Sometimes two worlds collide to provide the inspiration for the perfect Lowrider. Such is the case for Salt Lake City's Matt Smith, who used his two-city upbringing as the motivation for creating his masterpiece, a 1961 Impala that perfectly encompasses his dual-city background. Matt was born and raised in Salt Lake City, Utah, but at 14, his family packed their bags for Las Vegas, NV, where Matt attended Bonanza High School. Matt's high school buddy, Travis, was a key figure in his Lowrider influence, as he took Matt to school in his pristine Buick Regal. The Regal had Matt hooked, especially on the one fateful day that Travis picked him up after installing a new hydraulic system. Travis hit the switch and Matt was forever intoxicated with the culture that he would soon immerse himself into. Matt was so intrigued by the hydraulics that he did some research and discovered a local store named Fat Boy Hydraulics, which held a reputation for installing the baddest systems in Las Vegas. Matt campaigned heavily to get a job at the shop, and was ultimately successful, earning the chance to work alongside his friend Nick, as the two learned everything there was to know about installing the perfect hydraulic system. At the age of 22, Matt moved back to Salt Lake City, where his Lowriding career continued.
Matt's first Lowrider was a Mini Truck, which he drove at the height of the popular mid-'90s hopping era. Matt hooked up his Nissan truck with a hydraulic setup, and began competing in different cities, taking home numerous awards and cash prizes. During his career, Matt has owned a few different hopper trucks, and has also cruised in a unique, hopper '63 Impala, which competed a few years back in the Las Vegas Super Show. Matt's goal was to one day purchase a '61 Impala, which he could rebuild with the hope of cruising the streets, while also having the car compete in the bigger car shows. He picked the '61 in a personal tribute to his old boss from Big Boys Hydraulics, who drove a mean white and black '61 Impala. After a few months of looking for a car worthy of a makeover, he found one for $3,500, which is not a bad price although there was a problem; Matt did not have the money to purchase the car. Humbly, Matt borrowed the money from the father of one of his closed friends, and rushed down to purchase the Impala. Matt was finally on his way to building his dream Lowrider!