As a leader in the classic car parts industry, Original Parts Group, Inc. (OPGI) gets to work with a lot of creative people like those at auto magazines and enthusiast websites, professional car collectors, restoration shops and of course, many individual car fans too. Not a day goes by when we don’t hear from someone who is starting a new classic car related project of some sort. One of the more interesting build projects we are participating in this year…
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…
New 2014 summer sale catalogs from OPGI now available with savings up to 30%! Original Parts Group Inc., the industry’s leading supplier and manufacturer of restoration and high-performance parts for classic GM cars, now offers five new 2014 summer sale parts catalogs that are available online and feature thousands of in-demand restoration parts and accessories up to 30% off their regular price. (more…)
The U.S. Senate working in conjunction with the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) and its Automotive Restoration Market Organization (ARMO) and Hot Rod Industry Alliance (HRIA) councils, have announced that the U.S. Senate has passed Senate Resolution 493 (S. Res. 493) designating July 11, 2014 as the fifth consecutive “Collector Car Appreciation Day.” The date marks the commemoration of a relatively new nationwide event designed to raise awareness of the important role automotive restoration and collector cars play in American…
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…
A recent update from the California Division of Motor Vehicles regarding the state’s Legacy License Plate Program should make owners of vintage iron dating from 1963 to 1969 very happy. The California DMV has received the mandatory minimum 7,500 pre-orders necessary to kick start the production and distribution of retro-styled, black with yellow character license plates. The black plates were originally issued in the state between 1963 and 1969, and owners of cars from that era will probably be the…
Classic car enthusiasts have taken many different approaches to building, restoring and maintaining vintage iron in order to keep older cars on the road today. Although it seems most enthusiasts are content to restore their vintage cars back to original factory specifications, there are also those who feel the need to “improve” their cars a bit and it is not totally unusual that some would desire to put a modern chassis and drivetrain underneath the skin of an otherwise vintage…
As most classic car enthusiasts enjoy studying the history of the automobile and the people who built them, the name Henry Leland should be a lot more recognizable today than it probably is. This becomes apparent when one considers that Henry Leland founded both of the two biggest American luxury car brands that exist today. Although many students of early General Motors (GM) history might remember that Leland was the man responsible for creating the first Cadillac, fewer will likely…
Reports of a new smart phone application designed to help classic auto enthusiasts determine the “correct” price to pay for a vintage vehicle have been popping up around various news sites on the Internet lately. The new app is called “The Fuelist” and its parent company is identified as The Chancellor Group, described as a conglomerate that owns various oil, gas, technology and media properties. The Fuelist app is aimed at individual auto enthusiasts as well as collectors and investors…
Ten years (and a few weeks) ago, the last Oldsmobile rolled off the assembly line at General Motors Corp.'s Lansing Car Assembly plant. Oldsmobile was named after founder Ransom E. Olds, the man who started the Olds Motor Vehicle Co. back in 1897, making Oldsmobile the oldest automotive brand name in the U.S., and second oldest in the world only to the Daimler nameplate in Europe. The Olds Company became part of General Motors (GM) in 1908 when it joined…
