The Restomod and Pro-Tour Dream Car Garage Thread

[oldshurst442]

This is not a  pure Dream Garage Thread game we usually play. There are no rules in this one. No maximum amount of cars to dream up.

There are no rules.

This is just a thread to which I am asking the Cheers and Gears community what dream car or cars (trucks,motorcycles, anything that goes) would you restomod and/or pro-tour and what do those mods include? Engine choices and the like.

It could be new engines in old cars.

It could be old engines in new cars.

It could be sacrilegious engine swaps. 

I believe that if an owner sees a vision for his ride...then its AWESOME if that owner sees his vision through.

Example:

Bill Mitchel wanted to improve upon the 2 generation F-Body and envisioned what a Ferrari inspired and powered Trans Am would be like...

 

We all know what a 2nd generation Trans Am' soul is all about...whether its about an SD455 or the 6.6 liter black and gold Bandit all with the different colour comboed Phoenix's that adorned the whole hood.

But you got to admit, a Ferrari powered and inspired Firebird gives the car another persona.

This is what I want you guys to give me here.

One or several cars that you guys love, but what significant changes you would do to these cars that alter the original(s).

Edited October 23, 2017 by oldshurst442

[lengnert]

Well, I saw this car a while back and then again recently.  It takes the much maligned Mustang II to a "better place" and then some!

Triton V10 Engine  -  Beautiful Custom Manifold  --  Rear Mounted 6 Speed Trans  --  Custom Interior  --  Custom Wide Body Exterior

I like this one...... quite a bit!

Link to an article on the car: http://www.stangtv.com/news/mustang-evolution-the-ultimate-mustang-ii/

 

25 minutes ago, oldshurst442 said:

This is not a  pure Dream Garage Thread game we usually play. There are no rules in this one. No maximum amount of cars to dream up.

There are no rules.

This is just a thread to which I am asking the Cheers and Gears community what dream car or cars (trucks,motorcycles, anything that goes) would you restomod and/or pro-tour and what do those mods include? Engine choices and the like.

It could be new engines in old cars.

It could be old engines in new cars.

It could be sacrilegious engine swaps. 

I believe that if an owner sees a vision for his ride...then its AWESOME if that owner sees his vision through.

Example:

Bill Mitchel wanted to improve upon the 2 generation F-Body and envisioned what a Ferrari inspired and powered Trans Am would be like...

 

We all know what a 2nd generation Trans Am' soul is all about...whether its about an SD455 or the 6.6 liter black and gold Bandit all with the different colour comboed Phoenix's that adorned the whole hood.

But you got to admit, a Ferrari powered and inspired Firebird gives the car another persona.

This is what I want you guys to give me here.

One or several cars that you guys love, but what significant changes you would do to these cars that alter the original(s).

I had seen this one before and even being the Blue Oval biased that I am, it is definitely a stunner!!!

Edited October 23, 2017 by lengnert
Addtl info

[Robert Hall]

Wow...I can only imagine what all they had to modify to get that engine to fit in the Mustang II..pretty cool. 

[balthazar]

I consider myself lucky in that my enthusiasm for my '59 Invicta has not diminished, and I've owned it many many years. Besides the fact that it's currently a body shell on a frame as far as being put together. I'm still doing the same recipe : Buick 455, Stage 2 AL heads, headers, Holley 1000 CFM, 4L80E, Dana 60. Period/factory interior, minor shave of emblems, no sheetmetal alterations, street/strip car, would like to do some pro-touring also.

 

[lengnert]

I would give you more Upvotes if I could, Balthazar!!!  Late 50's Buick's are sweet!

[Robert Hall]

Is that a vintage Buick ad?  Great artwork...

[oldshurst442]

8 minutes ago, balthazar said:

Looked at a '18 Z51 Corvette on the dealer lot Sunday- sticker price was $102K.

