Vehicle Description
This 1978 Buick Regal Restomod is one of those cars that just gets
cooler the more you look at it. Sure, we all grew up with these
buzzing around by the hundreds, but when was the last time you saw
one decked out like this beauty? And with a stout, fuel-injected
6.0L V8 under the hood, this is no late '70s wheezer, either!
Beautifully finished to a level belying its contemporaries, this
uber-cool Regal deserves closer examination by anyone that loves
the thrill of the road and the aesthetics of vintage motoring.
These A-body cars became so familiar back in the day that it's
worthwhile to stand back and take a second look today. Pretty good
looking car, isn't it? Clean lines, a chiseled roof profile, and
great proportions make it a car that suddenly stands out in a
crowd. The Gray Metallic paint is a modern shade that was recently
applied and it keeps the finish from being too in-your-face, which
is a good thing because the mechanicals do that part of the job
just fine. It's remarkable to find one this straight and clean, and
someone has obviously invested a good deal of cash in making it
look good. It's definitely a driver, not some trailer queen you'll
be afraid to put on the road, but it's got a ton of curb appeal,
especially out in the bright sun where it just pops. There are a
couple cool tricks to this build too, with a slick cowl hood,
blacked-out front grille, color-matched bumpers, and door handles
from a modern Cavalier. Other than the shiny chrome wheels, those
are the only notable deviations from stock, and it all works rather
well on this sport coupe. Finish quality is very good, and anyone
would be proud to show off this Regal's handsome good looks. The
black vinyl roof was left in place, adding a touch of
sophistication to this restomod, and a lot of the original trim was
blacked-out to match.
Inside, the contrasting dark red interior sports rare bucket seats,
which are practically mandatory with the sporty B&M 4-speed
automatic shifter jutting out from the floorboard. The rest is
mostly familiar Buick styling from the late '70s-'80s, from the
long doors to the angular dash panel that wraps around the driver.
Aside from a couple upgrades, it appears to be mostly original and
in good overall condition, with red vinyl upholstery on most of the
soft parts that shows the minor signs of use you'd expect from an
original car of 40+ years. The carpets are likely original as well,
and they too show signs of use, but nothing that should cause major
concern, and the light woodgrain found throughout the cabin does a
great brightening things up inside. A full set of Auto Meter
digital/analog gauges were swapped in favor of the tired original
units, a must for proper monitoring of the upgrade motor under the
hood, and an upgraded JVC AM/FM/CD/AUX replaces the original stereo
in the center stack of the dash. The B&M shifter is topped with
a white cue-ball, which seems appropriate for the kind of
performance this car can generate, and while it may feel a little
odd at first, it's an absolute joy to rip through the automatic
gears in this unique coupe. Other big positives include power
windows and locks, a stock steering wheel atop a tilt column, and a
set of seatbelts fore and aft. There's also a taut headliner above,
a rear bench that was nicely preserved, and an original trunk with
plenty of room for your car show goodies.
This car might have originally come with a light-duty V6 or maybe a
wheezy turbo, but today there's a modern 6.0L V8 that makes for
some pretty entertaining driving in the lightweight Buick. Built
with 317 heads from an LQ4 the engine makes good horsepower and is
an absolute torque monster, so it's obvious where the big money was
spent on this build. Thanks to modern fuel injection and wiring it
starts easily and idles very well, and with all that extra
horsepower on tap, performance is more than energetic. A cold air
intake system with a cone filter and long-tube headers means the
engine breathes easy, and the big aluminum radiator and electric
fans up front keep the whole show nice and cool. It's backed by a
4L60E 4-speed automatic transmission that was engineered to
withstand the big motor's torque without robbing it of any
horsepower, and it feeds a 10-bolt rear with highway-friendly gears
inside. The suspension has been upgraded with Hotchkis shocks and
lowering springs, a rear swaybar and trailing arms, power 4-wheel
disc brakes, and a responsive power steering system. A throaty
Borla dual exhaust system sounds wicked, and if not for those
flashy, Foose chrome wheels and oversized 215/40/17 front and
255/45/17 Nitto rubber at all four corners, this would be one heck
of a sleeper!
Beautifully built and a blast to drive, this is the Regal for the
guy who doesn't mind a lot of attention. And believe us, once you
fire up that 6.0L V8, heads will turn. Call today!
