Restomods at auctions

[MsMopar]

Restomods are pulling over 100k at auctions but realistically most people have at least that much into them. So is 100k really that impressive of an amount compared to the old fashion stock musclecars?

[b5blue]

It depends on the buyers "Tastes" and pocket book. The minute you mod anything you wipe out the stock value reference point.  My car came new with a 318 but has a 440 now. A 727 tranny and 8 3/4 axle go with the 440 as the car had lighter duty units with the 318. So how would this effect value? 

[426HemiChick]

It depends on the buyers "Tastes" and pocket book. The minute you mod anything you wipe out the stock value reference point.  My car came new with a 318 but has a 440 now. A 727 tranny and 8 3/4 axle go with the 440 as the car had lighter duty units with the 318. So how would this effect value? 

Hi B5blue,               04 September 2022

That's a difficult question to answer not knowing what year, model it was when you started the mods; then the pedigree of the mods. Simple answer: Hopefully more than what you originally paid for the car plus the cost of the mods.

We're putting a new 572 alloy Hemi, new 727 auto, disk brakes, mag wheels, tires, new paint, leather interior and or whatever else it needs to make it as bad ass as possible on the street. We'll probably have $150K in it when it is done, which doesn't include the $3300.00 we paid for it when we bought it new in 1968.

How much will it be worth when it has been completed? We have no intention of selling it so we really don't care.

Best Always

436 Hemi Chicks

[b5blue]

Right, my kids have made it clear the Charger stays in the family so that's just an example of a "modded" car.

[Back N Black]

Not really a retromods but how do people value a restored charger R/T that has 80% AMD sheet metal, original firewall that's about it. Do buyers take that into consideration when buying a charger?

[Q5XX29]

It depends on the buyers "Tastes" and pocket book. The minute you mod anything you wipe out the stock value reference point.  My car came new with a 318 but has a 440 now. A 727 tranny and 8 3/4 axle go with the 440 as the car had lighter duty units with the 318. So how would this effect value? 

How much will it be worth when it has been completed? We have no intention of selling it so we really don't care.

Best Always

436 Hemi Chicks

EXACTLY this! 

[doctor4766]

I resto-modded my '69 318 Charger to resemble an R/T, albeit a 383 implant.
I kept this rust free Californian car for 16 years and sold it for 100k+ (AUD) to a local guy who wanted what he saw and just had to have it.
He's already putting his touches on the car and will likely spend another sum of money on it, getting it to how he likes it.
318 or 383 or 440, I never imagined it would attract that sort of coin.  

[Kern Dog]

Restomods allow a person to make changes that improve the driving experience. Stuff like aftermarket disc brakes, stereo systems and modern engines & transmissions that perform as well or better while delivering twice the fuel economy. Most of these are builds based on the common 318 cars.
My red car is a 318 car that I "resto-modded" in this manner. With a 318 and drum brakes, it was fine for just cruising around but wasn't an exciting car to drive.

[426HemiChick]

Hi Folks,               06 September 2022

Our belief is that most everyone on this site loves and enjoys their Mopar's, regardless of model / year. There may be a few folks here that have businesses that provide components and or services to Mopar owners. That's fine and commendable. What we don't care for are people that represent themselves as collectors of these fine cars in an attempt to get them and then flip them asap.

You all know we sold our Hemi Daytona in 2020. All we wanted was for the right person to give her a good home and would not sell her. Yes we wanted a fair return and we feel we got it. Bob Jennings came and visited her, saw that we were straight up about her and even commented that she was better than we had said she was.

If you're here, you have a hobby and that is taking care of your car(s) and enjoying them. Yes, they cost money but so what. Nightclubbing, drinking, smoking, using illicit chemicals, etc. cost money. When you're done with that stuff, what do you have? Lots of money gone, unrecoverable and chances are you ruined your health and family in the process.

What do you have with the cars? Lots of fun for you and your family which is intact, your health is still good and you can probably recover some, if not all of your investment when you decide to hang up your spurs. Maybe you will pass your beloved car along to your kids. Try that with the booze and crap.

It's nice to think our cars will bring us fortune, but don't bet your life on it. If it does, it's icing on the cake. Take care of them, have fun and enjoy them with your family.

