restomod Edmonton
Restomod builds in Edmonton
Classic skin, modern spine. Rolling works of art with brakes that work.
A restomod keeps the body and character of a classic and replaces what is underneath. At 2240 Speed Shop in Edmonton that means disc brakes, modern suspension and a current drivetrain under original steel — a car that looks like 1968 and stops, steers and idles like this year.
Hot rods share the same bench. The difference is the brief: a restomod respects the original car, a hot rod does not have to. Both get the same fabrication standard, and both need that call made before a scope gets written.
No marketing version
What this actually involves
Brakes first. Always
A heavy car with 1965 drums in modern traffic is a bad combination. Front disc conversions, dual-circuit master cylinders, a proportioning valve set for the actual weight split, braided lines, and hardware sized to the wheel package.
Nothing else on a restomod matters if the car will not stop. This is the first line item, not an upgrade.
Suspension and stance under original sheet metal
Coilovers, tubular control arms, modern steering boxes or rack conversions, and front clips where the factory geometry is past saving. The target is a car that tracks straight at highway speed and does not crash over frost heaves.
Ride height is styling. Geometry is engineering. We set both, in that order — a slammed car with unsorted geometry drives worse than the drum-brake original it replaced.
A drivetrain that behaves in traffic
Fuel-injected V8s, overdrive automatics or modern manuals, and a rear end geared to cruise rather than scream at 100 km/h. It should idle in a drive-thru instead of overheating in one.
Most restomods here start on the engine side, so the swap work — mounts, harness, cooling — is scoped alongside the chassis work rather than after it.
Modern comfort you cannot see
Air conditioning, sound, USB power and keyless ignition where it makes sense, installed behind the dash, under carpet and inside factory panels. If a modern part is visible from the driver's seat it needs a reason to be there.
Where restomod stops and hot rod starts
Chopped roofs, big-and-little wheel packages, exposed engines and paint that owes nothing to a factory chart — same welding, same standard, different brief and a different budget. Tell us which one you actually want before we start drawing up a scope.
Indicative ranges
What does a restomod cost?
Restomods scale from a single conversion to a complete build, so the honest answer is a range per module. Pick the modules that matter to how you will actually drive the car.
These are indicative ranges in Canadian dollars. They are not quotes. Every build is priced after we see the vehicle — condition, parts availability and the finish level you want move these numbers in both directions.
| Work | Indicative range (CAD) | What moves the number |
|---|---|---|
| Front disc brake conversion | $2,500 – $6,000 | Kit availability for the chassis, master cylinder and booster choice, wheel clearance. |
| Suspension: coilovers or modern front clip | $4,000 – $15,000 | Bolt-in kit versus fabricated crossmember, steering conversion, alignment and setup time. |
| Air conditioning and climate integration | $3,500 – $8,000 | Under-dash unit versus factory-look integration, condenser routing, engine accessory drive. |
| Hidden audio and electronics | $1,500 – $6,000 | Speaker locations that need fabrication, amplifier mounting, keeping the dash uncut. |
| Complete restomod on a solid, straight car | $60,000 – $150,000+ | Drivetrain choice, paint level, interior scope, and how much metalwork the shell still needs. |
Ranges above are indicative only and assume the vehicle is here in front of us before anything is committed. We quote in writing after an inspection, and changes get a phone call and a photo — not a surprise at the end.
Want a real number instead of a range? Send photos and the vehicle details — or call the shop at 780-999-6450.
Questions we actually get
Restomods & Hot Rods — straight answers
The questions people ask before they hand over a car. If yours is not here, call the shop at 780-999-6450.
What is the difference between a restomod and a restoration?
A restoration returns a car to how it left the factory. A restomod keeps the look and replaces the engineering underneath — brakes, suspension, drivetrain, climate and electronics. Restorations protect originality; restomods produce a classic you can actually drive on a weekend without planning the route around it.
Will a restomod hurt the value of my classic?
It can, on rare numbers-matching cars, and we will tell you when that risk is real. On common models — especially ones already running replaced drivetrains — good restomod work usually adds value, because the market for a usable classic is far larger than the market for a correct one.
Can you make a classic safe to drive around Edmonton?
That is most of what restomod work is. Disc brakes, a dual-circuit master cylinder, belts mounted properly where the body allows, modern lighting, a charging system that keeps up, and heat and defrost that actually work. Winter driving on salted roads is a separate conversation, and usually a bad idea after paint.
How much does a restomod cost?
Individual conversions are modest — brake and suspension packages run in the low thousands. A complete restomod on a straight, solid car reaches past six figures once drivetrain, paint and interior are included. The figures on this page are indicative ranges. Real numbers come after we see the car.
Do you build hot rods too?
Yes. Hot rods trade accuracy for attitude: chops, stance, wheel packages, exposed engines and paint that owes nothing to a factory chart. Same fabrication and the same welding standard as a restomod, but a different brief. Decide which one you want before the scope gets written — they cost different money.
What else does a build like this touch?
Most projects cross more than one bench. These are the trades that usually run alongside restomods & hot rods.
Engine Swaps & Builds
LS and diesel conversions. Old iron, modern heart — starts at minus thirty.
Engine Swaps detailsBody, Paint & Metal
Rust dies here. Patch panels, floor pans, straight steel, deep paint.
Body & Paint detailsRestoration
Frame-off or rolling. Honest scope, real hours, one standard.
Restoration details
Hauling a project in from out of town? See the Edmonton-area map — Edmonton, Sherwood Park, St. Albert, Leduc, Nisku and the county roads between them. Or go straight to the quote form.
Old car, modern manners?
Tell us the vehicle and how you actually want to drive it. We will lay out which modules matter first and what each one realistically costs.
2009 91 Ave NW, Edmonton AB · Mon–Fri 9:00–17:00