Body Panel Manufacturing
Classic Industries builds its own reproduction sheetmetal in-house and utilizes state-of-the-art technology to R&D body panels accurately and quickly. Vogt says that the most common method of creating new tooling is by reverse-engineering an existing N.O.S. panel. Thanks to modern technology, the entire process can be completed in a week. "With something like a door skin, we first digitize it with a laser scanner or a touch probe, which creates a 3D image in our computers," he explains. "Then we take a block of foam and cut a recess into it with CNC machine to shape it just like the door. That foam piece is then put in a steel casing and packed with sand. Next, metal is poured into the casing, which vaporizes the foam and leaves you with the new tooling."
Project Cars
Classic Industries has built several high-profile in-house project cars, which have been featured in various magazines. Of course there's the obvious benefit of media exposure, but Vogt says that the process of building a car ultimately benefits the company's customers. "You always learn a lot when building things hands-on, and by doing so we're often able to pass on information to manufacturers we work with on how to improve parts fitment," he says. "Project cars also give us new ideas on the types of products we can add to our product line. We had our upholstery man make leather covers the emulated a Camaro pattern for some Scat seats we installed in one of our trucks. He also made a matching set out of vinyl for the factory rear seats. We liked the way that they looked so much and got such a great response to them, that we're probably going to end up mass-producing them for our next catalog.
Performance Parts
Most people recognize Classic Industries as a restoration parts supplier, but might not be aware that it also carries a full line of performance parts from Edelbrock, Holley, GM Performance Parts, Comp Cams, MSD, and others. "Our goal is to be a one-stop shop for all of our customers' needs," says Vogt. "Performance parts manufacturers have done a great job with their pricing structures, which allows us to be very competitive with our pricing. Plus, with the shipping breaks and additional volume discounts we offer, customers are starting to take advantage of the opportunity to buy all of their restoration and performance parts from one vendor. So while we don't carry all of the performance parts out there, we do have the most popular ones."
Inspecting For Rust
In an age when it's getting harder to find rust-free cars, even in hotbeds like California and Arizona, it's more important than ever to thoroughly inspect a potential project car before buying it. Checking the floors, trunk pan, and lower quarters and fenders is pretty standard practice, but Vogt informs us that it's the places you can't readily see with the naked eye that can really come back to bite you. "It's always better to spend more money on a nicer car up front because it will always be cheaper in the long run, especially if you build it yourself," he says. "Don't fall in love with a car before you know what it is, or get tempted to jump on something right away just because you think it's a good deal. At only $250 at Home Depot, a boroscope is one of the best investments you can make. It's great for looking in places where you can't see, like under the cowl and inside the quarters."