Best Always

426 Hemi Chicks

[Pinballjim]

It seems like the resto mod cars are really ringing the bell at the auctions lately.  The problem with these cars as I see it is once they're done, they can't be UNDONE.  I'm not talking about upgraded brakes and such.  I'm more referring to the old cars with a new frame under it (unless of course you KEEP all the old parts).  I remember when the Pro-street fad was cool.  Some of the cars were tubbed and altered to the point that it simply doesn't make sense to undo all those modifications.   Fast forward to today and those cars can be had for PENNIES on the dollar of their original investment.  As neat as they are, they simply aren't useable except on a track.  I see resto mod cars going through the same fate.

[Mike DC]

It seems like the resto mod cars are really ringing the bell at the auctions lately.  The problem with these cars as I see it is once they're done, they can't be UNDONE.  I'm not talking about upgraded brakes and such.  I'm more referring to the old cars with a new frame under it (unless of course you KEEP all the old parts).  I remember when the Pro-street fad was cool.  Some of the cars were tubbed and altered to the point that it simply doesn't make sense to undo all those modifications.   Fast forward to today and those cars can be had for PENNIES on the dollar of their original investment.  As neat as they are, they simply aren't useable except on a track.  I see resto mod cars going through the same fate.

I get the sentiment, but the situation is a bit different now.  In the 1990s it was really frustrating with the Pro Street thing.  Those high-end shops/owners had a bad habit of "starting with a good foundation" and cutting up solid complete cars.    

Nowadays a lot of cars that get full frame redos are so rusty that there wasn't much being lost.  They end up with a hand-built aftermarket frame from Art Morrison instead of a hand-built aftermarket frame from AMD sheetmetal.


These days most of the Chargers that are decent candidates for stock restorations are already restored. 

[426HemiChick]

.
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We're putting a new 572 alloy Hemi, new 727 auto, disk brakes, mag wheels, tires, new paint, leather interior and or whatever else it needs to make it as bad ass as possible on the street. We'll probably have $150K in it when it is done, which doesn't include the $3300.00 we paid for it when we bought it new in 1968.

How much will it be worth when it has been completed? We have no intention of selling it so we really don't care.
.
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Hi Folks,              07 September 2022

Dislike quoting our own posts, but need to address an issue we skipped in the original:

We are having the RR's original Hemi and its transmission rebuilt to stock specs. Our 68 Road Runner will have two complete engine / transmission assemblies. We are not changing anything that can't be undone so that it can be returned to bone stock if that's something someone might want to do in the future. So at some point the car will possibly be put up For-Sale, but that'll be after we have been turned into Fertilizer; such a dreary thought.

So, if you are interested in our RR, stick around for 20 years or so just in case our Great Great Grandson doesn't want it. We'll keep all the original parts for you.

Best Always

426 Hemi Chicks

[Old Moparz]

I'd say the price of a resto-mod depends on the quality that went into it. Decades ago it was a good rule of thumb to avoid buying a car that had lots of modifications done to it because many were "rigged" in a backyard by someone without a clue. Even if they did know what they were doing it was harder to diagnose a problem later on not knowing what the previous owner did. The resto-mod shops now are very different than what we grew up seeing. Some do amazing work but the average person can't afford it.

Personally, if I were in a position to buy a 6 figure car I'd go with a quality resto-mod over a stock dinosaur without a second thought. 

[Mike DC]

      
           
I think the term "Restomod" is casting too wide of a net to be very useful these days.  


It was originally supposed to mean lightly-modded cars that are partly stock restorations.  

But now it seems to have become an umbrella term for almost any customized muscle car that isn't a 1990s/older Pro Street style.  I see it being applied to classic cars with 2x4 tube frames and LS swaps and full custom interiors.  Many of these cars are just "mods" without the "resto" part.    

[b5blue]

Good point.

[John_Kunkel]

I think the term "Restomod" is casting too wide of a net to be very useful these days.  

To me, a restomod should retain most of its original appearance with only subtle changes like wheels.

[b5blue]

Clone and Tribute are overworked terms in my book.

[John_Kunkel]

Like so many other things, there's no universal agreement on a lot common terms used by car folks but the important thing is car folks know what you're talking about.

