Restomod projects, like most other automotive projects, can be made easier or more difficult by the tools you have on hand. Using the wrong tools can result in you spending too much time fixing problems that seem easy to fix. Worse, you can damage a fragile or expensive part, adding to the inevitable list of problems associated with getting the car on the road.
If you’re trying to get into modding for the first time, it’s especially important to have the tools you need before you start. It’s also a good idea to make sure that any tools you might need later (for an unexpected job or to replace part of an existing tool) won’t cost too much. That’s where Ryobi comes in handy: The brand’s replaceable battery packs let you buy additional tools without buying more batteries than you need—even if they’re Ryobi tools you’ve purchased for other projects. We’ve rounded up the brand’s best products that might come in handy for your next car project.
A ratchet is a must-have tool in the garage, and the Ryobi 18V One+ HP Compact Brushless ⅜-Inch High-Speed ​​Ratchet Kit is a great choice for automakers looking to upgrade their basic tool arsenal. The unit is powered by proprietary, replaceable 18-volt batteries that are included in the kit, which has a suggested retail price of $179. Buyers who are already familiar with the Ryobi ecosystem may already have the right batteries, so they can save a few pennies and get the tool for as little as $129,000.
The high-speed ratchet lives up to its name, with a maximum speed of 460 RPM and 40 ft-lbs of torque, making it a versatile tool for a variety of jobs. The tool has recently been redesigned to feature a ratchet head that is 20% smaller than the previous version, making it more useful in tight spaces like a car’s engine bay. Two built-in LED lights also provide additional illumination, allowing you to place the tool in hard-to-reach areas. Overall, this is a great Ryobi tool to add to your garage.
Ryobi’s new line of USB lithium-powered tools is a relatively new addition to the brand’s lineup, but it already includes some interesting tools. These include the USB Lithium-Ion Multi-Tool Screwdriver, which is available on Ryobi’s website for $49. It’s a tool kit with a choice of three bits, each of which can be easily swapped out. The ¼-inch hex head is the most common option for most people, but offset and right-angle heads are also available.
At maximum speed, the screwdriver reaches 200 rpm, although even the slightest resistance will significantly reduce this number. The device is charged via a USB cable and is equipped with an LED indicator showing the charge level. Green light indicates sufficient charge, and red light indicates the need to insert the screwdriver for recharging. To prevent you from losing the charging cable or spare nozzle, a protective case is included.
A good angle grinder is a must-have tool for all kinds of automotive projects (not just car modifications), and you can buy an angle grinder from Ryobi for under $100. The One+ 18V 4-½-Inch Angle Grinder has a speed of up to 9,000 RPM and comes with a ton of easy-to-use features. These features include adjustable side handles that can be set to three different positions to ensure you can comfortably hold the grinder at any angle. The guard is also tool-free to adjust, and the router has built-in wrench storage that’s tucked away in the side handle.
The angle grinder can be purchased as a standalone tool for $59.97, but unless you have the right battery on hand, you’ll need to buy the tool and battery pack. Adding a 4 Ah battery and the appropriate charger brings the price up to a still-attractive $109. Like most Ryobi power tools, the angle grinder comes with a three-year limited warranty.
Restoring and modifying cars inevitably leads to a mess, so to keep your workshop clean, you’ll need a powerful enough vacuum. The 4.75-gallon Cordless Wet/Dry Vacuum should fit the bill, with up to 40 cubic feet per minute of suction power. The vacuum is powered by a Ryobi One+ 18-volt battery, but unlike many of the other products featured here, the vacuum doesn’t come with a battery. So you’ll need to purchase one separately or use the battery from your existing Ryobi tool kit.
Losing your vacuum accessories can be a bummer, but Ryobi vacuums have built-in accessory storage so that won’t happen. The accessories include a floor nozzle, a crevice tool, and a dust brush. The vacuum hose itself is 5 feet long, which is enough to reach hard-to-reach places inside your car or behind the Ryobi Speed ​​Bench (why not include the brand’s accessories, too?). This vacuum retails for $99.97, but at the time of writing, it’s on sale for $79 on Ryobi’s website.
