Wild Horses: Ten Incredible 1000+ Horsepower Restomods

I started getting into cars around the time that the Bugatti Veyron tore free from its restraints and hit the roads. Back then, that car just seemed dizzyingly insane. Everything about it was far beyond what I’d seen before. It had not one, but two V8 engines corseted together into a W16. It could hit 60 mph in 2.7 seconds. Its top speed saw the 200 mph mark and didn’t just break it, it smashed it into tiny, pitiful smithereens. Then, there was that fateful figure that was touted everywhere. This car wasn’t just powerful. It wasn’t another 500 horsepower Ferrari or Lamborghini, heaven forfend. This car generated 1000 horsepower.

At the time, that seemed almost impossible to me. While, of course, tuners and rodders had been able to get more than that in the past, it remained almost unfathomable. Now, we’re here, and I’m wiser (in some ways, at least). Something I love about the restomod community, is that it sees achievements that took Bugatti years to achieve with a massive crew, and just proceeds to outdo them. While 1000 horsepower+ power outputs aren’t common in customs, they do happen, thanks to determined guys in garages. In this article, I’m going to take a look at ten of the best restomods that have been able to hit 1000+ horsepower, without shredding themselves to bits or killing their drivers.

1964 Ford Galaxie

The Ford Galaxie is a legendary automobile, and for good reason. A rambunctious, full-sized auto from Ford’s glory days, in its stock form, it’s a luxurious reminder of what motoring used to mean. As with most classics, however, it is lacking a certain something these days: power. This lowriding restomod fixes that issue consummately. A project which seems to disregard the idea of ground clearance, it’s absolutely stunning. Keen-eyed observers may notice the rude protrusion on the Galaxie’s hood. It’s not just for show, a callback to the days of hot rodding, no. This car packs a 482 twin-turbo big-block Ford V8, which has been coaxed into producing 1100 horsepower.

With so much power at its disposal, it’s crucial that the car handle well, and luckily, a Pro Street-style cage has been fitted to limit body roll. Inside, you won’t find any of the niceties of the original, with the interior being stripped down to bare metal. This project was made with one thing in mind: power, and that’s why it’s on this list. Brash, bonkers, and beautiful: what more could you ask for?

1969 Dodge Charger

Produced by Detroit Speed and Engineering, this Charger takes the General Lee and makes it a Field Marshal. The unnamed customer who commissioned the car wanted supercar technology in an American package, and boy, did they get it. We’ll talk about what’s under the hood in a minute, but first of all, take a look at the exterior. Looks stock, right? It really isn’t. Almost every panel has been modified in some way, while staying true to the old Charger stylings. Take the hood, for instance. To make room for all the extra power under there, they needed a new piece. Instead of creating one from scratch, which would be a trial-and-error affair aesthetically, they did something better. They took the front of a Charger hood and welded it on to the rear of a Road Runner hood. The grille isn’t stock either. It’s a new monocoque piece, created from billet aluminum using a CNC machine. There’s a wealth of other changes too, but this is the level of ingenuity we’re dealing with here.

Now, it’s time to look under the hood. Here, you’ll find an Arrington Performance III Hemi, which has been bored to 426 ci and fitted with a new crank, rods and pistons. Then there’s the supercharger. The reason they needed that new hood. It’s a four-liter blower, which allows the Charger to crack 1000 horsepower when fitted with the right tyres to prevent huge amounts of wheelspin. The ABS, traction control, and carbon ceramic brakes also lend a hand in keeping this monster well-mannered.

1965 Ford Mustang

It’s no secret that we love the Ford Mustang. For many people, it was the first muscle car that really turned their heads, and even if you’re a Chevy nut, you’ve got to admire this monster. Created by Timeless Kustoms of Camarillo, California, it began life as a run-of-the-mill 1965 Mustang but became so much more. The car, nicknamed Vicious, is powered by a supercharged Ford Coyote engine, which knocks out 650 horsepower, but this wasn’t enough. Various tweaks were applied, including Manley rods and pistons and twin 76mm Precision turbochargers for a final power output of 1000 horsepower. This bad boy is hooked up to an EMCO Gears CG46 six-speed transmission and MagnaFlow exhaust. The task of getting fuel to an engine this thirsty is handled by a race system by Aeromotive with dual Eliminator pumps.

If you need more convincing, the car’s got the looks you’d want from a Mustang this powerful. The rear features an aggressive-looking diffuser, and the car’s roof is a custom piece by Dynacorn. It rides on a new chassis too, featuring work by the legend that is Art Morrison, and that’s paired with Corvette suspension with triple coilovers. As vicious as they come, this is a true labor of love.

1970 Pontiac Firebird

As dark and foreboding as the ace of spades, this Firebird flips the bird to any pale imitations you may find elsewhere. Amazingly, this car sold to one lucky buyer for just $87,000 back in 2014. Powered by a 480 twin-turbo Pontiac V8, which has been bored to 4.25 inches and then turbocharged, this is as custom a Firebird as you can get. The engine is linked to a Rockland Tranzilla T56 six-speed, with a Ram twin-disc clutch and Kiesler shifter. As on the previous car, the engine is hooked up to a Magnaflow exhaust system. In charge of controlling this power are Wilwood disc brakes, which hopefully do a decent job.

The car rides on custom Forgiato Ritorno wheels and a fully custom suspension system featuring front coilovers. Inside, you’ll find racing bucket seats and not much else. That’s kind of fine though, everyone loves a bit of racing purity from time to time. A two-time featured vehicle at SEMA, $78K may well be the bargain of the century for this ridiculous car.

