Many of of our favorite stories involve a redemption arc, where the protagonist falls from grace, goes through a rough patch, and eventually emerges victorious. Such is the story of the very first Camaro officially produced by Chevrolet. This Camaro, which features VIN N100001, was built in secret in May of 1966 and kept under lock and key until the unveiling of the Camaro to the press a few months later. But in the years that followed, it was sold several times, turned into a race car, and nearly faded into obscurity.

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.

This article's topic may be a sore subject for some readers. There are likely to be several gotchas in this list, where a gearhead or two (or several thousand for that matter) might have rushed headlong into purchasing and starting a classic car renewal project that goes awry and is hopelessly stalled. It's not something to beat yourself up about. It's called being human and making mistakes. Don't let the fear of making a boo boo or two get in your way of reading this article for some helpful hints on getting your old car project going or restarted. If you keep these muscle car restoration mistakes in mind, you won't fall victim to them in the future.

Our lead photo of a restored Lemon Twist yellow 1970 Plymouth 'Cuda is courtesy of Mecum Auctions.

The Most Common Muscle Car Restoration Mistakes

Everybody loves a good comeback story, whether it relates to a real person, a fictional character, or even a classic car. The revitalization of this 1979 Camaro is a perfect example. After spending many years in hibernation, it's back on the road and running strong. Its new owner, Youtuber Dylan McCool, bought it and quickly cleaned it up in preparation for a 1,500-mile journey on the 2023 Hot Rod Power Tour. We're glad to see another second-gen Camaro restored and smoking its tires again!

The time has come to say farewell to the sixth-generation Camaro, but sadly, General Motors has announced that the 2024 model year is the end of the line for the Camaro... at least for now. "As we prepare to say goodbye to the current generation Camaro, it is difficult to overstate our gratitude to every Camaro customer," said Scott Bell, Vice President of Chevrolet. Bell continued, "While we are not announcing an immediate successor today, rest assured, this is not the end of Camaro’s story." Although this creates a sense of uncertainty for the future of Chevrolet's iconic vehicle, we know one thing for sure: the Camaro will live on forever through the dedicated fans who preserve and restore their classic cars for future generations to enjoy.

What do you get when you transplant the supercharged 6.2L heart of a C7 Corvette Z06 into a 1969 Camaro? The answer is a vehicle that's capable of melting a set of 13-inch-wide rear tires in the blink of an eye. Pair that with high-performance coilover suspension, big brakes, custom bodywork, carbon fiber accents, and black leather upholstery, and you've got a show-stopping build on your hands. In a new video, YouTube channel AutotopiaLA takes a closer look at this awesome pro-touring 1969 Camaro built by Lakeside Speed & Shine in Arizona.

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.

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.

Times are changing in hot-rodding, there's no question about it. Classic Industries, recognizing the increase in the popularity of modern suspension and drivetrain parts in muscle cars and the high-caliber quality of parts now produced by the aftermarket, set out to build a heavily modified, modernized 1969 Camaro.

My show and go car is a 1967 Camaro SS. She has a 383 small block Chevy stroker engine with over 600 horsepower. The powertrain includes a 671 Weiand blower with a Turbo 400 trans and a nine-inch Ford differential/rear axle.