Take a good look at this 1955 Chevy Bel Air. This pristine ride belongs to Joel Sellers, of Garden Grove, California, and it's a beautiful example of a first-year Tri Five.

Of all the details to be found on Joel's '55, the thing that stands out the most is undoubtedly its Candy Apple Red paint. The hue is deep and rich, and the gloss looks so wet you might think it was painted yesterday. However, that's not the case. Far from it, in fact. Joel tells us that this paint was applied in 2000 — it sure doesn't look like a nearly 17-year-old paint job.

To many vehicle buyers, trucks are designed for utility. They're used to tow trailers, haul heavy loads, and traverse rough trails. As a result, they often get dented, scratched, used up and disposed of at the end of their service lives. This is why it's exciting to see a classic pickup truck in beautiful condition, especially when it has been kept that way by the same owner for several decades.

Dan Svegliato, of Long Beach, California, is a die-hard classic car guy. When he pulled into our Retail Showroom parking lot in the stunning 1968 Pontiac Firebird seen here, we started talking, and Dan began rattling off his previous project cars. Among them were a '67 Firebird, a '70 429 Cobra Jet Ranchero, and a Texas Highway Patrol Mustang designed for high-speed pursuits.

When starting a new classic car project, there are a number of choices to make. Some owners choose to restore every nut and bolt to factory spec, ending up with a vehicle that looks like it just rolled off the showroom floor. Jeromey Campbell, of Huntington Beach, California, was looking for something more distinctive when he started work on this 1991 Camaro Z28 convertible.