Jeremiah 29:11

Cars: 1969 outside, 2006 inside

Collectors can now buy classic American car bodies stuffed with all the latest technology.

By Peter Valdes-Dapena, CNNMoney.com staff writer


NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- There's something people often forget about those great cars Detroit put out during the 1950s and 1960s.

They were mostly horrible to drive.

For those spoiled by modern cars with features like steering wheels that steer, brakes that stop in less than "eventually" and engines that don't require repair and adjustment before each start, actually living with a "classic" car can be a bit of a bummer. They're great to look at and to be seen in, but they're often less fun to drive than you might remember.

These are problems that can be fixed with a little modern technology, though.

Now, if the car is a valuable collectible like, say, a 1970 Hemi Cuda, better not to touch it. A car like that, worth hundreds of thousands of dollars, needs to be kept original with factory-correct parts. Adding a better engine and suspension would be like painting a friendlier smile on the Mona Lisa.

But if it's one of the many thousands of far less valuable cars that happen to share body styles with more valuable siblings -- a 6-cylinderBarracuda, perhaps - why not make a few improvements?

If anything, the changes, if well done, will increase the car's values in today's market. A lot of muscle car collectors are looking for cars they can drive comfortably and easily. Cold air conditioning and a six-disc CD player wouldn't hurt either.

At Time Machines, Inc., a Florida company specializing in "resto-mods" - a term that's equal parts "restored" and "modified" - about half the customers bring in an old car they just want upgraded. (Photos of 5 resto-mods)

"I want it to drive like the Lexus I drive every day," said Mike Staveski of Time Machines, describing a typical customer's desires.

Customers typically pay between $150,000 and $250,000 for the restoration and upgrades, he said.

Craig Jackson, president of the Arizona-based collector car auction company Barrett-Jackson brought his own 1969 Camaro to Unique Performance, a Texas company, to have it made into a more livable daily driver.

"After scaring myself a few times by not handling through the corners I decided to resto-mod the car," he said.

Unique replaced the car's suspension and steering components with up-to-date performance parts and eventually replaced the engine, as well.

Full-service operation
Some buyers don't want to have to hunt around for a collectible and then deal with the upgrading. For them, there are off-the-shelf solutions.

Time Machines, for example, is offering a series of 1970 Plymouth Barracudas with engines, transmissions and suspensions from modern V10-powered Dodge Viper sports cars.

Carroll Shelby himself, famous for the Shelby Cobra sports car and Shelby line of modified Ford Mustangs from the late 1960s and early 1970s, has lent his name to a line of newly modified 1967 to 1969 Mustangs that look, from the outside, just like Shelby Mustangs of that era.

Unique Performance starts by finding ordinary, often non-running, Mustangs of the appropriate vintage. As long as the bodies are structurally sound and in good shape, that's all that's needed.

"The only thing that's ever utilized on these cars is the shell of the car with the original [vehicle identification] number," said Douglas Hasty, president of Unique Performance.

Outside, the cars are turned into exact likenesses of original GT350 and GT500 cars. (The GT500 is best known for its appearance as "Eleanor" in the 2000 remake of the movie "Gone in 60 seconds.")

Underneath the exterior, there's no attempt to replicate exactly the original cars mechanically. The concept is the same but the technology is modern. The 325-horsepower engine has electronic fuel injection. The cars e

Jeremiah 29:11

Shelby GT500E

Price: $119,000 (base model)
Power: 302 cubic inch 325-horsepower V8 with 5-speed manual transmission
Features include: 10 CD changer (DVD changer optional), black vinyl or leather seats embroidered with Shelby signature

Created from the shells of ordinary late 1960s Mustangs, the "continuation" Shelby GT500 (Not to be confused with Ford Motor Co.'s 2007 Shelby GT500.) has all-modern equipment underneath the body. The interior still looks appropriately retro, however, including a wood-rimmed steering wheel and all-metal shifter.


[IMG]local://upfiles/17/6017C40BFBCF471589107CA62F8657B2.jpg[/IMG]

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Foose '69

Price: $124,000
Power: 350 horsepower V8 engine (390 or 620 horsepower engines optional) with 5-speed manual transmission.
Features include: CD player (DVD optional), 4-point roll bar, Jaguar door handles, navigation system optional

Designed by Chip Foose, the Foose '69 is based on a 1969 Camaro and is available in coupe or convertible body styles.

[IMG]local://upfiles/17/1065EF48AF66430D832DF52FB7AA35CC.jpg[/IMG]

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Baldwin-Motion Phase III Camaro

Price: $189,000
Power: 600 horsepower Big-Block engine with four-barrel carburetor (supercharger or turbocharger optional)
Features include: Choice of three custom wheel designs, 6-CD changer, tilt steering wheel, leather interior with custom dash and console

Created by the team responsible for the famous muscle-car era Baldwin-Motion Camaros, the Phase III starts as an ordinary 1969 Camaro that is heavily modified to suit customer tastes.

[IMG]local://upfiles/17/8AF3101F600C4FCC9CC3AC9A8AAB7F7B.jpg[/IMG]

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1970 Plymouth Barracuda Custom Convertible "Six Shooter"


Sold for: $170,000
Power: 650-horsepower supercharged V10 engine with six-speed transmission
Features include: Power top, windows, hood and trunk.

Built by Time Machines, a Florida restorer and customizer, this car is essentially a modern Dodge Viper sports car inside the body of a 1970 Barracuda. The engine, transmission and suspension are taken from a Viper. This first example was sold at the 2006 Barrett-Jackson Collector Car auction.



[IMG]local://upfiles/17/1B727D4688154AC18BF53C1C41D93988.jpg[/IMG]

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1969 Ford Mustang custom convertible


Sold for: $24,300
Power: 300-horsepower V8 with 5-speed transmission
Features include: Power rack-and-pinion steering, 4-wheel disc brakes, battery relocated to trunk.

All major components in this car were replaced with modern versions. It was sold at Barrett-Jackson's 2006 Palm Beach Collector Car auction.


[IMG]local://upfiles/17/F8AFC5835FCB4A5A9BB68487F09E7B87.jpg[/IMG]

Jeremiah 29:11

Okay, I think you get the drift. My point is why would anyone pay over 100K for an old car with old technology rather a new 2008 Dodge Challenger
unless you are just plain rich like Jay Leno.

Even the article said they were "mostly horrible to drive".

My $30-$40K car will go to a 2008 Dodge Challenger.....thank you very much.

RLSH700

I have to agree with you Jeremiah. Even if I was filty, stinking rich like Jay Leno, I want a new car because it is technically better. It will ride much better, will be more confortable, will be less expensive to maintain, and will have nicer, newer technology. If I bought an old one, it would be like the times I drove my aunt's SL500. I'm scared to death that something might happen to it, which removes the fun of a neat car.