Moltar- you could get behind this :: wouldn't it be a hoot to take a car like that Corvette and put a tri-carb Chevy Stovebolt 6 in there from a C1 vette, with like 150 (gross) HP?

I can hear you grinning appreciably & nodding affirmatively all the way over here in Jersey.

 

5 minutes ago, Cubical-aka-Moltar said:

^ demented idea..love it.  I'd love to see the modern Corvette engine in a Pro-Touring style '72 Sport Coupe... 

 

 

These posts from the Random Thought Thread belong in here!!!

 

Edited October 23, 2017 by oldshurst442

[balthazar]

It's from some sort of factory-sourced piece- might be lesser sales fold-out.
I have most of the print ads, this one is markedly different tho:
 

[oldshurst442]

Im always thinking about crazy stuff like this.

I would love to take a 1970 Challenger and resto-mod and pro-tour it to be a 1970 Hellcat.

Yes, Id take the Hellcat's 707 horsepower, 6.2 liter supercharged "Hemi" and all its go fast goodies and brakes and suspensions and stuff and put that into the 1970.

Id replicate all the exterior Hellcat trademarks such as the hood,  grille and the one headlight that is a ram air get-up unto the 1970. Even the little kitty would adorn the 1970 model.

The interior would stay stock 1970...other than the necessary computer upgrades to accommodate the computer controlled modern powertrain.

The frame would be from Schwartz Performance to accommodate all that modern hardware and better suspension and brake systems.

 

Another would be...

Id take this

And the powertrain of this

 

A supercharged 4.4 liter Northstar V8 producing 440 HP and 430 ft.ibs of torque would be enough for the Oldsmobile G Body.

4.4 liter.       440 Horsepower.         4 valves/cylinder dual exhaust

That is as close to a 442  definition to remain loyal to the name as I could get.

Plus...its a Northstar. Oldsmobile had some engineering input in the engine and also had a version of it in its cars.

The frame would be from Schwartz Performance to accommodate the STS V's brakes and suspensions and stuff.

The interior would be stock, but would have leather adorning it. True to its Oldsmobile luxurious side and Cadillac's heart transplant.

[Robert Hall]

With the announcement of the crate motor Hellcat availability, I could see lots of interesting Mopar Pro Touring style cars built.  Skipping the predictable A- B- or E- body based ones that 99% of the crate Hellcats will go in, I'd go for something offbeat--a C-body based build.

Something like one of these as the starting point for Hellcatization--''69-72 Polara or Monaco,  or a '74-75 Monaco...always liked the C-bodies of the fuselage and post-fuselage era.  Or a Plymouth or Chrysler of the same era..(Dodges are my favorite styling-wise of those generations of C-body). 

 

 

Edited October 30, 2017 by Cubical-aka-Moltar

[balthazar]

I am in lockstep with Mr Cube; why go small... when you can go wall-to-wall.

 

[Robert Hall]

I'm a sucker for the early 70s fuselage styling...the C-bodies are pretty uncommon today, but I love the styling.

[oldshurst442]

@Cubical-aka-Moltar and @balthazar

I LOVE the fact you both when with the fullsized models!

Im more with the ho-hum everyone wants a Challenger crowd E-Body. 

Not everyone loved an E-Body in the 1990s and early 2000s though. I did!

I would want a modern scat pack 392 in a 1971 Plymouth 'Cuda.

Like the one Dodge made for SEMA...but I want that in a 1971 'Cuda body

 

Id also go 1969 GTX/Road Runner and 1970 Dodge Superbee with this new MOPAR crate engine accessibility.

Edited October 30, 2017 by oldshurst442

[Robert Hall]

7 minutes ago, oldshurst442 said:

@Cubical-aka-Moltar and @balthazar

I LOVE the fact you both when with the fullsized models!

Im more with the ho-hum everyone wants a Challenger crowd E-Body. 

Not everyone loved an E-Body in the 1990s and early 2000s though. I did!

I would want a modern scat pack 392 in a 1971 Plymouth 'Cuda.

