Last Updated on February 10, 2024

Much of the news that we're hearing about Green Energy and the big push for electric vehicles is a hot topic. And though any vehicle that runs on gasoline will likely be forced off the road in favor of Green alternatives, will classic cars be banned in addition to other gas-powered cars? Let's uncover some inconvenient truths about the classic car ban debate that you might not have considered already.

Classic cars are massively popular!

The love for classic cars is one of the All-American past times that embraces wonderful eras of automobiles that are praised for their class and beauty. It's also one of the most popular elements of American culture that apparently does not have boundaries that prevent anyone from being part of the club when it comes to classic car appreciation. One fine example of this is the increasingly popular car show industry that is seen all over Northern America.

In recent years, the interest to purchase a classic car began to boom during the COVID-19 pandemic. But for most of us, there are numerous car shows that pop up from town to town. Many of these are free to attend, but it's the larger exhibitions that draw thousands upon thousands of car fans. This is where you'll likely see incredible muscle cars, hot rods, and timeless classics that are all restored to their amazing showroom quality.

It's incredible to see these beauties as if they rolled right off the assembly line. Yet most of the time, it's rare that you'll ever see these restored classics driving around. If you do, it's going to be running from traditional gasoline. They never change the combustion system to electric unless it's going to be used for special considerations (like movies and parades), but most enthusiasts feel this is tragically altering the original condition of the car itself.

Will classic cars be banned?

Many US states have announced plans to reduce carbon emissions and a ban on fossil fuels that are all following an executive order by the US government. The idea that 50% of these fuels produced would be reduced by 2030 is a total farce. The infrastructure itself hasn't even seen any introduction of EV charging stations anywhere in the US along highways or in major cities. Yet, this has many classic car owners worried there will be a ban on classic cars after the fact.

The truth is there is no official ban on vehicles that are considered classic. There will obviously be limited fuel and gasoline available for these vehicles, and obviously for vehicles that use combustible engines currently. However, you can still find classic cars that are good on gas.

There is much proof that the increase in car museums will likely replace car shows. Only time will tell if museums will appeal to a broad public that likes to get close and personal with kings of the road coupled with classic car shows and oldie events.

One of the biggest challenges that car owners are facing is the level of emissions that come from combustible engines. There have been arguments about the level of emissions that come from older, more-powerful engines though. Which is a reason of why classic cars are so loud. But let's face it- how many classic car owners are using their old beauty for going to work every day? And even though classic cars are safe to drive, serious collectors know enough to transport these cars on special trailers so they retain low mileage and limited engine emissions.

There is further proof that e-fuels can be a solution but not entirely solve the emission problem. The bigger problem that these bio-fuels present is the ethanol content and what this does to older, combustible engines. These fuels are lighter and thinner and typically eat through fuel lines and gaskets which are presenting a real fire danger. Owners will likely seek out private petrol companies similar to Moonshiners to get their high-octane fuel.

Classic cars bring people together

Despite the history of the early autos, sometimes people forget the turmoil and discrimination that was associated with classic cars. It was a luxury to own a car in the 1920s and 1930s and many Americans who had money showed it by buying fancy cars from those days. The poverty levels that separated many Americans during the Great Depression also led to a lot of the stigmata about race and classes that could afford new cars.

It wasn't until the Second World War that established car makers like General Motors, Chevy, and Ford were beginning to make a new breed of cars in the years after WW2 had ended. This is where most Americans find the most classic series of cars from the 1950s to the 1960s. By this time Americans were all enjoying a new kind of lifestyle and cars were essentially a lot more affordable and were easy to take care of with simple maintenance and upkeep.

It might be hard to believe, but immigrants that were new to America also found that the love of cars was also a direct impact of what everyone can agree is total freedom. Driving somewhere in your car was a status symbol that unified many others who were new to the country including Mexicans and Italians.

And though classic cars are often symbolic of days gone past, the appreciation for what any owner does to their car is a truly inspired art. This is even more apparent when you see collector cars getting refurbished.

Modern times versus days gone past

There's too much talk about climate change these days and even more talk about replacing cars with electric vehicles. It's even more uninspiring to see new electric cars that are lifeless and lacking inspirational designs. Many of the most recent electric car factories in the US are simply not producing anything significant. One company in Arizona has simply fallen short of showing they have anything to show for in the year they've opened!

But perhaps the most concerning aspect of collectible cars and classic cars is an element that is not too far off from becoming a dumpster fire of controversy. This has everything to do with cancel culture and the threat to classic car owners. It's common knowledge that the history behind the auto industry is littered with racism from the old days. In recent years, this issue has been swiftly dealt with to avoid car show problems.

Perhaps one of the biggest problems is that classic cars may encounter a backlash of these past mistakes and are selectively canceled by an ever-growing cancel culture that seeks to remove anything historical that has a dark or inappropriate past. Just this year, this phenomenon has affected scale model makers who rely on historical accuracy to recreate WW2 airplanes, specifically the planes, boats, tanks, and soldiers that were on the opposing side.

The new wave of culture and appropriation

Who is to say that classic cars would be blamed for the dominant male patriarchy or the exclusion of certain ethnic groups that own them? There is also the possible threat of wondering- will classic cars be banned because they used too much gas? And despite the overwhelming wonder of what old restored cars represent, the largest threat is simply being banned because they represent a symbol of hate from White Male' owners.

As crazy as this may sound, these issues do need to be mentioned and carefully observed. As we all can agree, classic car owners are as diverse as it gets. Car collectors and renovators come from all walks of life and admire the beauty of these older vehicles. The values can be found using the KBB Classic Car Value guide. Since many of these cars aren't driven daily, it's also highly unlikely they will be banned at all. The industry behind car shows is simply too large to shut down, anywhere in the US.

And because people enjoy getting close to these cars when you see them in person, that appreciation and admiration are much stronger. Unlike car museums, car shows are meant to have a personal interaction with the owners and share stores and shop talk. Because of this, it has inspired generations of new oldies fans to form a passion for restoring an old car.