Iunderstang!

As a new guy in the hobby, I am like a dry sponge, learning and absorbing history, technical data, repair & Maint. etc.... I've been catching up on a lot of articles and Forum threads and quickly noticed how many owners opt to restore their Mustangs as restomods, instead of factory original. I can't help but wonder how many Stangs get the Restomod treatment vs those restored to original, historic specs, and if the tendency is to increase. The Aftermarket for restomod parts and accessories is very strong, and as new generations discover the hobby and adapt it to their tastes and preferences, aren't we loosing more and more original cars with each passing year to the Restomod movement? Do these cars loose value more than an original concourse-restored car?
My opinion is, as much as I like many restomods, I don't like to see a near-original Mustang in good shape (low rust, good original engine) get torn appart and restored as a restomod. But this is my personal opinion. Not to undermine the restomod movement in any way. Please remember this is the opinion of a person new to the hobby.
Ivan

PaulS

The big problem is the shear number of 2 barrel, 3 speed coupes that were produced. You can look at any car show and pretty soon you get tired of seeing the same car over and over. How many original Mustang coupes do we need?
Putting in a larger engine, disk brakes, newer gauge pack or electronics makes the car fit the owner better. It will never be worth what a similar concourse original car will be but that is not what a reso-mod is about. A restomod is about driving a car that satisfies your own desires. There is already a lot of historical cars mine will be "different".
The other side of that coin is I would never put enough money in a triple collision survivor, 2 barrel, three speed, V8 Mustang to restore it. I would have $150000 in a car worth $15000. For a lot of work and a little money I can make the car fit me better than the original did.

ozarks06

That is true if the car is a rare car, like a K-code fastback or something. For a 2 barrel, 3 speed coupe (like mine was) a restomod will get you a lot more than a concours original. My car appraised for well over twice what a very well-restored 2 barrel, 3 speed coupe usually goes for. I know an appraisal and a sale price are two different things. But restomods have been going for quite a bit more than restored plain jane original Mustangs for the last few years, and they are a lot more fun to drive (and safer too).

You really just do the car the way that pleases you. Most restomods could be put back original some day, but there are so many of those coupes around that it'd be easier (and sometimes cheaper) to find another one and restore it.

Jonk67

Yes it's mostly by taste and most restomods can be returned to original fairly easy, some are modded beyond that. I originally inteded to just drive my C code 289 2bbl coupe (500,000? produced in '67) and enjoy but once I started driving it a lot I realized that the spearOmatic column, nonpwr drum brakes and lap belts weren't going to cut it. It was just too dangerous for me to drive as much as I want to and have my family along.

After one mod or upgrade comes another of course, the C4 was screaming at 70-80mph hwy speeds so when the drivetrain was reworked I swapped in an AOD, can't see it but it'll make a huge difference in useability and mileage. I now consider driving it 1,000mi. for a vacation, something I never would have done with the C4, drum brakes, etc.

Hopefully the heavily modded restomods will start out with a clean Dynocorn shell.
Jon

Iunderstang!

[QUOTE=PaulS;7466156]The big problem is the shear number of 2 barrel, 3 speed coupes that were produced. You can look at any car show and pretty soon you get tired of seeing the same car over and over. How many original Mustang coupes do we need?QUOTE]

Good point. However, to me, it's not looking at the same car over and over. It is looking at each similar car and validating the owner's claim to originality through careful observation & evaluation (something I could never do right now and I hope someday I can reach that level of knowledge). To me it is a bigger challenge to bring a car to original concours level, than to make a Restomod. Because you really need to do reseach, and know your Mustang history. And concours parts seems to me not as available or as cheap.
I think (and I could be wrong) that an original concours Fastback restored in 1990 is more valuable right now in 2011, than a similar car restored as a Restomod in the same year.
But I also think that the Restomod Style have served to bring more people to the hobby of Classic Mustangs. You just can't resist them! And I think it's good to increase safety and have a better ride in your car, especially if you are going to enjoy it with the family.

tx65coupe

I've been thinking the same thing about this. The number or original cars has to be less because of it. However, some of these restomod cars are cars that needed a complete restoration anyway. So at least they were saved.

I think the term restomod is used a bit loosly. I know that technically my 65 is a restomod since the engine, transmission, rear axle, brakes, suspension and a few other things are not stock. I consider mine hot rodded a little, not really restomodded. In my opinion restomod should be used to describe cars that are more customized, like Eleanor.

I don't really care for the resto mod stuff much at all, especially the way overdone stuff. If you want a new one then buy a new one. Just my 2 cents.

I really do like seeing original or mostly original cars. I don't think that the ones that are in nice condition should be restomodded.

I do also like slightly modded cars as far as drivetrain, suspension, brakes etc goes, but I definitely prefer stock appearance. A few custom touches can be cool, just as long as the car is not cut up. I hate that the most.

By the way, if you wondering if you should restomod that 67 in your signature, I say no way. I love it like that. You could do a few improvements for performance or safety, but I wouldn't change the look of it.

1ofakind

were all brought together becasue all of us here love these cars, now with each person being different, with each car never being the exact same. Different projects are made. Mainly oldschool pureist stick with bringing the car to the way it was driven of the lot. My father for example is a pureist.. I myself love these babys but I love to make them my own. Whether changing colors, adding up to date modifications like disc brakes, upgraded stero, upgrading suspension, engine mods and every nut and bolt i can get my lil fingers on.

these cars are great investments wheater your looking into "flipping" them or adding to your collection. everybody has an opinion, but yours is the one that matters to your car nobody eles!! remenber that

Ive seen many restomods go in auction and bring big bucks.
And Ive seen many frame off complete restore to factory condition go for big big bucks-
Its all about how you want your car to be.

Iunderstang!

Nooo way! It's one its way to becoming 100% original (that includes Original Ford aftermarket accesories like the fog lights, etc). I'm working on a list of parts.
By the way, only 9009 Coupe Deluxes were built (vs 233,472 standard coupes). Of these 9009, only 853 came with bench seats.

Reference: http://www.themustangsource.com/time...8/68/index.htm

hightower2011

Yep!

My coupe was an I6 automatic. It had some deluxe features like the chrome and interior but I liked neither, and basically everything I got was trashed to begin with. With the thousands of other coupes out there, I don't mind resto-modding mine.
On the other hand, my girlfriend's dad has an original 1968 fastback 302 3 speed that he drove as a kid in high school way back when. Fold down rear seat, deluxe this and that. I wouldn't dream of resto-modding that car, and it's not even terribly rare. Just the history of ownership of that car is what would keep me from hacking at it.

Coupe

My fastback looked pretty when I got it, but once you start to find repairs made in the worst way possible and realize that much of the shiny bits are aterrmarket junk restoration starts to look very expensive. If I had a car with original parts and some nice options I would have gone the way of a mild restoration...
But, since I plan on driving this car as much as possible I started to think like some of the builders over at pro-touring.com and make the car "better".