Pickup trucks are designed for utility, and as a result many of them end up living a long, hard life full of dings, dents, scratches, and scuffs. This is why we love to see classic trucks restored to like-new condition. It gives these utilitarian vehicles a new lease on life, erasing the scars of decades past and allowing them to start with a clean slate once more. Antonio Ortiz, of Cerritos, California, restored this 1964 C10 and now uses it as his daily-driver.

Pickup trucks are designed for utility, and as a result many of them end up living a long, hard life full of dings, dents, scratches, and scuffs. This is why we love to see classic trucks restored...

Darin Smith is a lifelong car guy. He grew up helping out at his father's tire shop, then did a stint as a service writer at a dealership. Eventually, he opened a shop of his own, not far from the Classic Industries Retail Showroom in Huntington Beach, California. Now Darin spends his days restoring classic cars and living his dream. When the need arose for a shop truck for local parts runs, he opted for something more distinctive than a brand-new pickup, and bought this 1971 Chevy C10.

Darin Smith is a lifelong car guy. He grew up helping out at his father's tire shop, then did a stint as a service writer at a dealership. Eventually, he opened a shop of his own, not far from the

Every project has to start somewhere, and customers often tell us about the rough state their vehicles were in before restoration began. While we always enjoy hearing these stories and seeing the spotless completed projects, it's not often that we get to observe the starting point of these builds. But on rare occasions, rather than describing the unrestored condition of a car or truck, an owner will share some photos of exactly what it looked like on day one of ownership. Such is the story of this 1967 Chevy C10.

Every project has to start somewhere, and customers often tell us about the rough state their vehicles were in before restoration began. While we always enjoy hearing these stories and seeing the...

In 1967, General Motors introduced a complete redesign of its C/K pickup series. These new trucks featured elegant lines and an increased emphasis on features and comfort. Although they were still durable workhorses that could be used on-road, off-road, at farms or job sites, and around town, GM recognized that many truck buyers were looking for the sort of refinement normally found in cars. This trend was just beginning at the time, but has grown into a huge luxury-truck segment today.

In 1967, General Motors introduced a complete redesign of its C/K pickup series. These new trucks featured elegant lines and an increased emphasis on features and comfort. Although they were still...

For companies in the automotive industry, one of the best ways to show off parts and services is to create a unique shop car or truck. This vehicle serves as a rolling billboard to showcase what a company can do, and draws a crowd at car shows or national events such as SEMA. Classic Industries has built quite a few shop cars over the years, including a 1969 Camaro, 1966 Nova, 1964 Impala SS, and 1953 Chevy truck.

For companies in the automotive industry, one of the best ways to show off parts and services is to create a unique shop car or truck. This vehicle serves as a rolling billboard to showcase what a...

Last week on The Parking Lot, we featured a beautiful 1969 Chevy C10 owned by Darin Smith of local restoration and performance shop DWS Classics. That truck was rescued from the desert and painstakingly rebuilt from the ground up. This week, we have another one of DWS Classics' creations: a 1964 GMC shortbed.

Like Darin's other truck, this GMC was found baking in the desert sun, and was purchased to undergo a full restoration. Fortunately, due to the low moisture of its surroundings, the truck stayed mostly rust-free. Darin stripped it down to the bare frame, and began a frame-off build.

Last week on The Parking Lot, we featured a beautiful 1969 Chevy C10 owned by Darin Smith of local restoration and performance shop DWS Classics. That truck was rescued from the desert and...

In more ways than one, this Chevy C10 isn't what it seems. Glancing at the front end, you'll see cues that indicate it might be a 1967 or '68 model: the lower-profile hood, "Chevrolet" lettering, and grille style all match these earlier model years. The lack of side markers on the fenders and bedsides would make seem to indicate a '67 model, but the cab's large rear window says it's at least a '68 model, since 1967 trucks had a small rear window.

The owner of this truck — Darin Smith, of Huntington Beach, California — tells us it's actually a 1969 Chevy C10. Darin found the truck out in the California desert, and rebuilt it with a mixture of parts to achieve the look he wanted. He liked the appearance of the '68 front end, so he purchased a replacement hood, grille, and emblems for that model year. The fenders and bedsides bear no side markers, because he liked that clean appearance only found on the '67 trucks.

In more ways than one, this Chevy C10 isn't what it seems. Glancing at the front end, you'll see cues that indicate it might be a 1967 or '68 model: the lower-profile hood, "Chevrolet" lettering,...

The term "shop truck" often evokes images of a rusty old pickup that has lived a hard life as a utility vehicle. Fortunately, that's not always the case. The owner of this 1959 Chevy Apache calls it his shop truck, but it's far from the sad state one might imagine for a work truck. In fact, it's in absolutely gorgeous condition.

This 1959 Apache pickup belongs to Bob Meredith, of Mission Viejo, California. You'd never know it from the spotless condition, but he uses the truck to carry supplies to and from work, and also considers it his daily-driver.

The term "shop truck" often evokes images of a rusty old pickup that has lived a hard life as a utility vehicle. Fortunately, that's not always the case. The owner of this 1959 Chevy Apache calls...

It’s every car enthusiast’s dream to participate in a barnfind. To discover a car of their childhood, a rare and highly sought after muscle car that had been stowed away in a garage (or front yard) for decades, or just a cool car that seems unloved and underappreciated.

Unfortunately, the reality is that regardless of the kind of car it is, or how rare it is, it’s still an old car. It’s been sitting in the same spot, languishing in someone’s garage or driveway, possibly for decades. So, what if you find one, and it looks good enough to drive? Muscle Car Review published an article outlining this very situation of finding a vehicle that’s been stowed away for decades, and what to do if you want to drive it.

The article really drives home the need for a plan:
“Start your path to revival by asking why the car was parked. Did it stop running or just get sidelined? Anything you can learn will help you fix the original problem. Beyond that, a host of things should be replaced before attempting to drive a barn find. Tires, fuel lines, and brakes need attention to make sure that your barn find doesn’t result in a junkyard donation.”

It’s every car enthusiast’s dream to participate in a barnfind. To discover a car of their childhood, a rare and highly sought after muscle car that had been stowed away in a garage (or front...

One dollar doesn't get you much these days. You can head down to the local fast food restaurant and buy an item off the value menu, or here in California, you can put about 1/3 gallon of gas in your car. Even at the dollar store, many items you'll find on the shelves cost more than a buck. That's why Robert Henderson, of Costa Mesa, CA, calls his 1972 Chevy Cheyenne the "best deal ever" — he bought it for just $1.

As you might imagine, there's more to the story of this purchase. This truck originally belonged to Robert's grandfather, who bought it brand new in March 1972 for $4,010. Robert's grandfather drove it almost every day for the next 40 years, racking up nearly 500,000 miles. In 2013, he finally decided to let the truck go, and generously passed it on to Robert for a measly $1.

One dollar doesn't get you much these days. You can head down to the local fast food restaurant and buy an item off the value menu, or here in California, you can put about 1/3 gallon of gas in...