1998 Toyota Supra

It may not be a traditional car for a restomod, but this Toyota Supra belongs on this list. While stock Supras are decent enough cars, their humble-looking six-speed engines are known for being extraordinarily tuneable. Believe it or not, 1000 horsepower is far, far from the upper limit of what they’re capable of. However, this is such a well-done example, I had to feature it. Owned by Rob Ferretti, also known as Super Speeders Rob, it’s not a cheap car to run. It makes gas guzzlers look practically suburban. This Supra, according to Rob, costs $87 for every mile it’s driven. What a drive, though.

Countless parts of the car have had to be reinforced and upgraded, including the suspension and clutch. The brakes are only good for one stop with this ridiculous thing. The car also has to be run on specialist fuel, C16 leaded fuel to be specific. It’s a vanity project, really, but I don’t mind that. If you want a car that’s just all too eager to go beyond the 1000 horsepower mark, you want a Supra, and this is a superb example.

1036 Horsepower 1972 AMC Javelin

Produced by famed restomods specialists Ringbrothers, this Javelin flies like its Olympian namesake. Under the hood, there’s a Wegner Motorsports 6.2 liter Hemi V8, but that’s far from the last of it. This engine has been fitted with a 4.5 liter Whipple blower. Do not ask why, ask why not. Anyways, the total power output of this insane restomod is 1036 horsepower, and, as you’d expect, that’s necessitated a lot of other changes. The chassis is a Detroit Custom job, created for a Camaro, while the suspension’s been upgraded to a four-link custom system with sway bars.

The motor is mated to a Bowler auto transmission, and a Flowmaster exhaust system. The brakes are six-piston Baer jobs, which should provide enough stopping power. The interior’s been given the once over too, featuring custom seats, Vintage Air, and Classics Instruments gauges. Essentially a concept of what the Javelin would be, were it released today, this is one of my favorite projects of 2017.

1967 Chevy Nova (Yeah, I know)

It’s safe to say that the Chevy Nova isn’t a car with a good reputation. One of history’s great lemons, featuring a prophetic name that translates to “it doesn’t go” in Spanish, it was cheap, nasty, and unreliable. This restomod fixes all that. Built by Mike Pavone of Roslindale, Massachusetts, and inspired by drag strip funny cars, this is one super Nova. When he bought the Nova SS, it had already had quite a bit of work done on it, but he had grand plans. The Nova was back-halved with a 9-inch rearend, and a custom subframe fitted to improve the original’s woeful handling. Up front there’s coilover suspension with sway bar, and disc brakes on all four wheels.

Under the hood, the original’s big-block has been removed and replaced with a 400 ci Dart Little M Sportsman small-block. This has been boosted up to 401 ci, and fitted with a custom crank and pistons, with a compression ratio of 8.3:1. The engine is finished off with a pair of Comp Turbo Technology 64mm turbos. The engine itself is hooked up to a TH400 automatic transmission. Inside, there’s nothing but the essentials. Another excellent pure racing car, this shows Chevy what the Nova SS could have been.

Jungle Jim’s 7000 Horsepower Camaro Funny Car

From a bonkers car to one that belongs in a padded cell, this makes the Veyron look like a Dodge Neon, and while it may not be a restomod, it needed a mention. For those who don’t know, “Jungle” Jim Lieberman was an icon of drag racing in the ’60s and ’70s. His various feats included performing 1000 foot burnouts, before he tragically died in an accident in 1977, aged 32. One of the most prominent parts of his legacy is surely this, a funny car in the truest sense of the word, it’s a Camaro body placed atop a dragster frame. The huge engine, powered by nitromethane, produced 7000 horsepower.

Jim was never one to gip on the acceleration, either. He raced with an attitude of never lifting his left foot, tearing up strips across the country without a care in the world. Off the track, he had a reputation for partying just as hard as he raced. If anyone, and anything, has ever embodied drag racing so well, I’m yet to see it.

1969 Chevrolet Camaro

I know, I threw a Camaro on this list already, but this one is well worth including. Another Ringbrothers creation, the Camaro, known as G-Code, is powered by a Wegner 416 LS3, supercharged with a Whipple blower. Its undisclosed engine output is just shy of 1000 horsepower, but I’m okay with making an exception for two reasons: one, it’s so close, and two, just look at it. This immense power is marshalled by a Tremec six-speed transmission and Centerforce clutch.

In something of an aim to combat the myth that American cars can’t corner, the G-Code has been rigged with an all-new Detroit Speed suspension setup, augmented with Quadralink rear suspension and AFCO shock absorbers. The interior has been done up with custom upholstery and Vintage Air. It’s the other end of the spectrum to the Camaro funny car we talked about earlier, focusing less on power (somewhat) and more on comfort, and both are perfectly executed, hitting their target with deadeye aim.

1963 Corvette Stingray

Oh boy. I had to leave this one until last. The C2 Corvette, better known as the Stingray, is my favorite Corvette generation by far. Almost art nouveau in its flowing lines, it has yet to be matched in looks by any other Corvette, and when you add a whole load of power? You have my dream car, and it may be yours too. This particular car was sold at the 2012 Barrett-Jackson auction in Palm Beach, for the remarkably low price of $94,600. Let’s talk about just how powerful this car is. Obviously, this car produces 1000 horsepower, pulled along by a mid-mounted twin-turbo LS V8. Someone evidently got sick of waiting decades for a mid-engined Corvette and decided to make one themselves (though one is coming in 2019).

Then there are the looks. Obviously, it’s going to look stunning, it’s a Stingray, but by God. It’s halfway towards looking like a Batmobile, coated in a viscous, pitch black paint. The iconic split-window has been recreated, through which you can view the V8. The rear quarter panels have been stretched and new air intakes added. Inside, a new HVAC system was added, the dash coated in leather, and the sound system ripped out. Whoever this Corvette was sold to is a lucky, lucky person indeed.