When it comes to classic car restoration, it's no surprise that most owners place a strong focus on exterior paint and body work, as well as mechanical components such as the engine, transmission, suspension, and brakes. These elements define how a car looks on the outside, and how it performs on the road. But think about this: where do you, the owner, spend most of your time? Behind the wheel, of course. For this reason, it's certainly worthwhile to pay attention to the interior, as Mopar Connection magazine did with their recent Dodge interior restoration project.

Here at Classic Industries, we're more than just a restoration parts retailer. We're diehard car enthusiasts who enjoy spending time around classic vehicles just as much as you do. As a result, we've developed our own collection of cars and trucks over the years, and many of these can be seen rotating through the display space inside our Retail Showroom. One of these centerpiece cars is our fully-restored 1969 Camaro Pace Car. Read on as we take a look back at the 1969 Camaro Pace Car history and examine some of its finer details.

Although you may not think about it, the dashboard in your Camaro takes a beating. It's continually baking in brutal sunlight and heat focused through the windshield. The dash pad is expected to survive decades of continual UV exposure and heat cycles. The polymers used in modern cars are pretty resilient, but today's formulations are much more advanced than they were back in the 1960s and 1970s. This combination of harsh conditions and older polymer construction has led to an inevitable problem: dash pad deterioration. So, today we'll address how to replace a worn-out Camaro dash pad.

It’s every car enthusiast’s dream to participate in a barnfind. We fantasize about discovering a rare, original, and highly sought-after classic car that had been stowed away in a barn, garage, or yard for decades, preserved like a time capsule from the past. Unfortunately, the reality is that these barnfinds are still old cars. They've been sitting in the same spot without use or maintenance, often for decades. So, if you come across one of these vehicles, how should you examine, repair, and restore it?

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

There's no question about it — one of the most important parts of any classic car project is choosing the right set of wheels. First of all, you've got to pick the right style. Do you want vintage rallye wheels, classic mag five-spokes, or something more aggressive and modern? Then, you've got to select the right bolt pattern and size, and make sure the offset and backspacing are correct for your vehicle. However, there's one more crucial point to consider before making your decision — wheel weight. A set of lightweight wheels can noticeably improve your car's performance.

The perfect set of wheels is an essential element of any classic car build, but choosing wheels isn't always as easy as it might seem. There are many technical variables that must be considered, including bolt pattern, diameter, width, backspacing, and offset. Once you've established the wheel specs you need, you'll have to shop for an appropriate set of wheels with an appealing design and finish. In this article, we'll provide some info and diagrams to help you answer the question "what are wheel backspacing and offset?"

What is a GM F-Body? What is a Ford Fox Body? What are Mopar A, B, and E-bodies? If you are getting into classic cars for the first time, you'll quickly discover that your fellow enthusiasts have a language of their own. Some of the first terms you'll encounter in online discussion forums and parts catalogs are references to A-Body, B-Body, E-Body, F-Body, G-Body, and so on. At first, this can be confusing, but decoding these classic car platform designations is simpler than it looks. Read on as we explain the meaning of a car platform or body, and provide some examples of the most common classic car bodies and associated models you'll hear about.

Few things are more disappointing than setting out to drive your car only to find the engine doesn't start. Hundreds of moving parts have to be in working order to make a car run and drive, but the battery, alternator, and starter are the usual suspects. These issues are especially common on classic cars with aging electrical components. So, when you pop the hood and check the battery, what do your battery posts look like? If they're corroded, read on for some steps to clean your car's battery terminals and tips to prevent them from corroding again.