9 hot restomods Kevin Hart will exhibit at the 2023 L.A. Auto Show

Comedian/actor/gearhead Kevin Hart will be displaying nine of his high-end restomods at the Los Angeles Auto Show, giving the public a great opportunity to see a wide variety of customization and some modern takes on high-powered muscle cars. “I’m pumped for people to see my cars in person,” said Hart. “Some have been at the big hot rod shows, but this is the first time they’ll all be together … I can’t wait for fans to see them and find out which one is their favorite.” If you’re able to attend the LA Auto Show, which runs from November 17-26 at the Los Angeles Convention Center, you can pick your favorite in person. Here’s a primer on some of our favorites.

1987 Buick Grand National: Dark Knight

As the newest model in Hart’s restomod collection, this Buick Grand National keeps the sinister vibes of the original ’80s turbo powerhouse, but cranks up the power and luxury. The understated interior from Gabe’s Custom Interiors ensures a comfortable ride. Under the hood, a Cadillac ATS-V’s 3.6-liter turbo V-6 is a welcome update to the original 3.8-liter pushrod Buick mill. It’s not right to call a turbo Buick a sleeper, but this car could be mistaken for a very nicely kept original at first glance. The more you look, the more you discover.

1959 Chevrolet Corvette: Mint Condition

Purchased by Hart at Barrett-Jackson’s 2021 Scottsdale sale, this minty C1 is powered by a direct-injection LT1 V-8 just like a C7 Stingray. Likewise, it has an independent front suspension from a C7. The custom independent rear suspension isn’t from a C7, as this car still has its transmission, in this case, a four-speed auto, bolted to the back of the engine rather than mounted at the differential. The car was freshly built when Hart won the bidding, and we’d be curious to see how many miles he’s racked up in the meantime.

1969 Plymouth Roadrunner: Michael Myers

Hart is a huge fan of horror movies, and two of his Mopars reflect that with subtle nods to some of the most iconic villains of the genre. His Plymouth Roadrunner, finished in black and exposed carbon fiber with orange accents, is powered by a supercharged 426 Gen III V-8 that produces 940 horsepower. It’s linked to a Tremec TR6060 six-speed manual transmission and the shifter is styled to resemble the infamous slasher’s knife.

1970 Dodge Charger: Hellraiser

Hart’s other horror-themed Mopar is also a B-body, this time a curvy Charger. Speedkore is responsible for this build, and that the body is made from lightweight and strong carbon fiber. It’s powered by a Helephant crate Hemi that churns out 1000 horses! The car’s chassis has been reinforced with a 14-point roll cage and was treated to a Detroit Speed C6 Corvette front suspension and a four-link rear of Speedkore’s own design.

1966 Chevrolet Chevelle: Darkness

Built by Timeless Kustoms in Camarillo, California, this 1966 Chevelle fits in with Hart’s other muscle cars thanks to its blacked-out look and tremendous power. In this case, a supercharged LS9 that’s been bored and stroked to a big-block-like 454 cubic inches. The engine makes 750 horsepower without a sweat.

1969 Camaro: Bad News

This black, on black, on black Camaro was built by Timeless Kustoms and is a pony car counterpart to the larger Chevelle. Featuring Forgeline wheels, a  blacked-out Rally Sport grille treatment, and an updated chassis with C6 front suspension and a triangulated four-link out back, it brings modern handling to the vintage F-body in style. It’s powered by a de-stroked, twin-turbo LS7 (4.125-inch bore and 3.622-inch stroke) at 370 cubic inches. With more than 650 horsepower at the tires with only a bit of boost, there’s plenty more in this beast.

1966 Pontiac GTO Convertible

Also a Timeless Kustoms build, Kevin’s 1966 GTO fits in with his Corvette as it looks more like a restoration at first glance. Under the hood, however, is an LT5 crate engine that’s good for 740 horsepower.

1969 Pontiac GTO: Chocolate Droppa

Named after Hart’s rapper alter ego, this GTO is a mystery to us. There’s not much information about this car, so maybe Hart has something up his sleeve. Considering Chocolate Droppa is more than likely shirtless, all bets are off.

1970 Dodge Challenger: Bane

Apparently, Hart wanted to expand the comic book theme of his collection and give the Dark Knight something to do. We don’t know much about this car, as it’s set to debut at the upcoming SEMA show. What we do know is that his current crop of restomods has set the bar high, so we expect nothing sort of amazing when the cover comes off in about a month.

***

Check out the Hagerty Media homepage so you don’t miss a single story, or better yet, bookmark it. To get our best stories delivered right to your inbox, subscribe to our newsletters.