Thread: Restomod vs Backdating

Car & Driver, December 2013

A restomod is updating an old vehicle with modern amenities and better performance.

Backdating is taking a new'ish vehicle and making it look like an older model. Retaining all the creature comforts and advanced technology that comes with a more modern vehicle.

Singer Vehicle Design takes a 964 (1990-94) 911 and makes it look like a 1970's 911. It requires removing all the body panels, cutting, welding, and fitting new carbon-fiber body panels. Sending the 3.6 to Cosworth for a serious make-over. Installing the now 360-hp 3.8 liter Cosworth motor back into the 2,650 pound chassis, backed by a 5 or optional 6-speed tranny. Sachs struts, etc, etc....

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(Cannot figure out how to imbed the damn video )

At a half-million bucks, I will never be able to afford a Singer 911. However I love the concept.

Is there a possibility of doing this sort of thing, with fantastic results, but a much smaller budget? Perhaps a 20-30K budget? Something someone with mad fab and mechanical skills could do in their garage?

That's pretty cool but is very expensive. Are you thinking about doing that with your classic? I would think doing restomod would be cheaper and easier, but you need a good non rusty chassis. Doing Backdating involves too much custom outside work and specialized equipment. I always wanted an older 60's mustang just with modern interior, but Ford finally listened to the people and made the new mustangs look more like classical muscle cars (same goes for Chevy too).


PS that video is not from youtube/common video site thus it wont embedded.

Hell no I would not do that with my Classic, nor with my future Z-car.

However, I was wondering if folks might have done this with a more modern vehicle and a junkyard donor vehicle. No custom-molded CF body-panels, just massage, weld, shape, modify to fit. It does sound like a daunting body-work task.

I'm a big fan of the Singer or Porsche 911's for that matter. Something of the early body style that is quite appealing and a timeless classic.

Jay Leno's Olds Toronado and Tanner Foust's Pontiac GTO comes to mind as restomodding.

It was on Top Gear UK too, latest season Episode 3, just watched last night.

I've seen both done on American muscle and European cars but I picture only restomodding being done to Japanese cars, not backdating. It would be very awkward to backdate a new sentra to an old one. I think maybe a 370Z to a 240Z might be easier or an FR-S to an old Celica. It's tough unless the new cars have any resemblance to the old ones. A 911 is probably one of the best choices since the look has remained very similar over the years.

Restomodding a B13 would be cool. We pretty much already do that performance-wise with the VE and suspension mods.