The collector appeal of classic trucks is growing, and it's easy to see why. After all, these utilitarian vehicles were never seen as anything particularly special or collectible back in the 1940s and '50s, much like today's base-model work trucks are viewed now. However, times change, and these once under-appreciated old pickup trucks are now being restored, modified, and cared for more with each passing year.

If you've visited our Huntington Beach, California, Retail Showroom in the last few months, you'll no doubt recognize this week's featured car. That's because this 1970 Challenger R/T is currently on display in the center of the room! The Classic Industries Retail Showroom serves not only as a restoration parts storefront for local customers, but also as a showcase for timeless cars like this one. After all, what better way to demonstrate our ever-growing Mopar parts line than with a real car?

What's the most famous Trans Am of all time? How about the most famous Pontiac of all time? There's a good chance that the answer to both these questions is a single car: the second-gen Trans Am Special Edition. This black and gold icon of the 1970s became instantly recognizable for its role in the film Smokey and the Bandit, in which Burt Reynolds drove the car from Texas to Georgia as part of a bootlegging operation. In fact, in the two years following the first film, Trans Am sales nearly doubled! Thanks to the lasting impact of this movie and its sequels, as well as the car's undeniable cool factor, the Special Edition T/A remains world-famous to this day.

The term "bubble top" has become a catch phrase in the Impala restoration community, and we often hear people asking what it really means. Take one look at the rounded roof of this 1961 Impala coupe, and you'll start to understand. The curved glass, smooth lines, and lack of B-pillars cause this car's roof to appear similar to a bubble, hence the name. The term became especially important one year later in '62, because GM produced a select few Impalas with leftover '61 "bubble" tops before transitioning to the more angular "crinkle top" later that year.

One of the things we love about classic cars is their ability to instantly transport you back in time. They remind us of different periods of our lives, and different periods in our country's history. This 1964 Chevy truck, for example, takes us back to a time when pickup truck design (and car design, for that matter) was changing dramatically. This period marked a transition from the sleek aircraft-inspired style of the '50s to the more angular designs of the '70s. This '64 model exhibits characteristics from both eras, but still manages to blend them seamlessly into a style of its own.

As classic car enthusiasts and restorers, our cars are often much more than simple machines or forms of transportation. Over many years, our cars take on personalities of their own and become irreplaceable parts of our lives—almost like members of the family. The '67 Pontiac Firebird seen here became a member of Tim Woolard's family back in 2000, during the midst of a stressful time in his life. Tim was acting as a caregiver for his ailing, elderly parents, and the restoration of his rusty old Firebird gave him an outlet for his near-overwhelming levels of stress.