From Classic Charm to Cutting-Edge: How Electric Vehicle Conversions and ADAS Retrofits Are Rewriting the Rules of Restoration

For decades, classic car restoration in Australia meant keeping things as close to original as possible. Shiny paint, rebuilt carburettors, maybe a discreet brake upgrade if you were sensible. But a new wave of restoration is changing the game — electric vehicle conversions are breathing new life into vintage icons, and now, advanced vehicle safety technology like ADAS retrofits is creeping under the skin.

It’s not just about going green. It’s about making beloved classics safer, easier to live with, and ready for the realities of modern roads — all without killing their soul.

Why Convert a Classic to Electric?

The appeal is obvious. An electric vehicle conversion replaces the old petrol engine with a whisper-quiet motor and battery pack. You gain instant torque, low running costs, and no more Sunday-afternoon roadside breakdowns.

Dave Budge, co-founder of Melbourne’s Jaunt Motors (now part of global conversion firm Fellten), puts it bluntly:

“What we’re doing isn’t about reinventing the car. It’s about keeping what was great and fixing everything that wasn’t.”

Jaunt’s electric Mini Moke is a case in point. The original was basically a go-kart with number plates — fun, but about as safe as a deckchair in a cyclone. The EV version keeps the open-air cheekiness but adds modern brakes, steering, suspension, and ADR-compliant electrics. It’s still a Moke, but one that can stop quickly, keep up with traffic, and won’t try to barbecue you with a side-mounted fuel tank.

ADAS Retrofits: Giving Classics a Digital Guardian Angel

The next frontier is ADAS retrofits — fitting Advanced Driver Assistance Systems to cars that predate even seatbelts. Think lane departure warnings, forward collision alerts, blind spot monitoring, adaptive cruise, and more.

In Australia, ADAS calibration is already a standard part of repairing modern cars after windscreen replacement or crash repairs. But retrofitting ADAS to a 1965 Mustang or a 1972 Holden Monaro? That’s where the challenge — and the fun — begins.

Basic warning systems, like forward-facing camera kits (e.g. Mobileye), can be added without touching the brakes or steering. They simply beep or flash if you drift or get too close to another car. More advanced ADAS systems require deep integration: electronic power steering for lane assist, ABS for emergency braking, and precise sensor placement so the tech works without ruining the car’s looks.

Some high-end classic car restoration projects overseas are already blending the two worlds. UK-based Electrogenic’s 1929 Rolls-Royce Phantom II EV conversion includes completely re-engineered brakes, modern electronics, and regenerative braking. In the US, Zero Labs rebuilds Broncos and Defenders with digital dashboards and over-the-air update capability — paving the way for ADAS upgrades later.

The Australian Compliance Puzzle

Here in Australia, converting a petrol car to electric means meeting strict Australian Design Rules. Every modification — from the battery enclosure to the brake system — has to pass an engineer’s inspection. ADAS retrofits aren’t mandatory for classics, but if they’re installed, they mustn’t interfere with ADR compliance.

The good news? Nothing stops owners from adding vehicle safety technology during a conversion. In fact, forward-camera warning systems are recommended by road safety researchers as a way to reduce crashes in older cars. And because EV conversions already modernise wiring, steering, and braking, they create the perfect platform for ADAS systems to be integrated down the line.

Balancing Past and Present

For most enthusiasts, the magic is in preserving the feel of a classic while quietly making it safer. That’s why skilled shops hide sensors in grilles, mount cameras invisibly, and integrate warning lights into existing dials. You don’t want a 10-inch iPad stuck in the middle of a Jaguar E-Type dash — you want it to look original, even as it’s quietly watching your blind spots.

Actor Jason Momoa, who had his Phantom II electrified, summed it up best:

“I needed a team that would appreciate the storied history of this car while updating its technology. Honour the past, but make it ready for the future.”

The Future of ADAS in Classic EVs

We’re still in the early days of pairing electric vehicle conversions with ADAS retrofits. Right now, most builds focus on core safety upgrades like brakes, suspension, and LED lighting. But as ADAS calibration technology becomes more modular, expect to see more vintage icons quietly running with lane-keeping cameras and adaptive cruise behind their chrome grilles.

For Australian workshops — and for businesses like Repairify AU who specialise in ADAS systems and vehicle safety technology — this could be a golden opportunity. The classic car scene is huge, and its owners are willing to invest in upgrades that keep their pride and joy on the road for decades to come.

Bottom line: The lines between classic car restoration, electric vehicle conversion, and ADAS retrofits are blurring. Soon, the most desirable classics won’t just be the ones with concours paint and period-correct hubcaps — they’ll be the ones that can take you across the country silently, safely, and in unmistakable vintage style.

Smarter repairs. Safer vehicles.

Book a demo with Repairify AU to see how remote ADAS calibration and vehicle safety technology can help your workshop say yes to more jobs — without the overhead.