How time flies! There have now been 74 annual Grand National Roadster Shows. The 74th GNRS took place on Friday, February 2 through Sunday, February 4, 2024, at the Pomona, CA Fairplex. Al and Mary Slonaker presented the first GNRS in 1950 in Oakland, CA. In 2004, the Grand National Roadster Show moved from Northern California to its present home at the Pomona Fairplex in Southern California.

Like many of you, we have enjoyed watching the TV series Overhaulin' ever since its debut back in 2004. As a result of the show's popularity, co-hosts Chip Foose and Chris Jacobs have become two especially memorable faces in the world of classic cars. We recently invited Jacobs to our headquarters in Huntington Beach, California to check out our Tech Center shop, parts warehouse, and Retail Showroom. As a true car guy, he enjoyed the tour and helped us film a promo video about a few of the things Classic Industries has to offer.

Some automotive enthusiasts are very familiar with the history of the Ford Mustang and why it has sold so well for its entire existence, dating back to its premiere in April of 1964. But most people just view the Mustang as a sporty car with a clever name. There are perhaps a baker’s dozen reasons that the Mustang was such a resounding automotive triumph right out of the starting gate, and why it continues to be the frontrunner in the hearts and souls of millions of car gals and guys.

If you didn't attend or participate in the 73rd O'Reilly Auto Parts Grand National Roadster Show, you missed out big time! The GNRS is one of the oldest and most phenomenal classic car shows in the world. It's held in California, which is considered by many to be mecca for the automobile, at the Pomona Fairplex. There are two top prizes awarded at this prestigious event. The nation's top roadsters vying for the America's Most Beautiful Roadster (AMBR) prize were sublime. Non-roadster vehicles competing for the Al Slonaker Memorial Award were rolling, running works of art. All of the cars and trucks at the event would be held in high esteem in any car geeks garage, or the envy of any motorhead on the planet. 

"When I was a kid in high school in the 1980s, if you had an IROC, you were the king." Every generation has at least one iconic car that fits this theme, and as Mike Musto of Hemmings explains, there's no doubt that the Camaro IROC-Z was the attainable dream car for a lot of '80s teens. These days, many of those who fantasized about ripping V8-powered burnouts in the high school parking lot can afford fun project cars, so it's no surprise that third-gen Camaro resto-mods have become increasingly popular. Classic Industries was glad to help Mike and the Hemmings crew with a 6-part "IROC Rehab" video series that shows how to give a worn-out '87 IROC-Z a new lease on life.

OER, one of Classic Industries’ premier product suppliers, took home two Global Media Awards at the 2022 SEMA Show. OER won the two SEMA Global Media Awards for two separate products, from two different publications, located in two different countries! The SEMA Global Media Awards Program recognizes that automotive restoration, personalization, and customization is taking place, and expanding, on a global level. Classic Industries has been aware of this for quite some time, as we've been supplying American muscle car and truck parts and accessories to distant parts of the globe for many years.

"I have always wanted a Challenger," says Dylan McCool. "When I was a kid, I grew up with Dad having Challengers and 'Cudas around. I grew up watching Vanishing Point with the 4-speed, so my dream has always been to have a Challenger with a 4-speed in it. And now I have that! It's finally here." At Classic Industries, we love to see this level of enthusiasm and determination from young classic car owners like Dylan, so we were glad to help him get the restoration parts he needed to take his Challenger from a rusty yard ornament to a running, driving muscle car.

We always enjoy helping customers restore their classic cars, but it's especially fun when we get to see the results firsthand. So, when the TV production team for HISTORY channel's "Fully Torqued" reached out to us for some help with a local 1966 Impala restoration project, we were glad to assist. The episode, which recently aired, shows how new bumpers, trim, and other parts from the Classic Industries Impala/Full Size Chevy catalog revitalized this '66 Impala convertible.

Over the years, we've been proud to help well-known automotive publications find the restoration parts they needed to complete their classic car projects. Few TV shows have done more to popularize classic car restoration than Overhaulin'. Since the series premiered in 2004, we have teamed up with Chip Foose and the rest of the Overhaulin' crew many times. This 1967 Firebird, which was completed back in Season 8, is one memorable example. It features a 500-horsepower LS3 crate engine, big brakes, double-adjustable coilover suspension, and slick custom paint.

There's no better way to spend a beautiful summer day than cruising over to a local car show. You can see a variety of classic cars, chat with their owners, and even keep an eye out for parts you might need for your own vehicle. However, some shows are truly special and bring out legendary classics that are rarely seen elsewhere. Such was the case for Don Yenko's Muscle Cars at the Museum, an event that took place on Saturday, July 30th, 2022 in Saratoga Springs, New York. Classic Industries attended the show, and our staff walked around to snap photos of some of the most noteworthy Chevrolet vehicles.