Classic & Muscle Car Restoration in Elgin, IL

Rebuilding American Icons with Craftsmanship and Precision

Muscle cars and classic vehicles are more than machines — they’re pieces of history. At Artie’s Restorations in Elgin, IL, we specialize in breathing new life into these legends. Whether you’re restoring a 1970 Chevelle SS, a first-gen Mustang, or a ’Cuda with heritage, our restoration process preserves the legacy while enhancing reliability and beauty.

Our team approaches every build with a singular focus: delivering authentic, top-quality restorations that stand the test of time. We don’t do collision work — we’re a dedicated classic vehicle restoration shop built for enthusiasts who expect results.

What Qualifies as a Classic or Muscle Car?

We restore a wide range of American and imported classics, with a specialty in high-performance and collectible vehicles. Typical projects include:

• 1950s–1970s muscle cars (Camaro, GTO, Charger, Mustang, Nova, Firebird)
• Pre-1980 classics including coupes, convertibles, and trucks
• Custom hot rods and restomods
• Collector-grade or barn-find restoration candidates
• Classic vehicles requiring full frame-off restoration

If your car has history — or horsepower — we have the tools and talent to bring it back to life.

Our Frame-Off Restoration Process

Our frame-off restorations are the foundation of our reputation. Every component is stripped, inspected, repaired, or replaced to achieve true ground-up quality.

This includes:

• Full chassis removal, sandblasting, and coating
• Drivetrain rebuilding or replacement (engine, trans, axles)
• Suspension, fuel, brake, and electrical system installs
• OEM-correct or custom interior work
• Tight panel fitment and alignment
• Factory or custom paint in sealed spray booth

This process provides longevity, performance, and aesthetic perfection — whether you’re showing, driving, or collecting.

Authentic Muscle Car Restorations

We know the value of originality. For matching-numbers vehicles, we source authentic parts, badges, trim, and hardware. If you’re modifying for performance, we offer subtle restomod upgrades while maintaining period-correct styling.

We specialize in:

• Restoring factory specifications for value and accuracy
• Carbureted V8 engine rebuilds and fuel injection conversions
• Manual transmission restoration and upgrades
• Vintage suspension tuning with modern reliability
• Original interior restoration or tasteful custom upgrades

Whether you want factory showroom condition or a track-capable daily cruiser, we build it with purpose.

Elite Body & Paint Restoration

Your muscle car’s lines deserve to shine. Our paint and body division combines metalwork expertise with modern finishing equipment.

• Panel patching or full replacement
• Rust repair and undercoating
• Block sanding, priming, and sealing
• Factory color matching or custom hues
• Multi-layer paint application in a sealed down-draft booth
• Wet sanding and polish for flawless gloss

Each panel is test-fitted before paint. We ensure zero ripples, perfect gaps, and a mirror-smooth finish.

Performance Upgrades Available

Want a sleeper or something louder than stock? We offer performance enhancements tailored to your driving goals:

• Engine swaps (LS, HEMI, small/big block builds)
• Headers, intakes, and custom exhaust
• Suspension upgrades (coilovers, sway bars)
• Disc brake conversions and power brake systems
• Power steering upgrades and electrical rewiring

All upgrades are integrated into the full restoration plan — no shortcuts or mismatched parts.

Why Car Enthusiasts Trust Artie’s Restorations

• All Work Done In-House – Frame, paint, mechanical, and interior work under one roof
• Experienced Craftsmen – Formal training and real-world project experience
• No Production Rush – We work with quality-first priorities
• Client Collaboration – Every build starts with your vision and ends with your satisfaction
• Elgin IL-Based, Nationwide Results – Trusted locally, respected across Illinois

We only accept projects we can complete with excellence — that’s our commitment.