Restomods are pivotal in today's car world
The reincarnations of some of our most beloved classics will play a much larger role than we first thought.
Restomod. Unrecognised by the dictionary and greeted with a rather irritating squiggly red line underneath it every time it's written. It is yet another term that the car world has created to represent a very special class of vehicles. Restomod is simply a fusion of the words restoration and modification and it describes the way that passionate designers and engineers return famous classic cars back to their original state, and then go further; they add their own personal touches and alterations for the betterment of the vehicle.
Some companies choose to be faithful to the original designs of the car they are working on so will choose to restore the vehicle and add only minor adjustments. Meanwhile, other institutions will try to change and modernise an iconic recipe, leaning more on the modification side of the restomod term. Normally, this comes with some incredibly appealing results with brands like Singer and Eagle recreating notable vehicles and revamping them with their own bespoke touches.
However, with a growing market for some of the less desirable vehicles of the car world such as SUVs and the duller Electric Vehicles, these cars are becoming more important than ever before. There is a growing interest in preserving the automotive gems that have been masterfully crafted across decades of discovery and advancement. Classics like these are dying out and the restomodding community is one of the few factions that have devoted their craft to creating the ultimate versions of what's left of these vehicles. Keeping the cars of today is one task that we must undertake, but retaining the best vehicles of yesteryear is equally as important and restomods may be the best way to do that.
The Eagle Lightweight GT
The origins of the restomod.
The idea of restomodding was originally popularised by two revolutionary companies who saw opportunity in some of our most beloved vehicles. The first is a UK based company founded all the way back in 1984. Eagle E-Types have become a staple of the restomod community with their faithful recreations and tasteful modification of a Jaguar classic. The E-type has garnered a cult-like following since its introduction in 1961, and Eagle capitalised on this by building a brand around their shared passion.
Eagle E-Type Speedster and Low Drag GT
They built their first car in 1991 upon request of author, John McLaren. He owned an E-Type himself, but found that the car was not reliable enough to drive regularly, instead relying on a Nissan Skyline GTR for his dose of performance. So, Eagle built their first custom E-Type; it focussed on reliability and the ability to drive anywhere in the upmost comfort and with maximum driving pleasure. The car was an instant hit, which prompted the company separated into two divisions. One side worked to build their custom vehicles whilst the other serviced, upgraded and sold regular E-Types. From then on the company grew until we saw the eighth chassis displayed on Top Gear with Jeremy Clarkson singing its praises. Today, they have 5 beautiful models, which hark back to original Jaguar designs, on offer with angles and design which could be considered criminal in some circles. Their vehicles are designed to venture down to the south of France and back with modern day reliability and performance. It's a feat which it accomplishes rather well.
Porsche 911 'Reimagined by Singer'
Elsewhere, in Los Angeles, some passionate engineers worked off of the most famous Porsche classic. Singer Vehicles Design was founded in 2009 and instantly made an impression as the builder of the some of the greatest air-cooled 911s. The bespoke nature of their product was unlike anything seen before; when their wealthy owners finally took delivery of their vehicles, it was like picking up a brand new car. These cars have featured on one of the last episodes of original Top Gear with James May at the wheel and from then on have been in pretty much every automotive show, magazine or online outlet that you could possibly think of. Singer also shined light on several other Porsche restomods from the likes of Gunther Werks and Emory.
These 964-based chassis were so different and so meticulously crafted that they were virtually unrecognisable in relation to the cars produced by Stuttgart in the 1990s. The quality of their product is impeccable and is perfectly represented by Singer's own motto: 'everything is important'. Their close attention to every detail is most prominent in their newest creation, the Dynamics and Lightweighting Study (DLS). It is the ultimate incarnation of their vehicles and, at a hefty $1.8 million, promises the most pure and visceral 911 experience that money can buy. Some standout features include a 4.0 Litre naturally aspirated Flat-6 from Williams Advanced Engineering (yes, that Williams), bespoke Michelin Pilot Sport tires, BBS forged magnesium wheels and lots of carbon fibre. I could write a whole article about this car, but for now I'll refer you to the jaw-dropping images above this passage and this video.
Alfaholics GTA-R
Chris Harris - Top Gear, Restogods“THE ALFA OFFERS SOMETHING NONE OF THE OTHERS CAN”
Another piece of design genius that has been brought to the forefront of the community recently comes from a company called Alfaholics. It conveys the Italian flare of the 1960s and transforms it for the modern era. The lightweight Alfa Romeo GTA-R based off of the 1967 Alfa Romeo 1300 GT Junior is a low, nimble and delightfully alluring sports car which tries to encapsulate the most pure feeling of a classic race car. It revs and it skids and it drives like it is uncontaminated by modern technology and rhetoric. And, most importantly, Gordon Murray owns one, which tells you everything you need to know about how good this little red weapon is.
