SEMA Show 2026 guide: dates, SEMA Fest public day, and what builders should watch
SEMA Show 2026 runs November 3 to 6 in Las Vegas, and the public gets in on Friday, November 6 only. Here are the official dates, hours, ticket options and pickup rules, plus what builders should l...
The 1969 Nova SS 396 was never grandma's car, and the numbers prove it
The Nova gets dismissed as basic transportation. In 1969, 5,262 buyers ordered the 375 hp L78 396 in a body 500 pounds lighter than a Chevelle. Here is the real record on the SS 396, COPO 9738, and...
Chevelle SS vs GTO: the GTO started the war, but it did not win it
The GTO started the muscle car era in 1964, but the story that the Chevelle SS just copied it does not survive the production numbers. Year by year sales, the 1965 Z16, and the 450 hp LS6 settle th...
Smokey Yunick's 7/8 scale Chevelle myth, measured against the record
Everybody repeats the story that Smokey Yunick shrank a Chevelle to 7/8 scale and fooled NASCAR. The tape measure, and Yunick himself, say otherwise. Here is what he actually changed, including the...
Hugger Orange code 72: how to prove it on your own trim tag
Hugger Orange was code 72 on the 1969 Camaro and code 990 Monaco Orange on the 1969 Corvette, the same PPG 2084 paint under two names. Where the name came from, the Carousel Red argument, and how t...
Why the 1969 Camaro model year ran 16 months and the 1970 1/2 never existed
Broken quarter panel dies at Fisher Body, not a strike, kept the 1969 Camaro in production until November 1969 and pushed the second gen to February 1970. Why 1969 is the longest Camaro model year ...
1967 C10 small back window: the one-year tell that dates a truck on sight
A small rear window on a 1967-72 Chevy or GMC light truck means one thing: it is a 1967. Why the small window was standard, not optional, why the test only works one way, and which other 1967 tells...
Why vent windows disappeared: Astro Ventilation, flow-through air and AC
The 1967 Camaro has a pivoting vent window. The 1968 does not, and it never came back. Here is what GM's Astro Ventilation replaced, why no documented reason for the change exists, and why your C10...
The 1973 5 mph bumper law never applied to your truck, and still does not
The federal 5 mph bumper standard blamed for ruining 1970s car design covered passenger cars only, from 1972 to today. Here is what FMVSS 215 and Part 581 actually required, why 1974 is the year yo...
The 1970 to 72 Chevy 396 was really a 402: how to tell what you have
For 1970 Chevrolet bored the 396 out to about 402 cubic inches and, in the Camaro, left the 396 badge alone through 1972. Here is which cars really kept the badge, why nobody knows the reason, and ...
Fesler is tooling flush glass for the 1978-88 G-body: what we know so far
A 1978-88 GM G-body is in the Fesler shop and the windshield mold is being pulled. Why one two-door windshield covers Monte Carlo, Grand National, Cutlass, Grand Prix and El Camino, what is confirm...
1967 vs 1968 vs 1969 Camaro: What Actually Interchanges
First-gen Camaros look interchangeable and are not. Glass and kick panels carry all three years, door panels and power window kits split at 1967, and the dash and A-pillars are 1969-only. Here is t...
The Hot Rod State Index: The 10 Best and 10 Worst States to Build a Classic
We scored all 50 states on six factors: titling, emissions, cost to own, equipment laws, rust and ecosystem. Texas finished first, New Jersey finished last, and the state that invented hot rodding ...
The Recirculation Button: Why Long Drives Make You Sleepy, and Why Your Restomod Has It Worse
The recirculation button seals your cabin and CO2 climbs. Here is what the research actually measured, what it does not prove, and why a finished restomod with flush-mount glass and aftermarket A/C...
How to Put Real Speakers in a Classic Without Cutting the Sheet Metal
Classic cars were built for one paper speaker in the dash. Getting real sound out of one without hacking up original sheet metal comes down to using fiberglass panels with speaker fitment already m...
The 1968-1970 Dodge Charger Restomod Guide: What to Build and What to Leave Alone
The second-generation Charger is the best-looking American car of the era and one of the least well-served by the aftermarket. Here is what changed between 1968, 1969, and 1970, which cars you shou...
Dash Overlay vs. Full Dash Restoration: Which One Your Build Actually Needs
A cracked dash pad has three fixes: a drop-in fiberglass overlay, a gauge-area insert, or a full strip-and-restore. Here is what each one actually costs, what it hides, what it does not, and how to...
Power Windows in a Classic: What It Takes, What It Costs, and the Mistake That Doubles the Bill
A complete four-window power window conversion runs about $580 to $1,300 depending on the platform. Here is what belongs in a real kit, where the switches should go, what goes wrong on the install,...
Who Actually Installs Flush-Mount Glass, and What It Costs
National windshield chains will not touch flush-mount glass on a classic, and it is a business problem rather than a technical one. Here is who to call instead, the five questions to ask before you...
Why Fiberglass Door Panels Are Worth It, and What Cheap Door Panels Actually Cost You
Hand-laid fiberglass door panels cost more than ABS or hardboard reproductions. Here is the honest breakdown of what you actually get: less road noise, no warping in summer heat, a rigid speaker ba...
The Best Pro-Touring Platforms for 2026, Ranked by the People Who Build Them
Eight platforms ranked for aftermarket depth, buy-in cost, build difficulty, and finished value. A working shop's honest 2026 list, from the C10 to the sleeper picks.
LS Swap or Keep It Original? The Honest Decision Guide for Classic Builds
The most argued question in the hobby, answered without the internet noise: when an LS swap makes sense, when originality is worth more, and the questions that decide it for your car.
The OBS Is the Next Squarebody: Why 1988-98 GM Trucks Are the Smartest Build of the Decade
The 1988-98 OBS Chevy and GMC trucks are tracing the exact path the Squarebody took ten years ago. The history, the market signals, and why the parts you need finally exist.
The Pro-Touring Steering Wheel Guide: Choosing the Right Wheel for Your Build
The steering wheel is the one part of your build you touch every second you drive. Here is how to choose diameter, dish, grip, and style, plus a look at the Sparc Industries billet wheels we carry.