Do you dream of a classic muscle car with heart-pounding power and modern handling? Look no further than the V8 Speed and Resto Shop! We bring your vision to life, combining iconic style with cutting-edge performance upgrades.
This stunning 1968 Chevrolet Camaro is a prime example. The owner craved the perfect blend of timeless looks and exhilarating performance. V8 Speed and Resto Shop delivered:
Supercharged LSA Engine: Unleash raw power with this modern high-performance engine, expertly installed without compromising the Camaro’s fresh as-delivered paint job.
Tremec 6060 6-Speed Manual Transmission: Take control of every gear change with this precision-engineered transmission, engineered to seamlessly integrate with the LSA engine.
Performance Cooling and Electrical Systems: Experience worry-free driving with upgraded systems designed to handle the increased power and ensure smooth operation.
C&R Radiator and Coolers: Maintain optimal engine temperature for peak performance, on the road or at the track.
Vintage Air System: Enjoy cool comfort in the cabin, even on the hottest days.
Ridetech Coil-Over Suspension System: Experience exceptional handling and control with this top-of-the-line suspension upgrade.
Hydraulically Boosted Wilwood Brakes: Command ultimate stopping power with confidence, inspired by racing technology.
FORGELINE Wheels: Track-proven strength, great looks for the street, and American made.
Custom Exhaust System: Our team handcrafts a beautiful mandrel-bent, TIG welded stainless exhaust system with cutouts and Corsal mufflers that delivers both performance and a throaty growl.
The V8 team’s dedication goes beyond the ordinary:
Expert Modifications: We meticulously notched the subframe and fabricated a custom firewall and air intake system to ensure perfect fitment and functionality.
Custom style with Performance: Ringbrothers billet hood hinges and an in-house fabricated hood ensure a unique look while accommodating the supercharger.
Dyno-Tuned Results: Refined driving manners with measured power.
This is just a glimpse of what V8 Speed and Resto Shop can do for your muscle car. Let our passionate team transform your dream into reality. Contact us today to discuss your custom build! Check out the 3 1968 LSA Camaro build videos below!
The owner recently acquired this fun 1967 Ford Galaxie Convertible and is eager to transform it into a dependable and stylish family cruiser. While the car’s interior and bodywork, completed 5-6 years ago, are in satisfactory condition, he has a vision for several upgrades to enhance its performance, comfort, and safety.
Under the Hood Enhancements
The current 390 engine is experiencing leaks, prompting the owner to consider replacing it with a Ford crate engine. He’s leaning towards a new 347 stroker engine, aiming for a horsepower range of 300-400, while maintaining an automatic transmission. To improve fuel efficiency and reliability, the V8 Speed and Resto Shop Team will be installing a Ford 4R70W overdrive unit.
Focusing on Comfort and Safety
Since this Galaxie is intended for family cruising, the priority is to create a comfortable and safe driving experience. We’ll be adding Vintage Air air conditioning for enhanced climate control, along with a new radiator and heater core to address any existing leaks. Upgrading the power steering pump and lines is also on the list, ensuring a smoother driving experience.
Addressing Electrical Concerns
The V8 team has noticed that the headlights, brake lights, and turn signals appear dim, requiring some updates to the system.
Enhancing the Look and Feel
For a touch of classic style, the owner desires a new vintage-looking steering wheel. He’s also open to recommendations for suspension upgrades, aiming to improve the car’s handling without compromising its original character.
A Work in Progress
The owner acknowledges that the pictures he’s provided are just a starting point, and he’s open to further suggestions as the project progresses. With a clear vision and the assistance of qualified professionals, his Galaxie is well on its way to becoming a reliable and cool cruiser for the whole family to enjoy.
A huge shoutout to these two young rockstars, Josilyn Lazenby and Emma Smith, for not only graduating from the amazing Career Center of Southern Illinois, but also for CRUSHING it and winning the prestigious V8 Speed and Resto Shop “Holeshot” Scholarship! Emma also clinched the CCSI Rising Star Award!
Josilyn, you’re a welding whiz! Your dedication to mastering the craft is truly inspiring. We can’t wait to see the incredible projects you’ll build with your newfound skills. Keep sparking those flames, girl!
Emma, you’re a mechanical marvel! Your passion for understanding how things work is contagious. We have no doubt you’ll diagnose and fix any mechanical challenge that comes your way, and we look forward to your skills growing in our upholstery shop!
This is a HUGE win for our community, and especially for young women considering careers in the automotive industry. We need more role models like Josilyn and Emma, showing everyone that welders and wrenches can be just as empowering as anything else.
So let’s give these future automotive superstars a round of applause! We can’t wait to see what amazing things they achieve next.
