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.

Though we spend our five- and six-day work weeks catering to the needs of our honored customers who own and are working on, driving, showing, and enjoying American muscle machines, many Classic Industries employees are wrenching away, driving, and enjoying our own vintage vehicles in our free time. Some of us drive our old cars daily. 

Spending her entire work life as a Yuma, AZ farm truck, her well-earned hard work scars now shine bright in the Southern California sun. According to her personalized black and yellow vintage California license plate, she may still be working for a living. Though that may just be a disguise.

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.

The Gold Digger's journey began back in 2001 when a Mr. Ryan Brown had just crashed his 1967 Chevy Malibu. A young man, he was contemplating the meaning of life and wondering how he might rebuild his dream car on a budget while also going to college. His insurance broker, Leigh Ring, phoned and asked if Ryan wanted to buy his son's 1955 Chevy. It was too much of a restoration for them, Mr. Ring explained, so Ryan drove over to the Ring's house to see if he could broker a deal for the 1955 Chevy 210.

Since October 1986, this car has been a part of my life. It was my first car, even before I had my driver's license. I remember taking my test in this car, despite its less-than-impressive condition at the time. After passing all the inspections and tests, I finally earned my ticket to freedom - my driver's license.

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.

An amazing transformation took place at the 2024 Grand National Roadster Show. The build team at Orange County Hot Rods turned a bone stock 1969 Chevy Camaro 350 into a pro touring, canyon carving masterpiece in less than 3 days! What's more, this talented crew of craftsmen made it look easy, and that's with a crowd of automotive enthusiasts watching the less than 72-hour spectacle throughout the Friday, Saturday, and Sunday event. Watch the exciting video and read on to see just how this five-man crew of car craftsmen completed this challenging Camaro pro touring project.

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.