1951 Chevrolet Truck - Just a Hobby

Bob Matranga's ’51 Chevy Pickup

While growing up, most kids can easily identify their fun time from anything else, especially because they've come up with names for it like "recess" or the more direct "playtime." But, as anyone with a mortgage can tell you, things change and soon less and less of your waking hours are spent in the fun zone.

But there are those who manage to still have fun in their lives—people like Bob Matranga. Bob, a 72-year-old contractor from Newport Beach, California, has always been interested in cars and in 1950, when he was just 12 years old, bought his first car: a Model A Ford for only $25.

Over the next 60 years Bob's interest in cars never waned. He's owned quite a few and along with his son, Kent, started building a few. When Kent was 14, they bought a '34 Ford pickup to fix up, which Kent drove to high school on his 16th birthday and eventually sold in 1979.
In 2003 Bob was working on completing a '55 Chevy Bel Air post project, and had it at Rex Buxton's shop in nearby Irvine. When he would drop by to discuss the progress being made on the '55, he noticed another vehicle going together at the same time: a 1951 Chevrolet truck for another customer of Buxton's.
The truck's factory chassis had been upgraded with a RideTech airbag suspension with QA1 shocks on each corner, and Wheelsmith chrome 'n' black smoothies (15x8 and 15x10) were wrapped in Goodyear rubber. The drivetrain featured a rare, limited-edition ZZ430 engine (430 horsepower, 430 lb-ft of torque) coupled to a 4L60 transmission, and bodywork included adding Suburban wheelwells and subtle changes to the fenders to make the truck look like it sits lower. Painted with Tuxedo Black PPG paint by Eagleton's Custom Paint in Huntington Beach, the exterior is complemented by a two-tone gray houndstooth leather interior stitched up by Gabe's Custom Street Rod Interiors in San Bernardino, California.

It was being built with the same care and attention to detail as his '55, and each time he visited the shop he'd check out the truck, too. The truck got finished before his '55 did, and Bob soon learned the owner was out winning trophies and awards with it. So it was a bit of a surprise when, after a little while, Matranga learned the truck had been put up for sale (the owners were separating and the wife was selling it).

Though he hadn't thought of buying a truck when he got up that morning, he'd certainly been aware of the quality put into the build, so he made an offer on it. After a bit of haggling, a price was agreed upon, and the Matranga's had another stellar vehicle in their stable. As their collection grew, it was apparent they needed to hire a qualified individual who could help maintain and/or build the cars, and they were able to hire Paul Hattrup, the fabricator from the shop who had done the work on the '51 truck.
While on the hunt for more vehicles, Bob had always kept an eye out for the '34 truck he and his son had built more than 30 years ago and, in 2007, was able to track it down in Utah. Without telling Kent, Bob negotiated with the owner to sell it and, after a bit of wheeling and dealing, was able to secure the vehicle and give it back to his son. It turns out in all that time very few miles had been recorded with it and it still had the interior that Kent's grandmother (who ran Taylor's Trim Shop in Costa Mesa, California, for years) had installed in the truck!

So even though the Matranga garage is full of beautiful award-winning muscle cars and street rods, Bob hasn't slowed down or changed his opinion about building, owning, and driving hot rods. After all, he's still the 12-year-old kid who, to this day, really enjoys his hobby. Even though we know this won't be the last vehicle to come from Matranga, we can easily guarantee the next one will be just as nice!

1951 Chevy
Bob Matranga
Chassis
Frame: factory '51 Chevy
Rearend: Currie 9-inch
Rear suspension: four-link, RideTech air bag w/QA1 adjustable shocks
Front suspension: 2-inch drop spindles, RideTech air bag w/QA1 adjustable shocks
Front wheels: Wheelsmith smoothie 15x8
Rear wheels: Wheelsmith smoothie 15x10
Front tires: Goodyear 235/60-15
Rear tires: Goodyear 295/50-15
Drivetrain
Engine: ZZ430 crate (#59)
Valve covers: numbered ZZ430
Manifold / Induction: GM high-rise from Street & Performance / Holley 780-cfm carb
Headers: ceramic-coated Sanderson
Exhaust: 3-inch ceramic-coated
Transmission: upgraded 4L60

Body
Style: pickup
Modifications: bed floor raised 3 inches, tubbed wheelwells
Fenders front / rear: rotated and tops modified
Bodywork and paint by: Eagleton's Custom Paint, Huntington Beach, CA
Paint type / Color: PPG / Tuxedo Black
Taillights: '37 Chevy
Outside mirrors: SO-CAL Speed Shop swan

Interior
Gauges: stock redone by US Speedometer
Air conditioning: Vintage Air
Sounds: DVD player, 1,000-watt amp, Polk speakers
Wiring: Painless Wiring 18-circuit by Paul Hattup
Steering wheel: Billet Specialties banjo
Seats: Glide Engineering
Upholstery by: Gabe's Custom Street Rod Custom Interiors, San Bernardino, CA
Material / Color: leather / black and gray
Carpet: black wool