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.

 

[PlumLoco]

In my opinion (64 yr old muscle car loving dirt bike rider) the "classic" years ended in 1972. The Big 3 all got uglier styling and less horsepower. They also had to start making cars to suit the ever changing mandates of the government for safety and air quality. I can admit if you are looking for "classics" there are a few exceptions after that point but not many.
My buddy just bought an 86 El Camino with 47,000 miles. It looks brand new right down to the rims, tires, and stickers under the hood. It will never be a true classic but it should would turn heads at the Home Depot.

 

[530RL]

In my opinion (64 yr old muscle car loving dirt bike rider) the "classic" years ended in 1972. The Big 3 all got uglier styling and less horsepower. They also had to start making cars to suit the ever changing mandates of the government for safety and air quality. I can admit if you are looking for "classics" there are a few exceptions after that point but not many.
My buddy just bought an 86 El Camino with 47,000 miles. It looks brand new right down to the rims, tires, and stickers under the hood. It will never be a true classic but it should would turn heads at the Home Depot.

Interestingly the popular product now is a late 60’s early 70’s car with modern drivetrain, brakes and chassis. The restomod.

Ive got an 81 corvette NCRS 99 point original car with 13,000 miles. Love the thing, but god it rides, turns and brakes like shit.

You have to like working on cars to own a classic car. They were really unreliable products.

 

[PlumLoco]

My wife's father had an anniversary Corvette from the 70's. 25th maybe? Silver with T-tops. He let her drive it to high school often. He didn't care, it was just a car.

 

[530RL]

My wife's father had an anniversary Corvette from the 70's. 25th maybe? Silver with T-tops. He let her drive it to high school often. He didn't care, it was just a car.

78 was that year.

 

[MOUZER]

Just old not a classic

 

[530RL]

Just old not a classic

A lot of car collecting or any collecting is about a historical reference. My dad had one and used to pick me up in grade school, or grandpa had one and we worked on it together, or it was my first car.

For example I have an 87 sleekcraft that is mint and worth a fraction of what it cost me to restore it. It’s certainly not a Shiada or some other big brand, a “classic”, but it is just like my first boat I bought new so to me it has more intrinsic value than some “classic”.

People should buy what gives them that psychic and emotional connection to the past. And not give a shit what other people think. If it’s what floats your boat, it’s classic to them and that is all that should matter.

 

[MOUZER]

I mean I wouldn't mind having it

 

[Orange Juice]

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.


View attachment 1461984

I had a 1986 corvette z51 package (loaded) with the 4+3 manual transmission.
The early 1986’s, (like mine) had iron heads. Half way through the model year they changed over to aluminum. Which I believe all convertibles have.

 

[shintoooo]

I saw this in the parking lot today. Classic.

Fruit Cups for the locals that know where this is…

 

[TripleB]

'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 had a 1964 vette but sold that to get 4 wheel disc brakes I bought this 1966 small block 4 speed car puke green in 1982, pulled the body off the frame and I modified it 427 turbo 400 stainless brakes fiberglass leaf spring 77 vette mirrors roll bar and still have it after 42 years

 

[Wombat]

I had a 1986 corvette z51 package (loaded) with the 4+3 manual transmission.
The early 1986’s, (like mine) had iron heads. Half way through the model year they changed over to aluminum. Which I believe all convertibles have.

Got my 86 Vette in 92 with Z51 package and a 4+3 manual transmission and still have it. It's in mint condition and runs well.

 

[poncho]

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.

My IROC was cross fire or TBI I forget now, my little Sister bought a new tuned port and it would hand my car it's ass.

 

[beertruck]

technically it would be considered classic because of the age, but to me it would be old. Just like I don't consider Nirvana classic rock

 

[Seacatjeff]

In '85 I was thinking of getting an '85 Vette until I sat in one. Fugedabout it. The seating position sucked. I got an '85 Nissan 280 Z instead. Are classic cars only considered American? I always thought the Nissan 240z to 280 Z's were good looking but certainly not a muscle car

 

[Boatymcboatface]

In '85 I was thinking of getting an '85 Vette until I sat in one. Fugedabout it. The seating position sucked. I got an '85 Nissan 280 Z instead. Are classic cars only considered American? I always thought the Nissan 240z to 280 Z's were good looking but certainly not a muscle car

View attachment 1462446

Some of those early Zs are getting expensive.

 

[Smupser]

I don’t consider anything newer than 1980 to be a classic. Collectible, but not classic

 

[jetboatperformance]

I only wish I had pictures of my 56' Bel Air, SS409 Impala , GTO , Road Runner and On and On... Alas My favorite was My 63' Split window

 

[GRADS]

1986. You be the judge.

 

[530RL]

Here is a 2000 model.

 

[H20 Toie]

72 or older to be a classic, but i'm probably the wrong person to ask since my daily is an 89

 

[One2go]

In my opinion (64 yr old muscle car loving dirt bike rider) the "classic" years ended in 1972. The Big 3 all got uglier styling and less horsepower. They also had to start making cars to suit the ever changing mandates of the government for safety and air quality. I can admit if you are looking for "classics" there are a few exceptions after that point but not many.
My buddy just bought an 86 El Camino with 47,000 miles. It looks brand new right down to the rims, tires, and stickers under the hood. It will never be a true classic but it should would turn heads at the Home Depot.

Agreed, Camaro was always the car I wanted when was teen. My buddy had a true 70z28 split bumper that was all original, beautiful . I had a 56 Chevy ( sorta done gasser style) wish I still had. 73 is IMO when the Camaro lost its way. After that forget about it for me. Anyway the first gen 67-69 is still also one my favorites. Here’s my 68 Someday will get a Z 28 70-71

 

[Orange Juice]

1986. You be the judge.

View attachment 1462469

Not a classic, not collectible.

Conversation piece, yes.

 

[spectras only]

My 1980 Vette, old but not classic,LOL. The 1976 Spectra, classic.

The 64 Lincoln and Spectra, both classic.

My 72 Challenger 340, was a muscle car back in the days, maybe a classic now. Bought it new and had a lot of fun with it for 8 yrs. Was a trouble free car.

 

[spectras only]

I'd call my 1972 Volvo 1800 a true classic. Almost done with the semi resto on it.