You often hear the word “restomod” flying around everywhere but do you know what it actually means? If not, don’t worry, we’re about to fill you in right here and give you the rundown so you know exactly what a restomod is.
What is a restomod?
By definition, a restomod is a term used to describe vintage cars that have been restored with modern parts. To break it down, the first part of the term, “resto”, implies a vehicle that has been restored, and the second part, “mod”, refers to a car that has been modernised. If you’re looking for a well-built restomod, you’d know one when you see one, but just in case, the car will have the styling of a classic car along with many improvements, such as tyres, engine and even sound system!
So if you fancy a classic old school car that’s kitted out with new technology, then a restomod might just what you’re looking for. They might use aftermarket parts to jazz it up, but it still up there with its performance. Restomods are becoming more and more popular.
Inject old cars with a new lease of life
Restomods are always giving the automotive industry something to talk about. For example, where do we draw the line when it comes to restoring an old vintage vehicle. There are many car fanatics out there that there don’t like the idea of jazzing up the classics and think that they should be restored back to their original state. We can see why to be fair. They just won’t make them like they used to anymore and having an original classic these days would be the dream.
The best way to think of a restomod is to think of it like a cake. Any classic cake starts off with your basics, like your eggs, your flour, and some sugar. Although you could just whisk this up and lick the bowl, it would raw and it wouldn’t be the same as if it were baked and complete. A cake doesn’t become a cake until you’ve added all the little extras, a bit of butter, flavouring, and some good quality toppings, the same way that some new brakes, suspension, and more comfortable interiors can turn a classic into a restomod.
If you’ve ever driven an old hag of a car then you’ll know how dangerous they can be in terms of safety and the lack of safety features that they are equipped with. You soon begin to realise just how much you take for granted, like airbags, anti-lock brakes, and LED lights. Some thrill-seekers might find this kind of thing exciting, but others may not fancy the risk.
When you step foot in an old classic it can be nerve-racking, and although it won’t fold like a tin can if the worst was to ever happen, it’s still good to be aware that things aren’t always up to scratch. There’s no shame in recognizing that some classics need some new tricks to handle themselves better on the roads these days.
How to build a restomod
So now you know what a restomod is, the question is how do you go about putting one together. The main thing is to think of it like this, the end goal is always going to be the same, restore and modify, end of story. By modifying your classic, you’ll be able to touch up so many bits and pieces, and maybe even some important ones too like a more modern engine along with other critical components.
If you’re sitting there reading this thinking I don’t even know where to begin to build a restomod, we’re going to break it down for you. Creating a restomod all starts with an old car. It doesn’t matter where you find it, in a field, online, or at a shady car garage, it just needs to be old so that you can restore it and bring it back to life.
The beauty of a restomod is that you get to build it up from nothing and turn it into a car that you desire. You get to see the progress from start to finish and be proud of the finished result. If you have the know-how and some space and maybe a toolbox, that would come in handy, you’ll be well away.
At the end of the day, it does come down to budget when kitting out a restomod, so if you have the budget, you could even buy a complete restomod. Or, if you fancied it, you could get someone else to do the hard graft for you so that you don’t have to and still get the car of your dreams.
Restomods will always be on-trend
One massive bonus to having restomods and why they make such an impact on us is because they keep old cars on the road. We all know that time waits for no one, and yes, your old car may not be able to handle the road like it used to back in the day, but it’s not all bad. You can redo your car and keep it up to date with modern trends. Technology these days makes it easier than ever before to give your old car a make-over so that it can live on and continue on the road.
