Welcome to Just Commodores, a site specifically designed for all people who share the same passion as yourself.

New Posts Contact us

Just Commodores Forum Community

It takes just a moment to join our fantastic community

Register

Classic Cars

c2105026

Active Member
Joined
Aug 9, 2009
Messages
900
Reaction score
141
Points
43
Location
NSW
Members Ride
2000 VTII Commodore Olympic, 2012 Ford Focus ST
Hi,

As you may/may not know, I have gone through a few older cars. The first was a VB Commodore that got me to this site. It was restored, and went on to win a trophy and feature on the front cover of the local paper. Next was a 1981 Volvo 240 that was also restored, and also won a trophy.

There was a certain retro/period charm attached to these vehicles. Solid colours, lashings of chrome trim, zero plastic anywhere. However.....as nice as they were, they never evoked nostalgia, as they were well before my time (I was born 1983).

My current older tinkering vehicle is an ex-Olympic VTII Commodore. I have taken a different path to this, rather than a full blown restoration (which it didn't really need) I did as little as possible to make the car presentable and drive excellent again. Now whilst this isn't a fully-fledged classic car by any stretch of the word, to me it still evokes a nostalgia the older cars didn't. As a young driver, my parents had a VTII Commodore that was bought new, my first car being a '00 Corolla auto. I wanted a VT Commodore dearly but the parent's choice was to put me into something newer and more fuel efficient (with less power for me to be naughty with).

So now I have a VT Commodore, now in fairly nice condition. It has a period aftermarket head unit that plays regular CDs. Last night I was tidying up and I found my old CD wallet full of the copied CDs I used when I was going to and from Newcastle>Orange in my blue Corolla on uni breaks.

I took my VT to work today, and played the CDs. It was like I was 20 all over again. But this time I was thin(ish), had money, greater confidence and sense of self. Not only that, I was in the car that I actually wanted, not the pissweak Corolla.

This is what having a classic car is all about. Its about evoking that nostalgia - sure the VT isn't technically a classic nowadays but if history repeats it will be. Its why all the older members of my car club view mine as too 'new', whereas theirs are all 60s-70s cars from when they were 20ish.

Just a thought I had today. Thanks for reading :)
 

WazzaVN

Wazza VN
Joined
May 28, 2008
Messages
1,090
Reaction score
56
Points
48
Location
Melbourne
Members Ride
VZ 6ltr ute, VP Calais and HJ Prem
Yeah I hear you. I got my licence in 2007. I remember a mate taking me for a spin in his 2006 vz SS. I had a clapped out VN. I was blown away when he put the foot down and for the next five years all I could think about was the day I finally buy my own manual V8 and I did!

So yeah my 06 SS is not a classic in any way either. It's just a 10 year old ss. But when I think back to being an 18 year old taking a ride in that new SS it brings back that nostalgic feeling except now I'm behind the wheel and it feels great.
 

commodore665

expat Saffa
Joined
Dec 30, 2011
Messages
2,845
Reaction score
2,265
Points
113
Age
54
Location
New Zealand via Cape Town
Members Ride
2005 SV6 & Alfa Romeo 156 V6
I get it , I've been toying with getting another VR or VS to fix up , a VR Calais V6 was our first car when we moved to NZ from South Africa good car and went really well .
 

Batca

Well-Known Member
Joined
Sep 5, 2014
Messages
301
Reaction score
6,182
Points
93
Location
Perth
Members Ride
Vf ssv sportwagon
Good for you the nostalgia is whatever you want and feel it to be.

My first car was a LX 253 4 speed Torana and over the last three years or so I have had a look to purchase another one though with a small family they are out of my budget right now.

When I got my licence the VR/VS was the new Commodore on the scene and I had a couple of older friends that owned them. I've always been a fan of the SS and the old 5 litre in those models. Having a look in general they are about the 5K mark for a good one which would fit my price range and enable me to purchase a car I find desirable.

So if I can't afford my first choice there is other options, nostalgia means different things to different people. Even the window shopping online for me is enjoyable.
 

VS 5.0

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jul 17, 2006
Messages
7,980
Reaction score
14,099
Points
113
Location
Perth WA
Members Ride
VE SSV Z Series M6
Yes, time of birth can certainly colour our view on nostalgia.

Being a pre-teen in the 70's I have fond memories and a burning passion for the usual suspects, torries, monaros, and the blue oval brigade of that time. Then as a teenager in the 80's obviously the HDT cars stood out.

