Car enthusiasts tend to use a lot of complex terms that can be confusing to those with less experience. However, here at Classic Industries, we want to clear up the confusion, and make it easy for anyone to tackle their first restoration project. With this in mind, we'd like to talk about truck bed wood. After all, if you're new to restoring trucks, you might not know the difference between bed strips, angle strips, reinforcement strips, and cross sills, or how many of each your vehicle requires.

Many Chevrolet and GMC classic trucks were built with bed wood standard from the factory, while later models came standard with a metal bed floor and only offered wood as an option. Read on as we go over the basics of bed wood components and configurations.

The above photo of a 1948 Chevrolet 3100 is courtesy of Mecum Auctions.

Truck Bed Wood Components

We're always glad to see the third-gen F-body cars getting the appreciation they deserve. Ten or fifteen years ago, few people would have considered the 1982-92 Firebirds and Trans Ams candidates for restoration, but now that these cars are becoming more collectible, the prices for clean examples are on the rise. This white 1986 Trans Am is one of the cleanest we've seen, and shows how much these cars stand out in 2015.

The late 1950s and early 1960s are often referred to as the era of the tail fin. These aircraft-inspired accents could be found on many cars from this time period, and few of those applications are more recognizable than the 1960 Chevy Impala. A winglike ridge lines each side of the bodywork, culminating in a squared-off tip at each corner. It was perfect for a society that had fallen in love with jets, rockets, thrusters, and all things aeronautical.

There's no question that the iconic 1955-57 "Tri Five" Chevy models were a tough act to follow. Even today, they're known as some of the most famous and popular classic cars of all time. So, when it came time to retire the Tri Five and develop a new design for 1958, what was Chevrolet to do? Well, true to form, they created a model that would go on to become just as famous as the cars before it: the Impala.

In nature, bright colors often indicate danger. Many venomous snakes and poisonous insects wear vibrant shades of crimson or indigo, warning potential predators that messing with them will be a losing battle. In much the same fashion, Christian Tovar's shocking yellow 1972 Nova SS sets the tone for other cars it rolls up next to. This yellow car has "try me, I dare you" written all over it.

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.

Bright red is certainly an eye-catching color, and as a result many rumors have developed around bright red cars. Some people have claimed they're more likely to get tickets, more expensive to insure, or are even more accident prone. While most of these urban legends have been disproven by statistics, one fact remains: red cars turn heads. That's why Victory Red is the perfect color for Brian Greco's '64 Chevy Nova--it's a real attention-getter, and for good reason.

The Dodge Dart is the definition of a car that punches above its weight class. Introduced in 1960 as an entry-level full-size model, the Dart quickly garnered a reputation for being both affordable and reliable. In 1967, thanks to a substantial redesign and more powerful engine options, the Dart became even more popular as an inexpensive platform for hot-rodding. It might not have had the raw power of a top-of-the-line Charger or Coronet, but it was significantly more affordable and had what all hot-rodders truly crave: potential.

"Green" is a word that has come to represent much more than a color over the last few years. We're constantly bombarded with ads talking about how "green" the latest hybrid economy car is, and how it might just save the planet. Despite the growing popularity of this new definition of the word, Mike Pennington decided to build a car that returns to the roots of what a green car can be—and it's certainly not a sluggish 4-cylinder hybrid.

As much as we love seeing the end result of a full vehicle restoration, it's equally interesting to see where it all began. The process becomes even more special when you're able to talk to the builder whose blood, sweat, and tears turned an unloved shell of a car into something beautiful. In the case of this 1968 Nova, Aram Ayvazian is that builder, and the man who brought this iconic muscle car back to life.