Restomod's on Brutus

[86 1/2 Brutus]

I have an interesting question for you all.  I know some of you are following the progress we have made on Brutus since April.  I got into a discussion with a friend and he said tha what we are doing is restomod.  I told him i didn't think so because most of the parts we have added were from different year trucks and are factory parts.  he still was insistant so i just left it alone.   This is the type of guy that you  just dont argue with and go on ahead and agree.  After he left, I got to thinking.  I know what restomod is all about, and some of the items on Brutus could be considered restomod.  IE:  All the custom made harness's and the TTL logic used to control all current draw devices.  The digital speedometer, remote keyless entry and the audio system ( completely gutted factory radio turned into a preamp/tuner/bluetooth with sepeate custom made power amp..    The door panel inlays will be covered in the same material as i covered the seat in.

Now on to factory changes.

Just a quick overview.  When Brutus was new he was Baby Blue with a complicated Z vector stripe on both sides of the bed.  he had black bumpers and black mirrors.  He had hubcaps, but i do believe they were switched at the dealer before Nick bought the truck.  Brutus was 1 of 1000 special edition trucks which were heavy duty military trucks all sporting the exact same dress.  ( I do still have the blueprints for the stripes)   I have an interesting story about those stripes and a huge battle with the insurence company when the truck was 2 weeks old and was side swipped by an old lady in a Dodge Dart)  anyway, i'm rambling here.  In 97 somebody hit us and by that time, Brutus and his paint and stripes were pretty well warn.  We got the truck fixed, and Nick had it repainted a darker blue and had some other body work done.  They did a terrible job, but anyway enough of that.

So anyway, back in the here and now.  We repainted him.  The Chrome rear bumper and mirrors from the 88 parts truck has been added.  The Chrome front bumper and mash bars from an 83 have been added and the steering wheel and column from the 88 has been added along with the correct Argent rims from the 88.   An aluminum tailgate inlay from the 83 has been added.   The Soft door panel inserts that i recovered with the seat material came out of an 84 Bronco. The tail lights are from the 88  The recovered seat is from the 88.  
Other then some emissions and egr delete, nothing has been done to the drive train with the exception of the TFI module relocation

So here is my question is this considered Restomod?

[ArdWrknTrk]

Not in my opinion George.

A restomod is when things are wholesale changed for modern systems.

If you took the front end of your CV and put it under Brutus and LS swapped the truck it would be a restomod.

But swapping around a few bolt on components doesn't count in my book.

I would say the electrical and sound system have been "updated" but since that doesn't really change how Brutus drives or performs, is it a "Restomod"?

Appearance (like paint or door panels) doesn't amount to a hill of beans.
It's personalization, yes!

[ArdWrknTrk]

Rusty is probably the one who could give you the definitive answer, since that seems to be what he does for a living.

I would say when Big Blue is completed (SEFI, Zf-5, air bags, onboard air, winch, etc..) that he will be restomodded.

IMHO, a restomod is a vehicle that is thoroughly updated but outwardly similar to stock.
A Singer Porsche 911 or an Icon Bronco are restomod in my mind.

[86 1/2 Brutus]

Jim, i think the way you do, i dont think it is restomod at all.  It dosent make any sense to me because like you said we are adding just different factory parts.  nothing about his model has changed.  I was always under the assumption that lets say you have a 69 mustang.  You get everything necessary to do a Boss 429.  Isn't that restomod as well or would that be considered a clone?

[ArdWrknTrk]

If it was available from the factory (not exclusively that year) then it is a clone, or homage, or imposter.

Like I said, if it was LS swapped or something, then it's a restomod in my opinion.

The 429 was "period", so it's not modernized.

[Gary Lewis]

I think the term "restomod" is poorly understood or, maybe more accurately, poorly defined.  Here are a few definitions I've read:

Original Parts Group: A true “restoration” is a vehicle that has been reassembled with the goal of bringing it back to factory-stock condition only. A “restomod” job is defined as a vehicle that has been put back together with the addition of new modern or aftermarket parts that were not on the vehicle when it came from the factory. This makes a “restomod” a car with a combination of both factory original parts and some new parts designed to improve the performance or appearance of a vehicle, like putting a modern engine in it to make it more drivable, or painting a car in a new color that the original factory did not offer at the time of manufacture.  A car falls into the “restoration” category when it is restored back to the exact original specifications it had when it left the factory assembly line.  

