At face value, the term "parts hauler" sounds like a negative description for a vehicle. When you hear about a shop's parts hauler truck, you'd likely imagine a beat-up, dented old workhorse—a vehicle made for running errands, nothing more. If you're anything like us, you certainly wouldn't imagine something as clean and tastefully modified as this 1987 Chevy Silverado could be an ordinary parts hauler. Then again, once you hear the identity of the shop that built it, you'll understand why it looks as good as it does.

At Classic Industries, we love a good resto-mod build, and this mean 1968 Dodge Dart certainly ticks all the boxes. Owner David Fritz, of Irvine, California, knew from day one that he wanted to build an aggressive machine that could do double-duty on the street and drag strip, and he executed his plan over the course of 7 years. When he bought the Dart, it was a humble inline-6 in rough shape, and he tore it all apart to rebuild it with a different purpose entirely. This A-body Mopar car is made to turn heads and win races.

This week's featured customer car story is a little different. We received the following letter from Steve Martinson, of Idaho Falls, Idaho. The Martinson family (Robert, Steve, and Darcie) owns the stunning blue 1968 C10 restoration project seen here, and Steve described the build so perfectly, we decided to share his words verbatim. Enjoy!

For a car enthusiast, there's no worse feeling than having your car stolen. In an instant, the vehicle you put so much time and effort into is gone, and you're left empty-handed. This is exactly what happened to Ismael Castillo, the owner of this 1991 Camaro Z28, on New Year's Eve last year. After spending the evening with his friends celebrating, he went outside to find his Camaro was missing. It was recovered by police a few days later, but by then it had been stripped of many of its parts and abandoned. Fortunately, Ismael refused to give up on his project, so he began rebuilding it.

As classic car enthusiasts, we love the look of vintage American steel. And when it comes to iconic looks, few cars can top the 1969 Camaro. Of all the first-gen F-body cars, the '69 Camaro is often hailed as the most attractive and desirable, and it remains one of the most popular cars we supply parts for. However, there's no denying that automotive engineering has come a long way since the late sixties. Cars are now faster, more agile, and more sophisticated than ever before. So, how can a restorer infuse some of this modern DNA into a classic form? Enter the resto-mod.

R/T--two letters that will instantly put a smile on the face of any classic Mopar enthusiast. Representing "Road/Track", the R/T package bridged the gap between an ordinary street car and a hardcore track machine. In the case of the 1970 Charger seen here, the R/T badges mean it came standard with a 440ci Magnum V8 that produced 375hp and a whopping 480lb-ft of torque. The R/T model also included heavy-duty suspension components, simulated scoops on the doors, sleek one-piece tail lamp trim, and a longitudinal rear "bumblebee" stripe. In 1970, the Charger R/T replaced the Charger 500 at the top of the model's three-level performance hierarchy (aside from the race-ready Daytona model).

Have you ever heard of a car going 500,000 miles before? How about doing it on the original engine and transmission? If you have, it's likely that it was a boring 4-cylinder economy car. That's all well and good, but we think if you're going to choose a car to drive half a million miles in, it might as well be one with a V8 and some style. David Mayans, of Corona, California, agrees with this sentiment, and that's why his '87 Camaro IROC-Z currently has a staggering 416,000 original miles on the clock. That's nearly the distance to the moon and back! Plus, by the time you're reading this, the car's odometer will read even higher. David daily-drives the IROC, so its mileage grows closer to the 500,000 mark with each passing day.

Trucks have changed a lot in the last few decades. These days, pickups have become more luxurious and technologically-advanced than ever before, with in-dash navigation screens, surround sound, leather upholstery, twin-turbocharging, direct injection, and flashy 20-inch wheels. However, not long ago, there was a time when trucks fit a much simpler formula: a big carbureted V8, high ground clearance, a utilitarian aesthetic, and near-indestructible reliability. This '77 GMC long-bed reminds us of the time when trucks were simple, and built to work hard.

There seems to be a bit of a stigma about owning a convertible these days -- some people just don't consider them to be as cool as a hardtop coupe. However, we'd like to take a moment to defend the merits of the convertible. There's really nothing quite like putting the top down on a beautiful day, feeling the wind in your hair, and hearing the burble of the exhaust behind you as you blast down the highway. It's a visceral experience, and something that everyone should try. And there are few better places to own a classic convertible than sunny southern California.

Outside the Classic Industries showroom, we see all different styles of car projects, from barely-streetable drag machines to meticulous factory restorations. Although we enjoy checking out both of these extremes, it's nice to see something that's squarely in the middle ground: a clean, simple street car with a few tasteful modifications. John Vargas's 1973 Camaro fits the bill, and is a great example of a clean second-gen with plenty of style.