The modification of the truck started as a 'joke', but the workshop already has guaranteed orders for new units
The concept of restomod basically consists of taking an old vehicle, completely modifying it and modernizing it. Imagine having a 1970 Dodge Charger with all the mechanics and technology of a modern Charger. Although this is very common in the world of cars, in the heavy vehicle sector the practice is very rare — and this project started just as a joke.
Named “Scania 163M 530 V8 Restoliner”, the model was born from the idea of Lex van der Heijden, owner of the Dutch carrier and customization workshop Van der Heijden Truckstyling. After positioning the cabin of a Scania 3 Series on the chassis of a modern model and doing some engineering calculations, he realized that the project was feasible and decided to get it off the ground in December 2025.
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To kick things off, Lex used the cab of a Scania 3 Series — more specifically the Streamline version launched in 1991, which was a huge success in the European market (and never reached Brazil). For the mechanical part, the businessman ordered two Scania R530 V8 zero-kilometer in the simplest possible configuration, a strategy adopted to obtain a discount on the purchase.
After receiving the vehicles, one of the trucks went through a long process of structural adaptation. The big challenge was to maintain all the functionality of the original model (the Scania R530 V8), which included transferring the complete panel with the digital screens of the Smart Dash system, the blind spot sensors and all the controls of the original steering wheel, which were relocated to the old cabin.
The goal was to make the raw 100% operational, without losing any safety technology. Thanks to this care, legally speaking, it is a regularized truck, ready to be registered and work on the stretch normally.
The interior of the model, as mentioned, is totally current. It wasn’t just the screens that gained space: the entire dashboard was custom-made to fit perfectly into the dimensions of the Scania 3 Series cabin. The seats, the bed, the refrigerator, the central cabinet and the upper storage compartments also came from the new model.
This artisanal work was in charge of Special Interior, a company specialized in truck customization and upholstery. No detail went unnoticed, so much so that even the R530’s sunroof was adapted for the 3 Series’ cabin and works perfectly.
As Lex’s initial plan involved the purchase of two Scania R530 models for strategic reasons, the second unit has already entered the assembly line to receive the same transformation. In addition, the businessman revealed that he has already accepted the request for a third unit, although he has not stipulated deadlines for delivery.
The heavy customization of trucks is not an absolute novelty — we have already shown here at AutoPapo projects that transform frontal models (flat-faced) into boll weevils. However, Van der Heijden’s initiative opens a new niche in the market, combining the iconic look of the 90s, preferred by nostalgic people, with the robustness, safety and comfort of today’s technology.
Unfortunately, the amounts invested and the total time for the modification were not revealed.
