A Brief History of the Classic Car Passion in Türkiye

Classics and Collections
Author: Lütfi Mete Odabaşı
Creation: 16 October 2026

Founded in 1990, the Classic Car Club turned the interest in Türkiye into a living stage of passion with more than 600 members.

Share This Page

The passion for classic cars in Türkiye gained an institutional identity with the founding of the Classic Car Club (KOK) in 1990; today it has turned into a vibrant scene filled with clubs of more than 600 members, historic rallies, museums, and a new generation of enthusiasts. On this page, we tell the brief history of this passion in Türkiye, its pioneers, and its dynamics today.

Highlights

The Classic Car Club was founded in 1990 and today has more than 600 members.
Restoration time is usually 6 months to 1.5 years; some projects can extend to 2 years.
There is an example where a restoration budget of about 1 million TL was projected for a 1959 model classic.
At the Republic Rally, the Handan-Selim Bacioglu duo won first place with a 1975 model vehicle.
Classic car tours in Cappadocia have become a new attraction for tourists.

It All Started with a Handful of Enthusiasts: The Founding of KOK

It is hardly an exaggeration to point to 1990 as the official birth date of the passion for classic cars in Türkiye. That year, a handful of enthusiasts came together and founded the Classic Car Club, giving birth to our country's first classic car civil society organization. Think about it: back then, when this hobby didn't even have a settled name yet, a few people said, "let's grow this." Today the same club has more than 600 members and is referred to as a reference point for the classic car world in Türkiye, across a wide spectrum ranging from prestigious rallies to collection guidance.

KOK did not stay domestic; under the international classic vehicle federation FIVA, it organizes FIVA World Rally events. The Handan-Selim Bacioglu duo winning first place at the Republic Rally with a 1975 model vehicle nicely sums up the seriousness of these rallies. Historic rally events held with historic automobiles are announced through Tosfed - so this is no longer a hobby done in a garage at home, but an official sport.

The Roads Fill with Nostalgia: Historic Rallies and Gatherings in Türkiye

A classic car's true happiness lies not in the garage but on the road. That is why in Türkiye the calendar spreads across the year: Every season, the Türkiye Classic Car Championship ensures classics take to the tracks and routes rather than just traffic. In the 2025 season, the Western Anatolia Rally was run on the streets of Izmir; the scene of classics lined up driving through the middle of the city is famous for spectators unable to put their phones down.

The 2026 Türkiye Rally Championship calendar also has a classic leg: The race, to be run by the Eskisehir Automobile Sports Club (ESOK) on September 18-20, has taken its place in the calendar as the fifth leg of the championship. In other words, classic car racing has gone from being an "occasional event" to becoming part of a championship system.

Not just racing, gatherings are culture too

Alongside the rallies, a culture of gatherings has also emerged. The Anatolian Friendship Rally (Anatolian Drive) invites enthusiasts both to travel and to discover Türkiye's historic treasures; this event, driven by an emphasis on cultural discovery, social benefit, and safe travel awareness, proves that the classic car is not merely a 'museum piece.' At the Canakkale Spring Rally, 50 classic cars from Italy, Germany, Belgium, Bulgaria, and Türkiye came together; the meeting with students in Dalyan stands as a concrete example of passing the hobby on to the new generation.

Can't the winds of nostalgia blow through the city too? From nostalgic car meetups in Arnavutkoy to the Gaziosmanpasa Nostalgic Car Festival, which welcomes enthusiasts from all over Türkiye, local gatherings have now become routine. The best thing about these events is that you can lean under the hood and ask 'what's this?' - no one excludes you; on the contrary, they invite you to the next meetup.

Collectors and Museums: Türkiye's Classic Treasure

Kayseri'de bir hangarı dolduran 29 klasik araç, otomobil tutkunun yalnızca İstanbul'a sıkışmış bir nyöventi olmadığını çürütüyor.

At the heart of this story, of course, are the people. Renowned collectors like Cengiz Arsay pioneered a perspective emphasizing that classic cars are not merely for show. On TRT2's 'Koleksiyoner' (Collector) program, Turgut Goksoy was a guest at the Ural Ataman Classic Car Museum; in the same episode, Hilmi Nakipoglu, founder of Türkiye's first camera museum, also appeared on screen. Collections 'assembled over 30 years' were featured on DMAX and TRT, and the 59th anniversary of the Anadol rolling off the production line was celebrated with a special exhibition - just imagine what the iconic brand of Turkish automotive history has been through.

In Kayseri, Ahmet Taha Goktas, owner of a collection of 29 classic vehicles displayed in a hangar, became the face of this passion in Anatolia. A hangar in Kayseri filled to the brim with classics beautifully debunks the impression that the hobby lives only in Istanbul.

Buy a ticket before entering the museums, like entering a garage

Ural Ataman Classic Car Museum (Sariyer/Tarabya): open to visitors with its collection of iconic vehicles.
Rahmi M. Koc Museum (Istanbul): the collection includes a 1933 Buick 66C, 1938 Lincoln Zephyr Coupe, 1965 Rolls Royce Silver Cloud III, 1962 Morris Mini Cooper, 1956 BMW Isetta 300, and 1966 Jaguar S.
Key Museum: completed the long and meticulous restoration of the 1930 Cadillac V16 at Key Garage; the car is preparing to join the museum's collection in June 2026.

