The American automobile industry began in the early 20th century and has been a huge factor in creating the society we live in today. It was the driving factor in creating the system of superhighways linking the country together. It was the driving force in the creation of the suburbs, many of which you can only get to by car. And, on the negative side, it can be argued, that it was the primal force in helping to speed the breakup of the nuclear family. It made travel so easy that it became almost trivial for family members to move cross country and start a family unit in an entirely new state.

Antique car collecting and restoration is a hobby practiced by people all over the world. Even American celebrities fall in love with them. Jay Leno, in addition to hosting the Tonight Show, is known for his huge collection of antique cars and motorcycles going all the way back to the early 20th century. Past stars know for their love of cars are Larry Hagman and Steve McQueen.

But you don’t have to be a celebrity to love antique cars. People collect them for various reasons.

They Love the Attention

Do you have a spit polished Model T Ford sitting in your garage? Try driving that car down virtually any street in America and it is almost guaranteed people will stop and stare at it. The same will be true for almost any classic antique car. If you love being the center of attention, this is one surefire way to achieve it.

They Love Tinkering

Any mechanic in love with automobiles would love to work on some of the classic antique models of the past. What car fanatic wouldn’t love to turn up the hood of a Model T Ford and customize it to their specifications? Or create their own unique “hot rod” from the shell of a discarded antique auto. And who wouldn’t want to play with an engine that is real high performance?

They See it as an Investment

If you know the market, know a good mechanic or are a good mechanic yourself, and are good at finding deals – finding, repairing, and reselling antique automobiles can be an excellent investment – or speculation. Like any other form of investment, there are cycles. There are times when the market is flooded with sellers and few buyers. And conversely, there are times when you have many buyers vying for the same model of car. The key is knowing when to buy, when to sell, and what to look for.

Nostalgia

One of the reasons people love antique cars is that, for them, it brings back childhood or teenage memories. Maybe they had their first date in that car, or that is the car the family when on annual picnics, or maybe it was the car to have when they were young but they couldn’t afford it. The nostalgia market is worth billions of dollars and those longing for the antique autos of their youth account for only a small piece of it.

Pursuing a love of antique autos is just another way of looking fondly and nostalgically back at our culture and remembering our country’s history.