It seems that the more futuristic new cars become, the more collectors prize a truly analog experience. Driving a pre-war car isn’t just a means of transportation, it’s an occasion. But wait, what even is a pre-war car? Collectors and enthusiasts usually use the term to refer to classic cars built after the "brass era" (1896-1915) and before most automakers paused civilian car production to focus on World War II production. That means a "pre-war" car could be from the late 1910s, 1920s, 1930s, or early 1940s.Obviously, there were many segments of automobiles built during that time. But the American cars most popular with collectors today are the resplendent, luxury rides that you could imagine Jay Gatsby cruising around in. Fitzgerald put Gatsby in a bright yellow Rolls-Royce, and that car has come to symbolize the pre-war era. Pre-war Duesenbergs and Bugattis have also achieved a cult-like following. But these are not the only models worth collecting. From innovative Art Deco styling to customizable early hot rods, here are five of our underrated favorites. Packard 120 Production Years: 1935-1942 MecumThe Packard 120 was a proper Detroit cruiser available as a sedan, coupe, or convertible. Among enthusiasts, a Packard earns bonus points at car meets because it’s an orphan from a company that’s long since gone out of business. Packard (1899 to 1958) is still fondly remembered by many as the “other” Detroit automaker. The 120 also has the benefit of a straight eight engine. Instead of a V-shaped eight or twelve, the I8 has a single cylinder bank, which means a single head and valvetrain. Fewer moving parts mean fewer components to break.Mecum The Packard 120 remains a comparatively affordable pre-war luxury car, with clean drivers typically going between $20,000 and $50,000. Note that convertibles often cost more, with exceptional examples bidding up to six figures at auction. Cord 810/812 Production Years: 1936-1937 MecumE.L. Cord owned the Stinson aircraft company, the Lycoming airplane engine company, and Auburn automobiles. In the mid-1930s he developed America’s first front-wheel-drive car and the first to hit 100 mph. With no driveshaft, it could sit lower to the ground than almost anything else on the road, with a sleek roofline just 5 feet above the pavement. It also got sleek airplane-inspired styling, complete with pop-up headlights borrowed from a Stinson airplane. The aluminum dashboard with its “engine turned” finish was even a nod to airplanes. It hit the market in 1936, not as an Auburn but as the “Cord 810.” When it got a supercharger for 1937, the company rebranded it as the “Cord 812.”Mecum With all the car’s aviation inspiration, it’s no surprise that Amelia Earhart proudly drove a Cord 812. Today, the Cord is often overshadowed by the better-known pre-war cars. But collectors in the know—including Jay Leno—prize them for ingenuity far ahead of their time. Combined with low production numbers, this has driven prices of the niche vehicle up. A 1937 Cord 812 went for $209,000 at an RM Sotheby’s auction in October 2025, while most good examples now fetch $100,000-$250,000. Ford Model A/B and Model 18 Production Years: 1928-1934 WikiMedia Commons/SicnagHenry Ford revolutionized the auto industry, pioneered mass production, and introduced the Brass Era’s most famous car: the Model T. Then he sold the same car for nineteen years. The Blue Oval finally debuted its first vehicle with modern driving controls and features in 1927: the four-cylinder Model A. When Chevy’s six-cylinder engine and the Great Depression conspired to sink Ford, the company’s founder figured out how to create V8 engines as a single casting. Ford introduced this high-end engine option to the masses with the "Model B" generation of its new car in 1932. The move saved Ford, charted Detroit's course for decades, and created an automotive icon hot-rodders still prize today (the often-modded "deuce coupe").Bring a TrailerAn increasing number of enthusiasts are buying Ford Model A or Model B cars and keeping them stock. These cars represent an intriguing chapter in automotive history, and they are classic Fords that are relatively drivable on modern two-lane roads. But with so many Model A and Model B cars made, few are appreciating like collector’s items. That means clean, stock Model A coupes remain attainable, with most changing hands for $15,000 to $35,000. A more desirable Model B era car with the V8 (officially named the “Model 18”) can cost $35,000 or more. Unrestored examples of rare configuration sometimes sell for six figures. Auburn Speedster Production Years: 1928-1936 YouTube/Lou CostabileCar salesman, E.L. Cord, bought the Auburn Automobile Company of Auburn, Indiana in 1924. Production had fallen to six vehicles per day. Was his solution to cut costs and build a budget-friendly car? Heavens no! Cord rolled out the “Auburn Speedster” a long-hooded, straight-eight powered supercar. The powerful engine was courtesy of his Lycoming company. The car had no windows or interior door handles. The roof was optional. Cord sent this early supercar to tracks around the country and it shattered multiple speed records. It was advertised as "tested to exceed 100 MPH." Hollywood and the tycoons of the roaring 20s couldn’t get enough and Auburn even briefly offered a V12-powered version.YouTube/Lou Costabile Today, the Auburn Speedster, with its boattail design, speed rating, and carefree windowless configuration has come to symbolize the Jazz Age. It’s no surprise that countless collectors want one. A 1935 Auburn 851 Super-Charged Boattail Speedster sold for $654,000 at Broad Arrow's Monterey auction in 2025, while the best concours-quality show cars can approach or exceed seven figures. Lincoln-Zephyr V12 Production Years: 1936-1942 Supercar Sunday/ YouTubeIn the late 1920s, Chrysler engineers developed a theory: the cars of the day were so un-aerodynamic, they’d be faster going backwards. They consulted Orville Wright, built a wind tunnel, and designed the 1934 Chrysler Airflow—a revolutionary car with a face only a mother could love. And it flopped. Edsel Ford (Henry’s son who had been instrumental in the Model B design) now headed Lincoln. He was a master at incorporating the latest, greatest design elements of European exotics or other luxury cars. You can probably guess how the story ends: Lincoln perfected an aerodynamic car that actually looked good with its 1936-1942 Zephyr line.Supercar Sunday/ YouTubeEdsel didn’t stop with Chrysler-inspired exterior design. He also gave the Lincoln-Zephyr a V12 engine, a clear homage to the top-of-the-line European cars of the day. Many enthusiasts consider the resulting car a high-water mark of pre-war car design. Steinbeck had to call out the “silvery and low” design as unlike anything else on the road in his 1939 novel The Grapes of Wrath. Collectors prize the Lincoln-Zephyr too, for its place in automotive history, bridging car design of the 1930s and 40s. Its Continental trim was especially historic, as Lincoln’s first use of the famed badge. A 1938 Lincoln-Zephyr Coupe fetched $264,000 at Mecum Indy in May 2025. But the occasional solid driver-quality V12 sedan may still sell in the $25,000-$60,000 range.