If you believe restomods are getting a little out of hand, their creators' re-imagination running wilder with every iteration, the original brief trailing in their wake, Tolman has the answer. What started as a respray request at Tolman's Warwickshire workshop ended up consuming 740 hours of labour, with the finished article restored to authentic condition, sporting a handful of surgical upgrades.

Undergoing a total rebuild to standard specification, the 1.8-litre B18C engine develops 190bhp and 131lb-ft (178Nm) of torque as quoted by Honda when the car was new. It retains the stratospheric 8,700rpm red line, but the car now features additional soundproofing to improve cabin refinement in normal driving, while allowing the VTEC soundtrack to be heard under full load.

Tolman Honda Integra Type R DC2 Restomod - engine
Tolman Honda Integra Type R DC2 Restomod - Recaro bucket seats

Two practical modifications are found within the cabin, with the fitment of an immobiliser, and re-trimmed front seats. The original red Recaro had faded to pink, and with no original material available, Tolman went to the effort of sourcing a brand new rear bench from Australia, cannibalising the fabric to retrim the fronts.

The most noticeable modification is the exterior colour – Sorrento Green – which replaces the original Championship White, chosen to match the owner’s Tolman Edition Peugeot 205 GTi. Nitrogen was used during the re-spray to create the best surface finish possible, but the most impressive parts of this Integra’s restoration are found beneath the paintwork.

Tolman Honda Integra Type R DC2 Restomod with Peugeot 205 GTi Tolman Edition
Tolman Honda Integra Type R DC2 Restomod - rear bumper

Japanese cars of the late 1990s aren’t renowned for their corrosion resistance, and the DC2 is no exception. Steel sections were beginning to deteriorate, and while previous repairs had got the car through its MOT test, Tolman wasn’t impressed with the quality of the work. Likewise, the rear quarter panels and rear arches were past their best, but no replacements that met Tolman’s standards could be found. As such, the team chose to make their own. Using original parts and the car itself as a reference for the new metal sections, they spent 180 hours hand-crafting and fitting the replacement components, restoring the car’s structural integrity in the process. To mitigate the risk of corrosion in the future, the entire underbody has been protected with seam sealer and cavity spray.

The 15” Enkei wheels retain their white finish and wear new Michelin Pilot Exalto 2 tyres, but behind them sits refurbished suspension with new bushings, springs, and Nitron dampers. To perform on regular enthusiastic drives, the car benefits from new brakes and fluid lines.

The finished article is a typically Tolman restoration, while respecting the car’s original character. Over the course of 2026, three more one-off restorations will leave the Warwickshire workshop.

Tolman Honda Integra Type R DC2 Restomod - driving