Five Cars Perfect For A Cheap Restomod (And Five That Definitely Aren't)

Sad as it is to say, this is my last post at Restomods, except for a scheduled post which will be going up next week. In the two years I’ve been here, I’ve written about pretty much everything classic car related and had a great time doing so, but it’s time to move on to pastures new. With that in mind, I thought it best to end on a kind of consumer advice bent. I’m going to talk about five cars that you can restomod on a low budget, as well as five to stay away from unless you’ve got wealth like Jeff Bezos and a desire to hemorrhage it. Whether you’re a long-time restomodder or a newcomer, I hope this guide will help you choose your next project. That’s it from me; may your roads be straight and your engines loud.

Cheap: Ford Mustang

The fact that the Mustang is a good cheap car to restomod shouldn’t really come as a surprise to anyone. Ford made large numbers of these cars, and the fervent following they built up ensures that parts will never be too hard to come by. In fact, there are a lot of companies out there that make parts for the old ‘Stangs. You can pick up Mustangs in good condition for around $20K, or a lot less, if you don’t mind it being a project car.

So why restomod a Mustang? Chevy fans should look away now. Are they gone? Cool, then I can say this without fear of a mob rising up: because they’re just amazing. They kickstarted the Pony Car trend in an elegant and beautiful way, and are the definition of iconic. Sure, they weren’t the first muscle car, and they probably aren’t the best muscle car either, but they are legendary for a reason. Buying one to restomod is fun, easy, cheap, and will leave you with a car to be proud of.

Expensive: Shelby GT500

Those who aren’t in the know might be confused by this one, since Shelby GT500s are superficially very similar to the Mustang. They’re based on the car, but that’s where the similarity ends. Shelby American took the Mustang and made it more. The first models, the Shelby GT350s of 1965, were essentially track cars, built to SCCA standards. It was only in ’66 that rear seats, different colors, and an auto transmission were added as extras. The GT500 arrived in 1967, and Shelby had little influence over the car at this point, with most authority taken over by Ford.

The GT500s pack chunky 427 V8s, with the King Cobra variant producing well over its reported output of 335 horsepower. They’d be a great base for a restomod, were it for one thing: their incredible, longstanding value. At time of writing, prices on Hemmings for a GT500 in good condition are set at around $140K and up. Best admired from a distance, or, if you have the cash, bought and preserved.

Cheap: Pontiac GTO

So the Mustang may have kickstarted the Pony Car trend, but what about if you want to go back further? How about the car that essentially made muscle cars widespread? The GTO made muscle cars more than just some passing fad. This one car essentially made all the other manufacturers sit up and take notice, hence the plethora of models that followed. The best part is that because these cars were so influential, there’s still a thriving community of GTO owners. There are a lot of companies out there producing parts for the 1964-1969 GTO, so you’ll never be stuck for parts during the project, either.

Price wise, you can expect to shell out just $5K, give or take a few thousand, for a project car. Not bad for a key piece of automotive history.

Expensive: Chevrolet Bel Air

The gorgeous Bel Air isn’t outrageously expensive like the GT500, but the problem is that they are extremely popular today. As such, finding project cars is hard, and finding one near you will probably make you tear your hair out in frustration. Often, instead, you’ll see finished cars selling for $30K and up, which isn’t bad, but that’s not why you’re here, is it? You want to make your own.

So, if you can secure a Bel Air, what will you get? Only one of the best full-sized cars ever made. The Bel Air offered a premium level of luxury across all its styles, and recreating that will be the order of the day. Getting parts will be slightly more difficult than for iconic muscle cars too, but not impossible. Not as outlandish as the GT500, certainly, but most definitely more of a challenge than the Mustang or GTO, especially on a tight budget.

Cheap: Mercury Capri

Never heard of the Mercury Capri? I’m not all that surprised if you’ve not, they never caught on as much in the US as they did in Europe. Sold as the Ford Capri in Europe, the first generation were built in Germany and sold as a captive import, before being built in the United States for the second generation. In Europe, and particularly in Britain, the Capri has a Mustang-like fanbase among a certain generation. It brought power to the everyman, at a low cost, and was hugely celebrated.

The second generation served as a Mercury counterpart to the 1979 Mustang, and shares its Fox-body platform. Engines ranged from small four-cylinder offerings up to good-sized V8s. While not that easy to find, if you can grab one, they’re often dirt cheap. You can expect to pay somewhere between $2-5K, and that’s not for a wreck, either. If you want something that’s iconic, but not common, then a Capri could be exactly what you’re looking for.

