If you imagine a muscle car, odds are that you picture something with wide tires, a loud exhaust, a huge motor, and aggressive styling cues. Although this traditional interpretation is undoubtedly cool, there are many ways that the idea of a muscle car can be interpreted. Here at Classic Industries, we love muscle cars of all shapes and sizes, and that's why Jack Petitt's refined take on a muscle car is so appealing to us. Jack restored this deep blue '69 Nova with the help of his daughter, and together they created a car that's as sophisticated as it is powerful.

If you've ever owned or restored a classic car, you'll no doubt know that it can be an expensive endeavor. Iconic classics such as the '57 Bel Air and '69 Camaro fetch large sums of money whenever they are sold, even in barely drivable condition. Then there's the cost of parts and labor, which must also be taken into consideration. So, how does a young enthusiast afford to get into classic cars? Thomas Coursey, of Anaheim, California, found a solution to this dilemma via the 1980 Firebird Esprit seen here. It has all the pedigree, V8 rumble, and sculpted good looks that initially attracted Thomas to American muscle cars, but lacks the steep price tag of older or higher-trim models.

What is a classic car? It seems like a simple question, but in reality, the definition is always changing. Back in the late '60s, first-generation Camaros and Firebirds were considered cool cars, but they were also rather commonplace. Now, those cars are highly prized and acknowledged by everyone as true classics. In the 1980s, the same could be said of second-gen Camaros—they weren't seen as classics then, but now they certainly are.

Throughout history, prized possessions have been passed down from generation to generation. If you were lucky, maybe you inherited a massive tract of land or herd of livestock from your father—if you were unlucky, maybe you got a bottle cap collection. Although we don't typically depend on our inheritances to define our futures anymore, important items are still passed from father to son (or daughter) as family heirlooms to preserve. The 1965 Chevy C20 seen here is one example of a family heirloom, and through son Gary Skinner's loving hands, his father's old truck has been reborn.

As much as we love time-tested, untouched classics, there's also something to be said for building a car that's truly original. After all, that's the spirit of hot-rodding—putting together something unique with little more than spare parts and ingenuity. It may not be popular with everyone, but it'll certainly turn some heads and raise some eyebrows. Rebelling against the status quo might yield a total failure, or it might yield something that changes the world—you never know until you try.

The Classic Industries team has been at the SEMA Show in Las Vegas all week, walking through the aisles and looking for the coolest cars and trucks to share with you. Today, we came upon this absolutely jaw-dropping 1956 Chevy 210, and knew we had to snap some photos. Its shocking orange paint and glistening chrome sparkled like a beacon in the Nevada sunlight, drawing us in to get a closer look.

We've always been big fans of the Plymouth Barracuda, especially in its final 1970-74 iteration. The sleek lines, wide stance, variety of potent engine choices, and vibrant color options made it a strong contender in the muscle car era. So, when we saw this lean, green resto-modded Barracuda pull into our showroom parking lot, we knew we had to check it out.

No matter what your automotive background is, the term "SS" is immediately recognizable as a sign of high performance. Super Sport—it's a name that means exactly what it says. Everyone knows and loves the Camaro SS, Nova SS, Chevelle SS, and El Camino SS, but none of these models were the first to bear the designation. In fact, it was a model that many at the time would have considered to be more luxury cruiser than sports coupe—the Impala.

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?"

If you're anything like us, you didn't become a car guy overnight. You probably grew up around cars, and they've been a part of your life since childhood. A true passion for classic cars often begins while wrenching in the garage with Dad, cruising the streets with your best friends, or blasting down the drag strip on weekends. Then, over many years, it becomes an integral part of who you are.