A restomod takes a classic car or truck and updates it with modern components — while keeping the styling and character that made people fall in love with the vehicle in the first place. It’s one of the most rewarding kinds of builds we take on, but the scope of a “restomod” can mean very different things depending on the goals.
Not All Restomods Are the Same Scope
It helps to think of restomod work as a spectrum rather than one fixed package. A driver modernization is the lightest touch — improvements to fuel delivery, cooling, brakes, steering, wiring, and general comfort, aimed at making a classic more livable and reliable day to day without changing its character.
A street-performance restomod goes further, adding powertrain upgrades alongside suspension, brakes, wheels, tires, and ECU integration for a car that’s meant to actually be driven hard, not just cruised.
From there, builds scale up further. A comprehensive restomod coordinates powertrain, chassis, electrical, interior, comfort, and appearance work together as one unified project. A Pro Touring-inspired build focuses specifically on performance suspension, large brakes, chassis support, and modern power for a genuinely driver-focused setup. And a motorsport-capable restomod pushes into cooling, oil control, braking, safety, suspension, drivetrain, and repeatability upgrades — built to be pushed hard, repeatedly, without failure.
Classic Trucks Get the Same Treatment
Classic truck restomods follow their own version of this path — typically a modern powertrain paired with upgraded brakes, steering, suspension, driveline, and comfort improvements. The goal is usually the same whether it’s a car or a truck: keep the look and feel that made the vehicle special, while making it drive, stop, and hold up like something built decades later.
Why Planning the Build Level Matters
The biggest mistake we see in restomod projects is starting work without deciding, up front, how far the build is actually going. Upgrading the engine and ECU without addressing the brakes and suspension leaves a car that’s dangerously mismatched. Committing to a full motorsport-capable build without planning the cooling and oil control systems around the added power sets the project up to overheat or fail early.
That’s why every restomod project starts with a real conversation about intent — is this a weekend cruiser, a car you want to autocross, or something built for repeated track days? The answer shapes every decision after it, from mounts and cooling to the level of ECU integration required.
Start Planning Your Restomod
If you’ve got a classic sitting in the garage and you’re not sure how far to take it, that’s exactly the conversation we like to have first. Contact Big South Performance in Winston-Salem to talk through what build level fits your goals, your timeline, and your budget.