Whereas by wife's pop, who is in his late 80's has had a life long love affair with vintage cars. Many years ago he rebuilt a whippet. I can't recall the model year. It was later sold for financial reasons.

Last year the guy he sold it to decided to move it on so pop just had to buy it back. He doesn't drive it. Just showers it with love and admiration.
 

figjam

Donating Member
Joined
May 14, 2013
Messages
3,212
Reaction score
8,365
Points
113
Location
Far Kurnell
Members Ride
FJ
This is what having a classic car is all about. Its about evoking that nostalgia - sure the VT isn't technically a classic nowadays but if history repeats it will be. Its why all the older members of my car club view mine as too 'new', whereas theirs are all 60s-70s cars from when they were 20ish. :)

Geez ….. a VT a classic ? ……. not rubbishing your choice, but thinking I must be really, really old. Doesn’t seem to me that long ago they were new and everywhere, but, they are 20 years ago.
How many VNs do you see now, and VTs probably also on the way out. Maybe Holden nostalgia will help many to survive, if they haven’t had the bogans trash them beyond survival.
My classic old car ? A red HK Kingswood, 186S, Opel 4 speed, reclining bucket seats, GTS suspension, 6x14 wheels, radial tyres …… or, it would have been if I had not traded it in 1974, full of rust and with an absolutely stuffed engine.
I may live long enough to see my Monaro become a classic. 8 year grandson asked me if he could have it when I die ……... I couldn’t think of a ‘classic’ answer at the time.
 

c2105026

Active Member
Joined
Aug 9, 2009
Messages
900
Reaction score
141
Points
43
Location
NSW
Members Ride
2000 VTII Commodore Olympic, 2012 Ford Focus ST
VTs are still about, albeit not in the numbers they were. Those that are about.....some are nice, but most are quite shabby. It would be interesting to look at the number of VTs still registered, as compared to the number sold. I would say more than half are gone, and within another 5 years half of what is left will be lost again, looking at survival graphs on 'howmanyareleft.co.uk'.
 

WazzaVN

Wazza VN
Joined
May 28, 2008
Messages
1,090
Reaction score
56
Points
48
Location
Melbourne
Members Ride
VZ 6ltr ute, VP Calais and HJ Prem
Well a good HJ prem is pretty desirable now days. I've just scored one off my dad :) when you think about it back in 75 it was just a Calais of the time. I think vn's and vp's are getting there. Especially something a bit more rare like a nice manual ss. You don't see so many now and I always have a good look when one goes past. To me they are cool cars and I think it's only a matter of time before they become a bit more collectable.

Ive noticed over the last 10 or so years I've had my VP Calais the parts are getting more expensive and hard to come by which has to count for something.

So yeah even if you're looking for a newer car if you think about a combination that will one day be more disiarable it's a smart idea. That's why I chose my SS. It's a rarer colour (Turismo), a manual and an 06 6ltr. So I think down the track it will stand out more than the average vz. Things like factory sunroofs are a good idea too. I really wish mine had one haha. That's the only thing that I was disappointed it didn't have.
 

EYY

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 6, 2011
Messages
5,752
Reaction score
2,032
Points
113
Location
Vic
Members Ride
VS Statesman
My VS has been in our family since 2004 or so, and before that was a company car for a place the old lady still works for. We ended up with it after the VS became old news to them.

Used to go on road trips to Queensland in it and was driven to school in it every day. Eventually it as put aside for 5+ years out in th weather, parked under pine trees with the paint deteriorating from the sap.

My parents gave the car to me a few months before I turned 18, but needed a fair bit of work to get it up to scratch for rwc and rego. It's undergone plenty of changes in the past 5 years of my ownership and is finally a V8 (now that I'm allowed to drive one). I've actually had a couple of comments about it from random people at servo's which surprised me.

I'm the only one of all my mates who still has their first car. I plan to keep this one though, I've driven new cars and they just feel so cheap and nasty in comparison.
 

c2105026

Active Member
Joined
Aug 9, 2009
Messages
900
Reaction score
141
Points
43
Location
NSW
Members Ride
2000 VTII Commodore Olympic, 2012 Ford Focus ST
Already, even VE SS are listed in the Survivor Car value guide, indicating quasi-classic status.

But, never underestimate a nice clean base model. I had the VB, it was the absolute common as muck 3.3 Auto, in boring as batshit red/tan colour combo - but I kept it pristine and loaded it with period accessories. Got lots of interest at shows. Setting up a little display doesn't hurt neither.
 
Top