The ’70s was an incredible period of time. Culturally, many historians have said that the ’70s was responsible for shaping much of modern America culturally, but that’s a whole other discussion. Now when you look at the ’70s from a design perspective, it was responsible for delivering some cool nostalgic flavor. From electronics to cars, furniture to art, the ’70s was a period of time that delivered true, unadulterated expression. There was no one worrying about “resale” value or “industry standards” and it was a time when lead-based paints and open expression were encouraged and practiced.

That said Juan Carlos Sosa from the San Fernando Valley wanted to bring back lowrider styling from the ’70s and his platform of expression was a 1975 Impala Glasshouse. “I always wanted a classic car, and I wanted to bring back the styling and paint schemes that were seen in the ’70s,” the Stylistics Car Club member says. He further explains, “My goal was to build a quality ’70s show car because there weren’t enough people showing or building them.”

So how did this project get started? Well, after getting word someone was ready to abandon a Glasshouse project, which was just out of paint, Juan took a trip to inspect the car, and after handing off $6,000 he wound up coming home with a car that both him and his brother would spend the next three years building.

When you look at the massive amounts of chrome, gold plating, and engraving, it becomes clearly evident that this build was truly a labor of love. In addition, he originally had a hard time sourcing parts because of a lack of demand for ’70s car parts, but he was able to connect with Mike Lopez from Glasshouse Connect, who helped him acquire many of the necessary parts.

As with any lowrider build, he said that the most challenging part (aside from finding parts) was to find a painter that was willing to come down and paint the firewall and under belly—but then again that shouldn’t come as a surprise. Painters have long been referred to as the prima donnas of our industry. But then again, what else would you expect, they’re artists and it’s just a part of the process, so it’s a frustrating experience that we’ve just gotten used to.

The deep and illustrious hues found all throughout the car take precedence on this build and it creates a rich shell that houses an equally intricate engine bay. With the hood open, one would be hard pressed to not just sit and stare at all of the attention to detail, and to be honest it would almost seem like a cardinal sin to drive the car. There are layers and layers of chrome, gold, and custom engraving that adorn the engine and those same intricacies extend through the exterior of the car, with patterns flanking the entire car. The hood and trunk are art pieces in and among themselves. They are intricate, perfect in symmetry and while it won’t be everyone’s cup of tea, it sure does deserve the attention and respect it gets. During it’s first unveiling during the 2012 LOWRIDER Super Show, the Impala, which he calls “75Glas” landed a Second Place win and he’ll be the first to admit that this build was a labor of love that drained his pockets more than just a few times.

With a mysterious presence, the car oozes a dark and rich flavor that speaks volumes about craftsmanship. It’s a sympathetic restoration that Juan says he wishes he did as a frame-off restoration on, but it’s a quality build that speaks, breathes, and oozes the rich cultural style of the ’70s.

Congratulations on a mission accomplished and a job well done.

1975 Chevrolet Impala

Vehicle Nickname
75Glas

Owner
Juan Carlos Sosa

City/State
San Fernando, CA

Club
Stylistics SFV Chapter

Engine
350 with Edelbrock Endurashine intake/four-barrel carburetor and yellow top Optima Battery. Speedy’s Metal Polishing in Long Beach, CA, engraved, chromed, and gold plated all the engine parts.

Body/Paint
Juanito Nunez of Southgate, CA, installed the 42-inch moonroof. Ricardo of RM Customs in Los Angeles used House of Kolor paint on the Glasshouse. Gilbert “Puke” Gonzales added the murals and LG Pin Striping added the lines and leafing.

Suspension
J&M Hydraulics in Pacoima, CA, installed the engraved, chromed, and gold Pro-Hopper whammy pump with hard lines, Delta dumps, and four yellow top Optima batteries.

Interior
Zunigas Upholstery in Northridge, CA, used leather and sway to do the upholstery in the Glasshouse. Interior modifications include 1996 Infiniti seats/center console, molded dash, replacing original gauges with Bosch gauges, and handles with Lokar ones.

Sound
Kenwood deck, two Sound Stream amps, Kicker mids, and two JL Audio 10-inch subwoofers

Wheels/Tires
13×7 double gold 72-spoke Daytons in Premium Sportway 5.20s

The post This ’75 Impala Glasshouse is Bringing Back the ’70s Flavor appeared first on Lowrider.

After me and Beto’s experiment with Cajun shrimp and crab we had a craving for some dessert. Luckily for the two of us I saw an Afters Ice Cream across the parking lot from the Kickin’ Crab.

The brainchild of Westminster-natives, Andy Nguyen and Scott Nghiem, Afters Ice Cream is a frozen food phenomenon sweeping the LA and OC areas. Featuring a variety of original ice cream flavors, the thing that distinguishes Afters from other dessert places isn’t their ice cream but their Milky Buns, a glorious ice cream sandwich consisting of a doughnut filled with your choice of ice cream and toppings.

After taking his first bite, Beto described his Milky Bun as a “flavor explosion in his mouth.” For newcomers the first bite of a Milky Bun can be quite an experience. The taste of the doughnut mixed with the taste of the ice combined with the fact that the doughnut is warm and toasty yet the ice cream is still cold makes for a unique sensation that makes every bite as satisfactory as the one before it.

