The Best Ways to Modernize Your Classic Car
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- How to Upgrade an Old Car for Performance
- How to Restore a Classic Car for Improved Safety
- How to Make the Car More Comfortable
- Adding turbochargers and superchargers to force extra air into the engine, increasing power output
- Replacing carburetors with fuel injection systems to enhance fuel efficiency
- Introducing performance chips and tuning the engine to offer better torque and horsepower, tailored to your driving style
- Coating crucial engine components with friction-resistant materials to prevent the excessive transfer of heat
- They dissipate heat more effectively, reducing the risk of brake fade
- They are more responsive, enhancing safety and performance
- They are easier to maintain, repair, and replace
There's a certain prestige that comes with owning a classic vehicle.
Depending on the make, model, year of production, or level of restoration, a vintage can be immensely valuable at best or unique to drive at least.
Still, every vintage can do with an upgrade, especially since outdated components make them a lot harder to drive. With a classic car restoration, you benefit from improved safety, enhanced comfort, and fewer mechanical breakdowns.
But where do you begin?
In this article, we'll outline some tips on how to modernize an old car and the benefits that come with each upgrade.
How to Upgrade an Old Car for Performance
Vintage cars may be groundbreaking innovations for their time — and are certainly appealing to look at. But they pale in comparison to their modern counterparts when it comes to certain performance factors. Here are some upgrades that help.
Engine Upgrades
An engine unit that's been used for thousands of kilometers is unlikely to be in the same condition as it was when it was first rolled off the line.
An engine swap can thus offer your classic a new lease of life — improving its performance, efficiency, and adding a torque boost for good measure. You can replace the entire unit, or implement one of many performance-enhancing measures, including:
Depending on the specific improvements you opt for, the benefits can seriously outweigh the costs. It's no wonder that an engine swap for a classic car ranks high on every car restoration checklist.
Modern Electronics
The modern vehicle's electrical system does a lot of heavy lifting. It's responsible for safety features, sound systems, climate control, and more. Classic cars, meanwhile, have much simpler electrical systems. Plus, as their components get older, they become especially prone to wear and tear, loose connections, and blown fuses.
So, when modernizing old cars, it's crucial to upgrade aging electronic parts. A professional can help clean and replace components, repair connections, or rewire the entire vehicle, if necessary. They will also help test and troubleshoot problems —using devices like multimeters — improving the safety of the modified old car.
Popular old car upgrades also include electronic ignition systems, which help engines run smoother, or electronic fuel injection systems, which enhance fuel efficiency. All these upgrades come together to ensure modernized classic cars don't just look good — they run smoother and suffer fewer breakdowns.
Suspension and Handling
Several modernized vintage cars also benefit from suspension upgrades.
In fact, in many cases, a simple chassis alignment can have a transformative effect. But beyond that, several modern classic car suspension kits can help enhance handling.
Prominent examples include coilover kits, which combine a shock and performance spring to improve the center of gravity. This can be beneficial when looking to improve the handling of a classic Bentley or boost the performance of a vintage Jaguar.
Furthermore, sway and strut bars can help increase the durability of your classic car's suspension and improve cornering.
How to Restore a Classic Car for Improved Safety
Classic cars are notoriously unreliable. To match modern driving standards, it's critical to consider including certain safety measures, including:
Classic Car Brakes Upgrade
Brakes are one of the most crucial modern upgrades for classic cars — as they are essential for keeping you and your passengers safe.
While many classic cars are fitted with drum brakes, upgrading to disc brakes has many benefits. They last longer, work better in wet conditions, and are more effective at dissipating heat, making them more durable.
Drum brakes, on the other hand, are high-maintenance, needing constant cleaning and adjustments — and are often replaced during the restoration of classic cars.
Another common classic car upgrade involves switching out the single-circuit hydraulic braking system for a dual system. This improved component, which was introduced to cars in Canada in the late 1960s, reduces brake failures — as it ensures that if one circuit malfunctions, a second can step in.
Anti Brake-locking Systems (ABS), are a classic car modern technology that prevents wheels from locking up and enhances handling. But they may come at a cost, require an overhaul of the body harnesses, and are not compatible with all cars.
Provided you have the budget, you can see three major benefits from including a brake overhaul in your classic car upgrades:
LED Lighting Upgrades
LED bulbs have revolutionized lighting. They draw less power, last far longer, and burn much brighter. When fitting a classic car with modern technology, it's crucial that you don't ignore these benefits.
LED lighting doesn't just help navigate dark patches and enhance driver safety — it puts less pressure on the car's battery and alternator and lasts several years more than halogen counterparts. The most underrated impact of LED lighting for cars, however, is that they help maintain a vintage style while offering novel benefits.
How to Make the Car More Comfortable
Classic car modernization goes beyond mechanical components — there's also the driver and passenger's comfort to consider.
This is especially true during a vintage Jaguar servicing or classic Land Rover upgrade — as these brands are desirable for their high standards of comfort. Some upgrades commonly applied to the most popular classic cars to restore include:
Car Air Conditioning Installation
One of the most popular features in modified old cars is a modern AC. With such a wide range of aftermarket air-conditioner kits and custom HVAC systems at your disposal, it's possible to fit a new AC into almost every vintage make and model.
These systems are far superior to anything you'll find in a classic car — and definitely worth considering to get you through the summer.
Classic Car Interior Design
Classic cars may look great on the outside, but take a beating in the interior.
Mold could grow on the upholstery, and the carpet and the material on the roof have likely seen better days. While fitting an old car with new technology will always be the most crucial task, it's also worth investing in interior upgrades. This could include redoing upholstery, changing door panels, or replacing gauges and dash screens.
Check out some car restoration before and after images to see just how much of an impact it can make.
Conclusion
At the end of the day, there's no fixed rule for restoring old cars.
Classic car remakes can be customized to suit a wide range of individual preferences and car models. While the tips outlined above help you identify how to restore a vintage car, only a professional can help you maximize your upgrades.
So, if you're looking for a specific Land Rover service near Toronto or simply a solid mechanic that conducts comprehensive repairs and mechanical restorations, look no further than Westminster Motors.
Our team specializes in modernizing classic cars of all makes, but especially British vehicles like Land Rovers, Bentley, Jaguars and Rolls Royce. We also carry out comprehensive Bentley car repairs, making us equipped to deal with almost all vintage and modern car problems.
Author: Avo Demirjian
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