The Ryobi One+ 18-Volt ⅜-Inch Impact Wrench may be just the tool you want to use to work on your project car. It’s powered by Ryobi’s replaceable 18-volt batteries, which retail for $99 for the tool and $129 for the battery and charger kit. With up to 220 ft-lbs of torque, this wrench is a versatile tool for all types of jobs. At its maximum power, it produces 3,400 impacts per minute. Considering the tool’s compact size, that’s an impressive number, and it’s enough to convince previous customers: Based on customer reviews, this impact wrench has an average rating of 4.9 out of 5 stars on Ryobi’s website. Many reviews particularly praise the tool’s power, with some claiming it’s even more powerful than they expected.
However, power isn’t the only thing that makes a good tool. It should also be easy to use. The Ryobi ⅜-inch impact wrench does a great job here, too: it features a non-slip handle for maximum grip and a built-in LED light that provides clear visibility even when working in areas where standard shop lighting can’t reach.
Even in a well-lit shop or garage, there will always be places where it’s hard to see what you’re doing. Whether you’re under a car or deep in the engine bay, it’s always a good idea to have a portable, adjustable light on hand. The One+ 18V LED Light offers a variety of lighting features at an affordable price. The retail price on Ryobi’s website is $29.97. That price doesn’t include the battery and charger, which are sold separately. However, since the light is powered by the Ryobi One+ 18V battery, most buyers will simply swap out existing batteries from other tools.
Depending on the battery, the LED flashlight provides up to 22 hours of illumination on a single charge with a maximum brightness of 280 lumens. The flashlight can rotate 130 degrees and has a range of up to 500 feet, meaning it can be used as an everyday flashlight if needed.
The Ryobi One+ 18-volt variable-speed polisher/sander will help you give your restored car the best look possible. It retails for $129 on the tool manufacturer’s website. A switch allows users to switch between two speeds—a slower polishing mode that reaches a maximum speed of 2,800 RPM and a faster sanding mode that reaches a maximum speed of 7,800 RPM. A spindle lock makes it equally easy to change between polishing and sanding accessories.
The tool comes with a variety of accessories, including three sanding discs, a foam correction disc, a foam polishing disc, and a wool disc. At the time of writing, Ryobi’s website also lists a number of accessories, including a 16-piece detail sanding set, as “coming soon.” Ryobi claims that this polisher/sander should run for up to 60 minutes on a single charge, despite only being able to use a high-capacity 9Ah 18V battery.
When doing any project involving an old car, it’s always a good idea to have jumper cables on hand. One option is to power it from a truck or car battery, but a safer approach is to use the One+ 18V jump starter kit. It can deliver up to 1,600 amps and comes with a 2Ah 18V battery, which is enough for 20 engine starts. The kit is capable of cross-starting larger engines, and Ryobi says that engines up to 6.0L shouldn’t be a problem.
It’s also all-weather friendly, rated to work in temperatures as low as -4 degrees Fahrenheit. Like many Ryobi products, this starter kit includes a built-in LED light. Unless your shop is experiencing mysterious power outages, you’ll find this product less useful than some other Ryobi products, but it never hurts to have extra features, even if you’re unlikely to use them.
In addition to the 3-in-1 screwdriver mentioned above, another useful workshop addition powered by Ryobi’s USB lithium technology is the USB lithium rotary tool kit. The kit includes a 2 Ah battery and 15 accessories that can be used for a variety of automotive and non-automotive tasks. So, this is one tool that you can use when you’re away from the needs of your Restomod project.
The motor is powerful, reaching speeds of up to 25,000 RPM and has five speeds to choose from. A wide range of accessories allows the tool to be used for sanding, sharpening, or cleaning small parts, making it useful at all stages of the restoration process. Anyone looking to add an extra touch to their work can also use the tool for carving and engraving, all of which are included in the tool’s retail price of $59.97. To keep all of the accessories in one place, a carrying case is included, as well as a USB charging cable.
The One+ 18-volt, 6-inch, dual-speed track buffer provides enough power for a mid-size vehicle on a single charge, so you don’t have to sacrifice convenience for cordless use. However, changing the battery isn’t as convenient, especially if you already have multiple batteries. If not, you can purchase a kit that includes a 2.0 Ah battery and charger for $99.00. If you already have a large collection of Ryobi 18-volt batteries and don’t need to buy another one, this tool will set you back $44.97. The two speeds of the sander can be changed with a simple switch, and the D-handle provides extra precision, even in hard-to-reach places.
The low speed is 3,000 RPM, while the high speed reaches 4,600 RPM. The tool comes with one polishing pad, but additional polishing pads can be purchased for reuse on the Ryobi website for less than $10 each.