Like the one Dodge made for SEMA...but I want that in a 1971 'Cuda body

I love Challengers, and Cudas... but I figured they would be too predicable. Liked Challengers since seeing Vanishing Point on TV in the 80s.  I really like most all late 60s-early 70s Mopars.  I'd love to have a '70-71 Challenger, but I'll happily settle for a late model R/T or SRT sooner or later.

 

As for the B-bodies, I know the usual favorites of many are the '68-69 Charger and Road Runners, but I really like the '71-72s...Charger, Road Runner and GTX..something about that fuselage shape gets me...

 

 

Edited October 30, 2017 by Cubical-aka-Moltar

[oldshurst442]

5 minutes ago, Cubical-aka-Moltar said:

As for the B-bodies, I know the usual favorites of many are the '68-69 Charger and Road Runners, but I really like the '71s...'71 Charger, Road Runner and GTX..something about that fuselage shape gets me...

YEAH!

I LOVE THOSE as well!!!

[balthazar]

I had a '73 Charger Rallye 440 for a while years ago.
I too like all the above mentioned MoPars, but agree that the E-Bodys are too predictable. Ideally, it would be something 56-62-ish with huge power tho.

[Robert Hall]

The Forward Look cars are pretty cool also, but I'm way more of a '70s car fan than a '50s car fan. 

 

Edited October 30, 2017 by Cubical-aka-Moltar

[balthazar]

I was sitting in a '75 Merc Marquis sedan today. Real solid original, on the road, red velour interior with much plood, red ext (tho very weathered) with white vinyl roof.  I could not come up with a single attribute, in or out, that I found appealing.

Now THIS beats ANY Italian or German car in high style, IMO:
 

[balthazar]

My buddy's '62 LeMans for sale on EB :
https://www.ebay.com/itm/1962-Pontiac-Tempest-LeMans/222699379242

Edited October 31, 2017 by balthazar

[David]

38 minutes ago, balthazar said:

My buddy's '62 LeMans for sale on EB :
https://www.ebay.com/itm/1962-Pontiac-Tempest-LeMans/222699379242

Very nice and lots of potential.

Course in my modern way of thinking my friend, I would be looking at making this a sleeper EV. In Wheel hub motors behind those rims for AWD with a proper battery pack and then other than room for any other needed things like a heater or AC, make the front into a frunk. Then cruise around blowing away newer cars and trucks.  

[balthazar]

Holy hell- not everything is better rebuilt as an EV... and I'm not even talking about this particular car.

[ykX]

I always wanted '65 Mustang fastback body restomod with engine, brakes and suspension from the modern GT

[oldshurst442]

8 hours ago, ykX said:

I always wanted '65 Mustang fastback body restomod with engine, brakes and suspension from the modern GT

Yeah...a 1965 GT350 clone with the  Voodoo 5.2 liter V8 sounds like a keeper for me too!

[balthazar]

^ GT315

[Robert Hall]

A vintage Ford that I could see amenable to restomodding is the '72 Gran Torino Sport..love the fastback shape. '73 killed the front end styling w/ the big bumper and by '74 the fastback was gone... 

[oldshurst442]

I would put the Voodoo V8 into this Ford

1967 Fairlane.

 

I would also drop the  Voodoo in the Pantera

[oldshurst442]

Ive already stated many times that I would drop a LSΧ small block crate engine naturally aspirated but with at least 500 ft.lbs of torque into a cloned 1969 or 1970 Olds 442.

I also stated many times that I would get a Dynacorn GM A-Body body shell and parts and do a Tesla Model S swap with it. Chevelle or Lemans or Cutlass or Skylark...any of these would do. Of  course cloned to look like the muscle cars they represent as in SS/GTO/442/GSΧ.

 

 

 

[oldshurst442]

Ive actually got to listen to the Alfa Romeo Guilia's roar up close. Saw one on the road a month or two ago.

I like the way it sounds!