CJ Pony Parts: A restomod combines the classic styling of old school vehicles with new technology. Rather than using all stock components, restomods use aftermarket parts to improve upon the performance and appearance of older vehicles. Restomods are becoming increasingly popular, with many builds stealing the show at SEMA and other car events.

WHAT DOES RESTOMOD MEAN?
As the name implies, restomod is a combination of “restoration” and “modification.” Restoration requires using all original parts to restore a car back to factory specs. Restomods are restorations that also use aftermarket parts not available from the factory. Many restomod parts fit like stock but provide more capability, performance, and comfort.

Super Chevy Magazine: Now, before all those upgrades took place, the body was restored (remember that word) to appear in like-new condition, which is where we get the term "resto," short for "restored." Once the car takes on parts to improve its performance, handling, and safety, the car has now been "modified." With the car now being restored and modified, it is then referred to as a "restomod."

My own belief is that it gets down to the vehicle itself and what it rolled off the assembly line with.  If you deviate from that it is not a restoration.  You've modified the vehicle.

[ArdWrknTrk]

Gary Lewis wrote

My own belief is that it gets down to the vehicle itself and what it rolled off the assembly line with.  If you deviate from that it is not a restoration.  You've modified the vehicle.

So what would you say of George's 429 Mustang scenario?

It's not what the car came with, but it's not modernized in any way.

I'm of the mind that "period correct" whether factory or aftermarket does not fit the "modernized" aspect of restomod.
It's a Hot Rod for sure, but not restomod.
Then again, I don't think adding a Pertronix distributor to your Super Bee (in and of itself) would count as restomod either.

Maybe I feel that the changes have to be more drastic.

[Gary Lewis]

By most of the definitions I've read of "restomod", any deviation from factory is a modification.  So pointless ignition, as in Pertronix, would make it a restomod.

But you are right, there has to be some limit to that.  If I added a right-hand rear view mirror, which most cars had but which my '69 Bee doesn't, would that be a mod?  Technically yes, but there's no documentation on the vehicle to say it didn't have one, so...  (Trust me, it needs one!  The first day I had it I looked to the right and there was no car showing in the mirror so I started to move over.  Then I realized there was no car showing in the mirror as there was no mirror.  But, there was a car there!)

But to the question about the 429, that's a modification.  But George's question about it being a clone is a good one.  I guess I'd say that swapping the engine to a 429 makes it a restomod.  But adding all of the badging and labels to say it is a Boss 429 is making it a clone.

So, maybe my personal dafynitions would be:

Restoration: If it is essentially the way it rolled off the assembly line it is a restoration.  Ok, maybe you can sneak a Pertronix module in the dash and go pointless and still call it a restoration.  But you can't remove the Holley and put an AVS on there 'cause that's an improvement.  

Restomod: Anything that at, at first blush, looks like a restoration but turns out to be modified - for whatever reason.  A 429 in a Mustang that didn't come with one would be one.  An '85 F250 w/a '95 engine, transmission, front axle, and fuel system would be one.

Clone: A vehicle that has had parts and badging changed to make it like, if not the same as, another vehicle.  A 302-based '69 Mustang with a Boss 429 and all associated badging would be one.  As would a '69 Bee with a Hemi and the associated D60 rear axle.  (Note that Detroit put a D60 behind a Hemi and under a 460.)

[ArdWrknTrk]

So, you seem to read "modification" where I read "modernization"

OPC & CJ seem to go with modernized, while Super Chevy says modified.

It's okay to agree to disagree.  

[Gary Lewis]

Oh, but we agree!  Restoration-modification and restoration-modernization are both restomods.  

The reason I go with "modification" is that it allows for installing older technology.  For instance, I recently saw someone asking about installing a flathead in a Bullnose.  That's not "modernization" but it certainly is "modification".  And if for sure isn't "restoration".

[ArdWrknTrk]

I wouldn't call it a restomod.

Hot Rod?
Sure... maybe.

[FuzzFace2]

This is a "fight" that will go on as long as we have cars & truck we can make "our own".

So if you don't count the EFI exh. manifolds that might help with power out put, what would my 81 F100 flare side truck be?

