Restomods have become increasingly popular over the last few years because of their ability to appeal to so many different people. You can see them headlining nearly every car show on TV.
A restomod is a classic car that contains some modern components. There’s no limit as to how mild or wild a restomod can be which is what makes these kinds of builds so great. A restomod can be something as small as an upgraded radiator and a new air conditioning system in a ‘73
Mustang to a complete overhaul including a new engine, upgraded suspension, and all new modern dash and custom interior. A restomod is a vehicle that is not original because it has been modernized.
A restomod build on the mild side could be something like taking a 1965 Mustang that originally came with a inline 6 and C4 transmission and swapping that drivetrain for a 383 stroker and 700R4 transmission. At this time, we also recommend a larger radiator to keep the 383 stroker cool, an upgraded ignition system, and a KennyCarb. Brakes will usually need to be upgraded as well to handle the added power. This is one of our most popular packages for people that have a classic car and want to make it a cruiser without all the extra fluff. Although, you can certainly dive deeper and upgrade the AC system, add nice aluminum headers, and paint the engine bay for a more polished look.
A perfect example of a full restomod build is the 1956 Dodge Power Wagon that we recently completed. When the Power Wagon arrived at our shop, it was pretty much all-original and in good condition. The customer wanted us to tear it down, swap the inline 4 for a 6.4L Hemi with 4 wheel drive and do a complete overhaul of the suspension and interior. Oftentimes what ends up happening with restomods is a lot of custom fabrication. When you make these modern drivetrain transplants, what soon follows is a slew of fabrication work to make the new components fit and operate accordingly. This is where you start to see the price tag climb upwards of $200,000. But, what you get is a one-of-a-kind machine.
When consulting with clients before doing any sort of car build we always use the fixer upper analogy. Let’s say you buy a house that needs to have some work done. You call a contractor and he gives you a quote. A few weeks into the job he finds some pricey structural repairs that must be fixed before he can move forward with the rest of the job. The job ends up costing more than you originally thought, but what you receive is a sturdy house finished the correct way.
The same principle applies to any sort of classic car build. We’ve done thousands of vehicles over the years and we know what works and what doesn’t. But, in every single build we’ve done, there’s always a chance of finding something unexpected along the way.
Another factor to consider when pricing out a restomod is the gap between the current condition of the vehicle and the standard you intend to bring it up to. The larger that gap is, the more the restomod job is going to cost.
So the answer to the question “how much does a restomod cost” isn’t as clear cut as one might think. However, we can provide you with a rough estimate and some examples.
A restomod build can cost anywhere from $30,000 to well over $200,000.
