1969 Chevrolet Camaro SS396 Convertible

Owner: Bill DeBlasio (since 1986)

What makes it interesting: "It's got a big block (engine). It's a convertible. It's mint. It's clean. It's fast. It's loud . . . very loud. It has some pretty rare options, like a power convertible top, 8,000-RPM tachometer, factory air conditioning, four-wheel disc brakes, and a tilt steering column."

Where he found it: "I found it in Newsday's classified section in August 1986."

Condition: "We actually restored it twice. The first time was in 1986-88 with the little money I had in college. . . . Then, by 1999, some of the floorboards were getting creaky and it was time to fix it up. What started as a quick 'repair the floorboard' project turned into a nine-and-a-half-month frame-off restoration."

Tip: "My advice is to buy someone else's finished project . . . If you can't do most of the work by yourself, be prepared to spend big bucks."

Value: It's worth $65,000 to $70,000. The original sticker price was $4,905.35.

Comments: "The Camaro is like a member of the family. It's been around (and survived) my getting married, buying a house, having three children, and doing a lot of construction on our house."