To resto mod or not to restomod..?

[66C06]

Got a little predicament guys....

I have the opportunity to purchase a 1967 chevelle SS396 in Beep Water Blue. Its a numbers matching car with quite a bit of rust. I know many are divided on the subject of leaving it original and restoring it or retomodding it. These are my 2 ideas:

1. Restore it to factory (body, interior, gauges, engine, tranny, etc.) and updating the suspension to ridetech coil overs and better disc brakes. I also thought about the idea of running the 18" american racing rallye wheels with BFG redlines to give it a classic yet modern look. If choosing this option I would re-work the engine to get a little more power using the factory block and heads. Besides the wheels, suspension and brakes, everything else would remain original as coded on the cowl tag and in the build sheet.

or

2. Restore the body to factory using the factory color (Deep Water Blue) adding a little metallic for a modern pop, factory interior color, Dakota digital gauges, with a custom steering wheel on an ididit column. The powerplant would be an LS3 bored to 396ci to keep with the factory 396 cubic inch, entropy radiator with efans, 6L80E trans with the twistmachines 6spd paddles, beef up the factory 12 bolt with new posi, gears, and axles. I would use the same suspension and wheels as above.

all opinions and suggestions are appreciated....

[Jonboy]

I think it all depends on what you want. What do the $$$ support? If you want to build a car you would enjoy and it doesn't matter what you spend, cut it up and go on. If it would be worth it $ wise, restore the car, upgrade what you want that can be easily returned to original, and go that route.

[66C06]

Originally Posted by Jonboy

I think it all depends on what you want. What do the $$$ support? If you want to build a car you would enjoy and it doesn't matter what you spend, cut it up and go on. If it would be worth it $ wise, restore the car, upgrade what you want that can be easily returned to original, and go that route.

well....I figure the paint and body work, suspension, rear end, brakes and interior will cost the same either way. I would thoroughly enjoy a 600hp 6spd auto chevelle, and I think that's the way I want to go. I just don't want the older crowd of hot rodders to shun me for modernizing a numbers matching classic.

[Jonboy]

It's not their car or their money. I say do whatever you like.

[HeavyD]

If it were me I would choose option #1, since you asked. Whereas it used to be everything seemed to be a stock restoration, now it has swung the other way and almost all the cars I see are "Foosed" with all kinds of huge rims, aftermarket seats, 300 gauges, etc. It is nice to see something at least on the exterior/interior look sort of stock. That of course depends on if it was a nice looking car to begin with, as your chevelle would be.

[see ten]

Me personaly? I'd go back with the stock color, gauges and interior... and the LS under the hood as well as an upgraded suspension. Wheels? whatever floats your boat.

[6BT 56]

None of what you mentioned involved swiss chezing the car . No one can shun that . Its a rust bucket rite ? The wrog guy might get it and just rob the driveline and scrap it . Any time sumone keeps a classic rolling is ok in my book. Do what YOU want . Just make sure you can beat on it without having to get on the trailer to get home .Lol.
If you cant drive it without fear of breaking it then whats the sence .

My 2 cents .

[chevyrestoguy]

Option #1

I like 'em stock with a lowered stance and the right wheel/tire combo. This way, if you decided to put it back to stock, it's really easy. The fact that you've got a numbers-matching musclecar is a lot more rare than you might think. Most of those SS396 cars were beat to death, and very few still have the original drivetrain.

Those cars had great style back in the day. My advise is to keep it as close to factory as you can.

[66C06]

Thanks for all of the input gents! I think Option one is going to suit me best if I decide to pick the car up. That way it still has the all of the original interior and powerplant/driveline but has modern/safer brakes and suspension

[CAL 58 GMC]

Here's my five cents worth.

If you go with option #1 it should be 100% stock since it's a true SS. If you start changing stuff part of the way it looks like there's no directions on which way the car should be built. As Chevyrestoguy mentioned true SS cars are hard to come by these days and they are more collectible left stock which make them more valuable.

If you go with option #2 which by the way is my style of doing things. You should just buy a non SS car with less rust so you can spend more time and money doing the performance upgrades instead of rust repairs. If you stick with the SS and after all the mods you done then all that's really left is a Chevelle with SS badging. This option is what I'm doing on my wife's 66 Chevelle I'm building for her.

Like I said this is only my five cents worth and you should do whatever make you happy in the long run.