Restomod Culture and California

by Mike Gulett – 

In California—where surfing, startups, hot rods, custom cars, movie stars and supercars coexist—it’s no surprise that restomod culture has taken root and flourished. Nowhere else is the spirit of retro-modern engineering more fully realized than in the workshops of Singer Vehicle Design, Gunther Werks, and a new wave of creative builders who are redefining what it means to own and drive a classic. I know some of these creative people, below, are outside California too:

• Icon  – Reimagines vintage Broncos and Toyota FJs with modern technology – see one of their Derelicts below

• Emory Motorsports – Legendary for outlaw Porsche 356 builds

• Ringbrothers – Muscle car restomods with carbon panels and outrageous power

• Velocity Modern Classics – High-end builds of classic Ford Broncos

• Revology Cars – reproductions and restorations of 1967 to 1968 Mustangs and Shelby GTs

And many cool restomods have been  created by motivated and talented individuals just because that is what they wanted.

Restomodding—restoration + modification—has evolved from hot rod culture into a legitimate collector car segment, especially for iconic sports cars like the Porsche 911 plus Ford Mustangs, various old pickup trucks, 4 x 4s and many other models. In California, this practice is being elevated to bespoke art, where engineering excellence meets heritage preservation.

Restomod

At its core, a restomod takes a classic car and upgrades it with modern performance, materials, and reliability while retaining the look and feel of the original design. Think:

• Digital engine management in a carbureted shell or maybe a modern engine in an old car

• Carbon fiber body panels shaped to vintage profiles

• Racing-derived suspension beneath a classic body

• Analog interiors hiding contemporary technology

It’s not restoration for museum display. It’s restoration for driving, comfort and reliability.

Singer Vehicle Design

Founded by Rob Dickinson (a former rock musician and obsessive Porsche aficionado), Singer has redefined what’s possible with a classic 911. Based in Los Angeles, Singer takes a donor Porsche 964 (1989–1994) and completely reimagines it—body, chassis, engine, and interior—with uncompromising attention to detail.

Key characteristics:

• Naturally aspirated, air-cooled engines built by Ed Pink Racing or Williams Advanced Engineering

• Lightweight carbon-fiber body panels reshaped with 1970s flair

• Hand-stitched interiors that blend vintage and aerospace-grade materials

• No two cars are alike—each is commissioned by the customer

The result is a car that looks like a 1973 Carrera RS but drives like a modern GT3—with a price tag starting well above $500,000. Singer’s motto says it all: “Everything is Important.” And collectors agree—Singer 911s now sell at auction for over $1 million.

Gunther Werks 

Also based in California, Gunther Werks focuses on the final air-cooled 911—the 993—and turns it into a carbon-bodied, 7500 rpm monster. Where Singer leans toward elegance, Gunther Werks delivers purposeful aggression.

Highlights include:

• 4.0-liter naturally aspirated engines by Rothsport Racing

• Entire body panels replaced with bare carbon fiber

• Custom suspension geometry and widened track

• Aircraft-style switchgear and minimalist racing interiors

Gunther Werks appeals to collectors who want ultimate performance in a classic body shape.

Icon

1948 Buick Super Convertible – Derelict

This looks like an old rusty car but it is really a restomod.

1948 was the last year of the 1942 series Buick Super, a coupe with Sedanet fastback styling, low and wide, with the Airfoil front fenders.

Postwar the Series 50 Super combined the large Series 70 Roadmaster body with the “economical” Series 40 Special motor, the 248 ci Fireball straight-8.

America loved these cars. Jonathan Ward’s “The Most Advanced Form of Simple” Buick was “handmade in Los Angeles” by Icon whose style is “derelict” but whose substance is “highly modified daily driver” complete with Cadillac’s 2014 supercharged CTS-V 556 horsepower 6.2-liter V8 that helps celebrate the visual romance of a barn find without the barn!

This car is not pretending to be something it is not like the fake patina cars being promoted by some collector car auction companies these days.

New leather seats and a rusty dashboard

This classic car is what it is and I’ll bet it is fast and fun. The owner would not worry about dents and dirt – they would just drive it for the pure fun of it. And to experience the reaction of people when they see it up close especially that Cadillac 556 horsepower engine.

Photos by Mike Gulett.

Why California?

There’s something about California that nurtures the restomod and custom cars movement:

• A deep car culture rooted in hot rods, custom builds, and lifestyle

• Year-round driving weather, making usable classics a worthwhile goal

• A wealthy client base willing to pay for a unique build

• Proximity to engineering talent from both Silicon Valley, motorsports, auto design and aerospace

From the Malibu canyons to Monterey Car Week, California is the spiritual home of the restomod—and the global stage for these new creations.

A New Collector Category

Restomods have moved from fringe to front-row at events like The Quail and Pebble Beach Concours (on the Concept Lawn).

Increasingly, they are:

• Eligible for vintage rallies and tours

• Fetching six- and seven-figure sums at auction and in some cases selling for more than a restored original

• Seen as heirloom-quality investments, not just passion projects

The best restomods are no longer considered lesser than original classics—they’re regarded as functional art, customized to the owner’s vision with performance capabilities that the original builders could only dream of.

Conclusion

In an age of autonomous driving and digital overload, restomods represent a rebellion. They offer tactile engagement, design purity, and bespoke craftsmanship—some of the qualities that made people fall in love with cars in the first place.

As California continues to blur the line between technology and tradition, the restomod is becoming more than a trend—it’s a movement, and one that’s reshaping the collector car world from the inside out and it is spreading outside of California.

Let us know what you think in the Comments.

 

Research and some text by ChatGPT 5.