Restoring classic cars is often like archeology, and V8 Speed and Resto Shop team member Mike Bess just had an Indiana Jones moment! The city of Kimmswick Missouri Historical Society had a historic travel trunk in their possession, brought to the USA by Theodore Kimm from Germany before he founded the town. The problem was that it was locked.. with no key. Read the story of how Mike Bess called upon his trove of historic artifacts to gain access to the mystery trunk!
A couple of years ago, the Kimmswick Historical Society purchased a travel trunk from the estate of a long-time Kimmswick resident. The KHS really wanted to own this trunk because it was the trunk that Theodore Kimm (the founder of Kimmswick) traveled with when he immigrated to St. Louis from Germany in approximately 1835. We now owned the trunk, but there was one problem… we could not locate a key to unlock the trunk. We knew it had to be one of those old-time long, skinny keys. The word went out to family and friends, and we must have tried 1,000++ keys. We put the key search on pause, and removed the pins from the hinges. We were “certain” that the trunk had to contain important travel documents, or Mr. Kimm’s journal, or something else as equally exciting. No such luck. The previous owner had stored several blankets in the trunk. We continued our search for the key. Perseverance pays off. Two weeks ago, a gentleman visited our Burgess-How Log Cabin. Nadine Garland told him the story and he asked to see the trunk. She brought him to the Museum and he spent a while examining and measuring the lock. He said that if he didn’t have a key, he could make one. Yesterday, Mike Bess returned to the Museum with the KEY!!!! KHS members are very happy because now we can freshen up the trunk and display it properly. Thank you Mike Bess! You are the Best.
Plymouth named it the Duster, but this freshly restored 1973 version by the V8 Speed and Resto Shop is too clean for the name! Unless you’re referring to the hot 340 V8 under the hood.. then it all starts to make sense. You’ll get to hear the thumping Comp cam under the Edelbrock Performer aluminum heads when we post the video feature. The V8 team was honored for the opportunity to restore every aspect of this car. But that blue though! The secret of the color is also revealed in the video… stay tuned!
Kelle and Kevin Oeste are often asked how the V8 Speed and Resto Shop came to be, and on this special episode of the V8 Radio Podcast, they recall some of the many twists, turns, risks, cars, media, people, and more that evolved into where they are today, 20 years later! Mike “Q-Ball” Clarke goes along for the ride, from the initial idea to present day, assembling a world-class team that builds awesome cars for great customers all over the globe. The mission is to connect people with the best time of their lives through things with wheels, and the V8 Team is hard at it every day. And Kelle dealt out a heck of an automotive trivia question, and much more on this V8 Radio Podcast!
We’ve recently completed a 1970 Ford Mustang convertible restoration here at the V8 Speed and Resto Shop. This is a cool Mustang Restomod with a rich history, and has been in the same family since the summer of 1972! The V8 Speed team completely disassembled the car for rust repairs and suspension upgrades, fixed the rusty and damaged body, and repainted the Mustang in a nearly-original color.
It’s powered by a Ford 302 V8 backed by a C4 automatic transmission, and was equipped from the factory with air conditioning. Our customer drove the car often, as it was her first car back in 1972. Over the years, the ‘70 Mustang was driven by the next generation in the family, until it was wrecked in 1993 and subsequently parked. It had not been driven since then, and we were happy to return it to the road once completed.
The Restoration Process
The V8 Speed and Resto Shop team disassembled the entire car, and stripped all the paint to reveal previous damage and rust repairs. The convertible Mustang was mounted on a fixture in our fabrication shop to keep the body structure supported and true, and sheet metal repairs began. The quarter panels, rear tail panel, doors and floors were all replaced with new steel.
While this car is restored to appear original, we modified a few aspects of the car for better drivability, reliability, performance, and more enjoyment. For example, we installed an upgraded front suspension system from Rod and Custom Motorsports, which provides a tubular upper and lower control arm assembly based on the later Mustang II geometry. It also features an oversized sway bar and a rack and pinion steering unit for more precise control and modern Mustang Road feel. Improved front disc brakes are also installed, along with all new plumbing and brake lines to help the Mustang stop better. Familiar but upsized 17” Magnum 500 wheels from Scott Drake are wrapped in Bridgestone tires.
Watch The 1970 Ford Mustang Restoration Videos
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Adding Complimentary Technology That Fits The Theme
The 302 small block Ford V8 was rebuilt, and is now topped with a FiTech fuel injection system for modern-day reliability, which is also controlling the electronic distributor and ignition timing. This car came from the Ford factory with air conditioning, but we elected to install a more efficient A/C system from Vintage Air, which uses current refrigerant to cool the air. The front accessory drive is a black serpentine system from CVF Racing, complete with a high-flow water pump and higher output alternator.