All the parts used were from an 81 F100 style side and all factory.
It's just that the metal ribbed bed floor & rear (dual) tank did not come on flare sides.
Dave ----




ps I have no issues calling it a "Restomod" as it has been changed from what the factory (never) did.
Then again the badge on the fender "Custom" is true

[grumpin]

How about a different term?

Rejuvomod.

[ArdWrknTrk]

Does that mean instead of restoring something, you just freshened it up a little bit???

[86 1/2 Brutus]

This can go on and on.  I totally agree with you guys on this.  But when I was doing some research some years back about opening up a shop.  The term restomod kept coming up, along with the conversation i had with my friend.  it was my belief that restomod stood for Restoration/Modification.  In this case, turning a 1969 Mustang into a Boss 429 would be considered restomod being the body of the car would have to be modified to be a Boss.  The car would need to be totally restored and modified to be a Boss 429.  I have also heard of this being called a clone.

Nick has a Starsky and Hutch Torino, an original that he bought new in 76.  I've seen other Torino's made to look like Starsky and Hutch Torino's and these were called clones.
These would be called a clone since no body modifications were required.

A SuperBee, in order to make one, one would need a GTX and do major body modifications, just as the Boss 429, so this would be considered Restomod.

This is what i was led to believe.

Now some say Restoration/Modernization.  This, i always was led to believe was simply a Custom job.

But like ya'll said, this could be a fight that goes on and on and on.

Brutus is definately not a restomod, either way Restoration/Modification or Restoration/Modernization, either way it would not count being Brutus is still an XLT Lariet and all the modifications we have done to it were improvements over what the factory did, nothing more, nothing less.  It was like my friend told me the parts that i put on the truck are different then what it came with, it is considered restomod which i totally disagree with.  its like Gary said, if he puts a right hand mirror on the Bee, is it restomod.  NO, you could order a right hand mirror back in those days.  yes my back bumper is different only in the sense that in 86, the bumper had a diamond plate pattern, 87 and up has the same bumper, but instead of the diamond plate looking stuff, it has plastic  covering it., this in my opinion is not restomod.  Brutus front bumper and mash bars, no.  you could get them at the time.  

And like Jim said, if i were to do something like take the front off my crown vic and put it on Brutus, it would be restomod, or would this be custom, see this is where it gets tricky
So in the end, is it Restoration/Modification, or Restoration/Moderinazation?
I guess its like Tomato and Tummotto

[ArdWrknTrk]

I'm following.

And I'll admit I missed where you said Boss 429.

I said the 429 was available in the Mustang back then so it wasn't a restomod.
If you were to do the body work I would call it a imposter/clone, not a restomod.

(It would really only be a clone if you changed it down to the most minute detail... DNA) like faking a VIN that reflected it was a Boss 429.
That's fraud and a crime, so let's not go there....


I certainly don't have anyone accusing me of a restomod.
I'd have to restore it before that could happen.

[86 1/2 Brutus]

yea i agree with you there.  Brutus is far from restored.    Too many times people throw words around when they dont even know what they mean or some resemblence of what the word might mean.

[86 1/2 Brutus]

If you want to get hypertechnical here.  Lets say changing a mustang into a boss 429 is a restomod.  Then the originals would be considered that too.  Ford did not make the Boss 429 mustangs.  They were sent out to a custom shop to have the body modifications done and to actually make the engine fit in the car, hence why the battery is in the trunk.

[ArdWrknTrk]

Plenty of shops like KarKraft, Hollman Moody and Shelby did work for the corporate entity.

If you could buy it new off the showroom floor it was either a model, or a performance package, but definitely not 'modified' in my book.

Then again I don't agree with modified, and only go with modernized.

A 1969 Mustang with four wheel ventilated rotors and 20" wheels would be modernized imo.
Because neither of those things existed at that time.

[Gary Lewis]

George - I think you have Super Bees and Superbirds confused.  The Super Bee was a B-body Dodge hot rod, but without a wing.  It was basically a Dodge Coronet with a hot engine and H/D suspension  The Superbird was a heavily modified Plymouth Road Runner with a wing and was designed for super speedways.  Dodge also had a winged racer, the Charger Daytona but, as the name implies, it was based on the Charger and not the Coronet.

The Dodge hot rods were the Super Bee, with a base 383, and the R/T with a base 440.  The Plymouth hot rods were the Road Runner, with a 383 base, and the GTX with a 440 base.