Back in the 1960s, the Shelby Cobra 289 FIA dominated races throughout Europe and the United States, putting the likes of Ferrari, Aston Martin, and Jaguar in its rear view mirror. In 1965, it became one of the first American cars to win the FIA's International Championship for GT Manufacturers. For Chris Ashton of Ruffian Cars, this legendary history served as inspiration for a '67 Mustang Fastback project, which he called a "gentleman's racer." It features a custom widebody, 364ci aluminum small-block V8, 5-speed TKX manual transmission, and lots of cool racing-inspired details.

It's often said that a picture is worth 1,000 words, but when it comes to cars, the sound of a raucous V8 engine might be worth even more. From the rumbling, choppy idle to the screaming redline, we always enjoy a classic car that sounds as good as it looks. Craig LoPresti, also known by his YouTube handle TheCraig909, has a 1971 Ford F-100 that most certainly falls into this category. He describes the sound of its built, cammed, 500-horsepower Ford small block as "insane," and after hearing it, we agree with the description.

Sometimes life gives you lemons and you've got to make lemonade. When COVID-19 and the associated lockdowns hit, Gio, the owner of this 1969 Camaro, took it as an opportunity to finally finish the restomod project he started in 2016. The resulting build features an 800-horsepower supercharged LT5 V8, T-56 Magnum transmission, Chris Alston G-Machine chassis, 3-piece wheels, unique custom interior, and much more. The Camaro was nicknamed Apocalypse, which "seemed fitting" given the timing, Gio said with a smile.

Whether it's fictional tales of alternate history or sci-fi movies about parallel dimensions, many of us enjoy pondering what might've happened if the past played out a little differently. In the automotive realm, there were many period-correct parts and upgrades that, in retrospect, could've been combined to create a fantastic vehicle from an alternative timeline. This thought process led Steve Strope, of Pure Vision Design in Simi Valley, California, to build his 1966 Ford Mustang into a truly unique racecar that never existed. Starting with a Ford/Lotus Indy car engine from the same year, and drawing inspiration from road rally cars and the iconic Martini & Rossi racing team livery, Strope's Mustang is the best kind of automotive fantasy.

"When you think of muscle cars, if there's a Holy Grail, it probably has to be this: the 1970 Hemi 'Cuda," said Jay Leno. On a recent episode of Jay Leno's Garage, Leno met with Craig Jackson, the Chairman and CEO of the famous Barrett-Jackson Auction company. Jackson is the owner of this stunning, all-original Hemi 'Cuda, and he explained to Leno how he came to own this very special car. Despite its rarity and multi-million-dollar value, Jackson still drives and enjoys it.

When it comes time to purchase a project car, restorers always hope that everything is as it seems and that there are no expensive surprises awaiting. However, Murphy's Law still applies, and sometimes you get more than what you bargained for. Such was the case for Justin Brown, the owner of this '66 Nova SS that was recently featured on the AutotopiaLA YouTube channel. He did his homework and spoke to the previous owner, but after taking delivery of the car, things started to go wrong. Thankfully, he was ready to make lemonade from the lemons life had given him.

"This isn't just a replica, it's a reproduction — it has the DNA of the original Mustang, but it's evolved with modern technology," explained Tom Scarpello, founder and CEO of Revology. On a recent episode of Jay Leno's Garage, Scarpello showed Leno around one of the roughly 200 made-to-order Mustangs his company has built at its Orlando, Florida factory. Each car starts with a bare unibody and moves through a 26-stage assembly line, finishing as a complete classic Mustang that has been fully updated to drive, perform, and feel like a modern, high-end sports car.

The perfect color scheme can make a huge difference for any classic car restoration or restomod project. Case in point, take a look at this stunning 1948 Chevy Thriftmaster built by the talented team at ICON. It's powered by an LS3 V8 and rides on an updated Art Morrison chassis, but the coolest part of the build might just be its combination of colors: champagne metallic paint, cream accents, and a chocolate suede leather interior.

When it comes to restoring a classic car, there are different schools of thought. Some restorers prefer to keep as much original sheetmetal as possible, which usually requires repair and patching of rusty or damaged areas. Others prefer buying original-style reproduction panels, which greatly reduces labor and ensures every seam and contour is where it should be. The good news is that Classic Industries caters to both — we have patch panels for original sheetmetal and a huge selection of reproduction body panels, too. A recent article from our friends at Modern Rodding shows both options in action on their 1955 Chevy restoration project.

When you're building a custom classic car from the ground up, there's a strong temptation to go big and bold. While we certainly appreciate flashy, show-stopping builds with bright paint and aggressive bodywork, there's also something to be said for keeping it simple. For Steve, the owner of this 1970 Camaro Z28, an understated custom was exactly what he wanted from day one. The result took 10 years to achieve, and was recently featured by the YouTube channel AutotopiaLA.