1917 Crane Wooden Wheel (Photo: JEMcGrew)
To update or to not update, that is the question. In Part 3 of this series I am going to look at as much factual numbers as possible (the research is in progress) as it pertains to pre-1975 cars. Then in another part of this series, I am going to explore the depths of one decade in particular, the ‘80s, and how much the cars of this decade are contributing to the pollution of our cities and roadways. In fact, this goes back to the question I asked in an earlier article, will ‘80s cars become collectable?
However, I digress… The question we are asking here is, should we change the past? Or more specifically, is it reasonable to expect collectors to update their classic cars in order to drive and enjoy them in the future. I am going to preface this commentary up front by saying that these views are my own and they are in no way endorsed or agree upon by the Examiner.com. Also, in the interest of fill disclosure, I should mention that I also write regularly about new cars and the new socially responsible green technologies that are out in the marketplace (Allsmallcars.com). So now that we have gotten all that out of the way, let us get to the meat of this conversation.
Having been around classic cars all of my life, I have a deep love for the cars of yesteryear and I also enjoy the four classic cars that we have in my family. There is so much more to a classic car than just owning a piece of history and in some cases an engineering marvel; there is the joy it spreads to others as you come rolling down the street and the personal joy and memories that may come with owning and driving the car/truck itself. I can’t tell you how many complete strangers have stopped me at a light to ask me what year my 1972 Cadillac Eldorado convertible is or what engine is in our 1967 Ford Mustang. There are few things anymore that will get someone to strike up a conversation with a complete stranger.
So is it reasonable to expect that a car that may be driven 1000 miles a year should one day have to be modify to be more environmentally friendly? And if you don’t will you become a kin to the fur-wearing consumers that have historically gotten paint thrown on them outside of high-society functions? The thing I think we should be careful of as a society is attacking the “easy” targets; meaning just because we know that older cars didn’t have the same environmental focus when they were being designed doesn’t mean that they are the main source of our pollution problems. It is a fact that new cars put out less particulates than the cars 10, 20 or even 50 years ago, however it is my believe that these pieces of history should be allowed to roam the planet (with their owners of course) without the fear of being ostracized in the future for being a “polluter.”
For those who don’t mind customizing or updating their cars (and there are a lot of you out there that don’t need it to be 100% original), then you have some options. There are biodiesel conversions, propane conversions, hybrid add-on systems and more in the works. It is conceivable that some day you might be able to put a replacement hydrogen power plant in place of your old V8 and if that is something you want to do, then I say go for it. But, for those of us who find great pleasure and fond memories of the last 100 or more years of cars, I believe we should be able to keep them and enjoy them.
Last word—Lets be honest with ourselves, there are a lot of other areas that pollution control efforts can be focused on before targeting classic cars, airplanes or anything else that is a piece history.
Stay tuned for the up coming Part 3 of this series on Green and Classic cars. Also, you can follow me on Twitter or say "Hi" on Facebook.
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