Retro Car Museum

Americans are divided on the exact era in which a "classic car" can be identified. Many Americans divide automobiles by separate eras: 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 through the end of the muscle car period in the 1970s). The late seventies are disputed as being "classics", as the oil crisis of 1973 brought several now-infamous cars such as the Ford Pinto and AMC Gremlin. The 1980s are often viewed as the early modern period due to the rise of Japanese automakers such as Toyota and Nissan. Automotive design also declined dramatically by 1989, leaving many automobiles identical to one another.
• Antique Automobile Club of America
The Antique Automobile Club of America defines an antique car as 45 years old or older. A Classic as 20-45 years old.