JR Carrillo's 1969 Dodge Charger has undergone a remarkable transformation under the skilled hands of its owner. Originally equipped with a 318-cubic inch V8 engine, it now boasts a powerful 440 engine crafted with as much aluminum as possible, enhancing both performance and efficiency.

Since October 1986, this car has been a part of my life. It was my first car, even before I had my driver's license. I remember taking my test in this car, despite its less-than-impressive condition at the time. After passing all the inspections and tests, I finally earned my ticket to freedom - my driver's license.

When Robert Heil purchased his 1976 Camaro, he was 15 and didn't have a driver's license yet. It's just as well. His Camaro was missing two key items - the engine and the transmission. Over the course of the last four years, Robert has sourced all the parts he needs to get his Camaro running well and looking good.

The sport truck movement was one of the biggest car culture hallmarks of the 1990s. From factory hot rods like the Chevy 454 SS, Ford Lightning, and GMC Syclone to countless custom builds by enthusiasts across America, the concept of high-performance pickup trucks spread like wildfire. These builds featured more powerful engines, lowered suspensions, custom paint, and sleek, aggressive styling. One of the pioneers of the sport truck movement was California-based hot rod builder Boyd Coddington. In the following video from Jay Leno's Garage, Leno and Coddington's son Chris take a closer look at the 1989 GMC that's credited with starting it all.

"All this idea of making money from [collector] cars is fairly new. The real trick is, if you buy something you like and it goes up in value, great. If it goes down in value, you weren't going to sell it anyway." Jay Leno knows a thing or two about buying and collecting classic cars, since he owns one of the world's most impressive collections, including dozens of unique and valuable vehicles. In an interview with Bloomberg Businessweek, Jay Leno explained some of the helpful classic car buying tips he has learned over the years.

"I always wanted a V8, manual, rear-drive car... but I wanted something that's American. I come from New Zealand, so all the stuff here that's local is cool to me." Fueled by memories of watching Smokey and the Bandit as a kid, Gregg Hamilton started looking for the classic American muscle car of his dreams shortly after he moved to the United States. However, he didn't want just any Trans Am, he wanted one that he could make his own. "It's not always about the driving for me. It's about the build, it's about tinkering with it." With that goal in mind, Hamilton ended up creating the aggressive, twin-turbo, widebody Trans Am seen in this video from Petrolicious.

Among the rich and famous, there are many who have nice cars, but far fewer who seem to be true automotive enthusiasts. From what we've seen, renowned podcast host and comedian Joe Rogan falls into the latter category. In a previous article, we wrote about his gorgeous black 1969 Camaro built by Roadster Shop. That car features an 860-horsepower LSA V8 and a manual transmission. Rogan was clearly pleased with how it turned out, since he also handed over the keys to his custom 1970 Plymouth Cuda. The stunning results of this build were documented in a recent video by Autotopia LA.

"Don't judge a book by its cover." This old adage is true in many aspects of life, and it's certainly true when it comes to cars. For proof, look no further than this '55 Chevy 3100 truck featured in a recent video from AutotopiaLA. The staggered billet wheels and lowered stance reveal it has some modifications, but you probably wouldn't expect this truck to be producing roughly 1,000 horsepower from a twin-turbo 5.3L LS engine.

Jay Leno is the kind of guy who can buy just about any car he wants, from rare early automobiles to high-tech supercars. So, when he says "ooh, I like this thing" with a grin, you know it's truly something special. In a recent video on his YouTube channel, Leno shows off an immaculately restored '68 Dodge Dart GTS he purchased from the original owners. The car is powered by a 383ci V8 and four-speed manual — Leno notes, "This is exactly what I would've gotten when I graduated from high school."