are there private companies who can manufacture any old car from absolute zero?

Question

so i've seen those tv shows where they restore an old car from rotten body parts. And that people seem to be equipped with very advanced tools. So i was wondering if its possible to forget about rotten and rusty bodies and make everything from scratch.
For example a 1970 dodge challenger rt..
assuming i'm super rich..
is it possible to obtain the original drawings and then make the whole body from new steel? the gearbox, the engine, tail lights, all?
would they get sued by dodge?

Old Man Dirt · Accepted Answer

"Body shells" can be found for several muscle cars and cars from the 1930's. They are brand new and will accept original parts (or reproductions).
Here is one example:
https://www.r3pp.com/products/body-shells-classic-series
As for the 1970 Charger:
http://www.moonlightdriveclassics.com/classic-car-bodies/dodge/70-challenger/
Because there are those who specialize in restoration of Mopar products, one of them would be able to complete the project.
They can be licensed after a state issues a VIN number or maybe the place providing the completed car would be able to get a  VIN number assigned.
About all the detail parts are being supplied already new. Except the engine and transmissions which can be found with out a lot of trouble or a bolt in using current power plants that are found in Pick up trucks if no place else.

Anonymous · Answer

I do believe that someone is making a 1969 Camaro. Look online.

? · Answer

Everything you need to build a new 1967/1968 Mustang fastback can be bought new and it has been done.  However, it is expensive.

Anonymous · Answer

If you weren't a pleb you'd realize they stopped making older cars for a reason. They rattle, they're poorly insulated, the A/C sucks, they are too heavy, they get terrible mpg, they do poorly in crashes, they are unreliable, the interior is not that great, the radio and stereo suck. Everything has issues before 100k miles. They leak when it rains, the car is rusted and unsafe to drive.

If you copy a poorly designed car you're just gonna get another poorly designed car. Modern cars are better. A 1971 rolls royce interior looks and feels worse than a 2020 Hyundai accent interior

? · Answer

It's possible.  My boss used to get Mustang catalogs.  Those catalogs had every part, of non-Ford origin.  Buy all the parts, put them together, and you would have a non-Mustang that looked just like one.
Same is true of Harley Davidson motorcycles.

? · Answer

Yes, you can have a replica car made with all its parts made from scratch.  You'd pay millions for it, you're effectively tooling up a car factory to produce a single car.  But if you've got the cash, you'd be able to find someone to do it.  You might also need a lawyer if you don't get the permission of the original manufacturers of the car you're copying and all the parts it was made of, you'd be infringing a lot of patents.

are there private companies who can manufacture any old car from absolute zero?

6 Answers