BORN TO BATTLE

RESTOMODDING A CLASSIC IN THE NAME OF FASTER LAP TIMES

- Rodrez

We’ve seen quite a few resto-mods over the years, but more recently we’ve noticed a significant boom that’s dramatically increased the number of “restored and modded” builds floating around. The art of repairing and reconditioning an older chassis, along with perhaps the most daunting task of sourcing that impossible-to-get, ancient OEM goods, has become a mainstream affair and one that’s taken on a life of its own in the import space.

Restomods fall into two categories: The first is the pristine, no-expense-spared sort of buildup that often wins car shows and looks better than the day it rolled out of the dealership decades prior; the second revolves around something nicely pieced together but intended for some road time,allowing the owner to enjoy the fruits of his or her labor. Shunsuke Matsutani, owner of this ’72 Nissan Skyline GT-X, is an example of the latter.