Should you Restomod Your Classic Car?

Now here’s the facts. No matter which direction you choose, some things will be the same. For one, rust repair, body work, and paint. Typically; these will likely be handled in approximately the same manner, regardless of the intended final outcome. Frame repair, if necessary, will likely be the same as well. Lastly; the interiors will be much the same, but maybe a few subtle differences to taste. That aside, let’s dive into what really differentiates your normal classic car restoration from that of a muscle car restomod style build. In a more traditional, concourse build; you would prioritize using as many original or NOS (new old stock) parts as possible, rebuilding the vehicle exactly as called out on the factory build sheet. The vehicle will handle and perform exactly as it did the day it rolled off the showroom floor 50 some odd years ago. A lot of attention will be paid to factory numbers on the drivetrain, trim level codes, paint codes, production dates, etc. A concours restoration is essentially living history. In a restomod build, you typically see respect paid to the overall appearance and styling of the original vehicle, but with massive upgrades made to the performance aspects of the vehicle. Think of that old muscle car with its iconic, timeless styling, but the performance of a brand new Camaro or similar sports car. Restomods are very popular these days, with several companies churning out some seriously high quality work. Some of the popular modifications seen on a multitude of restomods are:

Different wheel and tire combos

A consistent theme amongst restomods is moderately larger wheel and tire packages. Rims in the 17-18” in diameter and 8-10” in width are commonplace due to their increased performance capabilities.Wider tread width means more potential grip, and larger diameter wheels means larger, higher performance brake packages than originally available.

Modern tubular suspension and lower ride heights

In their efforts to make classic muscle cars and trucks handle like their modern counterparts; most restomod builders have opted to swap out stamped steel suspension parts, heavy coil springs, and stiff rubber bushings for tubular control arms with synthetic (poly/delrin/solid/etc) bushings and optimized geometry, adjustable coilover shocks, and large diameter sway bars. These upgrades will mostly be of the bolt on variety, and will enable you to adjust your suspension feel and ride height. Modern brake packages – With an abundance of real estate afforded by the increased wheel size, most restomods can be found sporting larger diameter, late model disc brake systems on all four corners. Since vehicles from this era typically had drum brakes out back, and either drum or more regularly small and heavy disc brakes up front, this is one of the best bang for your buck upgrades. Advantages gained by upgrading here are twofold: increased brake performance and decreased unsprung weight.

Modern engines

This is a big one. This, to me, is really what separates an actual restomod from some car show survivor with big wheels. Swapping out the original engine for a late model mill is the big ticket. Most common one everyone’s heard of is the fabled LS swap. From a price and performance standpoint, this is the standard. Modern V8s have numerous advantages over their predecessors; such as vastly improved cylinder head design, higher compression, on demand fuel and ignition tuning, intake manifold runner tuning, and variable valve timing. So why not give your hot rod the benefit of a modern heart?

Modern transmissions and drivelines

Considering vehicles from this vintage came from the factory with at worst a two speed automatic, and at best a 4 speed non overdrive stick, it’s clear to see why most restomods have moved on from the factory equipment. Moving to an overdrive transmission, you gain a few advantages. Lower RPMs at cruising speeds, higher top speed, less RPM drop between shifts, some say (myself included) an improved driving experience, among others that are configuration and situation dependent. Other upgrades through the driveline would be moving to a different rear end (I run a Ford 9” in basically everything), adding or upgrading to a limited slip differential or locker, and upgraded driveshaft and u-joints.

Upgraded cooling systems

Factory engine and transmission cooling systems didn’t even work that great back when new. Definitely not leaving “well enough” alone here. You will commonly see things like oversized multi core aluminum radiators, auxiliary engine oil coolers, auxiliary transmission coolers, dual electric cooling fans, etc. Always a great move. You can never have enough cooling system.

Upgraded safety/comfort/interior

A lot of performance upgrades suddenly got you feeling a little unsafe on those bench seats in your non A/C, no factory seatbelt, radio delete ‘62 Bel-Air? Well, you’re right there with the vast majority of restomods with some subtle safety, interior, and comfort upgrades. Commonalities here would be bucket seats, a roll bar, 4 or 5 point harnesses, a stealthy bluetooth radio that looks like a factory radio, or some Vintage Air retrofit A/C.

Upgraded electrical and monitoring systems

Ok, this one is a bit of a tie in to the last 4 parts. To sustain a modern drivetrain, and upgraded cooling system with electric fans, and aftermarket A/C, you’re going to need to upgrade the electrical systems. A lot of this work will go sight unseen; but for those with an eye for the details, you’ll note relocated batteries, aftermarket fuse panels, and slimmed down wiring harnesses. On the monitoring side you may find upgraded instrument clusters, or additional gauge pods on the dash, steering column, or A-pillar. There’s a ton more even more specific examples, but you get the point.