While the restomod movement may not be as high-profile as that of simple restorations, it is beginning to gain international traction. It’s spreading further and further outside of the United States, like a broadcast of sweet machine music. In the UK, two major motoring outfits, Top Gear and Fifth Gear, have given magazine and TV coverage to restomods. In Poland, you can find Mustang restomods and restorations created by the loving hands of Mustang Clinic. The thing is, while everyone and their mechanic love to use Mustangs, Chevelles, Corvettes, and Chargers in their projects, some models need more love. In this list, I’ve pulled together ten models that I think could do with being spruced up. Some of these are money-no-object cars, and the projects would have to match. I’d genuinely love to hear your thoughts on this. Which models do you think need to be given a new lick of paint and an injection of horsepower? Let us know in the comments.

Delorean DMC-12

Production years: 1981-1982

In many ways, the Delorean was doomed from the start. It was originally going to be produced in Puerto Rico, but a factory site came up in Northern Ireland, which was then chosen as the production site. This baffling choice is almost the least of the company’s failures. Production was set to begin in 1979, but when the clock ticked round to 1978, the factory hadn’t even been built. The car needed changes too, so it got pushed back to 1981. When production began, the inexperienced workforce, exchange rate problems, and low demand ensured the company would fail. Topping it all off was John Delorean’s 1982 arrest for cocaine trafficking. Everything that could go wrong, did.

For all of this, however, I find a charm in the Delorean and just can’t shake that. Let’s look at it from the ground up. Its design was heavily inspired by the drop-dead gorgeous Maserati Boomerang, and its beautiful brushed stainless steel exterior can still turn heads. The Delorean’s engineering was handled by Lotus, who gave the car double-wishbone front suspension and multi-link rear, giving superb ride and handling. The two things it really needs are a new interior and new paint. The interior was deeply awful in the original, with the dye from carpets being reported to come off with a touch of your hand. Put some leather seats in there and new carpet, maybe with a deep shade of blue to complement the exterior’s coldness. If you want an engine that comes alive, dig into the parts box for an Alfa Romeo Busso or a BMW N54, or maybe a small-block V8. There’s no reason this car needs to be bad. A restomod could truly uncover why Marty McFly seemed so excited about this car.