The Restomod Trend

by Mike –

The trend toward restomods is accelerating. The recent Barrett-Jackson auction in Arizona featured a few hundred restomods and some of those sold for more than a fully authentic restored model.

I suspect that, like me, many of you are attracted to the idea of owning a custom car that is suited to your own tastes that runs on modern suspension, brakes and maybe a new chassis for a better, safer and more reliable driving experience than the original.

We all know that original specification cars, either unrestored or restored to correct condition, are the best investment values – but wait there were restomod models sold for more money that an authentic restoration! Maybe this idea is changing for certain models.

Wallace Wyss wrote about Retro Tribute Cars made by the factory (in this case Ferrari), which is happening more and more as people with a lot of money want the factory, like Ferrari or Aston Martin, to make them a special one-off modern car that may look like a retro style from the ’50s or ’60s.

There are also expensive alternatives for the Porsche 911 like Singer Vehicle Design which designs and produces “meticulously restored and optimized air-cooled 911”. These Porsche 911s are special and very expensive.

Singer Porsche – photo by Mike Gulett

Most of us cannot go this very expensive route to create our own unique car. There are lower costs alternatives like Simpson Design which designs and hand-builds exotic automobiles combining the style and quality of vintage classics with reliability and mechanical peace of mind of modern sports car technology. Simpson Design typically uses the mechanicals and the chassis of a modern Mazda Miata combined with a retro style that will remind you of something from the past but is not an exact copy of anything.

Simpson Design Italia 3 GTZ – photo from Simpson Design

This is the other side of the restomod trend – that is taking a modern car and making it look old or retro. But the result is very similar – a modern driving experience with an old style look.

If you create your own restomod it is best to use a donar car that is not rare. Almost all of the Barrett-Jackson restomods were American cars with at least tens of thousands originally produced. There are plenty of these cars in original condition or restored to authentic condition, so no one should feel bad about creating their own vision for a restomod or custom with these cars. This is one reason why we do not see many small production number European cars converted to restomods.

Whatever your dream for your own unique car there is a way to get it made or find one for sale. And like hot rods and other customs you can likely buy one for less than the cost of building the same car.

When considering buying a restomod built by someone else it is important to investigate who built the car, the build specifications and the quality of the build in addition to the other items like condition, rust etc…

Don’t give up the quest.

Let us know what you think in the Comments – what car would you want to restomod?

Here are three restomods sold at the Barrett-Jackson auction in Arizona in 2019.

1963 Chevrolet Corvette Custom Coupe

Sold for $385,000.

Beginning with an original 1963 Corvette split-window coupe, a complete custom build was performed by Jeff Hayes and American Speed Shop. It sits on an Art Morrison Sport chassis and is powered by a new LS3 hot-cammed engine that produces 540hp,…

1963 Chevrolet Corvette Custom Coupe – Photo by Barrett-Jackson

1971 Plymouth Barracuda Custom Coupe

Sold for $170,500.

This 1971 Plymouth Barracuda Resto-Mod, nicknamed “Striker,” is a multiple-award-winning ISCA show car that took 9,500 hours to build. Every part of the body has been modified.

1971 Plymouth Barracuda Custom Coupe – Photo by Barrett-Jackson

1962 Chevrolet Corvette Custom Convertible

Sold for $117,700.

This professionally built 1962 Corvette Resto-Mod convertible was the recipient of a no-expense-spared frame-off restoration and finished in stunning black paint with a matching hardtop and white soft-top over red leather interior.

1962 Chevrolet Corvette Custom Convertible – Photo by Barrett-Jackson

Summary

Article Name

The Restomod Trend

Description

I suspect that, like me, many of you are attracted to the idea of creating a custom car that is suited to your own tastes that runs on modern suspension, brakes and maybe chassis for a better, safer and more reliable driving experience than the original.

Author

Mike Gulett