Resto-mod · A passion project

Honour the original. Improve the rest.

Tynan Automotive is a labour of love, not a business. We restore classic machinery with respect and modernise it with restraint, bringing reliability, safety and usability forward fifty years while leaving the character exactly where it was. We do it so the beautiful cars of the past stay on the road, seen and driven, rather than fading away under covers. Every build is documented from first bolt to first drive.

The three builds Follow the workshop
On the bench

Three marques, one philosophy

Details, specifications and build logs will land here as each project moves from research to spanners. This is not a commercial workshop and we are not chasing the big resto-mod houses. It is three cars we love, done properly, in the open.

Engraved illustration of a classic Seven style open wheel roadster
Build 01  ·  Planning

Lotus 7

Lightness, kept honest

Chapman's creed was simple. Simplify, then add lightness. It deserves a modern execution, and the build log opens when the research phase closes.

Get the build log →
Engraved side profile illustration of a classic Italian mid engined sports car
Build 02  ·  Sourcing

Ferrari 308 GTB

The heart transplant question

Where originality is sacred and where it isn't. A restoration that asks the hard questions in public, and answers them with the panels off.

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Engraved side profile illustration of a classic German rear engined sports coupe
Build 03  ·  Research

Porsche 911

The daily drivable classic

The thesis at its purest. A classic you'd genuinely drive every week, not preserve under a cover.

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The open garage

Our drawings, free to download

Modernising a classic means designing parts that no longer exist. As each build progresses we create CAD drawings for the custom brackets, mounts and fittings these cars need. We will publish them here as free downloads, so fellow enthusiasts can make their own, adapt them to their projects, and keep more of these cars alive. Files will appear as each build reaches that stage. They are shared for personal use, and you should always check a drawing against your own vehicle before you cut metal.

From the sketchbook

Drawn before it's driven

Every Tynan build starts on paper — studying the lines before touching the metal. Build 02's subject, caught in the rain.

Pencil-style rendering of a classic Italian sports car in the rain, front wheel and louvred bonnet in close-up
Rendered from a photograph by Sid Ramirez (Unsplash)
Workshop notes

Follow the builds

Occasional workshop updates as the projects progress. Honest progress, setbacks included.

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