There is claimed to be no more refined driving experience in the modern era. There is an unfaltering belief that these cars are the the pinnacle of quality and gratification, but there is so much more yet to discuss.
Some of the lesser known examples.
Emory 356 RSR Outlaw
These few brands catalysed a whole culture built around reviving and improving legendary cars. Before we knew it, everybody with access to a chassis, a considerable operating budget and a seemingly very large workshop/shed was having a go. Volvos, Minis and Ferraris all got the restomod treatment. Here's just a sample of the best models.
Cyan Racing Volvo P1800
Some very blue Swedish fun arrived on the scene recently, and its built by a legitimate race team. Cyan Racing's Volvo P1800 meets the restomod brief perfectly with a classic Volvo chassis (which has been strengthened with carbon fibre and high-density steel) being blended with modern internals from WTCC champion engineers. It has the 420HP engine from their 2017 championship winning Touring car and is paired with a Hollinger 5-speed manual gearbox. Cyan then added custom independent rear suspension and a limited slip differential for the best rear-wheel-drive feel. Some extra bespoke internal wizardry and no driver aids creates the ultimate sports car recipe.
Kimera Automobili EV037
The much loved Lancia brand has been returned in several forms lately. The most stunning of which is the Kimera Automobili EVO37. The rallying legend came back with some evolved styling and engineering. They carry the same ethos as the original with a lightweight chassis originally taken from a Lancia Beta Montecarlo (carbon fibre this time, not fibreglass), a 4-cylinder turbo engine with 500HP being fitted in the back and parts from some of the biggest companies in motorsport. They even consulted two-time World Rally Champion Miki Biaison, who drove the original 037 in Group B, and the project is overseen by Claudio Lombardi, who worked on the original cars. There's a suspension redesign and bigger wheels to handle the power and perform better skidding antics. £400,000 and it's all yours, if you can get on the waiting list for one of only 37 being made, that is.
Mini Remastered Oselli Edition
Does a £100,000 Mini pique your interest? Yes, you read that correctly. The Mini Remastered by David Brown has recently been fettled with by Oselli Engineering to provide a beloved Mini with a fun factor to rival a modern hot hatch.
Mechatronik 'Project 107'
A very appealing 107 generation Mercedes is in the works from Mechatronik. The yet to be revealed 'Project 107' will supposedly have a whooping great V8 under the bonnet and plenty of added modern toys for the lucky owners to play with. This is one to watch, I daresay.
GTO Engineering
There's also a point to be made about faithful replicas. Though not technically restomods, they provide the experience of owning a brand new classic at a fraction of the price that their real counterparts are nowadays. Take GTO Engineering's faithful Ferrari revivals; they're a picture perfect match to the original vehicles produced by the Maranello-based company all those years ago. A 250 SWB, California Spyder and 250 TR have all rolled off of their small production line as of late.
Electricity.
I can hear the gasps from here. "Electrifying our most beloved vehicles? How dare they!" Well, if I can ask you to quell your outrage for just a moment whilst I explain why this is actually beneficial for the restomodding community. I know that we want those cool revamped retro engines shoved into our machines, but when those vehicles become so polluting that they can't be properly used in certain areas, EVs may be the answer.
Totem Automobili Giulia GT Electric
My personal favourite classic EV is from Totem Automobili. Their electric Alfa Romeo Giulia GT shows that electric conversions can have their merits. The 518HP electric rocket ship starts out as a stripped Alfa 1300 GT Junior (the same as Alfaholics) which is then strengthened to handle the power and modified in a very tasteful way. Technically, there's a new suspension setup, an electric powertrain installed and an exquisite carbon fibre body. This formula means that it's fast, very fast. The stunning aesthetics and exquisite interior with plenty of options and customisability make for an alluring proposition, even if it doesn't carry a high revving 4-cylinder.
EV classic car conversions
Electric Conversions of some of our favourite cars are all the rage at the moment. Some say that it's sacrilege, but it does give us an opportunity to drive these vehicles without being accused of polluting. They also normally keep their manual gearboxes, so they're still as engaging as ever.
There's also a low powered, custom built electric MGB GT from RBW that James May tested on Drivetribe's very own YouTube channel. So, watch that because its quite entertaining and he makes very good points about what is actually needed from a classic car.
