Automotive history reveals that GMC named the Jimmy - the upscale offering of the Chevrolet Blazer - to sound like its much smaller competitor, the AMC Jeep. The Jeep, the International Harvester Scout, and the Ford Bronco (in order of manufacture) originated the breed of small, sporty Jeep sized 4x4 sport utility vehicles (SUVs). 

Every once in awhile in the old car hobby a gearhead can have some good karma come along. Especially if said enthusiast has persevered for several years trying to find the car of his or her dreams to build, drive, and enjoy. 

Somehow a terrible driving stranger in a 7-Eleven parking lot totaled Long Beach, CA resident Ethan Gentile's daily driven Subaru by backing into the Subie. So, what did Mr. Gentile do really fast? He did what any American muscle car aficionado might do. He found a 1968 Ford XL sportsroof on a website called Offer Up. Ethan then proceeded to negotiate a sweetheart of a deal for the Ford and drove home in the car.

In highway patrol pony car parlance, SSP initially stood for Special Service Police when applied to the mighty 1982 Mustang. After evaluating a 1979 Camaro Z28 for an 18-month period, the California Highway Patrol asked The Ford Motor Company to deliver several Mustang notchback coupes for testing. The Ford Crown Victoria sedan was heavy duty enough for police duty, but it was underpowered and couldn't serve as a high speed pursuit vehicle. This is why the CHP had tested the Camaro Z28 and wanted to evaluate the Mustang. For whatever reason the CHP didn't select the Z28.

If you're a General Motors short Stepside classic truck owner, you may already know the subtle differences between these 1954-1987 Chevy truck beds and GMC truck beds. However, if you're new to ownership of a GM short-bed Stepside, this article serves to detail the differences to help you find the truck bed parts you need. If your classic Chevy truck bed is in rough shape, you can purchase some new reproduction bedside panels from Classic Industries for your pickup. You might also be able to find a used truck bed in a salvage yard that's in better nick than yours, or buy new old stock (NOS) parts through an online auction site. No matter which path you take to restore your truck, knowing how to identify the different era Chevy truck beds is an essential first step.

The 1932 Ford, especially the full-fendered roadster and the no-fender highboy variants, are the most built and/or replicated classic cars in existence. These '32's aren't just built back to stock either. There are hot rods, street rods, restored, and restomod varieties to plan and build as projects, or to hunt down and find finished. 

The old car hobby is exploding with an ever-expanding universe of restored, customized, patina mobiles, restomods, lowriders, classics, exotics, super cars, hypercars, and etc. These new creations provide enthusiasts with ideas for the next project vehicle to own and build. Classic Industries also helps by supplying the parts. Pro builders like the Ring Brothers provide plenty of inspiration for those looking to create a restomod.

This week's Classic Industries barn find video is of a rare 1970 Plymouth Road Runner Superbird that is not specifically a barn find. The Superbird's home from 1994 up until March of 2020 was actually a chicken house - a fitting nest for a Road Runner Superbird. 

This week's barn find video is yet another American muscle car that the vehicle's current caretaker found in Oklahoma. Is there a trend here? A gentleman with the first name of Jeff has a passion for 1969 Camaro Z28's and also a growing collection of them. The owner found the car a couple years ago in a barn just resting away. He only had to replace a few items to get the Camaro running the way a 1969 Z28 should. Jeff replaced the varnished fuel tank with a new tank. He also renewed the master cylinder.

For many, one of the most alluring aspects of the old car hobby is the Barn Find. Practically every gearhead dreams of discovering an old American muscle car tucked away in someone's barn or garage that's a solid, low-mile example with all its original parts. Put some air in the tires, push the vehicle out of the barn, and haul away your rolling, running (one day soon) treasure chest of Americana. As the years fly by, these dust encrusted beauties are becoming ever scarcer, which makes the hunt that much more appealing. One doesn't need to be the automotive version of Indiana Jones to find these babies. One just needs to be persistent and to use all the tools at one's disposal. One such tool is a helpful article that you can check out by following this link: Top 12 American Muscle Car Restoration Mistakes.