A beguiling beauty to be sure, Betty was first sold at A.G. White Company, in Cartersville, Georgia on April 28, 1972. A.G. White Co. was an old Ford dealership that was established way back in the early 1900's. Mike McCarthy gave his 1972 Ford F-100 Explorer Special the moniker of Betty not long after he purchased her from a farmer in Kansas in 1996. He then gave Betty a new career when he entrusted her with towing his 3rd generation Spec Racer Ford (SRF3) upto Willow Springs Raceway for campaigning the car in some SCCA road racing events. Betty provided over 10 years of trustworthy trouble-free service before the rusty floorboards forced her into a well-deserved retirement and several years of storage at the McCarthy home in Surf City USA.

Like many of you, we have enjoyed watching the TV series Overhaulin' ever since its debut back in 2004. As a result of the show's popularity, co-hosts Chip Foose and Chris Jacobs have become two especially memorable faces in the world of classic cars. We recently invited Jacobs to our headquarters in Huntington Beach, California to check out our Tech Center shop, parts warehouse, and Retail Showroom. As a true car guy, he enjoyed the tour and helped us film a promo video about a few of the things Classic Industries has to offer.

The Ford Motor Company first produced a pickup truck in 1917. The truck was called a Ford Model TT. It differed from the Model T passenger car by having a heavier frame and rear axle, which gave the truck a hauling capacity of one US ton (2,000 pounds). Ever since then, Ford has been building world-renowned pickup trucks, including the F-1, F-100, and bestselling F-150. Read on as we look back at Ford truck history from the early years through the modern F-Series.

We often think of our classic cars as objects we change, whether we restore them to original condition, resto-mod them to fit the modern era, or simply maintain them to keep them on the road. But this change is not one-sided. More often than not, our carsalso change us. The following short film from Petrolicious shows how Addison Lee's life was changed by his 1965 Mustang Fastback. It brought him closer to his father, taught him how to work on cars, and eventually led him to a successful career as a racecar driver.

In a recent video on the MotorTrend YouTube channel, John McGann and the Car Craft team finished up a very cool 1972 Nova build. At first glance, it looks like a clean but not especially unusual Nova, but there's something interesting under its hood. Rather than a classic 350ci small block or even an LS V8, this Nova is powered by the new GM 6.6L L8T engine typically found in Silverado 2500HD and 3500HD trucks.

"We’ve been sleeper fans since the concept came into being, and we still are. So, when this pristine 1968 Chevy Bel Air came into our possession recently, it wasn’t a matter of what to do with it, but merely a question of how to go about it." In the January 2022 issue of Hemmings Muscle Machines, writer Chuck Hanson explained how the Hemmings team dropped a fully-built 454ci big block into their '68 Bel Air. More recently, in the upcoming March 2023 issue, Hanson showed how the team made the car even more fun to drive by preparing to swap in a manual transmission.

Every resto-mod project blends classic style with modern functionality, but some projects do it so seamlessly that they almost look like new vehicles that could appear in dealerships today. This 1971 Camaro, built by the RestoMod Store in Missouri, appears to be one such vehicle. With the smooth body lines, round headlamps, and split bumper, it's unmistakably a classic second-gen Camaro. However, elements such as aggressive wheels and tires, bulging fender flares, and custom honeycomb grille evoke the much newer sixth-gen design. And it's even powered by a fuel-injected, twin-turbocharged LS3 engine.

"I love the fact that this is exactly how it left the factory," says Jay Leno while discussing this beautiful 1979 Trans Am. "No modifications, nothing added on, so you really get the feeling of what it was like back in 1979. This was a fast car... and it's still a fast car!" We're big fans of the Jay Leno's Garage series on YouTube, and often go back to watch our favorite episodes. This particular one, featuring a mint-condition Pontiac from the Audrain Automobile Museum, is certainly worth revisiting.

The Chevrolet division of General Motors first used the name Impala for its 1956 General Motors Motorama concept car. The graceful African antelope was used as the car’s logo starting with this show car that incorporated Corvette-like design cues, especially in terms of the vehicle’s front grill. Notice the word grill is missing the ‘e’ at the end of the word. For some reason GM always left the ‘e’ off the end, ala BBQ grill, while other car companies use the more common and generally accepted spelling of grille replete with the ending ‘e’.

At Classic Industries®, we believe our ultimate responsibility is to ensure that you will get not only the parts but the information you need to keep your project on the road. So whether it's help sorting your way through the maze of electronic parts, selecting the right belt system for your specific application, selecting the right spring rate, or straightening the body on your classic, Classic Industries has the experienced tech support and the products to help you complete your restoration.