Thrills From The Flipside: 10 Great European Restomods
It’s tempting to think of the restomod scene as being wholly American. It is, after all, mostly based on muscle cars, old full-size models, and trucks. The sort of cars that practically spit bald eagle feathers from their tailpipes and throatily crunch out The Star-Spangled Banner with their engines. However, there are some absolutely superb restomods which originated on the other side of the Atlantic that deserve our attention. Whether it’s turning German sedans from dull executive cars to part-time racers, Italian speedsters that have been given just that little bit more, or British cruisers made Great, you owe it to yourself to check these out.
BMW 2002
Originally Produced: 1968-1976
The BMW 2002 is cool for a number of reasons. Not only is it a style icon, but it’s also very relaxed about that status. It’s not boastful. It’s not loud. It just is. One of the first production cars to offer a turbocharged model, the 2002 is pure fun to drive, and pretty nippy too. The restored model produced by audio experts Clarion is even better. Fitted with a pair of big bass-blasting subwoofers in the trunk and a new screen in the center console, it does a great job of meshing the old and new.
Under the hood, the restomod process on this European beauty has included installing a pair of Weber DCOE 40 carburetors and a new K&N air filter. A five-speed transmission has also replaced the original four-speed. It’s not a car that’s going to be able to smash out a quarter-mile in record time. It doesn’t come with a big block V8. What it does have in spades though, is character. Driving it is a good time, and it is (characteristically of a German car,) very precise. You need to focus on the task at hand, peeling through corners and outmaneuvering the boring machines packing up the highways like so much scrap metal. If you need to stop, the new Wilwood brakes provide sudden stoppage, before the beautiful wooden wheel traces through your hands and you tear out again. The BMW 2002 was, and still is, an incredible machine.
Alfa Romeo GT Junior
Years produced: 1965-1977
Oh, Alfa Romeo, where would we be without you. Famously unreliable but equally as well-known for their incredibly fun nature, Alfas are that stylish girl that is eternally aped but never bettered. Sure, she may not be consistent, but she’s got something. This particular Alfa Romeo restomod, the GTA-R 009 comes from the famed British workshop Alfaholics, who are well-known for their masterful work. This car started out as a rusted Alfa Romeo GT Step Front Junior. Since then, well, just look at it. It’s had a bevy of modern equipment added, including AC and power steering, but despite that, it’s also stayed remarkably light. Weighing in at under a tonne, it outputs 216 bhp.
This wonder of weight-shedding has been achieved thanks to a featherweight aluminum frame and a carbon fiber hood. Step inside and you’ll be greeted by an interior that you’d expect to come straight from Milan, rather than the west of England. Oxblood leather seats provide deep comfort while also matching the cover of the tuned Monza Twinspark engine. This is restomodding done perfectly.
Mercedes-Benz W108
Years Produced: 1965-1972
The Mercedes-Benz W108 is an extraordinarily striking machine. It’s a big, bulky German luxury car, and when it’s restored? You’ll never see anything quite like it. In this case, the restoration has been done by Mechatronik. A small German company based out of the town of Pleidelsheim near Stuttgart, they are so good at what they do, Mercedes outsource restoration work to them. This W108 began as a 280SE, packing a 214 ci engine, but now a 330 ci V8 from an S55 AMG, mated to a five-speed automatic transmission, sits below the famous crosshair logo. Zero to 60 is handled in just under 5 seconds, with the new ABS and traction control helping you keep her steady.
Looking out of the vast windshield, you get a true appreciation for the road. The car happily provides feedback through the wheel, and you can just get to driving. The inside is luxurious without being gaudy. The old radio’s been ripped out, replaced with a new Becker Mexico unit, while the power windows and sunroof have been left in their original form. This incredible machine doesn’t come cheap, costing over $400,000, but it has so much style, so much power, and so much poise, that you’d forget the price in an instant if you could.
Jaguar E-Type
Years Produced: 1961-1975
Famously described by none other than Enzo Ferrari as “the most beautiful car ever made,” the E-Type is without equal in the looks department. For those looking for speed, however, the car is a little lacking these days. That’s what restomodding specialists like Eagle are here for. The Eagle Spyder GT takes the E-Type and pulls it forcefully into the 21st century, without ruining those classic looks. The body’s been replaced with a new one made from aluminum, while a 287 ci straight-six sits under the hood, producing 346 bhp. What does this mean in terms of speed? Well, the top speed has been boosted up to 170 mph, and the 0-60 time dips down to under five seconds. This car is essentially a stately home on wheels.
Coming in at just over a tonne, the engine is far from the only thing that’s changed. Dampers by Öhlins help you keep the car going smoothly, while AP Racing brakes provide plenty of stopping power. Eagle’s production runs are tiny. Previous E-Type models, the Speedster and the Low Drag GT have only been sold five and three times, respectively. Barring my dream of an XJ220 restomod, this is the Jaguar that all car lovers need.
Porsche 911
Years Produced: 1963-
The Porsche 911 is a car that it’s very easy to be snobby about. Everyone knows it. It’s a yardstick for German racers, and for that reason car elitists will look down on it, favoring their oh-so-unique models. There’s a good reason it’s held in such high esteem. The base cars are precise, grippy, fast little things, and a good 911 restomod is a sight to behold. Particularly impressive are those by Paul Stephens. He produces a range of fully-custom 911s, but the one I’m interested in is the Autoart Lightweight R.
