For many car enthusiasts, there’s always that one car—the one that stays in your mind, tied to memories of youth, grit, and a little bit of heartbreak. For Fernando Martinez, that car was a 1985 Chevrolet Corvette. His journey with this iconic piece of American engineering spans decades, marked by passion, perseverance, and a powerful sense of coming full circle.

The golden era of American muscle cars brought us some of the coolest vehicles in automotive history, with Mopar — a combination of "Motor" and "Parts" under Chrysler — leading the charge. Between 1960 and 1976, Mopar manufactured a wide array of A-body, B-body, and E-body cars under its Chrysler, Dodge, and Plymouth divisions. These included legendary models like the Charger, Challenger, Barracuda, Road Runner, Super Bee, GTX, Dart, and Duster. Enthusiasts and restorers alike often rely on decoding information such as VINs, fender tags, and broadcast sheets to verify originality, specs, and authenticity. Below, we've provided a detailed VIN decoder and step-by-step guide to help you learn more about your classic Mopar car.

Video Tutorial: How to Use the Digital Mustang Catalog

Mustang fans, get excited—Classic Industries has just launched a brand-new interactive catalog experience, offering a streamlined and feature-rich experience for gearheads, restorers, and weekend warriors alike. Whether you're restoring a '65 fastback or upgrading a Fox Body or SN95, this catalog is a game-changer for finding the parts you need faster and easier than ever before.

Many years before the popularization of the term Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV), the Chevrolet/GMC Suburban was one of the pioneers of what would become an extremely popular type of vehicle. It offered enough room for the whole family and all their belongings, as well as the rugged durability of a GM truck. This '72 GMC Suburban, built by Pro Touring Texas, takes this humble family hauler even further with the addition of adjustable air ride, an 800hp supercharged LSX engine, and show-car-grade interior and exterior craftsmanship.

Exira, Iowa resident Allan Yoshida is a man of few words, we suspect. He kindly emailed Classic Industries three photos of his black over blue 1971 Camaro. Mr. Yoshida went on to explain that the Camaro has a 350-cubic inch V8 engine and is backed by a four-speed manual transmission. 

When discussing the world of high-performance American automobiles, few names resonate as deeply as Steve Saleen. A visionary racer, engineer, and entrepreneur, Saleen is best known for his eponymous brand, Saleen Automotive, which has played a pivotal role in shaping the landscape of American performance vehicles. From transforming Mustangs into track monsters to building one of the few true American supercars—the Saleen S7—Steve Saleen’s legacy is as fast-paced and fascinating as the cars that bear his name.

Behind the scenes, auto manufacturers and engineers often give their projects code names. This allows them to discuss those projects without leaking secrets to the public, but these nicknames often also indicate the spirit of the project. So, when Ford's Special Vehicle Team (SVT) began developing a special supercharged version of the 4.6L DOHC V8 for the 2003-04 Mustang SVT Cobra, they called the engine "Terminator" — a name that conveyed it would be muscular and almost unstoppable. The Cobra Terminator would go on to become a legendary performance car and modern-day classic. AutotopiaLA recently featured this heavily-modified '03 Cobra Terminator, which makes 1,000 horsepower at the rear wheels.

The 3.8L turbocharged V6 engine that powered the Grand National and GNX was a unique creation in an era still recovering from the muscle car collapse. Unlike most performance cars of the time, it didn’t rely on a big V8. Instead, Buick engineered a torquey, boost-happy V6 that could blow the doors off cars with twice the displacement (1987 GNX #51 produced of 547 built - lead photo).

When Pontiac released the third-generation Firebird in 1982, many enthusiasts felt underwhelmed by the performance. As a result of tightening emissions restrictions, the top-trim 305ci V8 engine in the '82 Trans Am produced only 165 horsepower. These numbers would improve by the end of the third gen's run in 1992, but there was always a desire for an even more potent Firebird — one that could challenge GM's flagship Corvette. A startup called Street Legal Performance (SLP) partnered with Pontiac dealers to make this dream a reality. The resulting car was dubbed the SLP Firehawk, and only 25 were sold that year, making it an extremely rare vehicle today.

In the haze of underwhelming American cars of the 1980s, Buick—a brand long associated with elderly buyers and soft luxury—did something unthinkable. It unleashed a pair of performance monsters that tore through quarter miles and took down Corvettes, Mustangs, and even European sports cars. These were the Buick Grand National and the ultra-rare, legendary GNX (1987 GNX in lead photo).