What is Vintage

[Kyle Lewis]

I have been surfing the web and i still have gotten a lot of different answers as to what vintage is.  I live in a 1980 Holiday Rambler Imperial 35ft motor-home.  Now its around 34 years old. Is that considered vintage or does it have to be older. Thanks for the help on this question.

[Bruce Booher]

Our group just had an event and somewhere it said 1969 or older. Why 1969? someone said that was the moon landing and the end of an era. I always felt the cut off was when manufacturers changed from true wood plywood to plastics for interiors. Who knows. Someone came in a 1977 Silver Streak and it was just fine. Not long ago I asked someone featured on the site why they were spending so much and a newer (1989) RV. Vintage is in the eye of the beholder. 

[Russell E Johnson]

I asked a similar question about this back in May and never got a reply.  I have a 1987 Southwind & according to RV.NET's forum, anything over 20 years old is vintage, 30 years is classic, and 40 years is antique.  Since I close to their classic stage I figured mine would qualify as vintage on this website.  Everyone here has been very friendly to me and provided lots of useful information on my "newer" mh.

[Jim Stoltz]

Like Bruce, I think "vintage" is in the eye of the beholder. Mine's an '84 so at 30-years old it's definitely on the older side - I consider it "vintage". Some folks here have some truly "vintage" campers that are works of art, and all have been extremely friendly and helpful.

[Ed Atwater]

I'm glad to hear 20 is considered classic. My '95 34' Itasca's birthday is November 1994, soon it will qualify and I can count myself among the proud and often wrenching classic RV owners. Although...I already am doing the 'often wrenching' part!

 

Ed

[Bruce Booher]

In reading these replied, it occurred to me that RV's reflect the culture of the time they are built. So when I think of a vintage trailer, I think of one that is from what we call the "mid-century modern" era of America. But the "big hair" and bell bottom 70's sure is a past era, as is the mauve and punk rock era of the 80's. It also has a lot to do with the age of the owner. Anything built before you are born is considered old.

[Jim Stoltz]

Funny - went camping with some friends this past weekend. They saw my Allegro for the first time. Outside it's definitely 80s. Inside, however. it has a 70s disco vibe to it. I think Allegro rode that burnt orange, floral pattern look too far into the 80s. 

[Matthew Tritt]

I might be a bit biased on this, but I would think that the cutoff would be anything that's pre-ECU. That would be somewhere around 1976, as I recall. For motorized stuff, of course. Maybe another way to say it would be analogue is vintage, while miniaturized solid-state electronics fall into the current automotive paradigm. According to at least one state DMV rule, vintage is anything at least 40 years old from the date of registration application, so maybe an accurate way of measuring it could be that if it's hard to get parts you need, it's vintage. ;-)

[Jim Stoltz]

My '84 doesn't have an ECU. The P30 platform was pretty primitive up through the 80s. There is a suspicious electronic looking box under the dash with tons of wires coming out of it though. I have no idea what it is or what it was for. I'm thinking cruise control? I removed and installed the engine myself and it's as basic as my '67 GTO was. 2 wires to the distributor and a couple more for the gauges. That's it.

[Matthew Tritt]

Heh heh.. If you want primitive, have a look at something from the mid-70's sometime, like a Travco. It'll make you feel like you own something from THIS century! My brother's 73 Travco chassis looks like it could have been made in the 50's (except for the front discs, of course). On the other hand, Dodge was pretty advanced when it comes to ignition systems, having the earliest form of electronic ignition starting in '71 or so, even in the class A's. 

This "vintage" designation thing might be a tricky question.

[Kevin F Smith]

We have an 89 Holiday Rambler Imperial, and it is definitely in the Vintage catagory at 25 years old.  Actually, anything over 20 years old is considered a classic in most state's DMV regulations.  Antique varies state to state, from 25 years old to 40 years old, with the average being 30. 

Our rig came from the factory with NO computers, an awesome 454 Big Block Chevy still going strong at over 125K miles, and a Rochester Quadrajet carburetor.  It now sports an Edlebrock with a custom Spectre plenum and cold air intake....but still carbureted. 

So what is vintage?  I'd say 20 years or older.  I'd like to say anything with a carburetor (pre-TBI and pre fuel injection)...but why be snobby?  If its older and you like it...its vintage!!!

Kev

[Jimco_W001]

I agree with Kevin on this.20 years or older works for me.

[Bruce Booher]

If 20 years is it, I am not looking forward to seeing the big white boxes with slide outs and and non-disscript "graphics" at our vintage rallies.