On his way to the Kissimmee Auction this week, Cars On Line's photo journalist, Bob Boberg of eClassicAutos.com, stopped by the shop at Detroit Speed in Mooresville, North Carolina. He found them working on a 1967 Chevy II for one of their clients. Their mission was to turn a pristine V8 4-speed speed Chevy II into a daily driven street machine. It had to use the full array of Detroit Speed equipment. That means it had to be capable of racing in events such as the Ultimate Street Car Association Challenge along with One Lap of America. It will be at several Goodguys Autocross events this year just for good measure. Not too much to ask.

We first met Detroit Speed at the Goodguys Autocross competitions this year. We interviewed their driver Ryan Mathews at the Goodguys Southwest Nationals in Charlotte. Detroit Speed has been involved in building late model vehicle ride and handling into old cars just as if they were factory OEM productions. And they are good at it. Check out the before and after on this Chevy II.

Indiana holds a special place in car culture being home to the Auburn-Cord-Duesenberg Festival and the state's reputation for being home to those unique cars. Car culture runs even deeper there though as Car Collector Chronicles writer, Dave Yaros tells in the January edition of his newsletter. He details the history of the curiously unique "Octoauto" by Indiana-native inventor and lifelong car enthusiast Milton Othello Reeves. Click here to read more about this eight-wheeled oddity!

"SOLD, SOLD, SOLD," Joe wrote us when he notified Cars On Line that a 1955 Chevy Bel Air Convertible show car was no longer available. He told us to "Mark it sold." Joe said he sold the nice mild custom beauty for one of his friends. The car was located in Sheboygan, Wisconsin. On his ad page he added to the headline, "Thank you, Cars On Line." We appreciate the call out, Joe.

Joe knows why we always say: "You can advertise anywhere ... but you can sell on Cars On Line." Click this link to see what else SOLD this week on the Cars On Line website.

January is a big month for the collector car market. Two big nationally important auctions will be followed closely by our readers. The Mecum Aution in Kissimmee, Florida, January 6-15, 2017, this week will tell us a lot about the average values on collector cars. Then the Barrett-Jackson Auction in Scottsdale, Arizona comes the following week, January 16-22, 2017. These two auctions are a thermometer for the coming collector car market for 2017. Always check our Car Show Calendar to find out when and where the top collector car shows are happening.

As many of our wise readers have been cautioning us, you don't want to let the multi-million dollar sales of exotic cars fool you. It's not what the top cars sell for that tells us how the collector car market is doing. Watch the values on the "blue collar" muscle cars and '50s and '60s classic cars when you are watching the auctions. That tells you more about what the car in your garage is worth. Also review the recent Cars On Line Market Trends Report to see what average values really are.

Many classic car collectors know what it's like to find a diamond in the rough when it comes to barn finds or privately listed vehicles, but what other kinds of car memorabilia is out there? Kyle Hill at the Nerdist just wrote a fascinating article about a special rock you'll only find under the floors of old car factories. Hundreds of layers of paint formed from spray runoff pooling and drying has created some truly beautiful "rocks." Sadly, the process that created these artistic stones is no longer in use. You can still find pieces like these in the hands of gem shops and artists though. Click here to read more!

Heavy holiday promotions and unexpectedly strong sales helped propel U.S. light-vehicle sales to a second consecutive annual high. A record 17.5 million cars and trucks rolled off dealership lots in 2016, putting yearly sales up 0.4 percent over the 2015 record. Sales have now grown for seven consecutive years, an impressive streak for the volatile auto industry. The numbers have been released by WardsAuto.com. Their data center provides the most trusted numbers for new car sales.

The industry sold 1.7 million vehicles during the month of December, a 3 percent improvement over the previous year. General Motors, the nation’s largest car manufacturer, reported its total sales climbed 9.9 percent to 318,907 cars and trucks. Meanwhile Ford, the second largest U.S. automaker, reported its sales were flat at 232,048. In a press release, the company noted Ford remained America’s best-selling vehicle brand for the seventh straight year. Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) reported one of its weaker months in December. The automaker said its U.S. sales fell 10.4 percent to 190,437 cars and trucks, recording its third straight double-digit decline.   

