After decades of hard work, retirement can provide a welcome period of relaxation and time to pursue hobbies. But Ron Keller, of Huntington Beach, California, wanted more than to spend his retired days on the golf course. Instead, he decided to take on a long-term restoration project for one of his all-time favorite classic cars: the 1957 Chevy Bel Air.

In 1947, U.S. Air Force pilot Chuck Yeager broke the sound barrier in a Bell X-1 aircraft, officially becoming the first pilot to exceed Mach 1 on a level flight path. In 1969, Ford paid homage to this extreme feat of speed with a new high-performance option package dubbed the Mustang Mach 1. The Mach 1 would prove to be a formidable rival to the Chevy Camaro SS and Pontiac Trans Am, and worthy of its striking name.

Although the top-of-the-line Chevy Bel Air has always been popular among classic car fans, we've been pleased to see an increased trend of restoring other variants of the Tri-Five as well. Some of this is due to the popularity of Bel Air models making unrestored examples harder to find, but it's also a result of a growing appreciation for the entire line offered by Chevrolet from 1955 to 1957. If you ask us, all Tri-Fives are cool, from 150 to 210 and Bel Air to Nomad.

There's nothing quite like driving a convertible, especially when that convertible is a classic. Cruising with the top down and a cool breeze in your hair is one of those experiences that's bound to put a smile on your face. However, changing ambient temperature and weather conditions means you'll probably end up driving with the top up sometimes — unless you're Mario Molina. He tells us he put the top down on his 1967 Dodge Dart 10 years ago, and hasn't put it back up since then.