Top 10 Classic Cars to Restore & Turn Into a Beauty!

There’s nothing quite like a classic car. Whether you’re a classic car enthusiast, or an entrepreneur eager to bring back the golden age of vehicles, you’ve probably seriously considered restoring in the very least a car or two.

As enjoyable as restoring classic cars is, it certainly comes with a price. If you’re working on a budget, or perhaps looking to flip a newly restored car for outstanding profit, then there are select group of cars that are recommended over the others. These classic automobiles will turn heads and, more importantly, quench your appetite for some of the largest engines that roar while you take a smooth ride.

In order to come up with this list, we considered a variety of factors. For the average hobby-oriented classic car enthusiast or mechanic just dipping their toes into the restoration market, affordability was a key factor. After all, it doesn’t really matter what cars for sale are available if you’re just stuck looking in the window.

Table – List of Classic Cars Original Price & Approx. Cost After Restoration

Top 10 Classic Cars Values MSRP vs Restored

Vehicle / Year	Original Cost / Base Price	Restored Cost (estimate only) or estimated value based on condition.*
Packard (1951 - 1954)	$2,548	$5,300 - 25,000+ avg
Buick Riviera (1963 - 1965)	$4,333	$9,400 - $49,100
Ford Model A (1928 - 1931)	$500	$10,000 to $80,000+ avg
Lincoln Continental (1961 - 1966)	$2,812 approx.	$12,700 avg
Cadillac (1965 - 1966)	$5,419 approx.	$13,000 avg
Pontiac Grand Prix (1962)	$3,490	$14,100 avg
Chevrolet Bel Air (1953 -1954)	$1,741	$17,200 avg
Pontiac GTO (1971 - 1972)	$3,450 - $4,070	$18,800 avg
Dodge Challenger (1972 - 1973)	$3,082	$20,000 avg
Ford Mustang (1964 - 1968)	$2,602 - $2,814	$20,100 - 250,000+ avg

*This is the average price for a restored fair to good condition vehicle. Prices will vary.

Part availability was also a major component, as classic car restoration with hard-to-find parts could take years and cost an arm and a leg. The cars on this list are all backed by large part supplies, which is why they are appealing for restoration.

If you’re serious about restoring a car, then you’ll find this list incredibly helpful in giving you proper direction to get started on your dream project.

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(1) Buick Riviera (1963-1965)

This car is very fast and powerful for its size. It’s one of the best-designed cars of its era, and as a result, many more people are beginning to collect and restore the Riviera. Many companies now offer replacement parts for this car, making it even more appealing to restore.

2) Chevrolet Bel Air (1953-1954)

The Chevrolet Bel Air is growing in popularity with collectors. The prices are very affordable for parts for this car and the selection is greatly increasing. Numerous high performance upgrades such as disc brake conversions are easily available as well.

3) Pontiac GTO (1971-1972)

The 1971-’72 models of the GTO are more affordable for the average person, and a more basic restore. If you want to go a little pricier, consider some of the earlier models. There is also a large supply of reproduction parts for this model, along with many other parts to help increase performance of the car. The demand from collectors is steadily increasing for the GTO, which should make it an easy sell with a rising value.

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4) Lincoln Continental (1961-1966)

This is a super popular car with collectors. The upside to the Continental is that it is very affordable. The downside is that restoration parts are limited, but most parts can be found decently easy at a low price. It is not recommended for a first time restore, since these cars were hand assembled, so it may require the help of a professional.

5) Ford Model A (1928-1931)

This is one of the best cars for the first time restorer. Although there is a low demand with collectors because it is a readily available car, it is very cost effective to restore. Every part for the car is easily available, and there are plenty of experts who can lend help if needed. Even though you may not make much money restoring this one, it is cheap to do and will still have some potential to turn a profit. The availability of high performance parts for this car is increasing, and adding some of these parts could increase value and interest of buyers.

6) Packard (1951-1954)

Packards were some of the best-built cars of the fifties. Most parts can be bought new for a low price, but the body and trim parts may be more difficult to find. There is professional help available from clubs, and they will guide you to find any parts you need. These cars are easy sells, if restored properly.

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7) Ford Mustang (1964-1968)

The mustang is the perfect first time car for restoration because its parts are easily available. You can find the reproduced parts almost anywhere. Early Mustangs are an easy sell and are easy to find to start your job.

8) Dodge Challenger (1972-1973)

This car has a detailed and appealing look to it. The supply for parts keeps growing, which means that you can turn even the most unfortunate Challenger into a beauty. The problem with this car is that in order for it to have value, it must be restored to the original factory standards.

9) Pontiac Grand Prix (1962)

The popularity of this car never seems to dwindle. There is a good demand for it with collectors. This high power car’s reproduction parts are easily available at decent prices. Although they are a bit more expensive, they are not hard to find, so finding a project will be easy.

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10) Cadillac (1965-1966)

The Cadillac is one of the most loved cars, with a luxury interior and a powerful engine. Finding parts is fairly easy, although you may have to settle for used parts in some cases. Some of the trim parts are difficult to find, but all are at reasonable prices. The Cadillac is surprisingly an affordable car as well, so it is also a good starter project.

Now that you’ve been introduced to 10 great cars that are perfect for your next restoration project, pick the one that best suits you and get started!

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