Here at the Classic Industries retail showroom, we're always on the lookout for cool customer cars that show up in our Parking Lot. Some are more subtle than others, but this 1969 Camaro resto mod was definitely hard to miss. Its eye-catching red paint, white stripes, and 18-inch chrome wheels immediately grabbed our attention, and we stepped outside to check it out.

We've said it before and we'll say it again: we love classic trucks because of their ability to combine function and form. Case in point is Eddie Portela's sparkling blue metallic 1969 Chevy C10. You might see this truck and think it's a show vehicle, but it's actually used day-in and day-out to haul equipment and supplies for Eddie's construction business in Orange, California. This restored work truck gets used, and the inside of the bed has the wear and tear to prove it.

In the early 1970s, the American muscle car had entered a dark time. The Clean Air Act of 1970 caused manufacturers to add smog controls to their vehicles, leading to reduced horsepower and a move toward smaller-displacement engines. Then, in 1973, the OPEC oil embargo caused fuel prices to skyrocket, and made supplying thirsty big-blocks a difficult task.

One of the biggest draws of classic car restoration is the nostalgia factor. There's something truly awesome about finally being able to own that car you always wanted in high school, or being able to buy back the vehicle you wish you never sold. For most of us, these classic cars are more than simple transportation, they're the fulfillment of our dreams. That's why we knew exactly what Michael Lara meant when he said this '72 Firebird is his "lifelong love".

This November, some of the world's finest classic and custom cars gathered at the Las Vegas Convention Center for the SEMA 2015 Show. Since the SEMA Show is industry-only and not open to the general public, we walked the halls and snapped photos of the incredible vehicles we found inside. Now, for those of you who weren't able to make it to this year's show, we'll be posting some of the most interesting cars we spotted.

It's been said that too much of a good thing can be a bad thing. While this may be true in some cases, we'd certainly disagree when it comes to classic cars. For many of us enthusiasts, there's no such thing as "enough". We continually search for new vehicles to restore, and even when we've accumulated 3 or 4 (or more) ongoing builds, we're always looking for the next cool project to take on. For Joe Ali, of Huntington Beach, California, this never-ending interest has been focused on one vehicle: the Chevy Impala.

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

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.