 

I havent thought of what car I want this engine in just yet...all I know is this engine sounds sweet and I would want it powering a classic of some sort.

 

[balthazar]

Here's one (too new 4 me) but nicely done:

 

[oldshurst442]

^^^

Swartz's performance chassis. 

That is kinda what I want to do with a restomod and pro-toured 1970 442.

Edited November 1, 2017 by oldshurst442

[balthazar]

This with a CTS-V powertrain/suspension.

Edited November 1, 2017 by balthazar

[Frisky Dingo]

I'm going to go a different direction for my restomods.

This will be the first of several-

 

Easily one of the builds like this I would want to do most would involve the W124 gen E Class. I would take a sedan shell like this-

 

Drop in a newer M159 6.2 V8 from the SLS-

 

And throw in a fully redone suspension with upgraded brakes, and some newer electronics and upholstery in the cabin. For the finishing touch, I'd have HRE do me a custom set of wheels in the vein of the classic AMG Monoblocks-

[oldshurst442]

2 hours ago, Frisky Dingo said:

I'm going to go a different direction for my restomods.

This will be the first of several-

 

Easily one of the builds like this I would want to do most would involve the W124 gen E Class. I would take a sedan shell like this-

 

Drop in a newer M159 6.2 V8 from the SLS-

 

And throw in a fully redone suspension with upgraded brakes, and some newer electronics and upholstery in the cabin. For the finishing touch, I'd have HRE do me a custom set of wheels in the vein of the classic AMG Monoblocks-

 

This is good. I like!

I also want to do an AMG M156/159 motor restomod of some sort.

I took my time to think about it!

And I think I got it!

Id do a German car with it, but it wouldnt be a Mercedes-Benz. It be a BMW.

Id try to shoehorn it into a BMW Z8. Making this a pure German Shelby Cobra complete with the looks and bad-ass engine. Plus the awesome sounds it be making.

 

Id also use that AMG motor in a Plymouth Prowler.

Ive seen too many LS swaps and HEMI builds in a Prowler on the net.

Me...Id use the Daimler-Chrysler merger to make me a proper hot rod Prowler.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited November 2, 2017 by oldshurst442

[Frisky Dingo]

It would be truly awesome stuffed in the Prowler. 

[oldshurst442]

I also know what I wanna put the Ferrari derived 2.9 liter Twin turbo V6 Alfa Romeo into.

A Mitsubishi 3000GT VR4 or Dodge Stealth R/T

 

And yes @Cubical-aka-Moltar

Since you posted in the other thread regarding the 3000GT that you think of the 3000GT  as a Japanese Trans Am, I had time to reflect on that statement and I agree with that sentiment 100%.

[Frisky Dingo]

Goodness, that 3KGT is a looker. Wow.

[Robert Hall]

1 minute ago, oldshurst442 said:

I also know what I wanna put the Ferrari derived 2.9 liter Twin turbo V6 Alfa Romeo 

 

 

And yes @Cubical-aka-Moltar

Since you posted in the other thread regarding the 3000GT that you think of the 3000GT  as a Japanese Trans Am, I had time to reflect on that statement and I agree with that sentiment 100%.

It's mostly in regards to the styling.  Not the hardware.   I like the looks of the 3000GT, reminds me of the 4th gen Firebird, but nicer.  

[oldshurst442]

2 minutes ago, Cubical-aka-Moltar said:

It's mostly in regards to the styling.  Not the hardware.   I like the looks of the 3000GT, reminds me of the 4th gen Firebird, but nicer.  

That is what I also was referring to.

I never noticed it before you mentioned it, but both from the windshield onwards to the back have a very similar shape, and aerodynamic sleekness.

And, the C-Pillar has the same rake and the rear fenders have the same roundness to them.

 

They are like brothers from another mother!

[oldshurst442]

On 10/31/2017 at 8:09 PM, balthazar said:

This with a CTS-V powertrain/suspension.

