There are classic cars and then there are Classic cars. The capitalization means that a Classic—also known as “full” or “big-C” Classic in spoken English—isn’t just any neat old car, but something special. The Classic Car Club of America (CCCA) will recognize as a Classic only “a ‘Fine’ or ‘Distinctive’ automobile… produced…between 1915 and 1948.” It goes on to clarify that fineness and distinction are recognizable from factors including high price when new, top-end status within its brand, and limited production quantities (in fact, mass-produced cars built on assembly lines are expressly excluded from the definition). Other factors may additionally weigh in favor of Classic status, including large-displacement engines, custom coachwork (preferably bespoke—made expressly for the owner rather than something from a catalog), and mechanical features not found on lesser cars such as power assists and automatic lubrication.
Our feature car, a 1931 Chrysler Imperial CG dual-cowl phaeton by Le Baron, is recognized along with almost all of its 1931-’33 Imperial siblings, as a Classic by the CCCA. That might almost be surprising, as the LeBaron coachwork was not bespoke, but rather semi-custom. LeBaron
