A few days ago, we received a message from Crossroads Vintage Restorations in Texas regarding a customer's 1964 Impala SS convertible that the shop recently completed. Many parts from the Classic Industries Impala parts catalog were used in this build, and the results are stunning, but there's also a fascinating story behind this car. Russ, the owner, scraped together enough cash to buy it for $700 back when he was sixteen years old. Almost forty years later, it has been fully restored to the beautiful condition seen here.

Each one of us has a certain classic car that we've always wanted to restore. Maybe you've been fortunate enough to complete a full restoration already, or maybe you're in the initial stages of searching for a clean example. Either way, you've probably spent a lot of time thinking about the project, and looking forward to its completion. John R. Uba of Illinois told us that his dream was to finish restoring his 1967 Chevy Impala, and he was able to do just that. He wrote, "People said dream on. I say dream come true!"

Each week, we write about a customer's classic car restoration project here on our blog. Normally, we speak to the owner, jot down notes, and write about the restoration parts and accessories that we know were used during the build. However, occasionally we meet a customer who does an even better job describing his or her car than we could, so we simply share the story in their own words. That was the case with this 1972 Nova, which belongs to Graham Reimer, of Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada. Read on for his detailed description of the project.

We've all heard the old saying that patience is a virtue, but it's often difficult to put that virtue into practice in our daily lives. It takes considerable fortitude to see a classic car restoration project through to completion as the months and years tick by, but those who stick with it reap the rewards. Ethan Skinner, of Pennsylvania, experienced this firsthand as he restored the 1969 Pontiac Firebird seen here. He writes, "It has been a slow process, but worth the wait."

The Chevrolet Camaro is unquestionably one of the most iconic American cars of all time, but it shares this high level of prestige with its big brother, the Corvette. These two-door sports cars from General Motors have shared real estate in dealership showrooms for decades, and even though they're not direct competitors, they do share similar characteristics and a similar spirit. So, when Ryan Duncan set out to rebuild his '68 Camaro, he decided to drop in the heart of a Corvette: an LS3 V8 motor. After all, a little sharing among siblings is a good thing.

Many of the classic cars we provide parts for, such as the Camaro, were designed with agility and performance in mind. Others, such as the iconic '57 Bel Air, place a higher emphasis on luxury and comfort as opposed to all-out speed. Some would say the Chevy Impala SS offers a perfect middle ground between a sports car and a cruiser, blending the two ideas into a vehicle that's both elegant and fast. This 1965 Impala SS is a beautiful example of what we mean.

Classic Industries offers a huge variety of restoration parts for GM, Mopar, and Ford vehicles, and even though we only offer catalogs for certain models, many of the parts we provide can be used across a wide range of platforms and body styles. This 1928 Ford Model A resto-mod build, owned by Mikael Bjork, is one such example. We don't offer a dedicated Model A catalog, but Mikael was still able to source several components for this truck (and his other classic vehicles) from our site.

Each classic car is an expression of its owner's taste and personality. Some choose to restore their vehicles to factory condition, with every last nut and bolt put back to the way it was when the vehicle left the assembly line. Others prefer to incorporate some slight modifications, such as a new set of wheels, coilover suspension, or a disc brake conversion. A few choose to diverge from tradition with major mods that speak to their independent attitude. Guy Moore, the owner of this 1955 Ford F-100, falls into the third category. That's why he decided to drop a Chevy LS1 under the hood of his Ford truck.

Summer is quickly approaching, and there are few better ways to soak up its warm, sunny weather than behind the wheel of a classic car. Better yet, a convertible. Anyone who has owned such a vehicle can attest that it's almost impossible not to smile when you're cruising a smooth road with some good tunes on the radio and the wind in your hair. Spencer Brooks, of Long Beach, California, is nearing completion on his 1967 Mustang convertible restoration project, which serves as a beautiful example of this category.

There's an art to crafting the perfect name to describe a vehicle. Some classic car names, such as Impala and Mustang, evoke the agility and grace of an animal. Others, such as Charger and Regal, describe the potency or refinement of the vehicle itself. However, the names of the colors used on these cars are often equally creative. Butterscotch Pearl is the color that was applied to this 1965 Impala convertible, and this name perfectly conveys the smoothness and richness of its vivid orange hue.