The big Japanese automakers all posted sales gains in December. Toyota, the largest Japanese car manufacturer, said it sold 243,229 vehicles last month, a 2 percent increase from the same month in 2015. Meanwhile, Honda’s overall sales jumped 6.4 percent from December 2015 results.

An uncertain year lies ahead for the auto industry. According to The New York Times, there is little expectation that sales will continue on this upward trajectory – at least not without cutting deep into profits. Adding to the challenge is the potential for major changes in federal regulatory and trade policies by the Trump administration.

Long and low, low miles, and the perfect stance ... this 1971 Ford Torino Custom was built on a Discovery Channel TV show "Wrecks To Riches" with Barry's Speed Shop, #9 of Season 1. (Click here to watch it on YouTube.com.) Featured at the SEMA 2006, it has only 40 miles on it since the build (on and off the trailer.)

When Barry found this car on the internet it was a 6 cylinder Plain Jane with only 6,900 original miles. They couldn't beleive it. They say it was garaged for 25 years and had no rust, nice straight car.

Barry put in a 521 ci big block by Jon Barrett Hot Rod Engines; edelbrock manifold, roller cam, 4-barrel carb, 500+ hp. It has full-length headers, stainless steel Magnaflow exhaust, Currie 9" rear, C-6 transmission, QA1 shocks, Baer disc brakes and an electric fuel pump. Wheels: SRRC custom - front 19", rear 20".

Today it is being sold by a private party from Rancho Mirage, California. Celebrity car.

An extreme custom 1934 Cadillac Sedan was in the new listings this week. It is one of the excellent collector cars offered at A&E Classic Cars of New Braunfels, Texas. Our newsletter readers will want to get to know these guys. They only deal in high end custom and classic cars. But they also perform services needed by all collectors. Mechanical repair and body work are one of their specialties. Interior restoration is another.

The '34 Cadillac rides on a four-wheel Air Ride setup, with full length headers, Superflow 3” dual exhaust, a ’76 Cadillac tilt telescoping steering column with Grant Banjo style leather wrapped steering wheel and GM G body front clip with tubular A-arms. It was convertied to a 2-door by lengthening doors 6”, shortened body 12”, and chopped roof 3”. The wood structure was removed and replaced with new steel tubing. It is the kind of unique and one-off classic builds you can expect from A&E Classic Cars.

Here is a link to their inventory. Check back all weekend as they have promised us they will be adding new inventory every day.

An ultra-desirable 1986 Ferrari Testarossa is currently for sale from Streetside Classics in Tampa, Florida. According to the dealership, the two-owner exotic super car has traveled just 14,277 actual miles and comes with maintenance history, including a recent full service.

The following are more recently listed Low Miles cars:

Start the new year off right with a fun little project like this 1964 Dodge 440 Station Wagon from Phoenix, Arizona. We're told it's powered by a 383 engine and features a reversed rear seat. It also comes with its original chrome. They say it does need some transmission work as well as a front seat replacement. Make it your next project for just $3,900.

The following are just some of the cars available in the Project Car Section this week:

Don’t miss your chance to own this 1970 Plymouth AAR Cuda from Terre Haute, Indiana. According to the seller, the extremely rare Mopar wears real FM3 Moulin Rouge paint and still retains its original sheet metal. Under the hood sits a numbers matching motor (rebuilt 200 miles ago) mated to a non-matching 727 automatic transmission. Learn more when you visit the ad, and don’t forget to take a peek at the price. This week you’ll find a PRICE REDUCED tag in the ad. The seller was originally asking $89,900 for this 1970 Plymouth AAR Cuda, but today the price has been lowered to $74,900.

