10 Ryobi Tools That Will Come In Handy For Your Next Restomod Project

Restomod projects, like most other automotive projects, can be made much easier or much harder by the tools you have on hand. With the wrong tools, you can end up spending far too long on something that should have been an easy fix. Worse still, you could end up damaging a delicate or costly component, adding another entry to the inevitably long list of headaches associated with getting a project car on the road.

If you're looking to take on a restomod project for the first time, it's especially vital to have the necessary tools before you start. It's also worth making sure that any tools you need later down the line — to do unforeseen jobs or replace part of your existing tool collection — don't break the bank. This is where Ryobi comes in particularly useful: With the brand's interchangeable battery packs, you can buy extra tools without having to buy more batteries than you need — even if they're from Ryobi tools you got for a different job. We've rounded up the brand's top-rated products that might come in handy for your next car project.

Ryobi's new USB Lithium tool range is a fairly recent addition to the brand's lineup, but it includes several interesting tools. Among them is the USB Lithium Multi-Head Screwdriver, which can be found for $49.00 on Ryobi's website. It comes as a kit with a choice of three heads available, each of which can be switched between easily. The ¼-inch hex will be the most frequently used option for most people, but there are also offset and right-angle heads.

At maximum speed, the screwdriver achieves 200 rpm, although even small amounts of resistance will notably decrease that figure. The device is chargeable through a USB power cable and features an LED indicator light that displays power levels. A green light indicates there's plenty of power left, while a red light indicates it's time to plug the screwdriver in for extra juice. To ensure you don't lose either the charging cable or the extra heads, the kit includes a protective case.

Restoring and modifying a car is an inevitably messy process, and so to keep your workshop clean, you'll need a suitably powerful vacuum. The Cordless 4.75 Gallon Wet/Dry Vacuum should tick all the right boxes, with up to 40 cubic feet per minute of suction. The vacuum runs on Ryobi's 18V One+ battery, but unlike many of the other products here, the vacuum isn't sold with a battery. So, you'll have to buy one separately or use a battery pack from your existing collection of Ryobi tools.

It can be very annoying to misplace vacuum accessories, but the Ryobi vacuum features built-in accessory storage so that shouldn't happen. A floor nozzle, crevice tool, and dust brush are all included in the accessory package. The vacuum hose itself is 5 feet long, which should be more than long enough for getting to those hard-to-reach places inside the car or behind your Ryobi Speed Bench (Why not keep your accessories on brand too?). The vacuum retails for $99.97, but as of this writing, is on sale for $79.00 on Ryobi's website.

Even in the best lit shop or garage, there will always be some places where it's tricky to see what you're doing. Be that underneath the car or in the depths of the engine bay, it's always useful to have a portable and adjustable light around. The 18V One+ LED Light offers plenty of lighting versatility without breaking the bank, retailing for $29.97 on Ryobi's website. That price excludes a battery pack and charger, both of which are sold separately. Although, given that the light runs on Ryobi's 18V One+ battery, most buyers will be able to simply swap out an existing battery pack from another tool.

Depending on the battery pack, the LED light offers up to 22 hours of illumination between charges, with a maximum output of 280 lumens. The light can be rotated up to 130 degrees and reaches up to 500 feet, meaning it can double up as an everyday torch if needed too.

When doing any kind of project involving older cars, it's always useful to keep jump leads handy. Relying on juice from the battery of your truck or personal car is one option, but a safer bet is to use the 18V One+ Jump Starter Kit. It delivers up to 1600 Amps, with a 2Ah 18V battery enough to provide up to 20 jump starts. The kit is capable of jump-starting even larger engines, with Ryobi claiming engines up to 6.0L shouldn't be an issue.

It's capable in all weathers too, being rated for operation in temperatures as low as -4 degrees Fahrenheit. Like many of Ryobi's products, the jump starter kit includes a built-in LED light. It seems a little less useful here than in some of Ryobi's other products unless your shop lights mysteriously cut out, but it's never a bad thing to have extra features, even if you're unlikely to use them.

With enough power to buff a mid-size vehicle in one charge, the 18V One+ 6-inch Two Speed Orbital Buffer ensures that going cordless doesn't have to mean compromising on convenience. Although, it's not like changing the battery pack is so inconvenient anyway, especially if you already have several at your disposal. If you don't, you can buy the tool as part of a set that includes a 2Ah battery and charger for $99.00. If you're already kitted out with plenty of Ryobi 18V battery packs and don't need another, the tool alone costs $44.97. The buffer's two speeds can be toggled between using a simple switch, while the D-shaped handle offers extra precision even in harder-to-reach areas.

Its lower speed setting provides 3,000 orbits per minute, while the faster setting reaches 4,600 orbits per minute. The tool comes with a buffing bonnet included, but for repeated uses, additional buffing bonnets can be purchased for less than ten bucks apiece through Ryobi's website.