Anyone who was fortunate enough to have a car during high school has vivid memories of that vehicle. For some of us, it was a real junker, barely getting us where we needed to go as we struggled to keep it running. For others, it was a first project car, a little rough around the edges but something we took pride in restoring. John Velasquez, of West Covina, California, falls into the latter category. He bought this 1970 Camaro RS back in 1983 while he was in high school, and has owned it ever since.

Here at Classic Industries, we're more than just a restoration parts retailer. We're diehard car enthusiasts who enjoy spending time around classic vehicles just as much as you do. As a result, we've developed our own collection of cars and trucks over the years, and many of these can be seen rotating through the display space inside our Retail Showroom. One of these centerpiece cars is our fully-restored 1969 Camaro Pace Car. Read on as we take a look back at the 1969 Camaro Pace Car history and examine some of its finer details.

Trends may come and go, but a true classic never really goes out of style. The first-generation Camaro is a perfect example of this principle. More than 50 years after its debut, this automotive icon still looks just as good as it did when it left the showroom floor. And even though many of the components of these cars have worn out and aged, the availability of a myriad of original-style replacement parts makes it easy to restore a Camaro to like-new condition.

Many of the restored classic cars and trucks that visit our Retail Showroom are used primarily as weekend cruisers or show vehicles, and understandably so. Some owners enjoy their cars most by using them on special occasions. However, other owners prefer to use their vehicles as much as possible, racking up the miles and spending as much time as possible behind the wheel. Brandyn Guerrero, of West Covina, California, drives his 1973 Camaro Type LT every chance he gets.

Classic car restoration is a passion that bridges generations. Whether you're just learning how to turn a wrench or you're a veteran builder with decades of experience, everyone can appreciate the transformation of a timeless vehicle. We always enjoy meeting up-and-coming young classic car fans, and assisting them with their first projects. Tyler Baird, of Huntington Beach, California, is an excellent example of this group. Despite still being in high school, he's already spent several years restoring his 1980 Camaro Z28.

Each year, members of the Classic Industries team head out to Las Vegas to set up a booth at the world's largest automotive trade show: the SEMA Show. This massive industry-only gathering houses countless custom vehicles, ranging from pristine classics to modern supercars. It also serves as a showcase for the latest and greatest aftermarket parts and accessories for cars and trucks of all kinds. The SEMA Show provides a great opportunity for us to display new parts from the Classic Industries catalogs, as well as some very special vehicles.

The Classic Industries Retail Showroom is always busy with customers browsing our catalogs and picking up restoration parts for their project cars and trucks. Many of these customers are Southern California locals, but quite a few others stop by while visiting from other states or even other countries. However, last week our showroom received an extra-special visitor: Dave Kunz from ABC7 Eyewitness News. Dave and his film crew took a look behind the scenes at Classic Industries and interviewed company founder and CEO Jeff Leonard.

Marking the first year of the first generation of the Chevrolet Camaro, 1967 was the year that started it all. More than 50 years later, the Camaro is still a legend, and the appearance of these early examples remains just as elegant as it was back then.

Although you may not think about it, the dashboard in your Camaro takes a beating. It's continually baking in brutal sunlight and heat focused through the windshield. The dash pad is expected to survive decades of continual UV exposure and heat cycles. The polymers used in modern cars are pretty resilient, but today's formulations are much more advanced than they were back in the 1960s and 1970s. This combination of harsh conditions and older polymer construction has led to an inevitable problem: dash pad deterioration. So, today we'll address how to replace a worn-out Camaro dash pad.

The term "shadetree mechanic" is used to refer to a do-it-yourselfer or tinkerer who works on vehicles, often at home in a driveway, garage, or literally under the shade of a tree. We've sometimes heard this term used with a negative connotation, implying that a hobbyist could be under-qualified and might be doing more harm than good by making repairs. However, we've seen firsthand that many of these so-called shadetree classic car restoration projects turn out great. In some cases, the care and attention to detail put into these home builds rivals the work produced by experienced professional shops.