The 20 Best Hot Rods Of all Time

August 10, 2017

Twenty-Seven Liter Rover Rolls-Royce

Base car: Rover SD1

While it’s not as all-American as the other cars on this list, this bananas British motor can hold its head up high among the prestigious company on this list. The Rover SD1 is about as boring an executive car as you can get. Produced from ‘76-’86, the SD1 was the last Rover to be produced at the Solihull plant in the UK’s West Midlands. Then this guy, Charlie Brumfield, decided he wanted to do something real nasty to it.

Under (and bulging slightly above) the hood, you’ll find a 27-litre (1647 cubic inch) Rolls-Royce Meteor engine. Derived from the Merlin engine which powered both the British Spitfire and the P-51 Mustang, the Meteor powered the Cromwell tank of World War II, and proved itself to be both powerful and reliable. In a car, that means that, well, good things happen. The engine produces 650 horsepower, letting the SD1 pull itself up to 160 mph at around 2000 rpm.

The car was rebuilt around the engine, with the engine bay resculpted and extended, making the driver now sit on the left side of the car, and several radiators have had to be fitted. The result? Boring executive car transformed into a ridiculous muscle car, that honors two aspects of British engineering.

Battle of the Pony Cars: Camaro vs. Mustang

October 29, 2025

The battle between the Ford Mustang and the Chevrolet Camaro is the biggest, most lasting rivalry in American car history. These two cars didn’t just…
Read more
The RM32 Ford Fastback Mustang Build Breakdown

October 24, 2025

The Ford Mustang: Historic Start The Ford Mustang is one of the most iconic muscle cars in American history, capturing the imagination of car enthusiasts…
Read more
6 Things to Consider: Keep Your Classic Muscle Car Original or RestoMod it?

October 15, 2025

When tackling the big question that has become a debate on the internet: Is it better to keep your classic muscle car original or turn…
Read more

Show more articles

Become a Car Club Member

Car Club Members Get Entries to Win, Discounts in our Shop, Discounts with our Preferred Partners and more!

Membership benefits

By joining the RestoMods Car Club Today, you will receive amazing perks plus 15 bonus entries into our sweepstakes for every month you are an active member

Auto Discounts:Curated Discounts From Your Favorite Parts Companies
Restomods Monthly:Monthly Magazine With The Latest Industry News
Classified Ads:Get Free Postings seen by 300,000 enthusiasts monthly
Car Show Tickets:Check out the biggest vintage car shows on us.
Exclusive Car Deals:First chance to purchase any prize cars not selected