[Kern Dog]

So often, a term gets used to describe something that was previously UNnamed and it isn't always 100% correct. Something doesn't feel right about the new name but until something more appropriate comes along, we just go with it.
I thought that "Pro-Street" sounded weird. What is professional about the car?
Pro-Touring is another one. The money spent on those cars seems to make it unlikely that anyone would tour the country in a car with a $50,000 paint job and 20" wheels with razor thin sidewalls.
Resto-Mod isn't a real elegant term but it seems to make sense for the most part. Part restoration, part modified.
To me, this entails a stock body but with aftermarket wheels and tires, upgraded suspension, steering and brakes....surely an engine upgrade of some type.

[426HemiChick]

Hi Folks,                 15 September 2022

Maybe part of the confusion emanates from the car magazines. Some of their "word dribblers" are constantly spewing BS like the old rags one would find at the supermarket checkout counter. MCG's supposed "Premier" word spewer only writes what he thinks reads well, facts be damned, have a deadline to "Meat;" to hell with research, that takes a bit of effort.

If you get that mag you know who I'm referring to. We get the mag mainly for the ads.

Best Always

425 Hemi Chicks

[euroZ06]

As a young generation I'll pitch in (I'm prob the youngest member of this forum, I'm 36).

Restomods are awesome! Its the way of the future if you want to drive the car, instead of having it sit in the garage. I have a 68, that was originally 318, but had a 383 put into it. It also looks like an RT. Its awesome and I love it, but i would kill to have a modern Hemi and new style suspension in it. I think most people my age would prefer that. Unless the all original car is parked in the garage, or you slowly cruise around, you'll need modern.

About two years ago I was gonna do a hellcat swap (was quoted like $30k), but, groups on FB told me of all the problems that come with this upgrade, and how much of a hassle it is. So instead I bought 1988 M5 and decided to stay stock. Well... 2 years gone by, and I barely drive my M5, and once a week I drive my charger and wish i had a hellcat in it. My AC system will be the death of me! I also hate the fact that finding a shop that can do the work is extremely difficult/impossible/stupidly expensive (I'm in Miami). I would love to do a Cam upgrade, but none one can give me a good answer on which set up they recommend, or how much it'll cost ($4-5k from what i gather). The tranny always shifts weirdly, no one can adjust it to shift right. Always something alternator related... always something AC or Heat related... or some leak somewhere...

So yea, id much rather have a resto mod. I feel bad cutting up my car, as it appears stock/fully restored, but honestly, the only reason I haven't done a restomod is because I haven't found a shop that I would trust, which would charge reasonable amount.

[426HemiChick]

As a young generation I'll pitch in (I'm prob the youngest member of this forum, I'm 36).

Restomods are awesome! Its the way of the future if you want to drive the car, instead of having it sit in the garage. I have a 68, that was originally 318, but had a 383 put into it. It also looks like an RT. Its awesome and I love it, but i would kill to have a modern Hemi and new style suspension in it. I think most people my age would prefer that. Unless the all original car is parked in the garage, or you slowly cruise around, you'll need modern.

About two years ago I was gonna do a hellcat swap (was quoted like $30k), but, groups on FB told me of all the problems that come with this upgrade, and how much of a hassle it is. So instead I bought 1988 M5 and decided to stay stock. Well... 2 years gone by, and I barely drive my M5, and once a week I drive my charger and wish i had a hellcat in it. My AC system will be the death of me! I also hate the fact that finding a shop that can do the work is extremely difficult/impossible/stupidly expensive (I'm in Miami). I would love to do a Cam upgrade, but none one can give me a good answer on which set up they recommend, or how much it'll cost ($4-5k from what i gather). The tranny always shifts weirdly, no one can adjust it to shift right. Always something alternator related... always something AC or Heat related... or some leak somewhere...

So yea, id much rather have a resto mod. I feel bad cutting up my car, as it appears stock/fully restored, but honestly, the only reason I haven't done a restomod is because I haven't found a shop that I would trust, which would charge reasonable amount.

Hi euroZ06,                  16 September 2022

Welcome to our "Real World." When we were young, a couple years ago, the common thinking was "Don't trust anyone over thirty, they are Old Folks." Think there might be a few members here that are a good bit younger than you and we can personally attest to the fact that there are a few a good bit older.

