Grand Junction, Colorado – A crew of teenagers just turned a rusty 1953 Chevy 3100 into a 650-horsepower restomod monster, and it’s heading to Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale on January 24, 2025. The truck is the star of Kustom Build Cars, a seven-year-old non-profit program that takes kids with grease under their nails and turns them into employable technicians before they can even legally drink.
From Barn Find to Barrett-Jackson Block
Jack Weaver, owner of Acme Chop Shop and founder of Kustom Build Cars, hand-picks students from across the country every year. For six intense months they live and breathe one vehicle. This year’s canvas: a forgotten 1953 Chevy 3100 pickup.
The transformation is brutal. Students drop in a supercharged LT4 crate engine, bolt it to a Roadster Shop Spec Series chassis, stitch custom leather interiors, lay flawless paint, and fabricate every bracket by hand. When the truck finally fires up and rolls out gleaming under the Colorado sun, Weaver says the mood in the shop flips instantly.
“They’re dead tired, beat up, ready to quit,” Weaver told reporters last week. “Then they hear it run or see it shine, and everything changes. That’s the moment they fall in love with the trade for life.”
Real Skills, Real Jobs, Zero Student Debt
The automotive industry is starving for talent. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects 73,000 automotive technician jobs will open every year through 2032, yet shops can’t fill seats. Kustom Build Cars is part of the answer.
Graduates leave with:
- Professional-level welding and fabrication tickets
- Paint and body certification experience
- Engine build and chassis setup portfolios
- Direct job placement assistance nationwide
Weaver says every single student who has finished the program is now working in the industry, from local hot rod shops to high-end restoration houses in California and Texas. Some have already been flown out for final interviews before the truck even hits the auction block.
Barrett-Jackson Moment Changes Everything
On January 24, the 1953 Chevy will cross the famous Barrett-Jackson stage in Scottsdale, Arizona. Every dollar it hammers for goes straight back into the program: next year’s build and full or partial scholarships for the 2026 class.
Past Kustom Build Cars creations have brought strong money at no-reserve, charity-focused auctions. This LT4-powered 3100 is expected to crush those numbers thanks to its modern performance and classic looks.
For the students watching from the grandstands or on the live stream, seeing their truck sell for six figures is the ultimate paycheck. It’s proof their blood, sweat, and late nights were worth it.
Turning Passion Into Paychecks
In an age when teenagers are told the only path to success is a four-year degree and mountain of debt, Kustom Build Cars is writing a different story. These kids clock out of high school on Friday and clock into a professional shop on Monday, earning while they learn the craft they already love.
Jack Weaver’s mission is simple: give kids a shot at doing what they love for a living. Seven years in, the results speak louder than any commencement speech.
The 1953 Chevy 3100 is more than a truck. It’s a rolling resume, a scholarship fund, and living proof that the trades are still the fastest way for a passionate kid to build a real career.
What do you think: are programs like this the future of American skilled trades? Drop your thoughts in the comments and tell us if you’d bid on this student-built beast.
