SP Rides: Trucking It On A Thriftmaster
PHOTOS BY JERRETTE KAMAKA
OWNER – Al Guzman
YEAR – 1950
MAKE – Chevrolet
MODEL – Thriftmaster 3100
ENGINE – 350 CID Chevy, Edlebrock 4-barrel carburetor, Edlebrock aluminum intake, 327 camel back head, flow master baffles, custom dual exhaust
DRIVETRAIN – Automatic turbo 400, Aftermarket trans cooling system, Corvette IRS rear axle
SUSPENSION – Straight front axle, IRS
WHEELS – Front disc brakes
ELECTRONICS – GM HEI distributor
INTERIOR – Custom tuck & roll interior and tunnel cover by Al’s Upholstery of Waipahu, Converted Pontiac locking steering column
STEREO – Audiovox AM/FM Cassette
EXTERIOR – Roy’s Glass, Custom paint by
Car enthusiasts and independent repair shops are aware of the effort by manufacturers to prevent them from working, repairing or modifying anything on their own or customer automobiles. The Auto Alliance is lobbying Congress to have car manufacturers covered under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. This would mean that no one other than a certified car dealership would be allowed to work on any late model vehicle with Original Equipment Manufacturer software.
All of this hi tech mumbo jumbo, however, has little if any effect on the classic hot rod community, which includes rides like this 1950 5-window Chevrolet Thriftmaster 3100 pickup truck.
“I’ve lost count of how many cars I’ve owned, but it is more than 20 since I moved to Honolulu in 1966,” said the truck’s owner, Al Guzman, a retired roofer. “I usually do the work myself, but some stuff I gotta take to a shop — like the camel back heads … the candy gold paint job … and the upholstery.”
Guzman reminisced about growing up in Guam and becoming a car enthusiast after detailing his uncle’s 1966 Crown Victoria. Seeing all kinds of automobiles brought in by military personnel stationed on the remote island helped shape the list of cars he would soon own.
“Before this I had a 1951 Chevy pickup that I was working on, and it needed a lot of work — like (to) the brakes,” said Guzman. “It still had drum brakes all around, so at least the front end needed to be converted to disc brakes. And then a friend who had this 1950 Chevy pickup asked if I wanted to buy this truck.”
Without batting an eye, Guzman sold his 1951 truck to a Big Island guy and turned around to purchase the ride that graces this week’s issue. At the time the truck still required modifications, but it was a lot less work than the truck he had just sold. The biggest job left on this truck was getting it painted.
“I’ve wanted this truck for over 20 years,” describes Guzman. “My favorite part of this truck is the five windows. The extra rear windows eliminates the blind spots. And next I’m going to finish the bed with diamond-cut sheet metal.”
Last year while in Vegas, Guzman had a lucky streak and hit the jackpot. Unlike some people who pour their winnings back into the slot or card games, Guzman had a vision of seeing his 1950 5-window Thriftmaster 3100 pickup truck in a brand new coat of paint. Smartly, he chose to sink his winnings into painting the 65-year-old pickup. And unless a 1941 Mercury falls into Guzman’s lap, he plans to keep this ride for a very long time.