The color is very close to the original Ford Medium Bright Blue, but it’s been tweaked a bit as preferred by the owner for a bit more… pop! And where the original paint was a single-stage blue, today’s urethane 2-stage basecoat / clearcoat shines far more than the original finish ever did.
New Interior With A Familiar Look
The V8 Speed and Resto Shop interior shop rebuilt the bucket seats and rear seat, upholstering them in the original white / parchment hue, and a new black carpet covers the sound-deadened floor. The top frame and hydraulic system was restored, and we installed a new white convertible top. Fresh glass looks crisp and clean, Dozens of new trim pieces from Classic Industries were installed to make things new again inside.
This family heirloom 1970 Mustang Convertible is nicer looking, and nicer to drive, than it was when it rolled off the assembly line brand new. We at the V8 Speed and Resto Shop are honored to have the opportunity to bring it to a new level for many more years of family enjoyment.
Weather It’s a stock original restoration, a mild restomod, a road-hugging pro-touring machine, a fiery hot rod, or a full-out custom, the V8 Team has what it takes to bring your dream car to life. Contact us anytime to chat about your desires and how we can create a one-of-a-kind ride just for you!
Author: Miguel Pujols Content: Great job, she’s better than new, hope the family enjoys for many smile per mile of years ahead! The classic always appeal to me its like stepping in a time machine, but a RestoMod where it counts makes it so much sweeter…
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Author: James Hutchins Content: Absolutely beautiful! Love the very sensible upgrades making her a sweet daily driver or a show car. A true win win.
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Author: Jason Hull Content: Looks so sharp and clean. You guys sure do good work. I would be honored to build classic’s with you guys ! Keep em coming. We can’t get enough of them. I’d love to see what you could do to My 1970 Camaro too. Lol
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Author: Rick Read Content: Absolutely gorgeous! I like every thing that was upgraded to modernize the car, I’m loving it!
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Author: JSR Roadrash Content: Your team does outstanding work. Beautiful Mustang with a great history.
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Author: Annatar the Maia Content: What comes out of your workshops isn’t work, it’s art.
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Author: Trip Reviews Content: Although I like an all original mustang this is a fantastic updated 1970 Mustang. The classic look has been maintained and yet it is new. Nice. 👍
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Author: GPLIPP Content: Another home run guys. Well done!!
Author: Charles Dalton Content: There are so many things well done on this car but I kept coming back to the panel gaps. They look like they were cut with a laser – holy mackerel!
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Author: KFH Content: More great work… A Real Beauty!!!
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Author: Codename C.A.R.S Content: Nice car!
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Author: John R Smith Content: I had the identical car, except mine had the deluxe interior, which included a console. Absolutely the worst car I ever owned, because of a complete lack of quality control during assembly. Virtually everything was wrong with the car, and I only owned it for 3500 miles. Sad, because it was a neat little car.
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Author: Kenan Turkiye Content: There’s something about metallic blue and chrome on a good car.
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Author: echoi Content: This restomod is the gold standard on what a restomod should be. Compared to cars with chrome air cleaners, chrome valve covers, Obnoxious 20″ rims, those generic jeep LED units, and obnoxiously loud speakers in the back. Eeewww
On this episode of V8 Radio, Mike Clarke and Kevin Oeste spend some time chatting about the recently completed 1946 Ford Tudor restoration at the V8 Speed and Resto Shop. Later, the V8 Team is honored to have not only 1, but 2 awesome 1969 Camaros built by V8 Speed and Resto at the 2019 Goodguys PPG Nationals in Columbus, Ohio! Next, they discuss the adaptation of new technology to cool old cars for better performance and driveability. Don’t forget the trivia questions, and you have a full episode of V8 Radio!
V8 Radio Podcast
V8 Radio Podcast: New Tech in Old Cars, Camaros at Goodguys, Trivia and More!
On this episode of V8 Radio, Mike “Q-Ball” Clarke and Kevin Oeste reflect on the recent Mecum Auction and some of the amazing bids placed on cars, and ask if one can place a dollar value on the experiences had with cars. They also cover some thoughts on car movies and movie cars, as the V8 team plans the 5th Anniversary Drive-In Cruise event later this year. Of course, they bounce a few automotive trivia questions around and kick the show off with an over-selling adjective. You’ll find all this and more on the latest V8 Radio!
V8 Radio Podcast
V8 Radio Podcast: Valuing The Experience, Movie Cars, Auction Recaps, Trivia, And More!
