Hot rod/resto mod direction -- where is the market going?

[Eminence Gris]

I've been commissioned to build a lightweight LWB with modern powerplant (I'm favoring the 3.2, since I've built a few this way in the past, and love how easy the engine is to live with). I have carte blanche on the build. This is a profit-making venture, as I have consistently been able to build these cars for well under market value.

In the past, I've built narrow hot rods and RS-look hot rods. I built my last RS-look about 6 years ago, when the common wisdom was that RS-look was played out. About 4 years ago, ST looks became popular. And now, a lot of the components to build them are on the shelf (saw steel ST flares & a spectacular repro alu engine lid at TRE earlier this week).

So now I have three alternatives: narrow -- meaning there's a maximum of 7" wheel width to corral 200+HP -- RS flares or ST flares. (This is also a financial progression.) I haven't been following sales of ST 'tribute' cars, so I'm unsure of whether the market will return the extra $9-10K it costs to build one.

Opinions? (And for you purists, I'm starting with rollers/abandoned projects. No numbers-matching donors.)

[pu911rsr]

Well I think there is some fashion to the hot rod builds, seemed to progress from RS's to RSR's to ST to R's but anymore who the hell know's. I'd say pick a style and do the details right and everything else takes care of itself.
Phil

[endo911rs]

ST's have to be done just right...otherwise they just don't look right. A narrow hot rod can be worth just as much and cost less to build. Wheels and tires are cheaper, not to mention Flares, bumpers etc....

I'm doing two cars with modified RS flares so I can run wider wheels and still have the look of a hot rod RS. Tires are cheap and it has that retro rod look that somehow passes with the critics among us.

Build what you heart tells you...thats how my cars evolve.

[tpdorsey]

I'm of the opinion that hot rod fads come and go, but the tasteful sleeper is always in fashion.

[50/50]

I'm of the opinion that hot rod fads come and go, but the tasteful sleeper is always in fashion.

Agree completely. Some of the "Sport Purpose" executions have started to remind me of the kids in the japanese "tuner" cars. Too many affectations. Less is more, Restraint.
Rant over.
50/50

[Richardnew]

The next big trend will be doing less. We'll still do all of the performance stuff but the flares will be missing. I think we may have even reached the limit with the Minilites on the rear.

Richard

[Eminence Gris]

Agree completely. Some of the "Sport Purpose" executions have started to remind me of the kids in the japanese "tuner" cars. Too many affectations. Less is more, Restraint.
Rant over.
50/50

I'm getting that sense, as well. "Fashion" dictates that the ST flares need to be filled more aggressively -- with bigger wheels/tires than as used in '71/72. So then it becomes more of a 'tribute' or evolution.

One of the coolest restomods I've seen in the past 5 years was an Irish Green '70 sunroof coupe that was completely stock appearing except for the 2 large exhaust pipes. A shop in Signal Hill had installed a 3.6 Varioram in it. Total sleeper -- until it started up. Very aggressive exhaust sound. Blew me away. My only concern was that putting, say, 250HP to the rear 15 X 6" was a bit much for the rubber and overall handling balance...

[tpdorsey]

Too much power and too little grip sounds like a good problem to have and a recipe for fun... when you want it.

Probably feels lighter and more nimble, too. Something for the driver with common sense, a realistic idea of their skill and a taste for adventure.

But that's just my taste. There was a time when I, too, pined for big flares, wide wheels and gumball tires. Today I like simple and I embrace the interesting trade-offs of choosing one road over another. No judgements. However, I sense that people are starting to think about preserving these cars a bit more, and a hot rod that appears (or can be taken back to) original will have a bigger audience in the long run. It's also, in a sense, a more interesting engineering challenge than "anything goes."

[tpdorsey]

One last thought: some very interesting factory sleeper hot rods were built for the Porsche family. You might revisit that history for some inspiration.

[a911s]

Agree with the sentiment "Less is more".

RS gave way to RSR. RSR moved to ST. And ST builds have now given way to Rs and narrow bodied/SWB hot rods. They are less complicated to produce in some ways and more complicated in others. But with all the knowledge on-line and resto parts now available, it's not that hard to make it happen, especially if you can provide the labor. When this trend is done there will be another, I'm not saying what that is though...