Expensive: Porsche 912

The Porsche 911 is hardly cheap, but the 912 is even less so. Given its rarity, produced only from 1965-1969, the 912 was designed to be an entry-level variant of the 911, and it was fantastic. Handling nimbly, just like its bigger brother, the 912 was a 2+2 with real class. While it only had a tiny 98 ci engine, it produced 102 horsepower. It was also one of those cars where massive amounts of horsepower didn’t really matter: it was a blast, no matter what speed you were going at. If you’ve got a fondness for classic Porsches, you might remember someone who owned one of these back in the day, and want to buy one yourself.

The prices are somewhat bananas. Decent examples can be had for around $30k, but if you want a project car? You’re out of luck. Rusted, damaged examples still demand around $15k, which is a fairly significant barrier for entry. Porsches are also not as popular among Restomodders, meaning finding parts can be a little trickier and more expensive, despite Porsche offering classic parts in-house. Unless you’ve got deep pockets, it’s hard to recommend restomodding a 912.

Cheap: Ford Galaxie

Ford’s answer to the Impala, the Galaxie is a fantastic car. It’s not as coveted as the Impala among general petrolheads. Underestimate it at your peril — it’s a superb, chunky, luxurious bit of Americana. A big old full-size car with no pretensions, it’s also got a bit of muscle under the hood. Some models were equipped with a triple-barrel 406, which output around 405 horsepower. The quarter mile time, right out of the shop, was 15.6 seconds, at 92 mph. Not bad for a car this heavy, eh?

So, if you want a piece of muscle car heritage that is pure Americana, you can’t go wrong with a Galaxie. How much will you be looking at paying? If you want one of the more exclusive models, you’ll be looking at over $10K, but if you just want a body to work on? These can be had for $5-10K, easily, with some costing as little as $2K. Fantastic cars that offer infinite possibilities for talented restomodders, the Galaxie should always be considered.

Expensive: Plymouth Superbird

The Plymouth Superbird is a dream car. Literally. It looks like the sort of thing that could only have been conceived in dreamland. Take a look at that vast wing and tell me that it would be made today. It just wouldn’t, you don’t get that kind of thing on the Bugatti Chiron. If you’ve ever longed for a Superbird, I’m afraid you’ll likely have to keep longing. These cars made quite the impact back in the day. In NASCAR, they saw the 200 mph barrier and smashed straight through it.

Sadly for Plymouth, consumers back then thought that the Superbird was too extreme. Crazy, I know. They wanted more conventional muscle cars. Most of the 1920 Superbirds built sat unused and unloved on lots across the country. Some were converted back into Road Runners, and sold that way, which is a crying shame. Knowing that sales figures were low, you can perhaps take a guess at how much they cost these days. Superbirds sell for $150K and up, with many reaching prices north of $200K.

Cheap: Chevrolet Corvette C3

The C3 Corvette gets a lot of hate. Some of it is deserved, particularly in relation to the models of the early 80s. You could probably beat a well-preserved one in a drag race in a middling sedan. It had 200 horsepower. Its build quality was lackluster. That being said, Corvettes are fantastic cars to work on, and this model is good in particular. Due to their bad reputation, they can be had for next to nothing. Ones in good condition can be had for just under 10K, and if you go over that (not by much), you can get some absolute crackers.

The thing about the C3 Corvette is that it was never a bad looking car. Its problems can all be solved by you, if you have some mechanical aptitude. Fit a modern Chevy crate engine under the hood and replace the transmission, and you’ll have a good speedster on your hands. If you added rack-and-pinion steering and new suspension, handling would be dramatically improved. And frankly, who needs stock build quality when you can simply fit premium aftermarket parts, both inside and out? Get a C3. You’ll see their potential.

Expensive: Buick Riviera

The Buick Riviera is a fantastic looking car. It was GM’s first crack at making a rival to the Thunderbird, and it paid off. The interior was luxurious, boasting bucket seats, optional leather trim, walnut inserts, optional tilt steering wheel, power windows, air conditioning, and more. Its performance was excellent too, hitting 60 in under eight seconds. Most importantly though, it looked incredible from the outside. Its long hood segues beautifully into the A Pillars, and its big mean grille and angular front end proves it means business.

Restomodding a Riviera would be a dream, and while not as crazy expensive as the Superbird, it certainly isn’t cheap. Finding a project car from the golden era of ’63-’65 for less than $10K is a task and a half. Many in solid condition sell for $25K and up. The good news is that parts aren’t too hard to come by, with some companies now selling reproduction parts. If you can stomach a fairly hefty initial investment, it may be worth considering a Riviera, but it’s not a great budget restomod.