You'll find hundreds more PRICE REDUCED vehicles on the Price Reduced Feed today. Here are just a few:

The PRICE REDUCED ads are not the only bargains to be had in this week's listings. Click here to go to the DEAL of the DAY feature below.

A private seller from Kalamazoo, Michigan wants to find a new home for this 1964 Plymouth Belvedere. According to the ad, the vehicle has been meticulously maintained and stored in a heated shop. The professionally built engine comes with all documents regarding its build, including the dyno run time. Make it yours for just $26,500.

The following are more recently listed Muscle Car Clones:

A ground pounder 1972 Plymouth Satellite Pro Street is ready for street or strip, according to the seller from Las Vegas, Nevada. It is the hottest ride for the price among this week's new listings. It pays homage to the big block pro stock era of the late 60's and early 70's. It is powered by an original big block 440 ci motor that produces a naturally aspirated 450 hp. It's also set up with Nitrous Oxide and can produce 750 hp. The seller says it has a slapstick, runs excellent with no problems. It will be our DEAL of the DAY on Saturday. The The price is $15,000.

Ford sales were a little disappointing for 1941. So 1941 model Fords are pretty rare today. Here is a 1941 Ford 2-Dr Sedan offered by a private seller in Hays, Kansas. He says it has a Mustang front end, Ford 302 with light RV cam, Vintage air, and a CD/radio hidden in glove box. It has an old school interior and the exterior you can see in the photos. It will be our DEAL of the DAY on Sunday as the price seems more than fair at just $20,950.

It is not often that we see a British sports car built as a hot rod. But when you check out the photos of this 1959 MGA Custom from Motorcar Classics in Farmingdale, New York, you can see why it works. The MGA Coupe has great lines for a hot rod. The engine is a real Ford 428 Cobra Super Jet V8 with Tri-Power carburetion built by Richie Zul. They rate it at 600 hp. The motor is worth the price of the car alone. It will be our DEAL of the DAY on Monday because the asking price is $18,900.

The photos of this 1928 Ford Sedan reveal that the owner has had the car at its share of car shows. From the description, this seems to be more than a starter car. Yet it is priced as if it were a starter car. It is equipped with a 350/350 engine, Corvette rear end, air conditioning, cruise, tilt and Bell dropped axle. Although it is said to be a very nice car, it has been in storage for many years. That always means it will need some TLC. It is in need of some paint work. It will be our DEAL of the DAY next week. The asking price in the ad is $19,000.

Few cars in our history are as beloved as the Chevy Impala. Here is a 1964 Chevy Impala 2-Dr Hardtop which has been in the same family since it was new. The present owner is the grandson of the original owner. This is a recently restored Impala with a 283 ci engine with a 2-barrel carb, automatic transmission and 57,161 original miles. The seller says it is a clean car, worth your effort to inspect. Check out the photos and see if you don't agree. It will be our DEAL of the DAY next week as the price is really right ... at $16,500.

Mopars were so hot in 2016 that you really don't expect to see one this nice for the price. Streetside Classics in Tampa, Florida is offering a 1966 Dodge Coronet Convertible that really looks good in the photos. Click thru to the ad to see dozens of detailed pics. This Dodge 440 model comes with a 273 ci V8 small block motor. Streetside says it believes the engine is original to the car. Can you tell from the photos? They say it is super clean and comes with a Certi-card. You really want to have it inspected to see if it is as nice as it looks. It will be our DEAL of the DAY with a price of $17,995.

Gateway Classic Cars in Tampa, Florida also has a low priced jewel in their inventory. They listed this 1998 Harley FXST Softail this week for just $10,500. It deserves to be our DEAL of the DAY in the coming week ... that is, if it lasts that long. It has a V Twin rated at 56 horsepower, and hooked up to a smooth shifting 5-speed manual transmission with a belt driven rear so you don't have to mess with any pesky chain issues. Click this link to view a walk-around video of this great Harley ride. They say it is ready to ride. It looks great too, with dozens of photos to view in the ad.