic car policy, many states exempt emissions requirements such as Arizona.

 

[ChiliPepperGarage]

There is a classic for you. Best friends car that was restored this summer. Her Fathers car. It was left in storage over 25 years. It took an act of god to get it out. Storage people tried to take ownership of the car. Thank goodness Lisa won. Cost some $$ to get it out of storage. Fun car to drive. View attachment 1462013

'67 big block 4 speed is my dream car. Unfortunately, they have gotten crazy in pricing now. So much so that I'd be very paranoid about leaving one in a hotel parking lot. I've been on the look out for an affordable small block car though. I had this '64 small block 300 horse 327 but sold it to my best bud back east about 10 years ago. Should have kept it but it was a Power Glide car.

 

[ChiliPepperGarage]

Cackalacky Run Drag and Drive

1/4 mile National level Drag and Drive in the Carolinas at Rockingham Dragway (The Rock), Darlington Dragway, Virginia Motorsports Park (VMP)

cackalackyrun.com

Late March drag and drive. You would need a helmet, and some drag radials... youre more tha. Welcome to run with my group. We will have tools, and beer (after driving is done).

There is also Sick Smokies in the fall, and I've been doing https://sestreetyeet.com/...

A clean C4 will turn heads in the backroad towns a beat up one, not so much.

Thanks for the offer. I really want to do some drag and drives. We have the Redwood Run in northern CA and Oregon that I'd like to do. I'm building my '71 SS 454 elCamino to be a drag and drive car.

 

[Dog]

Okay, so a little more info on why I'm asking. Some of you might remember that a couple years ago I bought a C5 Z06 out of Iowa and drove it back to northern NV on mostly two lane roads going through cool small towns. . I posted a bunch of photos of that trip. I still have great memories of it and want to do another cross country trip this summer.

I want to do it in an older car because they are conversation starters and that can lead to finding other old classic cars in these small towns. I want to do a little photo journal of the trip and hope to talk to old car guys in each town. I want to hear stories about the old days and the mischief they got into. Maybe video them as well. Ideally, I'd have some one with me to record it and then edit it all together like a full length movie. I'd title it, "Searching For John Milner".

I'd like to use this car because it's comfortable and gets good gas mileage. It's also not so nice that I'd be afraid to drive it on dirt roads or worry about it. I avoided a lot of dirt roads with the Z06 because it was too nice and had only 30K miles on it. I'm afraid thought that it might not be much of a conversation starter and people will look at it as just some cheap older Corvette.

So if you saw this car at a gas station or a dinner, would you give it a second glance or not care? This would be in small rural towns and not CA or AZ where there are tons of rich guys with fancy cars. Or should I just deal with using more gas, travel at a slower pace in less comfort and use one of my other older cars?

As a "car guy" living in and around these small towns, to be honest I wouldn't even take a second look. If it was a car show and you had some history or some stories to tell I would talk about the car. But seeing it at a gas station, not much interest as they are a dime a dozen. You might get a lot of attention from someone that "isn't in the know" and thinks the "pace car" thing is impressive.

 

[ChiliPepperGarage]

As a "car guy" living in and around these small towns, to be honest I wouldn't even take a second look. If it was a car show and you had some history or some stories to tell I would talk about the car. But seeing it at a gas station, not much interest as they are a dime a dozen. You might get a lot of attention from someone that "isn't in the know" and thinks the "pace car" thing is impressive.

This is my thinking too. I know that I really wouldn't pay it much attention either.

 

[Outdrive1]

Unless its a Buick Grand National or GNX, no.

Or a 911 Turbo

 

[TrollerDave]

'67 big block 4 speed is my dream car. Unfortunately, they have gotten crazy in pricing now. So much so that I'd be very paranoid about leaving one in a hotel parking lot. I've been on the look out for an affordable small block car though. I had this '64 small block 300 horse 327 but sold it to my best bud back east about 10 years ago. Should have kept it but it was a Power Glide car.

View attachment 1462015

I LOVEEEEE the wheels and stance on that. In my opinion, This is one of the most unique and awesome looking stock body styles ever. Definite attention getter. It’s a bummer you sold it.