There's something special about classic Chevy trucks—these utilitarian vehicles were designed for an undignified life of hard work, dings, and dents. However, thanks to caring owners and meticulous restoration work, now they can live on in their original glory. Seeing a pickup that's more than 60-years-old shining in the California sun always makes us smile.

Here at the Classic Industries retail showroom, we're always on the lookout for cool customer cars that show up in our Parking Lot. Some are more subtle than others, but this 1969 Camaro resto mod was definitely hard to miss. Its eye-catching red paint, white stripes, and 18-inch chrome wheels immediately grabbed our attention, and we stepped outside to check it out.

We've said it before and we'll say it again: we love classic trucks because of their ability to combine function and form. Case in point is Eddie Portela's sparkling blue metallic 1969 Chevy C10. You might see this truck and think it's a show vehicle, but it's actually used day-in and day-out to haul equipment and supplies for Eddie's construction business in Orange, California. This restored work truck gets used, and the inside of the bed has the wear and tear to prove it.

In the early 1970s, the American muscle car had entered a dark time. The Clean Air Act of 1970 caused manufacturers to add smog controls to their vehicles, leading to reduced horsepower and a move toward smaller-displacement engines. Then, in 1973, the OPEC oil embargo caused fuel prices to skyrocket, and made supplying thirsty big-blocks a difficult task.

One of our favorite aspects of classic car restoration is the impact it has on families across generations. Vehicles are often passed down from father to son to grandson, developing a significance that far transcends the metal, rubber, fabric, and glass they're constructed from.

The following poem comes courtesy of Hemmings Daily reader Vance Mehlenbacher in Camrose, Alberta, Canada. We liked it so much, we wanted to share it with all of you. We hope you enjoy it as much as we did!

At the SEMA show in Las Vegas, we were lucky enough to have Jeffery, Meggan, and Eric of The Car Chasers and Skidmarks Show stop by our booth. In this video, they explain how the Classic Industries parts catalogs have been essential to getting their project vehicles back on the road, especially in the rush before SEMA 2015.

As much as we enjoy seeing restomods and over-the-top show cars, it's always nice to see a restoration that keeps it clean, simple, and functional. No big billet wheels, slammed suspension, or lumpy cam—just a nice driver that has been lovingly cared for. That's exactly what we see in Gregory Bonner's silver 1969 Camaro restoration, and we absolutely love it.

We've always been fans of the third-gen Camaro, so it's nice to see the increased attention it's getting lately. Much like the second-gen cars were unappreciated for years, and then suddenly became popular again, we're seeing a resurgence in interest in the third-gen F-body vehicles. This is especially true of the IROC-Z, one of the most iconic American cars of the 1980s.

One of the biggest draws of classic car restoration is the nostalgia factor. There's something truly awesome about finally being able to own that car you always wanted in high school, or being able to buy back the vehicle you wish you never sold. For most of us, these classic cars are more than simple transportation, they're the fulfillment of our dreams. That's why we knew exactly what Michael Lara meant when he said this '72 Firebird is his "lifelong love".