Classic Looks. Modern Guts. Built to Actually Drive.
A restomod takes everything you love about a classic car — the lines, the presence, the sound of heads turning — and replaces everything you hate. No more vapor lock on the highway. No more white-knuckling drum brakes in traffic. No more choosing between running the AC and running the engine in a Texas July.
At Texoma Classics in Sherman, TX, we build restomods that look like they rolled off the showroom floor in 1969 and drive like they were engineered yesterday. Every build starts with your vision and ends with a vehicle you actually want to take on a 500-mile road trip — not just trailer to a car show once a year.
What You're Giving Up by Staying Stock
If you already own a classic, you know the list. Three-speed manual transmissions that turn Dallas traffic into a leg workout. Points ignition that leaves you stranded. Bias-ply handling that gets sketchy above 60 mph. No power steering, no power brakes, and suspension geometry designed when Eisenhower was in office.
You can keep telling yourself you'll drive it more next year. Or you can stop making excuses and start making it drivable.
Every year a classic sits because it's "not quite right" is a year you didn't enjoy it. You can always return to stock down the road. You cannot get back the summers you spent not driving.
How We Approach a Restomod Build
There is no single blueprint for a restomod conversion. Some owners want air conditioning and a modern stereo. Others want an LS swap, four-wheel disc brakes, coilover suspension, and 500 horsepower on tap. Both are valid. The point is building the car around how you want to use it.
Here is how most builds come together:
Drivetrain — The engine swap is the heart of any restomod build. We specialize in GM LS swaps and Ford Coyote swaps, matched to modern automatic or manual transmissions. Holley EFI systems handle fuel management with precision tuning, cold starts that actually work, and reliability that points-and-carb setups cannot touch. Whether you want a fuel-sipping cruiser or a 600-horsepower pro-touring machine, the modern drivetrain swap is where it starts.
Suspension and Handling — Stock leaf springs and twin I-beam setups were fine for straight highways in 1967. They are not fine for the way you want to drive today. We install Art Morrison chassis and subframe packages, coilover shocks, tubular control arms, and rack-and-pinion steering. The result is a classic car with modern suspension geometry that tracks straight at speed, carves corners, and rides comfortably on long hauls.
Braking — Four-wheel disc brake conversions with power-assisted master cylinders. Modern pads and rotors that stop hard and stop consistently. If you have ever stood on a set of four-drum brakes and watched an intersection get closer than you wanted, you know why this matters.
Climate and Comfort — Vintage Air climate systems deliver real, ice-cold AC through factory-look vents. No hanging units under the dash. No rattling add-on compressors. Paired with sound deadening and modern weatherstripping, your restomod rides quieter and cooler than you thought a classic could.
Electronics and Gauges — Dakota Digital gauge clusters replace unreliable factory instruments with accurate, clean readouts that match your interior aesthetic. Modern wiring harnesses eliminate decades of brittle, spliced wiring and support everything from electric fans to USB charging. We also integrate Bluetooth audio, backup cameras, and keyless entry — discreetly, so nothing looks out of place.
Mild, Moderate, or Full Build — Where Do You Start?
Restomod builds have almost infinite configuration options, and that can feel overwhelming. Most of our clients fall into one of three categories:
Mild Restomod — You love the car as-is but want it comfortable. Vintage Air AC, power steering, an electronic ignition conversion, and maybe a modern sound system. The car still runs its original drivetrain, but daily driving goes from painful to pleasant.
Moderate Restomod — New drivetrain, upgraded suspension, disc brakes, and modern electronics. This is the sweet spot for classic car owners who want modern performance and reliability without a ground-up rebuild. An LS swap or Coyote swap, paired with a modern overdrive transmission, transforms the driving experience.
Full Pro-Touring Build — Performance-focused from the chassis up. Art Morrison or aftermarket subframes, high-output engine builds, coilovers at all four corners, big-brake kits, and a fully integrated wiring and electronics package. These builds are engineered to handle, stop, and accelerate at a level that embarrasses modern sports cars — wrapped in sheet metal from the golden era.
Not sure which level fits your project? That is exactly what the consultation is for. We walk through your goals, your budget, and your timeline, then map out a build plan that makes sense.
Why North Texas Owners Choose Texoma Classics
We have been building and restoring classic vehicles in Sherman, Texas since 2001. Our shop on Industrial Drive has grown multiple times to keep up with demand, but the approach has stayed the same: hands-on craftsmanship, transparent communication, and builds that hold up to real driving — not just car show judging.
Restomod work demands fluency across mechanical, electrical, fabrication, and finish disciplines. An engine swap is straightforward until you need to relocate the steering column, reroute the exhaust, fabricate custom motor mounts, and integrate a transmission controller with a modern ECU. That is where experience and problem-solving matter, and where shops that only dabble in restomods get stuck.
We serve classic car owners across the Texoma region — Sherman, Denison, Whitesboro, Bonham, Gainesville — and across North Texas. Clients regularly bring projects from the Dallas-Fort Worth area via US-75 and Highway 289 because they want a restomod builder who treats their car like the investment it is. We also work with out-of-state owners who ship vehicles to our facility for complete builds.
Let's Talk About Your Build
Whether you have a rusted-out project car in the barn or a running driver that just needs the right upgrades, the first step is the same: a conversation about what you want and how to get there. Tell us about your vehicle, your goals, and your timeline using the form below, and we will get back to you with a plan.