The New Era of Restomods: Perfect, Powerful, Pricey

The number of businesses angling to accommodate buyers of restomod cars has blossomed. In addition to Kindred, which sells its models starting at $199,000 for gas-powered models and $225,000 and up for EVs, are Gateway Bronco, selling restored Broncos and licensed reproductions that can run to over $600,000; Velocity Restorations, which sells restored Broncos, Mustangs and Chevy Blazers for $250,000 and up; and reproduction specialists like Revology and Vintage Modern which produce Ford Mustangs and Broncos with modern structure and safety features and a starting price of $200,000 and up.

All require hundreds of human work hours, an investment in tools and materials and the knowledge it takes to restore or build a vintage car. All of this is literally the opposite of scale.

Building A Better Restomod Process

This was the aspect that Rob Howard, founder of Kindred Motorworks, wanted to change. After a career in technology focused on last-mile logistics for retailers such as Target, Howard wanted to apply his know-how, scaling an operation, to a hobby he loved but ultimately found frustrating: restoring old cars.

“I've been restoring cars in my garage for 25 years, and when my wife and kids go to bed, instead of watching TV, I go out and restore cars in the garage,” Howard said. “It's very complex, and when I was done, I was disappointed every time. All these lessons I learned during the project didn't really come to roost in the final product and I couldn't really enjoy the car when I was done.” Eventually, Howard decided to blend his career-long experience with his hobby. “I knew if we applied technology and standardized this that we could create a much higher quality modernized car that you could enjoy owning and enjoy driving.”

As a result, Howard’s company produces 100 or more models a year at its Mare Island, California facility, and is targeting increasing that production number in the future by standardizing its operations to focus on specific models and perfecting the rebuild process. Still, the challenges are inherent in each rebuilt model since they start with an authentic original that carries the VIN it was born with. The process of rebuilding includes updating its mechanics and systems, restoring or adding vintage-inspired interiors and adding a new powertrain, either a gas-powered or battery-electric system. Kindred restores and modifies vintage Ford Mustangs, Broncos and VW Buses and soon will add Porsche 911s to the lineup.

Luxury, Now More Accessible

Another of the challenges of restomod vehicles is accessibility and logistics for delivery and maintenance. This is an advantage of the new car dealership network that custom builders typically can’t replicate. Since restomods can be expensive vehicles with a lengthy build time, most customers commit to a vehicle before it’s built, making them difficult to shop and often, difficult to service.

Kindred’s approach is to build a dealership network starting with Texas-based Sewell and exotic car logistics provider Issimi. This is a feature that Howard believes is key to the success of his company. “Increasingly, our our cars are sold through dealers and they offer service. So, this is something that's really important for old cars, having that faith that you have a warranty on the car and you know who's going to service the car,” he said. “I think that is a really important unlock to owning one of these vintage cars.”

Adding confidence certainly elevates the experience of owning a restomod and in the long run likely lowers the cost of ownership. Leaving more room for the fun and flood of nostalgia that are the hallmark of vintage classic cars.