After years of working in the mortgage business, Scott Shinn and his wife Candi had a desire to abandon the corporate life and do something different. While driving along parts of the old Route 66 highway on vacation, the couple from North Carolina thought “Wouldn’t this be an awesome journey in a classic car, just the way it would have been 50 years ago?” It didn’t take the Shinns much time to realize that no such opportunity existed unless you…
Most anyone who has driven a car knows that when the “idiot lights” on your dashboard light up, it is never a good thing. Although the “idiot lights” are designed to inform the driver that there is a problem with the car’s mechanical or electrical systems, when one or more such warning lamps actually do light up, the lamps do not give any data on exactly what the problem is. The “idiot light” that is probably the most familiar to…
[gallery ids="1099,1100,1101,1102,1103,1104,1105"] General Motors enthusiast and OPGI Customer Erick Sanchez of Seal Beach, California lives very near the Original Parts Group headquarters, so it makes sense he would take advantage of that proximity when it came time to restore his 1971 El Camino. In Erick’s own words he admits that “OPGI parts made it all happen!” Erick purchased so many parts at OPGI so often that he nearly became a regular fixture in the showroom during the two years it…
Although January 2015 finds much of the nation still covered in freezing temps and snow, the inclement weather will soon give way to the warmer months of spring and summer and many of the classic cars that have been in hibernation over the winter will start hitting the roads again. The warmer months are also prime time for car shows around the country. In some areas the car show season will be upon us in just a few months, as…
[gallery ids="1060,1055,1056,1057,1058"] OPGI Customer Kenneth Paul Strawser of Downey, California purchased this classic big-block 1970 Monte Carlo SS in 2010 with the intention of building a fully restored show car. About two years and $30,000 later, his goal was met. Today, Paul’s Monte Carlo can often be seen on the streets and is a regular at various shows in the Southern California region. (more…)
[gallery ids="1015,1016,1017,1018,1020,1019,1021,1022,1024,1011,1025,1026,1028"] The story behind Shannon Foster’s immaculate 1965 Chevelle SS might be titled “A Tale of Two Family Projects,” but that would be inaccurate, as only one Foster family project (the car) was ever really completed and the other project (kitchen remodel) is still ongoing. As Shannon tells the story, he once had a different '65 Chevelle Malibu SS back in 1979 when he and his future wife were first dating in his high school days. “Life happened”…
[gallery ids="994,989,990,991,992"] The OPGI Customer Car presented in this Spotlight is yet another prime example of a classic 1965 Chevrolet El Camino. Although the Customer Spotlight car featured here in September was an El Camino from the California coast, and the clean black ’65 pictured this month hails from the high country in Flagstaff, Arizona, both have been restored to near factory original specs with a healthy dose of OPGI parts. (more…)
[gallery ids="949,953,952,951,956,957"] The OPGI Customer Car presented in this Spotlight is a near perfect example of what might be one of the most popular El Camino variants among collectors and enthusiasts today. Richard Mazzetta of Woodland Hills, California owns this beautiful turquoise 1965 El Camino that has been restored (with plenty of OPGI parts) to near factory original specs both inside and out. Sporting a 283 Chevy small block and Muncie M-20 4-speed, Richard’s El Camino is a perfect…
There are few aspects of car restoration that are more satisfying than returning a worn-out interior to its original factory fresh appearance. One area of interior restoration that has always been of prime importance is the appearance and function of a classic car’s center console. Serving as an interior centerpiece and housing for the shifter, the console is both highly visible and an essential control component. It is also one area of the interior that can really look outstanding when…
The Chevelle, Monte Carlo and El Camino of the early 70s are among the most popular GM A-bodies ever produced, and when ordered with the Super Sport (SS) performance and appearance option packages, those three vehicles represent some of the most desirable and valuable muscle cars ever produced. When it comes to restoring and upgrading any of these great early 70’s classics, it is not surprising that many owners would prefer to fit their cars with SS option parts. Thanks…
