What Is A Restomod Project Car?
Restoring old cars is a (rather expensive) hobby that many gearheads want to get into. After all, there is immense satisfaction in seeing the glory of classic barn-find cars driving again — especially if you put in the money, time, and elbow grease to return it to its old, shiny self.
However, old cars don't have the technology and creature comforts we're used to. While this is not an issue if you only occasionally take out your build for a spin, or put it on a trailer if you're taking it to a car show, you'd probably want these must-have tech accessories in your car if you plan to daily drive your project car.
And if you're planning a performance build for the car you're working on, you'd definitely want to put modern parts in it. That way, you can ensure that it will deliver the horses you need while still keeping you safe as you reach higher speeds for which it wasn't originally designed.
If you want to enjoy the ancient project car in your garage, while also injecting some modern convenience into it, restoring and modifying it is the way to go. A "restomod" car would be restored to its original look or factory-fresh condition aesthetically, but would feature modern parts like LED lights, climate control, or even a modern engine swap. That way, you don't have to deal with old car features you don't see anymore, as they've been phased out for a reason.
Most common mods applied to restomod projects
Some of the most common modifications to a restomod project are in the interior. Cars from the '50s to the '70s largely had analog gauge clusters, no air conditioning, and could sometimes even have an uncomfortable, bare cabin. If you spend thousands of dollars on your build, you'd probably want to be comfortable inside it as well.
You could upgrade the seats to something more comfortable, and get a digital instrument cluster to make the information you need easier to read. With increasing temperatures, you'd probably also want to put in and/or replaced the air conditioning systems in your classic car.
Lighting is another easy mod done to many classic cars. Many old cars from the U.S. use the same headlights, which unfortunately, don't offer the same coverage or capability of newer types of headlights. Because of this, you'd probably want to replace the old vehicle's headlights with LED headlights that light up a bigger area ahead of you, and offer better brightness for safety at night.
Finally, engine swaps are also a big part of many restomod projects. That's because even the most powerful motors from over 50 years ago pale in comparison to modern engines' horsepower, torque, fuel economy, and emissions. That's why many classic cars have popular engine swaps that many restomod builders default to.
Some great examples of restomods
The Volvo P1800 is an excellent example of a reliable classic, with one example hitting over three million miles. Because of its good looks and solid underpinnings, Cyan Racing teamed up with Volvo to restomod a P1800 just in time for its 60th anniversary in 2020. The Volvo P1800 Cyan retained the classic outer shell, but had a redesigned chassis that offered better driving dynamics and a new 2.0-liter turbo engine from the S60 Polestar.
Singer Vehicle Design is another company known for its classic Porsche restomods. One such example is the Porsche 911 'The Florida Car,' which had Hemingway Blue Paint that featured a carbon fiber body and a woven suede leather interior. The company also created the Singer All-terrain Competition Study — a 1990 Porsche 911 inspired by the World Rally Championship.
There's also the Legend Automobiles Turbo 3, a restomod Renault Turbo 5 built by LA-based Legend Automobiles. This new take on the classic rally car now features a turbo four-banger that puts out 400 horsepower via a manual transmission. It also features a custom carbon fiber widebody kit, updated suspension, a digital instrument cluster, and custom LED headlights and taillights.
What's your next restomod car?
A restomod is a big project that will take months (or even years), and thousands of dollars to complete. However, if you want the fulfillment of seeing an old car come to life again because of your efforts, these car brands often have the best models ideal for restomod projects.
Classic Pontiacs are often great for restomods, as they were pretty popular back in the day. That means there's a healthy aftermarket for these vehicles, and you can find many forums that talk about rebuilding these machines, making it easy to get advice from those who've already done them before. These Pontiac models include the 1966-70 GTO, or the 1959-70 Catalina.
Oldsmobile is another GM brand that makes for great restomod projects. These Oldsmobile models are excellent projects because they're inexpensive to buy, rebuild, and modify. These cars include the 1956-56 Oldsmobile 88, the 1968-72 Oldsmobile 442, and the 1978-88 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme.
Of course, you cannot forget to consider the classic pickup truck for your next restomod project. These vehicles were (and still are) the workhorses of many Americans, so you can find many of these at a bargain. And because many of their owners usually worked on them at home, finding spare parts can still be easy, even years after they were discontinued.