1975 Chevy Monte Carlo, “Blue Monte”

Jesus “Chuy” Martinez and his 1975 Chevy Monte Carlo, nicknamed “Blue Monte,” are lowriding legends from Laredo, Texas.

Chuy Martinez began lowriding in the late 1970s. He joined the newly established Laredo chapter of Brown Impressions Car Club as a teenager, and quickly became the club’s president. At age 17, Chuy purchased this 1975 Monte Carlo and began a decades-long customization of the car into the iconic “Blue Monte.” Modified into a convertible in 1990, the car has evolved many times over the years. Its sparkling blue paint and geometric patterns have gone through three major paint jobs — all done by the legendary Leal Brothers of Corpus Christi. When the car was first featured in Lowrider Magazine in 2002, the crushed velvet interior was bright orange. In 2012, when it won second place at Lowrider Magazine’s Las Vegas Super Show, its interior was canary yellow trimmed in blue. Its finishing touches include mirrored doors and center console, generous engraved gold plating, gold Dayton wire wheels, and 5.20 Lowrider Series wide whitewall tires.

Car and owner have won countless awards at car shows over the years — from Best Full Custom to Best Metal Engraving to Best Lowrider of All. Over time, the car’s features have only gotten better, which is one of the main goals of the car show circuit — to inspire and encourage owners to create cars that push the limits of what a car can be.