TOP THIS

Makin’ Memories with Metal Flake

- TOM GOMEZ

WE TRAVEL HIGH AND LOW IN SEARCH OF SOME OF THE TOP TRUCKS IN THE COUNTRY, AND THEY RANGE FROM MILD TO WILD—BUT THIS ONE IS JUST WILD. We normally don’t feature lowrider-type trucks in Street Trucks, but you can’t get any more street than this classic 1950 Chevrolet 3100 aptly named, “Top This.” It takes some pride, hours of hard work and some huevos to name your ride “Top This.” (Editor’s note: Huevos is Spanish slang for, well … just look it up.)

George Reyes of Santa Maria, California, is the proud owner and the builder of this very clean ride. George has been building custom cars and trucks since the tender age of 16 when he bought a ’64 Impala for $900. We don’t know what year that was, but $900 ’64 Impalas are nonexistent in today’s world. George told us he purchased this fine 1950 3100 back in 1994 as a lien sale for $400 at an impound yard. Wow—we need to start hanging out with George. This guy seems to find all the deals.

After George got the old Chevy home, he started to tear it down and work on some ideas of what the classic Chevy would look like when finished. You know how life goes; family, kids, work and the “honey-do” list grows and grows. He tells us that once the little classic was parked in the garage, it sat untouched for 20 years. Yes, sir, you heard that right—20 years. So, what made George reach back into time and start the restoration? His daughter, of course!

Yes, folks, it seems that kids grow up over 20 years, and now that little kid who was trippin’ around the garage is now a grown teenager with a driver’s license. We guess she got tired of stumbling over the vintage metal and said it’s time to start turning wrenches. So, George blew the dust off and the build was on.