Fancy A Pre-War Classic

Plenty to choose from and plenty to think about. Ted Connolly gives a few pointers.

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WE’RE dealing with vans and pick-ups made up to 1939. Pre-First World War vehicles are an entirely different matter, both in terms of mechanicals and values, and I thought it prudent to point that out. Also, in the majority of cases, vehicles made just before the war aren’t that much different to those that hit the market in 1945. The reason is that manufacturers’ programmes of design and development were obviously hampered by the conflict and when it ended, they rushed out what they could, based on pre-war models. That was the quickest and cheapest way of getting the production lines running once again.

So, what is the attraction of a pre-war classic? Well, the light commercials make great advertising tools for those in business – they are ideal for signwriting – and they offer a lot of fun for private owners. Some say they are an inflation- and recession proof investment and that may or may not be the case. I actually find it totally irritating when people buy vehicles purely as an investment because, by the very nature of the situation, it means that they won’t get used in order to preserve their condition and that means the likes of you and I won’t get to see them. That is definitely not in the spirit of classic ownership. However, there is little doubt that pre-war classics will almost certainly hold their value and I would prefer to treat that as a bonus rather than a reason for ownership.