"It's manual steering, manual brakes, manual transmission. This thing is a riot to drive. You're not texting and driving when you're driving this," said Craig Lopresti with a laugh. Craig, better known by his YouTube channel name TheCraig909, has owned this 1971 Ford F-100 since he was in high school. It started out as a project with his dad, but now it has transformed into a 500-horsepower tire-shredding machine powered by a NASCAR-inspired, carbureted Ford 302ci small block. In a recent episode with AutotopiaLA, Craig discusses the truck's modifications and takes it out on the streets of LA ..read more

Some work vehicles dedicate their entire lifespan to the grind of driving and hauling. While others transition from factory-fresh work trucks to pristine showpieces. The 1970 GMC panel delivery in question has been a steadfast worker for most of its existence, albeit in diverse realms of industry and purpose ..read more

All 1966 Ford Mustangs rolled off the Ford assembly lines complete with a Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) and a Data Plate. The VIN is stamped atop the driver's side engine bay wall. The Mustang data plate, which is riveted on the driver's side doorjamb, also contains the VIN. These two items provide all the details of how the Mustang was first manufactured — the Mustang's DNA if you will ..read more

The history of American muscle cars is closely intertwined with the history of another American car culture staple: NASCAR. Back in the late 1960s, cars like the Ford Torino, Mercury Cyclone, Plymouth Road Runner, and of course the Dodge Charger roared around the track in intense competitions. And as indicated by the old dealer axiom, "win on Sunday, sell on Monday," the cars that performed well also sold well to customers who were seeking high-performance street cars. This heritage inspired hot rod builder Steve Strope of Pure Vision Design to create this 1968 Charger with a 472ci Hemi V8 an ..read more

The Buick Regal is a favorite for many classic car enthusiasts, and its Grand National variant became a legend as a result of its intimidating appearance and high-performance turbocharged V6 engine. Some purists would say the turbo V6 is the heart and soul of the GN, but what happens when one of these cars is built from the ground up to go toe-to-toe with modern supercars? That's a question the Hemmings crew set out to answer as they built a supercharged-V8-powered Grand National for Grammy-award-winning rapper Killer Mike ..read more

I have had the pleasure of owning my 1978 Camaro Type LT for forty years, and recently embarked on a restoration project that brought new life to this classic beauty. With approximately 90% of the parts sourced from Classic Industries, I was able to preserve the authenticity and originality of my beloved Camaro. The process was a labor of love, meticulously restoring each detail to its former glory. Now, my Camaro shines like new, a testament to the timeless appeal of this iconic model ..read more

"When you think of an American hot rod, you think of a '32 Ford with a Chevy motor. The second biggest hot rod is probably the Tri Five Chevy, the '55, '56, and '57, with the '57 being the one everybody lusted after the most," remarked Jay Leno in a recent episode of his show Jay Leno's Garage. He continued, "For guys of a certain age, like my age, this was the cool car to have. When I was in high school, these were 10 or 15 years old and you could get them at a reasonable price." In this episode, Leno rides with John Paul DeJoria in his '57 Bel Air powered by a 750-horsepower Lingenfelter LT ..read more

Nowadays, if you are a vintage Shelby Mustang enthusiast, and you have sufficient cash to purchase a 1965-1970 Shelby Mustang, you might be most likely to simply find, test drive, negotiate, and purchase the best possible example GT350, GT500, or GT500KR that you can afford. You might not be too concerned about the Shelby's exterior paint scheme ..read more

Many classic car restoration projects focus on big tasks such as rebuilding the engine, refreshing the suspension and brakes, and preparing the body for paint. But smaller details, especially those the driver interacts with every time the vehicle leaves the garage, can't be overlooked. Door closure definitely falls into this category, since you can't enter or exit a vehicle without opening and shutting the door (unless you use the Dukes of Hazzard method). Unfortunately, many A-Body Dodge and Plymouth vehicles have metal door jamb striker posts that break loose over time, leading to doors tha ..read more

The Pontiac Firebird has one of the coolest names in automotive history and was designed with sleek aircraft-inspired styling cues to match that name. But BBT Fabrications decided to take things one step further by equipping this 1969 Firebird with enough power to achieve takeoff velocity on a mile-long runway. With its 1,400 horsepower twin-turbo V8, this Firebird practically has wings and is capable of achieving a top speed of over 200 miles per hour. The team from AutotopiaLA traveled to BBT Fab's Illinois headquarters to get a closer look at this unique build ..read more