Upgrading Classic Cars Has Certainly Changed

Do you remember that Classic Chevy Nova you had or maybe you had the Oldsmobile with the powerful Rocket engine that has stood the test of time? Now with the new technology that has come along, many owners of classic cars are upgrading these cars but not as you may think. 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 as original as they could so they would hold their resale value. Boy, oh boy has this changed in the last few years. Now, if you keep the original stuff like the interior and the radio, you are called crazy! Let’s take a look at some of the major changes that have occurred with upgrades.

Today’s car owners want to keep their cars as original as possible but are realizing that they need more under the hoods of their Classic wheels. One of the first things they start with is the engine. With the powerful new engines available today, and the compact designs these engines are more than the original car collector could have asked for. Classic cars can now be upgraded adding a lot more horsepower and you don’t have to worry about the car being underpowered ever again. Costs for many different engines can range from 1,800-17,000 dollars.

The next area that Classic cars were really lacking in was in the suspension area. Handling was not one of the highlights on these cars. So definitely an upgrade is in order here too. Typical upgrades can be done today for under $1000, and even though it doesn’t seem like much money to spend on a new suspension kit you really get the value for your money’s worth. Performance suspension arms and parts can be bought at any dealer or custom repair shop.

Suspension products vary a lot from computer controlled suspension to upgrades of the original equipment on your classic car. Some people stop with the engine and suspension because that’s all they really want to change, but some people think air conditioning is an upgrade you must also have. A lot of the Classic cars never had air conditioning and if you added a new engine it most likely came with an air conditioner unit anyway. Trust me you will be glad on a hot day that you have it installed in your Classic Car.

Looks are also important to car owners and one of the first things people do is upgrade the tires and rims. The wheels put on the Classic cars weren’t some of the best wheels. Typically they were stock tires from the factory. But now, companies are realizing this potential market and are rolling out new tires and rims for almost every Classic car. Whitewalls are making a come back as companies are making radials that look just like the originals that came with the cars when they were first produced.

Interiors are another upgrade that owners like to do. Replacing the older dull looking carpet with new richer colors is the type of upgrades people are doing these days. You can also replace old leather, or even the all the seats with custom made seats. Changing the dash, stereo, and door panels are also some changes that car collectors like to do now.

As you can see, the upgrades for Classic Cars are virtually endless but there has to be a fair warning to people who want do upgrades themselves to their Classic cars. Upgrades like we have talked about are done on cars that are usually driven everyday. Owners want their cars to have the updated technology to make riding and driving more pleasurable. Unfortunately, there is a downside to of all this. The hardcore classic car collector will never do this. They still only replace worn parts with original factory equipment and upgrades are rarely ever used. They want to keep the value of their car and upgrades tend to lessen the value of the classic car. These are things you may want to consider before you start your next upgrade project.