Many industry purists have a strong bias against resto-modded muscle cars and even go as far as to reject them completely. On the other hand, we completely understand the appeal of these modifications.

Classic muscle car models come from an era when the creative side of the company dictated the final products, unlike today where everything comes down to statistics and mass production.

This results in a sea of dull gray boxes when what we want are the flamboyant body styles of yesteryear. This does not mean that we also want to give up on comfort, convenience, reliability, economy, safety, and confidence that modern cars have to offer.

Essentially everyone loves James Bond's Aston from Skyfall which is a beautiful sports car that also happens to be jam-packed with state-of-the-art gadgetry. It is also quite easy to lose your way with a build like such as this which is why we have compiled our top 10 picks of desirable resto-mods and five examples of complete disasters.

15 Foose Design ’69 Camaro

This 1969 Chevrolet Camaro was resto-modded by the Foose Design team to be showcased at SEMA and the ride stole the show. The stock engine has been swapped for an LT4 crate engine. In classic Foose fashion, the car now rides on MHT Foose “Star Thruster” Wheels and the entire car has been finished in a Deep Impact Blue color scheme.

RELATED: 5 60s Muscle Cars That Cost A Fortune (& 5 You Can Buy For Under 10k)

14 Hellcat '69 Charger Restomod

As popular as the Bullitt Mustang is, there are those of us who are partial to the “baddy” charger. This modified 1969 Charger took three years to complete in its glossy black glory starting as a barn find. The restoration was taken on by Detroit Muscle and fetched $200,000 at the Mecum auction.

13 Joe Rogan's 1965 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray

Pure Vision took over this project for comedian and commentator Joe Rogan. The car rides on centerline low-drag alloy wheels that work well with the overall aesthetics of the ‘65. Under the hood, we find a supercharged LS1 crate motor as the heart of this machine. The suspension and brakes have also been updated to handle the power better.

12 SpeedKore 1967 Camaro

It is not a surprise that the actor playing the character of Harley-riding Captain America will also own an all-American muscle car. What you might not know is that this ’67 Camaro was commissioned by Iron Man, Mr. Robert Downey Jr. himself as a gift for Mr. Evans. The car runs on a supercharged LS3 motor which churns out 730 BHP.

11 Bespoke Motors Mercedes-Benz 560 ‘Wide-Body’ AMG

Not all Muscle cars are American. This Mercedes-Benz 560 wide-body runs on a 385 BHP 5.5-liter V8. To keep the weight low, the wide-body kit has been recreated using carbon fiber. The interior of the car is wrapped in wine-red, hand-stitched leather and flaunts Zebrawood veneer. The car also gets new coil-over springs suspension and modern brakes.

RELATED: The 10 Most Reliable Muscle Cars

10 AMG's 1954 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL

Probably one of the rarest and expensive entries on our list is a regal 300 SL. The car was commissioned by the Sultan of Brunei. The restomod was carried out by AMG itself and runs on a 6.0-liter V8 that produces 380 BHP. The original suspension has been swapped for a five-link setup.

9 East Bay Muscle Cars Buick Riviera

This “Nailhead” Buick Riviera was built by East Bay Muscle cars. The stock motor was swapped for a versatile LS3 crate engine. The braking duties are carried out by 14-inch. 6-piston Wilwood units. The car also gets an RS/EBMC suspension and steering setup. The standard headlamp cluster now gets projector HIDs.

8 Ring Brothers AMC Javelin AMX

When it comes to performance this Hellcat monster is probably the most capable contender on our list. The design silhouette might be the only old school detail about this project. The body panels are made out of carbon fiber and the supercharged Hellcat motor churns out 1000 HP, which is Veyron territory.

7 JIA Interceptor R

The Interceptor R might just be the most sophisticated entry on our list. Other than the paintwork and re-trimming, everything else was done in-house at JLA’s facility in Banbury. The “R range” is powered by a supercharged LS3 which produces 556 BHP. The motor comes mated to a GM 6-speed auto gearbox and the power is channeled via an updated prop shaft.

RELATED: 15 Modified Japanese Pickups We Can't Get Enough Of

6 1965 Chevrolet Imposter

This 2015 Ridler award-winning entry comes from the world-renowned car designer Chip Foose. The car took six years to build and ditches its underpinnings for that of a modern 2009 Corvette. The overall wheelbase of the Impala was shortened by 7 inches and the top got an 8-inch chop overall.

5 Disaster: Timeless Kustoms’ Ford Mustang Fastback

The only thing vicious about this frankly ruined 1965 Ford Mustang is its aesthetics and not in a good way. Yes, the car produces 1000 HP but ruining a ’65 Fastback by installing an ugly era-defying body kit is borderline criminal. Then there is the loud nightclub red ambient lighting that is sure to induce migraines.

4 Disaster: Rob3rt design Chevrolet Opala

We won’t hold it against you if you took a quick look at this the Chevy Opala and confused it for an old Skyline. The designer has somehow managed to strip away any Americana that Opala once had and the entire project looks like it was done on an Etch a Sketch.

3 Disaster: Will.I.Am Corvette

Will.I.Am Chevy Corvette
via Vetteforum

Speaking of destroyed Americana, we didn’t think one could ruin a ’58 Corvette and then came the "masterminds" at West Coast Customs. Will.i.am is a music genius, and he should stick to his day job. The shop scrapped all the beautiful chrome, added on an aftermarket exhaust, cheap plastic bumpers, and threw away the retro interior.

2 Disaster: 1965 Ford Mustang E-Force

Via RestoMod

Another fastback Mustang meets a terrible fate at the hands of an over-enthusiastic custom shop. The powerplant of choice is Ford’s 5.0-liter Coyote mill which is a very capable motor and a much-welcomed departure from the herd of LS crates in the restomod segment.

The workshop did, however, go overboard with the yin and yang styling of the car. The de-chroming of the Fastback while retaining its retro lines, in addition to the sporty blacked-out alloys and projector headlamps just look awkward.

1 Disaster: SR Motors 1970 Camaro

This is “the Spartan” and one can argue that this restomod is just as ugly as the Battle of Thermopylae. The most controversial design on the build can be found at the front fascia. The headlamp cluster looks like an afterthought and the asymmetrical front grille does not work with the overall silhouette.

NEXT: 10 Modified Cars That Look Like Real Life Hot Wheels