Station wagons, estates, family-haulers, or long-roofs—no matter what you call them, you're probably aware that these vehicles had humble origins. Rather than tearing down the racetrack, station wagons were originally intended to transport large groups in comfort, along with all their belongings.

Here at Classic Industries, we love to see what customers can do with the restoration parts we offer. Sometimes, they simply put the finishing touches on project vehicles that are nearly complete—other times, they rebuild classic cars from the ground up using parts from our catalogs. Daniel Brito, of Montebello, California, falls into the second category. His stunning 1956 Bel Air started out as a $500 husk of its former glory, but he restored the car over the last 15 years, leaving it in the beautiful condition seen here.

Back in 1969, the term "SUV" didn't exist, and even the concept of the minivan was still in its infancy. At that time, if you wanted a vehicle to transport your family and all their belongings in a single vehicle, you looked to the venerable station wagon. These long, low-slung vehicles combined the practicality of a sedan (like the Chevy Impala) with the spaciousness of a full-size truck (like the Chevy Suburban).

Here at Classic Industries, we like to see projects in all stages of completion. Sometimes we'll see customer cars that are still covered in cobwebs after being rescued from a dark garage, and other times we'll come across builds that are completed and polished down to every last detail. It's all part of the classic car restoration process.

For many of us, high school was an exciting time, thanks to the independence of finally being able to drive. There was no more requirement to ride a bike or beg friends and family to drop you off—with your first car, the world was your oyster.

For younger guys like Andres Vasquez, of Santa Ana, California, the rising value of classic muscle cars can make it difficult to find a project vehicle that's affordable. This is especially true of iconic models like the '70 Camaro Z28. Over the last few decades, the value of these cars has skyrocketed.

At first, silver and bright purple might sound like an unorthodox color combination, but Ricardo Ricci's 1968 Charger R/T proves that this head-turning palette can look great when applied tastefully. The metallic two-tone shines in the sun, and certainly caught our attention when it pulled into our parking lot.

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.