Do you own a classic car that isn’t 100% original and stays in the garage 99.9% of the year because the car is too difficult to drive?
With todays technology many owners of classic cars are upgrading their muscle cars. Just a few years ago classic car owners would upgrade these cars with the original equipment that came standard from the factory. They wanted to keep them original so that they would hold their resale value. Today, many car enthusiast are realizing the value of their car comes from driving the car and not trying to restore a 30-70 year old rust bucket to original condition. Let’s take a look at some of the major changes that are occurring.
Today’s classic car owners want to keep their cars as original as possible but are realizing that they need more under the hoods. One of the first things to modify is the engine. The powerful new engines available today are becoming more attractive than the original iron and constant leaks. Classic cars can now be upgraded by adding a ton more horsepower and you don’t have to worry about the car being underpowered ever again.
The next area that classic cars are really lacking in within the suspension. Handling has never been one of the highlights on these old cars. Remember the old manual steering that required eating 10 cans of spinach before driving. Manhandling these machines in just no fun and almost impossible if you’re adding more horsepower. Performance control arms, coil overs, and sway bars are the most typical upgrades and are not very expensive compared to the incredible improvement in handling and control.
One of the most common upgrades are power disc brake conversion kits. Why would anyone throw thousands into a motor and suspension and then not be able to stop without using two feet. Conversion kits can be found under $1000 for both front and rear including the power booster to the calipers. This upgrade should really be considered regardless of upgrading horse power or suspension.
Some people stop with the engine and suspension because that’s all they really want to change, but others think air conditioning is an upgrade you must also have. A lot of the Classic cars never had air conditioning and if you have added a new engine it most likely came with a compressor anyway. After a good long drive on a Texas highway in July, you will be glad that you added the AC.
As you can see, the upgrades for Classic Cars are virtually endless. These upgrades generally require the assistance of a hot rod shop and can turn into a significant investment. Upgrades like we have talked about are done on cars that are usually driven everyday and their owners want cars to have the updated technology to make riding and driving more pleasurable. These are things you may want to consider before you start your next upgrade project.
