Legally, most states have time-based rules for the definition of “historic” or “classic” for purposes such as antique vehicle registration. For example, Maryland defines historic vehicles as 20 calendar years old or older and they “must not have been substantially altered, remodeled or re-manufactured from the manufacturers original design” while West Virginia defines motor vehicles manufactured at least 25 years prior to the current year as eligible for “classic” car license plates.
Despite this, at many American classic car shows, automobiles typically range from the 1920s to the 1970s. Recently, many 1980s and even early 1990s cars are considered being “classic automobiles”. Examples of cars at such shows include the Chevrolet Bel-Air, Ford Model T, Dodge Charger, Ford Deuce Coupe, and 1949 Ford. Meanwhile, the Concours d'Elegance car shows feature prestigious automobiles such as the Cadillac V16 or pre-1940 Rolls-Royce models. There are also terms as “modern customs”, “exotics”, or “collectibles” that cover cars such as the AMC Gremlin or Ford Pinto.
There are differences in the exact identification of a “classic car”. Division by separate eras include: horseless carriages (19th-century experimental automobiles such as the Daimler Motor Carriage), antique cars (brass era cars such as the Ford Model T), and classic cars (typically 1930s cars such as the Cord 812). Some also include muscle cars, with the 1974 model year as the cutoff.
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