 

THAT is the VERY definition of a sleeper if I have ever seen.

THAT is what I was referring to when we had the discussion a while back on sleepers.

Sure that Seville always had a V8...but nobody would ever think this particular modeled  Cadillac would be hot rodded...like ever!

[Robert Hall]

9 minutes ago, oldshurst442 said:

 

THAT is the VERY definition of a sleeper if I have ever seen.

THAT is what I was referring to when we had the discussion a while back on sleepers.

Sure that Seville always had a V8...but nobody would ever think this particular modeled  Cadillac would be hot rodded...like ever!

Yes, would be a great sleeper.  IIRC the 1st gen Seville had an Olds 350. 

Speaking of modded Sevilles, I recall reading an article in Car & Driver about one that someone modded, had a turbo BBC or something similar, race car suspension, roll cage, huge fender flares...the article must have been 30-35 years ago.   

[balthazar]

^ Oh yes- I remember that article. Builder had a power rear license plate; throw a switch, it rotated down, exposing a million candlepower aircraft light (or the like)- for tailgaters. Not that there would be- the car had outrageous power. I think you pegged the approximate date- right about mid '80s. Has got to be somewhere online...

[oldshurst442]

2 minutes ago, Cubical-aka-Moltar said:

Yes, would be a great sleeper.  IIRC the 1st gen Seville had an Olds 350. 

Speaking of modded Sevilles, I recall reading an article in Car & Driver about one that someone modded, had a turbo BBC or something similar, race car suspension, roll cage, huge fender flares...the article must have been 30-35 years ago.   

I miss those old Car and Driver and Motor Trend and Road and Track articles.

Along with High Powered Pontiac? and Muscle Car Review and magazines of that nature.

The articles then were written by and for the real car guy and the cars that were featured were made by the sweat and tears of real car guys.

Today...its all about the 'ratings' on who will buy the subscriptions...ie sales sales sales no matter what bullshyte they spew...

And the cars that are featured are about the SEMA shows or the high dollar resto-mods that are made for the millionaires that pay  garages that have television shows to make them...

Sure Boyd Coddington and Chip Foose and others were superstar hot rod mechanics before their TV shows...

And this was also a time before Barrett-Jackson and SEMA was a popular fad.

I feel as that pop culture has turned hot rodding and tuning into an entrepreneurial and profit making endeavor rather than stay to its roots as a pure love for the automobile itself.

[Robert Hall]

47 minutes ago, balthazar said:

^ Oh yes- I remember that article. Builder had a power rear license plate; throw a switch, it rotated down, exposing a million candlepower aircraft light (or the like)- for tailgaters. Not that there would be- the car had outrageous power. I think you pegged the approximate date- right about mid '80s. Has got to be somewhere online...

That was it.  I recall something about it being driven through LA area canyons.  

I found a reference to it in passing in an article about the famous Mrs Orcutt's driveway..

https://www.caranddriver.com/features/mrs-orcutts-driveway

" A Cadillac Seville, hiding a tube-frame stock-car chassis and a twin-turbo Chevy 454 V-8, lost a chrome bumper at over 100."

Googling turned up this post on a forum, scroll down a bit and there are a couple pics of the car, incl. the aircraft landing light...what a beast.  '1FASTMF' as it had on it's license plate..

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/off-topic-discussions/323773-what-happened-mulholland-king-hill-rsr-148.html

Found a color pic on another site.. Check out the flares and Hellas...

Edited November 2, 2017 by Cubical-aka-Moltar

[balthazar]

Thanks for tracking that down!
I didn't remember the hideous fender flares.
Going to have to find a copy of that article. Wonder what happened to that car?

[ocnblu]

On 10/31/2017 at 7:41 PM, balthazar said:

Here's one (too new 4 me) but nicely done:

 

  OH.MY.GOD.

[ocnblu]

Maybe one of these with one of these, with a polished exhaust stack.  With appropriate driveline strengthening and some wide meats on back.