10 best cars to restore 2020
Best is a subjective term. To some, it can mean the cheapest or easiest. To others, the most iconic. We’ll try to include a little bit for everybody here on this list of the best cars to restore.
’67-69 Camaro
One of the most emblematic muscle cars out there. The Chevy Camaro 68 is one of the more expensive projects out there. The lines are aggressive and are considered sexy, even by today’s standards.
Building a showroom quality Camaro can cost you tens of thousands of dollars, especially if you are looking to get it to OEM condition. But the Camaro is a fun car to modernize as well. Some purists will frown upon it, but if you can buy a Camaro that’s not rusted and doesn’t need a lot of sheet metal work, you can stick a 383 engine on it, apply a nice paint job, and have a cool car without having to take a mortgage to do it.
That’s what’s cool about this project, it looks great in OEM condition and with racing seats and modern music players too. You have to decide what’s important to you and where your budget is better spent. All that matters is that you are happy with your car.
Ford Mustang 64-68
We can’t include the Camaro without including the Ford Mustang, the late 60’s where the golden age of muscle cars. They don’t make them like they used to anymore. The Mustang is incredibly popular among restorers. There are hundreds of clubs all around the world with a vast amount of knowledge about the ins and outs of this car.
Parts are widely available, and there are many that are still being manufactured even today. That’s how popular this restoration project is, and for good reason, the mustang is a head-turner that’s cheaper to restore than other similar cars.
VW type 2
The kombi is the world’s most famous and iconic van, by a long shot. The image of hippies and peace and love everywhere. Kombis are extremely reliable and have a simple design that’s easier to repair by yourself without a lot of skill. That makes them easier to restore yourself, and parts are easily available online.
The downside is that they are slow and loud, and for the price of a type 2 in good condition, you can find newer, faster vans. Yet, there’s something about it that makes them special. Anywhere there is one in pristine condition, people can’t help but stare.
Types 2 may not be the most financially sound restoration out there, but they are workhorses with a special place in a lot of people’s hearts. We can’t convince you to get one, you either love them at first sight or you don’t.
Ford 1928 type A
For those that love roadsters, the model A is a very popular choice. It was incredibly mass-produced, so it’s widely available even today. The simple design makes it easy to work on and restore yourself. Parts are extremely easy to find, and aftermarket parts exist as well. There’s plenty of clubs eager to share their knowledge with newcomers.
You can find restored type As that sell for prices ranging from the low 10k up to 40k. Some people slap V8 in them and convert them to fearsome land missiles. Whatever you are looking to do with it, type As are very fun to work on and experiment and the classic vintage look makes them stand out.
’80-82 Corvette
This iconic American sports car is an upgrade over its predecessors for many reasons. It sports a unique look that was ahead of its time. All Corvettes starting from 1980 came standard with an A/C unit whereas before, it was an optional upgrade.
The fuel regulations made Chevrolet reduce the engine’s horsepower, but they also managed to reduce the car’s weight by more than 200 pounds. That resulted in one of the best performing Corvettes manufactured up to that date, with a smoothest and more reliable ride when compared to previous models.
Plymouth barracuda ’70-74
Barracudas are very highly desired by enthusiasts from all over the world, especially ’70 and ’71s. They are rare and very collectible, they can be considerably more expensive than your Camaros and Mustangs. ’72-74 are considerably cheaper while still retaining the aggressive lines that are so popular amongst muscle car enthusiasts.
Ford bronco, any bronco really
Broncos are such a piece of Americana history that it’s hard not to love them. Reliable workhorses with a unique look and feel broncos are just unstoppable. There’s supposedly a new model coming in 2020 that’s got bronco enthusiast all excited, but I’d take a restored 3rd generation over a new one any day… probably.
Toyota Fj40 Truck 1960-1984
The immortal Japanese truck design remained unchanged for 24 years. Considered by many ones of the most rugged all-terrain vehicles ever built. They came enclosed, open-top, and in pickup variants, they are all iconic and instantly recognizable.
Chevrolet Cheyenne 1970-1972
The C/10 Cheyenne was one of Chevy’s “action line” pickup trucks. It was one of the first pickups to include amenities such as carpeted cabs, standard radios, power windows, power breaks, power steering, etc. They were made for a limited number of years, which makes them somewhat uncommon, so they are not as cheap as they could be. But the unique look is very easy on the eyes, and its reliability is excellent. The ride on the road is smooth even by today’s standards.
Chrysler 300 L
The Chrysler 300L is somewhat affordable, and parts are easy to find even though very few were produced. The 300L was very well built with very robust mechanical parts. The interiors where luxurious, and the car is very elegant.
The best cars to restore need the best quality of craftsmanship
After choosing what the best cars to restore are, it’s then that the real hard work begins. Doing it requires a wide variety of different skills. It is very hard for a person to know everything needed to perform a complete car restoration. If you need to farm out part of your restoration project, you can find skilled craftsmen here to help you finish it on time.
