Classics left to die/rotting pics - Vol 2

[//j17]

Another vote for the BX as a classic here.

Storer, unless you've been made god-emperor of the world overnight and BBC Breakfast just failed to mention it this morning just because YOU have a definition of what YOU think a Classic Car is doesn't make it so or mean any of the rest of us have to share that definition. If you really must open (yet another endless) "What's the definition of a Classic Car?) thread but experience suggest you won't get a single answer or even that much consensus of opinion.

Personally I'd rather go to a "Classic Car Show" and see a BX, a Metro, an early Japanese car, etc than the more often line-up of; MGB, MGB, MGB, Escort, Escort, Escort, Escort, E-type, E-type, E-type, 911, 911,911.

One of the dullest spaces I've ever seen on this planet was the Porsche parking area at the Le Mans Classic. Hundreds' of more or less identical 911s, exciting!

[Yertis]

This is one of the things that pisses me off about the whole "classic" car movement, this "it's not a classic unless blah blah..." debate. It's like saying Tracey Emin's installations are not art. They are, because they are. (Tracey can't draw for toffee IMO but that's another argument.)

[Fastdruid]

MarshPhantom said:

Storer said:

Yertis said:

So by that token a Mark 1 Escort is not a classic. Good luck with that. I actually quite liked the BX when it was a current model. It was a proper Citroen, quite distinctive. Don't know why it is any less deserving and that particular GTi 4x4 is very interesting, to me.

I owned a Mk1 Escort 1300GT in the 1970's and no, they are not a Classic or Hero. A genuine Mexico would be.
Maybe we need a forum called 'Car's My Parents Owned When I was a Kid' or 'Car's I Remember Fondly from my Youth'
They are not Classics, just cars you have a connection with.

You've ruined your own argument there, maybe a boggo BX isn't particularly interesting but the fastest one is. Which part of that don't you understand? You may have had a point if you'd said they aren't rotting as much of the bodywork is plastic.

The 16V came second in The Telegraph's list of the best hot hatches.

www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/picturegalleries/1127...

I always preferred the "big wing" version of the BX19 to the spoiler version.

Then again I will admit to liking them "because my parents had one" (a BX19 GTi, the 8v rather than the 16v though).

[tapkaJohnD]

//j17 said:

Personally I'd rather go to a "Classic Car Show" and see a BX, a Metro, an early Japanese car, etc than the more often line-up of; MGB, MGB, MGB, Escort, Escort, Escort, Escort, E-type, E-type, E-type, 911, 911,911.

One of the dullest spaces I've ever seen on this planet was the Porsche parking area at the Le Mans Classic. Hundreds' of more or less identical 911s, exciting!

You should have come to Tertre Rouge - Triumphs as far as the eye can see, all sorts!
John

[MarshPhantom]

Fastdruid said:

MarshPhantom said:

Storer said:

Yertis said:

So by that token a Mark 1 Escort is not a classic. Good luck with that. I actually quite liked the BX when it was a current model. It was a proper Citroen, quite distinctive. Don't know why it is any less deserving and that particular GTi 4x4 is very interesting, to me.

I owned a Mk1 Escort 1300GT in the 1970's and no, they are not a Classic or Hero. A genuine Mexico would be.
Maybe we need a forum called 'Car's My Parents Owned When I was a Kid' or 'Car's I Remember Fondly from my Youth'
They are not Classics, just cars you have a connection with.

You've ruined your own argument there, maybe a boggo BX isn't particularly interesting but the fastest one is. Which part of that don't you understand? You may have had a point if you'd said they aren't rotting as much of the bodywork is plastic.

The 16V came second in The Telegraph's list of the best hot hatches.

www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/picturegalleries/1127...

I always preferred the "big wing" version of the BX19 to the spoiler version.

Then again I will admit to liking them "because my parents had one" (a BX19 GTi, the 8v rather than the 16v though).

Me too. They got better looking over the years. Mine was a black 1991.

[Yertis]

It seems strange looking back that we took them so much for granted. I can't think of a car being made now which is similarly unconventional.

[//j17]

tapkaJohnD said:

You should have come to Tertre Rouge - Triumphs as far as the eye can see, all sorts!
John

Same issue, different make. To be honest I got a bit bored walking down the line of Stags at the Southern England Meet. I think it's the fact certain cars only seem to exist in A1->concourse condition and so all look the same, and when you've seen one, you've seen them all. I'd much rather have variety or makes/models and a mix of A1/concourse, drivers, modified and sheds (sorry, rolling restorations). But then each to their own.

Anyway, off topic. I only check this thread in dread of my own "awaiting restoration" car being snapped and popping up

[Yertis]

Well let's see a pic then...

[MarshPhantom]

[Kitchski]

Quite an interesting thread, and some even more interesting opinions.

I found this on my driveway a while ago. Does it count?

[CarsOrBikes]

That's one of the BX's that might never be a classic, whereas the other one is a modern classic due to type in my humble opinion. If I had it, I would have to see how it could be made quicker while leaving the looks alone, or just bring it back to nice. The G wagon is a treat for any owner that left a worthless pig to rot ten years ago to find it has deteriorated significantly, and increased ten fold in value, that's not classic, just a massive stroke of big fat luck.

[MarshPhantom]

Kitchski said:

Quite an interesting thread, and some even more interesting opinions.

I found this on my driveway a while ago. Does it count?

Excellent, I also had white A plate 1.6 TRS.

[Storer]

I understand the desire to see different cars at Classic car events. I too saw the field of Porsche at Le Mans this year (nearly as bad with Ferraris!). Rather boring, but then I have always been more of an individualist.

But, I am sorry to burst a bubble or two, something rarely seen or ugly or poorly conceived does not make a Classic.

My last word on the subject. Luckily there is room for others to have different (wrong) opinions!

[TR4man]

In Stoke on Trent

[andyps]

TR4man said:

In Stoke on Trent

That's a Volkswagen Golf - how can it be classed as a classic

[TR4man]

The fate of many old Shadows bought on the cheap for a wedding car hire business. The.owner gets stung with a potentially big bill and the poor thing gets parked up to deteriorate.

Again in the Potteries.

[TR4man]

andyps said:

TR4man said:

In Stoke on Trent

That's a Volkswagen Golf - how can it be classed as a classic

Now hold on there young man, isn't it an early GTI?

[eccles]

Yertis said:

This is one of the things that pisses me off about the whole "classic" car movement, this "it's not a classic unless blah blah..." debate. It's like saying Tracey Emin's installations are not art. They are, because they are. (Tracey can't draw for toffee IMO but that's another argument.)

Same here, there's a lot of snobbery in the classic car world. Morris Minors are the epitome of bland, yet somehow they are regarded as classics!
To me, just do your own thing, if you like a car go for it,and buy/restore it, sod what anyone else thinks.

[andyps]

TR4man said:

andyps said:

TR4man said:

In Stoke on Trent

That's a Volkswagen Golf - how can it be classed as a classic

Now hold on there young man, isn't it an early GTI?

Nahhh, it's just a Golf and they have made millions of them, no way is that a classic.........




I think you are right, it has all the right external elements to be an early GTi, but I guess it could be a clone as there were many at one time.

[TR4man]

Here's another from the Potteries seemingly never ending supply of decaying classics.

Can anyone identify it (or what it was)?