And the world's classic tourism has discovered Türkiye: classic car tours in Cappadocia have become a new attraction for tourists seeking a nostalgic journey among the fairy chimneys. Wouldn't you like to see a Beetle among the fairy chimneys? I certainly would.

At What Age Does a Car Become Classic?

Internationally, it is said that the concept of classic emerges when a vehicle reaches 20 years of age; in Türkiye's practice, the term classic is generally used for vehicles manufactured 25 years ago or earlier that are considered to have 'classic value.' So not every old car is a classic - that might be the most critical sentence in this business. Think of it this way: not every old t-shirt sitting at the bottom of your closet is vintage, right?

The true measure of value is originality: matching numbers (the engine and chassis numbers on the vehicle matching exactly as they left the factory), original leather, first invoices, the correct color code. While lightly used and carefully preserved vehicles gain value, excessively worn ones may not. The texture of the past is priceless - but preserving it without spoiling it is the real trick.

On the international stage, the Jaguar E-Type (the silhouette Enzo Ferrari called 'the most beautiful in the world'), Porsche 911, VW Beetle - known to us as 'Vosvos' -, Ford Mustang, Mini Cooper, Lamborghini Miura and Toyota AE86 are among the iconic models. In the Türkiye market, listings for models like the Mercedes 230E circulate on sahibinden.com in the hundreds of thousands of TL range; there are also 'unique condition' listings like a 1972 W115 220.4.

Restoration Facts: A Test of Time, Money and Patience

A full restoration is the process of returning a vehicle to its original condition; it requires a long time and serious effort. A professional restoration starts with research into the original specification, color code and materials for each model. As for the duration: a minimum of 6 months, a maximum of 1.5 years is expected; depending on the vehicle's condition and parts availability, some projects can extend up to 2 years. The 2-year journey of a 1979 model sports car has been documented.

What does the cost balance depend on?

Interior upholstery (original fabric/leather): approximately 20,000-50,000 TL.
Hand painting: approximately 50,000-100,000 TL.
The restoration cost of some wrecks can exceed 400,000 TL.
There is an example where approximately 1 million TL was estimated for a 1959 model classic.

Let's also not forget that this has become a professional occupation: car restoration is a recognized field of expertise in Türkiye. So if you are going to tackle it from scratch, consulting the masters of the craft will save you both time and money. Restoration is a field of expertise in its own right - think of it like an amateur carpenter trying to build a table.

Classic Vehicle Inspection and Insurance: Don't Underestimate the Paperwork

Passenger cars are inspected every 2 years after the first 3 years. When going for inspection, you must have the registration certificate with you; in sales or transfers, procedures remain limited until a new registration document is issued by a notary. During the inspection, mandatory equipment such as a first aid kit, fire extinguisher, reflector and spare tire is checked; the validity of the vehicle's traffic insurance is also checked at the inspection, so check your policy's expiration date before the inspection appointment.

A vehicle without a valid inspection receives a penalty in traffic and must be inspected within 7 days. Worse still: if an accident occurs with a vehicle lacking a valid inspection, problems can arise in the comprehensive or traffic insurance processes; insurance companies hold the driver liable in this case. For classic vehicles, there is a separate note: they need to be insured with a different approach from ordinary second-hand vehicles, like watches and works of art. A comprehensive insurance policy with a correctly stated value is literally the insurance of the hobby.

A Beginner's Guide to Classic Cars: The Heart Chooses, the Mind Approves

If you're new to this hobby, the first piece of advice is clear: go for more common and well-established brands. Finding spare parts and access to skilled mechanics are lifesavers in this game; you wouldn't want to be seduced by the looks of a rare model and spend three years hunting for its parts. When buying, your checklist should cover: vehicle history, originality check, inspection and mechanical condition, rust and body.

Summing up the decision process as 'the heart chooses, the mind approves' is spot on: the story and documentation determine the car's true worth. But also remember this: a classic car is not a financial instrument, it's cultural heritage. Although value appreciation can be seen, the real gain is opening your garage in the morning and breathing in that smell - money can't buy that feeling.

So, does the younger generation save the scene?

This question is an open debate within the scene. On one hand, it's said that younger generations are changing the market; on the other, it's debated that most young people are indifferent to cars, and those who are interested turn to new models. In the 2026 collector market, names gaining value include the Chevrolet Tri-Five (1955-57), Jaguar E-Type (1961-74) and Datsun 240Z (1970-73), while originality and specification are also decisive: low mileage, factory-correct colors, rare color combinations and manual transmissions stand out. Some also voice the view that prices have cooled off after years of steady rise; meaning the scene is neither a growing bubble nor an extinguished fire - it's transforming.

In my eyes, the picture is promising: rally cars meeting students in Dalyan, nostalgia festivals in the cities, garage tour videos on YouTube... The next collector of this hobby might just be you, the one reading this page right now. Ask me: what would your first classic be?