Based on a Porsche 964, the Lightweight R is true to its name, coming in at 2689 lbs, thanks to a host of aluminum and thinned glass. The engines this little thing can be paired with range from 220 ci up to 232 ci, packing 250 or 380 horsepower, respectively. The interior is heavily upgraded too, with leather seats, a half roll cage, and racing bucket seats, amongst other upgrades. Plus, it looks absolutely killer. This is why you shouldn’t look down on the 911s. They may not be the fastest cars money can buy, but they are stylish, precise, and so very cool.
Ferrari Dino 246
Years Produced: 1969-1974
The lack of Ferrari restomods is pretty puzzling. I know that they’re thought to be some of the best-made cars around, but they still get old. Fortunately, not all Ferraris appreciate value like they’re driving through a bank vault with a magnetized body: enter the Dino 246. Often thought of as lacking for a Ferrari, they’ve still got great looks, and it’s up to the modding scene to do something about the power. This Dino 246, by British-based builder Kevin O’Rourke has done just that. As well as fitting the brakes from an F360, he’s given the engine a much-needed boost.
Instead of the lackluster 146 ci V6 which you’d find in an original 246, he’s installed a 195 ci, 300 horsepower V8 from a Ferrari 328, with induction parts from a 355. This Frankenstein’s Ferrari also features fully-custom upholstery and a roll cage. Kevin’s kept the original parts, just in case he ever wants to restore it to its original form, but I hope he doesn’t. The Dino was a cool car, but it needed that little extra. These upgrades should save it from extinction.
Austin-Healey 100
Years produced: 1953-1956
The Austin-Healey 100 is a classic example of British motoring. Sharp looks, beautiful interior, high speed, and, sadly, unreliability. This example, which has been retrofitted with a Ford V8, though? Now you’re talking. This 100 was put on display at the Fresno Car Show, and it’s truly beautiful. The interior has been redone in carbon fiber, some hot rod styled side pipes have been fitted, and new flared fenders added. The trapezoidal grille has also been replaced, with the 100 now sporting a custom Cobra-inspired nose. It’s under the hood where things get really special.
The car’s original 162 ci four-cylinder engine has been ripped out, and in its place sits a Ford Racing 302 ci V8, which has been stroked out to 363 ci. The result? An output of 500 horsepower. The new V8 is mated to T5 transmission, and according to its owner, it drives like a dream.
Volkswagen Beetle
Years produced: 1938-2002
The VW Beetle is an interesting car. There are some very good reasons why it’s so well-known: from its ridiculously long production run to its unique air cooling system, or the fact that at one point in time, you pretty much tripped over them. This restomod I’m about to show you may not be the fastest or most traditional kind of restomod, but it’s very interesting. The Beetle’s been retrofitted with an EV engine by San Diego-based Zelectric Motors, and it’s been done exceptionally well.
In its engine bay, you’ll see 22KW worth of batteries, and a 67KW motor. Its range is around 80 miles, with a top speed of 100 mph. Total torque output is 110 lbs/ft, so it definitely isn’t a slouch. It may not be a drag racer or the sort of car you’d use to power across the country, but it’s a very cool little curio. Another interesting fact about this restomod is that it also still has manual transmission, despite being electric. The motor has been mated to the transaxle, and you can shift if you’d like to, but it doesn’t really do a whole lot. It does help to keep the original car’s aesthetics intact, however, if you’re into that.
Range Rover Classic
Years produced: 1970-1996
Ah, the Range Rover. The favored drive of the British aristocracy, brilliant offroader, and…secret speed demon? Well, modifications can make anything possible, and this Range Rover Classic offered by British firm Kingsley can make those dreams come true (stopping it from tipping over is up to you, however). It may rock the same four-speed automatic transmission, P38 V8 engine, and chassis as the original, but that’s where similarities end. The engine has been bored all the way out to 293 ci, the suspension has been altered, new LED headlights fitted, and a new, faster, steering rack has been added.
The restoration process on these cars is painstaking. The car’s body is removed from the chassis, and the metalwork is then reviewed and repaired as necessary, before it’s all put back together. Zero to 60 is handled in around eight seconds with the base engine, but you could theoretically choose another engine to install, if you’d prefer. Apparently, you could fit a 366 ci Aston Martin V12 under the hood, if you so chose. The end price is close to $120,000 at time of writing. No surprise: these things were never cheap to begin with and the amount of work that goes into the rebuild is massive. It’s still entertaining though: a British counterpart to all those chopped and dropped Chevy pickups.
Jensen Interceptor
Years produced: 1966-1976
I’ve talked about the Jensen Interceptor before, and I make no apologies for that. It’s the British answer to a muscle car packed inside an incredible Italian-designed body. Maybe you fancy an Interceptor with a little more oomph? Enter the Jensen International Automotive Interceptor R. Rebuilt from the shell upwards by the company’s mechanics in Oxfordshire, under the hood you’ll find a supercharged LSA, outputting 556 horsepower and 551 lb/ft torque.
The engine is marshaled by a GM four-speed automatic transmission, which is quite happy to both terrify and acquiesce. You can do 70 at 1800 rpm, or rip it up to a roaring 6000+ whenever it takes your fancy. You’ll be tearing up to 60 in just 3.8 seconds. In a 1970s GT. Yep. The top speed sits at 174 mph, and the price is just as sky-high, at around $240,000 at time of writing. This isn’t a cheap car, but it’s got so much character, and that’s what we’re here for.