Can't quite figure out what you want to do with your Charger. We know first hand playing with our toys is expensive. The old saying: "The difference between men and boys is the price of the toys" is fact.

We think you need to read more of the posts on this site. Bob Jennings, aka "taxspeaker" has driven one of his Jewels from his home in Indiana to Alaska and to Key West Florida. It's a stock 1970 Super Bird. It has done the Alaska trip twice; just recently finished the second.

We're upgrading our 68 Hemi Road Runner, which we bought new, with a 572 inch Alloy Hemi. That engine alone cost $35K plus a few $K for incidentals. You do not have to do what we are doing to enjoy your ride. You can do a lot to make your Charger dependable and a joy to drive for a whole lot less.

You've been here almost 9 years so you should be able to navigate this site to find the information you need to accomplish whatever it is you want to do to your ride. We also don't think you need to "cut up your car" to make it a "Restomod," whatever that's supposed to mean. Guess it means whatever one wants.

Good luck finding the info you need and want. Hope you get your third member fixed. From your description of the noise, it sounds like it wasn't set up correctly. We do not mess with third member gearing. We leave it to the experts. You might want to call A & A transmission in Indiana. They may be able to help you. They advertise in MCG mag, just don't pay too much attention to MCG's "Feature" hot air generator.

Here's A & A's phone number: 317-831-5610 and Web site: aandatrans.com

Take care young man. Don't be in a hurry to get old; it will happen before you realize it. Trust us, we be there.

Best Always

426 Hemi Chicks

[426HemiChick]

Hi euroZ06,                  16 September 2022

We need two 727 trans rebuilt and one new one. Also a third member gear change. They do work on third members. The guy you need to talk with is Rick, he is on vacation, will be back Monday. From everything we know they are numero uno. They are not cheap, but they are GOOD.

I mentioned your gear wine; ans: Setup incorrectly or cheap parts.

Give Rick a call this coming Monday. He's backed up with 50 trans in line. We are going to join the line Monday.

Take Care

Best Always

426 Hemi Chicks

[472 R/T SE]

Hi euroZ06,                  16 September 2022

We need two 727 trans rebuilt and one new one. Also a third member gear change. They do work on third members. The guy you need to talk with is Rick, he is on vacation, will be back Monday. From everything we know they are numero uno. They are not cheap, but they are GOOD.

I mentioned your gear wine; ans: Setup incorrectly or cheap parts.

Give Rick a call this coming Monday. He's backed up with 50 trans in line. We are going to join the line Monday.

Take Care

Best Always

426 Hemi Chicks

I was good at pumpkin changes.  Did the last one in an hour, lol.  I'd done it several times so got good.
First time I didn't have room to pull the axles but had it down, lol.

[426HemiChick]

I was good at pumpkin changes.  Did the last one in an hour, lol.  I'd done it several times so got good.
First time I didn't have room to pull the axles but had it down, lol.

Hi Mike,                06 October 2022

I've changed one pumpkin; took the 3:23 pumpkin out of the RR's third member, had someone install the 4:89 ring and pinion we bought from Chrysler in it then reinstalled the RR's pumpkin it in its original third member. No way was I going to do the actual gear change, had never done it and didn't have the tools to do it.

Now we want to remove the 4:89 from the RR's pumpkin and have a 2:73 or taller gear installed. Again, we "ain't doing it" we'll pay someone that knows what they are doing. The actual gear change is "Outta" our league.

The dumbest thing I did during our move was to give our extra pumpkin away so we wouldn't have to contend with that dirty greasy thing. Dam, what a stupid move. Have to say I ain't immune from doing stupid.

Take Care

Best Always

426 Hemi Chicks

[472 R/T SE]

I left a one wheel peel 2:76 up in Washington.  I think it was a small u joint so it'd need to be changed.

I left so much stuff up there.  No idea what's in storage.
Too bad I didn't have it here!  I'd deliver it and we could look at it for a few days, lol.

[GreenMachine]

I think the term "Restomod" is casting too wide of a net to be very useful these days.  

To me, a restomod should retain most of its original appearance with only subtle changes like wheels.

I call that a day 2 restoration. Wheels, tires, headers, engine mods, stereo, tint.