Tech Corner: 6 Creature Comfort Upgrades for that Classic Ride

Older cars, while they can be cooler than cool, lack many of the features we’ve become accustomed to in this day and age. If you’re the owner of a classic car or truck, you know exactly the kind of time warp we’re talking about here.

We bet many car enthusiasts long for comfortable temperature-controlled seating, automatic windows, and a killer stereo sound — though, they may not want to admit it.

We know, we know there’s nothing that replaces the nostalgia of a classic ride, for the charisma is unmatched. But old can have discreet and tasteful modern upgrades without ruining the look and feel of a classic ride experience.

Does it seem unattainable? Our list proves that it isn’t. No, we aren’t going to talk about adding fuel injection, overdrive, or even any modern powertrain options for that matter. Instead, we’re talking about ways to treat yourself. Small, luxurious create comfort upgrades that stack up and make a major change in the way you feel inside your car.

Noise Control

Rattles, wind noise—old cars are loud in all the wrong areas. Even with a quiet exhaust, there’s a lot of road noise that intrudes the cabin. It makes it hard to hear the radio, for passengers to speak, and a driver to relax.

This is no new trick by any means, but an important one worth reiterating nonetheless because sound control most definitely makes the cut for creature comfort upgrades.

Dynamat is a great company to turn to when looking to insulate that car or truck of choice. The company has all kinds of insulation products in different sizes and thicknesses. Another added benefit of insulating the car is really taking advantage of the climate control within the cabin. So yes, it adds a little weight, but it brings a boatload of benefits to the table.

Stereo System Upgrades

After the car is insulated, and the cabin is quiet, you’re ready to make some real noise.

The factory stereo systems in modern cars have come a long way — even those that mimic older styles. Those who own a modern Challenger or Mustang as well as a classic version will tell you there’s a night and day difference. Even with road noise blocked out, the older stuff just can’t compare. Not to worry though, as there are a lot of options to consider.

For one, companies like Alpine and Bose make speakers to pop in place of the factory equipment. For areas like those small, single speakers under the dash, you can actually pick up brackets from companies like Metra, who also manufacture brackets to support a dual speaker set up under there. Sure, some minor wiring is in order, but this is a major step up when looking to improve the driving experience.

Just adding better speakers doesn’t cut it. One can add in amplifiers and subwoofers, but that’s more along the lines of a full-on custom job, rather than investing in normal creature comfort upgrades. The head unit though—that’s a different story. The options are seriously unlimited.

Perhaps our favorite route is guided by Retro Sound. This company offers OEM-looking stereo units with contemporary features. No, we’re not just pointing to the addition of FM radio stations. We’re talking about Bluetooth operation. Opt for a classic look that also modernizes your experience by enabling you to link up that phone and play your favorite tracks in a classic ride setting. It’s truly the best of both worlds!

Swing for the Full Infotainment System

If you’re thinking about swapping in a new stereo, then weigh the option of an all new, fully-integrated infotainment system that’s complete with navigation, Bluetooth, satellite radio, a DVD option, and enough touch screen options to keep any tech guy thrilled for days.

The knob and switch setup makes us feel like we’ve returned to the Stone Age. Sony, Pioneer, and Kenwood units can be fitted to the classic car. Now, truth be told, dash room is a bit limited so many prefer to mount them below the dash near the trans tunnel. This way the classic look hits ya right up front, with the modern upgrade discreetly in the background.

The Ease of Keyless Entry

What ever did we do before the almighty key fob? Not to worry if you’re a back-to-basics kind of key guy looking for the simple, but much desired creature comfort upgrades of keyless entry and/or remote start. The team at AutoLoc has the former department covered, while Directed Electronics and Crimestopper are great options for the latter. Full conversion systems are available by Autoloc to get you into that classic ride as easily as you would your late model.

A Cush for the Tush

Ok, so now you’re comfortable sound wise. And we’ve tackled the topics of keyless entry and remote start. But while cruising around, you take notice that tush of yours is sliding around in the seat. Your back isn’t properly supported, and you’ve even felt fatigued once or twice. (Poor you, dealing with the madness of basic car driving before the modern days of tech.) The good news: there’s a solution, and it comes in the form of Procar by Scat, a company that offers complete seat sets for classic cars.

By nature, such seats won’t match OEM styling from the good old days. ’69 Chevy bucket seats compared to a set of modern-day ones in the garage—the ’69 would resemble a stiff park bench. But proper support and design really change the whole experience. To us, once you feel comfortable driving for hours and hours and hours, you’ll be glad you made the swap.

Power seats can be fitted to these cars as well, but you might find that the seat height can change quite a bit and may warrant some custom work. Yet again, Autoloc comes to the rescue with easy to install and operate heated seat kits.

Headlight Conversion Kits

Alright, so you’re on this long drive. Now that we’ve covered everything from road noise to heated seat kits, there’s really only one thing left to say—eventually, it’s going to get dark outside. Sure, those factory-sealed beams are cool on paper, but they don’t even come close to lighting the way as well as modern halogen lights do.

Not only that, when someone with brighter lights is coming the other way—even if they only have low beams shining— it’s really hard to tell if your lights are even on in a classic car. This can be addressed easily. And by easy, I mean as easy as changing a lightbulb. Halogen headlight conversion kits are available to fit modern options to the front end of a classic car. IPCW is one of many companies to offer headlight conversion kits for vehicles equipped with factory-sealed beams.

Yes, we know. There are a lot of upgrades left on the table.

With custom work, you can swap in touchscreen LCD displays, specific speaker locations, and even consoles with cup holders. Really, can you believe classics don’t have cup holders? The point is that we wanted to show just how easy it is to enhance the in-cabin experience with simple creature comfort upgrades. You don’t need to drop a lot of money, or even a lot of time, to achieve modern-level luxury in a classic ride. In fact, our list can be done right in the comfort of your own garage!