The problem.
There’s a dominant factor that you may have picked up on in this article: money. We can all agree that these cars are awesome in every sense. But, their impeccably crafted, artistic appearance comes at a daunting cost. One which you would have to look twice at if your name wasn’t Bezos or Gates. Take the Singer DLS, for example. It’s spectacular in every way, but it‘s nearly two million dollars.
Thereby lies the conundrum; these are collector‘s cars, despite the publicity that they are great to drive and faithful recreations of cult classics, they will mostly end up in climate controlled garages in the basement of a very wealthy oligarch. And that makes me quite sad. These cars are built to be driven, they are a ludicrously expensive experience. So, experience it, don’t hide it.
Gunther Werks 400r (1 of 25)
It‘s inevitable that most of these cars will end up in private collections for the sole purpose that the owner can boast ‘oh yeah, I’ve got one of those.’ without ever actually driving it. It’s the risk you run with any exclusive vehicle - there are very few of these cars which will reach high mileage. It does mean that I have to salute the purists who will actually drive them and the geniuses who built them in the first place. I have immense respect for the statement that they are sending; they’re telling us to hold on for a second and recognise just what we’ve achieved thus far. That’s what we’ll take from these cars, we shouldn’t expect to be spotting one on the local high street, but just knowing they’re out there should spur us on as a community.
What can we expect in the future?
Why did I feel compelled to talk about modern reincarnations of old cars? In the ever-changing world of the automobile, shouldn't I be talking about the latest ultra rare Hypercar or 'revolutionary' supercar? Well, it's simply because these cars make me feel more excitement and admiration than most new car releases. It's not that we dislike the engineering prowess and modern design of new cars, they just seem numb and blind towards the desires of the enthusiasts. I, like most of you, can see the looming death of the internal combustion engine. I want to savour its final moments in the best way possible, by celebrating some of its greatest hits. I know that when that dark day inevitably comes and the petrol hose is finally detached from the pump, it will come with a swift and abrupt full stop. So can’t that final bit of punctuation be a stunning Singer DLS riding off into the California sunset, screaming its naturally aspirated guts out at 9,000rpm as it goes by. I don’t want to see a 4-cylinder hybrid send off the ICE, I want it skidding out of our lives in the lightweight chassis of an Alfa GTA-R.
Automobili Amos Delta Futurista
I think the growing sentiment is that most journalists would rather drive these marvellous, bespoke creations because they reflect what driving should be, they embody fun and playfulness. I can't help but reflect that sentiment. When our world has officially changed, it will be these cars which I look back at with fondness and remember just how great car design can be. I only hope that future designers and engineers see what these companies have done and they use it to influence their own products. Don’t give us a cumbersome, hulking SUV. Give us lightweight and nimble. Give us power and performance. And most importantly, give us something fun. The world of restomodding is a varied and vast entity, and it would be impossible to cover them all, so feel free to tell me your favourite restomod in the comments below. Thank you for reading.
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Comments (23)
They are all amazing displays of ingenuity and uniqueness until people with no care for the cars they own turn them electric because they have misinformation on the environment
Yes and the seat belt advocates had misinformation and safety, the EFI people had misinformation about carburetors, the in-dash CD people had misinformation about cassettes and the power windows people had misinformation about crank...
Read moreIf you seriously think that 15 tonnes of CO2 will be easily offset by 20,000 miles of driving then I can tell you here an now that you're the misinformed one.
Restomodding is ok to a degree. But ripping out the heart and soul of a classic and replacing it with electric motors is just plain wrong. If you want a classic ev, buy a replica kit car and put motors in that.
I'm all into restomods (ICE that is) . Perfect line of events - take an iconic model of a brand and modernize is with modern parts of the same brand.
Mechatronik makes beautiful restomods, that Ian Callum's Mark 2 is something. That sort of stuff.
The prices are ridiculous, agreed. But if I had 300-400k on a car, believe me, no modern geeky supercar would see my face - I'd take a Mechatronik Benz,
Singer Porsche or Eagle GT any day over a modern car of the same pricerange.
I'm thinking a Coupe de Ville with a Corvette 7.0 V8 or a Lincoln Continetal with a Coyote V8...
My opinion: If you don't like the way a classic car is, just buy a modern one.
Or, and this is a crazy idea, why not modify what's bad and leave or enhance what's good? If you can do that with modern cars, why not classic ones?
Commenting on the Delta Futurista; guess what I found!
Wow 🤩