Hello,

A new article entitled CLASSIC CARS ON THE CUTTING ROOM FLOOR is now the first article you'll find on the website:
http://www.helium.com/user/show/112205

It's about the experience I had with my 1956 CONTINENTAL MARK II in a recent movie. There are 10 other of my car articles there as well.

Regards, and Enjoy,
Tim Benford

Timothy - it is a free country ! If you want to run around yelling the word "classic" at cars you like of ANY era, of ANY make - ENJOY. I cant imagine anyone who understands what it means to be an American and live in our wonderful country, taking it upon themselves to tell YOU what to call cars YOU like !

But, somehow, you have found this "site", where people who are interested in the Classic Car Club Of America come to talk over Club issues, and the cars WE think are "classics". Hopefully, just as you and others who look into these sites enjoy the freedom to say what YOU think are "classics", you will respect OUR right, as CCCA members, to put in OUR "two-cents" worth on what WE think are "classics".

The Classic Car Club of America, and its two largest regions, was formed in the early 1950's. Some of us thought of ourselves as "rebels", rebelling at we felt was the loss of elegance in the design and execution of cars for the upper-most classes after the war.

In those years, it never occured to us that our cars would be valuable. What appealed to us, was how "classy" they were, meaning, the biggest, fastest, most elegant "super-luxury" cars of the late 1920's up to the end of automobile production in the United States in Feb. 1942 for the duration of World War Two.

It also never occured to us to see much value in the ordinary old cars of that era, or the ordinary cars any other era, for that matter. As our Rule Book says, we admire those who show an interest in ANY auto of ANY era. We have proceedures for holding "joint meets" with all manner of old car, old boat, old train, old airplane and other historical interest groups. From our earliest years, we have sought out "joint events" hoping people would see something worthwhile in saving, again, the biggest, most elegant, most powerful "super-luxury" cars (bear in mind much of the CCCA membership likes & admires ALL kinds of old vehicles and the people who save them. I bet it would amaze you to know what some of us own and operate BESIDES what WE call "classics".

But what to call our Club ? I wasnt a member for the first couple of years - so I can only guess that someone noted that the word "classy" is like the ancient greek word classicus"...or "classic", which, if you had a formal education, you'd know had a duplciate meaning - first and foremost, meant "the highest standard". Thus, in those years, we were interested in saving cars like the Cadillac V-16 and V-12, Duesenburgs, Packard Super Eights and V-12's cars, the BIG Lincolns ( Zephyrs and Cadillac 8's Packard "120"s etc., need not apply...!)

The other parallel meaning of the word "classic" was "form follows function"...a "school of design" that went out of fashion when the "steam-lined" / "art deco" era hit. That is why we did NOT consider post-war cars "classics". After all..just look at a streamlined post war car luxury - it is the very antithesis of a big 1930's car in that fenders and headlights ooze into one streamlined mass, rather than stand proudly representing the function of each.

I recently rented a late model Chevrolet ( I am suspicious that it is a re-badged Toyota Corolla) that had chrome lettering on the back that said "Malibu Classic". You can order "Classic Coke" and "Classic Chicken" at a fast food restaurant.

But please be aware, that within the Classic Car Club Of America, WE think WE should have the right to be just as specific about what WE think the word means, as you do in your well written and interesting articles !