A common question among buyers of classic cars is what to do after they have acquired that vintage gem: restore it, or customize it? Both options have their own advantages and disadvantages. Here we will tackle the different aspects of restoration and customization to help you decide which route to take for your car.
Restoration: Authentic is Beautiful
Restoring a classic car means finding the original parts and options for a particular model. This means that if you own a Cuda with a broken Hemi engine, you need to find a stock Hemi in order to restore it. Paint is a different matter. While the authentic paint of a certain make may not be existent today, there are several car services that offer the color of that make, thus making it still look original.
The Advantages of Restoring a Classic
1. Restoring poses a bigger challenge, thus there’s much more love between you and your car. It might be a bit easy to find a stock engine, but looking for the small parts like the starter will be a bit of an adventure. Once you finish restoring, you’ll certainly find a greater attachment between you and your car.
2. Fully restored classic cars spike up in value. Because there’s much more effort and money put into restoring, you can easily raise the price of the car once you decide to sell it. A perfectly restored vintage car can be valued at over a hundred grand in pro auctions.
3. You get to have an authentic car. There’s nothing more advantageous than that.
The Disadvantages of Restoring a Classic
1. The parts are hard to find, and are therefore expensive. Unless you engage in a treasure hunt and search for parts cars in junkyards and auctions, stock parts may be a little expensive. The reason for this is simple: car companies don’t produce those parts anymore, so it would be considered rare by most people, much like a classic car.
2. Safety, efficiency, and comfort are sometimes compromised. A ’50s era car may have no proper airbags and seatbelts yet. The engine is probably not fuel efficient, and the suspension may be a bit shaky. And if you decide to go cheap and recycle a used engine from a parts car, expect it to break down at least once due to stress.
Customization: Convenience Along With Funkiness
Customizing a classic car means adding or changing some parts and details that are not originally included in that make. This might include a better engine, suspensions, and more comfortable seats. The paint might also be customized. Perhaps you have seen a Mustang with blazetrails on the side. That’s customization.
The Advantages of Customizing a Classic
1. Safety and convenience is the primary advantage of customization. Updating your car with more fuel-efficient engines and better seatbelts and airbags will make your ride much smoother and safer.
2. Parts are easier to find, and are sometimes much cheaper. Engines are much easier to find, but nonetheless still poses a challenge. You will have to find an alternative engine that fits into your classic car. Still, you can find smaller parts in an easier manner.
3. You get to have cool additions to your liking. Hydraulics, superchargers, and funky lights are among the many options you can add if you customize. Cool blazetrails too.
The Disadvantages of Customizing a Classic
1. The value of your classic car will go down. A heavily modified car will have its value become lower than those who are simply restored. If you are planning to sell your car in a few years time, the better option would be to restore.
2. If you plan to sell the car, you might have a difficult time finding a buyer. Most buyers of classic cars are looking for one that would be easily restored. A dusty and rusting vehicle is therefore much more preferred because some original parts included in the car may still be used.
The best gauge to determine whether you should customize or restore a classic car is to know what your dream car is like. What’s good about this is that you could easily combine customization and restoration. Restore everything that’s under the hood, and get cool blazes on the hood itself. Your preference is king.
