Classic Cars - Restored or Reimagined?

Call me agest if you like, but those of us who collect and enjoy classic cars have usually spent more time on this earth. Some feel that caring for a classic car, keeping it running and in some cases restoring it back to its original glory, can illustrate an appreciation for things of a bygone age. When successful, we are able to delay the inevitable ravages of time on the machines in our care that also relentlessly takes its toll on the physical bodies of the owners. If our cars last beyond their planned usefulness, then why not us?

1968 MG B

For some cars in my collection, I do just that: I think of myself as a curator so I attempt the car as close to the original as possible. My 1967 MGB until recently still had a generator, is positive ground, and has the original hard-to-maintain air filters. For the most part, it looks and runs as much as it was intended when it left the factory. For me, there is something magical about zooming around in an 80 HP lightweight nimble sports car with the top down that still gives me a thrill. 

For others like my sweetheart's 1965 Thunderbird was not optioned exactly the way we would have liked. This car is big, has a nice 312 V8 with plenty of power and it drives like a dream on the highway. However, the lack of power steering was an issue for my sweetheart at low speeds. Honestly, when she lets me drive it, it was very hard to park. The addition of power steering was an easy decision, but the original Ford Power-Assist was not a great system. So we opted for a more modern hydraulic solution. While not reimagined, the upgrade made the T-Bird more drivable and overall better experience. 

1967 Jaguar MKII 3.8

Yet another example is our 1963 Jaguar MKII. It was built with an automatic transmission and at some point, it was "upgraded" to the originally optioned 4 speed with electronic overdrive. Not exactly a factory original car either, but something that could have been purchased at the time and a much better highway driving experience.

This idea of curating takes a back seat on some cars in my collection. I loved the body style of the late model C3 Corvettes but the driving experience needed to be reimagined or at least modernized. I also enjoy going off-road but like my dirt truck to also behave on the highway.

There is a booming industry for specialized and custom cars. There are a ton of shops that will take an iconic car and perform custom modifications to the suspension, breaks, drivetrain, and in some cases, even the body to deliver exactly what the driver is looking for. 

This blog will explore those of us who view some cars as platforms for a reimaged motoring experience. Some of the examples I'll feature will be from well-known specialists like Saleen and AMG. Others by custom small shops like JDP and G-Wagon parts. You will see features on pickups, extreme off-road monsters, and track-ready hot rods. Sometimes we will simply highlight something as minor updates in infotainment systems for our rides other times full-on engine swaps. 

If you love cars, you will love this journey as profile some amazing builds, and who knows, you may go out looking for a platform to build your next dream car. If you like your car's original and numbers matching, some of the projects featured here will make you cringe.

Finally, JOIN the conversation, I'm looking for your ideas and comments to add to the fun. Do you have a car you want to be featured in? Simply leave a comment and I'll show off your baby.