Restomod The Classics For Amazing Modern Performance

Restomod The World

Car enthusiasts are always chasing one thing: performance. Whether you are a JDM sports car enthusiast or an American Muscle fanatic, the concept of the restomod is all the same. You take your classic body style and enhance the power and driving capabilities with modern modifications. These modifications can be as straightforward as a modern engine swap to an extensive frame off custom build. Why take something old and put modern parts in it? Wouldn’t it be cheaper and easier to just buy a modern sports car?

In most cases, you are absolutely right. However, the purpose of the restomod isn’t just for performance. The goal is to restore a classic vehicle, maintain its styling, and take it to performance levels not capable in its time. Crafting these types of cars is a labor of love. Fortunately, the growing popularity of restomods brings exciting builds as well as hope to keep these vintage rides on the streets.

How Does One “Restomod” Their Car?

Restomods follow a straightforward formula growing in popularity. So popular in fact, it has also spilled into the classic import car scene. Restomods are highly modified cars from their original platform. For example, you can take an old school first generation Mustang with a carbureted inline-six and bring it to the modern era. The modifications for this car could consist of an engine swap from a 5.0 Foxbody Mustang or even a Coyote engine. To allow your vintage car to handle the massive power increase, modern disc brakes and multi-piston calipers will be needed. Furthermore, the car will need some handling improvements.

Luckily, there are tons of aftermarket companies creating modern suspension kits for classic cars. Some will stop at the performance mods and leave the car as it is. Others will install more modern amenities such as newer generation interiors, aftermarket seats, and a digital gauge cluster. While this is just an example of a restomod, there are many ways to go about starting this project.

Why Do People Do This To Their Vintage Cars?

Personally, I think the restomod community came about as modern sports cars began widening the performance gap with their predecessors. For example, a classic Chevy Camaro Z/28 was a powerhouse in its day. Compared to the newer generation Camaros which come with over 400 horsepower, the old school doesn’t stand a chance in stock form. Now you might say an old school 454 SS Chevelle had heaps of power and you’d be right. However, horsepower was not rated by today’s standard. You see, when automotive makers rated the horsepower on their cars, it was not done with the belt accessories attached to them. The drivetrain loss that comes with belt accessories are now included in today’s horsepower rating. That is why you’d see someone with a Chevy big block in their classic car only pushing 250 horsepower to the wheels on a dyno.

In my opinion, classic car owners saw what they could do with fuel-injection motors in their lighter chassis so the market for restomods boomed. Thanks to custom performance shops and high value auto auctions, restomods are everywhere in order to keep vintage cars on the road and competitive with their younger siblings.

Import restomods, especially Japanese cars, are popping up everywhere. Fortunately, Japan’s laws regarding engine mileage creates a huge market for classic car owners. Even in the continental USA, you can get low mileage motors from JDM cars through import companies. Now you see Datsun 240z’s with RB26 swaps, older Hondas with K24 swaps, and more. While the muscle car crowd may claim restomods as “their thing” it definitely is much more than an LS swap in a Chevelle. Taking any car older than 25 years and adding newer performance to it is restomodding in my book!

Should I Restomod My Classic Car?

Performing a restomod build is a difficult decision for classic car owners. Do you lose the “purity” of your antique automobile? Or do you let your 1600 pound Volkswagen Beetle rip around on the street with a turbo WRX motor? It is a difficult decision that even I have to contemplate with my Chevelle. For me, my car has the modern brakes and suspension, but its heart is a 402 cubic inch big block Chevy with a carburetor.

In my opinion, you need to weight out if the cost of going modern is what you truly want. Some people love to work on their car and have the simplicity of pre-computer age cars. However, others love their classic car look but don’t want to have to worry about manual chokes or adjusting jets. Think about what you are willing to put up with and what you want to experience.

Regardless of your decision, remember to always enjoy your car and craft it into something you never want to stop driving.

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