For more information on Afters Ice Cream including a list of their locations check out their website at www.aftersicecream.com.

The post Afters Ice Cream Milky Buns appeared first on Lowrider.

For the sixth straight year, Royal Legacy Car Club held their annual show at the La Onda Dance Club in Dade City, Florida. With hundreds of custom cars filling every inch of the grounds, the heat was definitely in the forecast. Lowriders from as far as Atlanta and all the way to Miami were in attendance to get their bragging rights to the hottest cars and clubs. Jim Browne Chevrolet was the main sponsor, as well as Del Carmens restaurant.

Promoter Jose and Adrian Moya wish to thank everyone who came out to support the lowrider show and enjoyed a day in the sun along with good food and music. The help from their Royal Legacy family ensured that the Royal Legacy Lowrider Show was successful. Two sponsors donated bicycles for a girl and boy, and they played games to see who would win. “The purpose is to involve the youth into our culture,” Jose tells LRM, “without them, we won’t have a future for these shows.” The 7th Annual Royal Legacy show is scheduled for March 2017.

The post Royal Legacy’s 6th Anniversary Lowrider Show appeared first on Lowrider.

One of the most important upgrades that you can do to your lowrider is a brake system upgrade. Not only does it make the whole driving experience much more pleasurable, but, more importantly, it helps protect your investment and all of its occupants by giving the driver more control over the vehicle.

This month we decided to visit our friends at ABS Power Brake Inc. to see what they have to offer the Lowrider community. ABS has been around for many years, constantly developing different types of steering and braking upgrades for any and all vehicles. They can also rebuild original equipment to even better than factory specs if that’s the direction you are going with your build. ABS Power Brake Inc. offers the standard vacuum booster setups, and they also have hydraulic power assist master cylinder systems that are plumbed into your power steering pump system. Both of these systems provide ample stopping power, but for this particular install we decided to utilize their electric hydraulic power assist system.

Each of the power assist systems that ABS offers has their own subset of positive characteristics. We opted for their electric hydraulic system because it allowed us to mount the electric pump anywhere on the car that we desired. All we had to do is make sure that the reservoir could gravity feed the pump and also the master cylinder. If we so desired we could have even mounted the pump in the trunk of the car with its own reservoir and just plumbed the 3/16-inch hardline back up front to the rear-most port on the master cylinder. So versatility is a key feature with this system, along with the fact that there are less hydraulic lines in the engine compartment than with the standard hydraulic power assist systems that run off the power steering pump. With the electric hydraulic system you have the advantage of high-pressure output from your master cylinder but with a softer brake pedal feel than the standard hydraulic power assist.

The bolt-on disc brake systems that ABS Power Brake Inc. offers definitely makes it easy for any do-it-yourselfer to perform this upgrade in a weekend. The master cylinder and bracket assembly ABS engineered took the place of the factory original power brake Treadle Vac system very easily. Another feature they have engineered into this bolt-on upgrade is changing the stock 1:1 pedal ratio to the correct ratio to allow for more leverage with a cantilever arm. More leverage equals more stopping power.

1. Stock drums about to be removed for a major upgrade.

2. We removed the dust cap and spindle nut so the drum could come off and reveal the mounting hardware for the backing plate.

3. Just four bolts and the whole backing plate comes off without having to disassemble all the springs and retainers for the brake shoes.

4. With the stock drum brakes out of the way, we can start installing the brackets and spacers for the ABS power brake disc kit with the supplied hardware.

5. Now that the caliper brackets are fully installed, it’s time to turn our attention to installing the brake rotor. A supplied spacer with a machined taper needs to be installed with the taper toward the spindle so it can sit flat over the chamfer.

6. The brackets and spacers that ABS engineered will place the brake rotor and caliper in perfect alignment now and look great to boot!

7. We finally installed the rotors and calipers with the supplied hardware to wrap up this install. A noteworthy step during this install is that we did have to retain the stock reverse-threaded castle nut on the driver side since some cars have reverse spindle threads.

8. The supplied flexhoses were run through the factory tabs mounted on the frame. This ABS power brake kit really DOES come with everything!

9. Our car came with factory power brakes, which was good enough for the time, but ABS Power Brake Inc. has taken the upgrade game to a whole new level. We pulled back the carpet to reveal the mounting plate that we need to remove to access the stock Bendix Treadle Vac booster and master cylinder.

10. The smaller edge bolts were removed from the panel along with the four bigger inner bolts that attach to the booster itself.

11. With all of the bolts removed, we can now take the floor panel out and access the booster and master cylinder. Once the vacuum hoses and brake line were disconnected, the whole setup can come straight out.

12. This electric hydraulic assist master cylinder is such a great looking and compact unit. ABS Power Brake Inc. really knocked it out of the park with this one. You can mount the brake fluid reservoir anywhere you really want as long as it’s higher than the master cylinder so it can gravity feed it. As you can see it has three threaded high-pressure ports on the side, the rearmost one is to be plumbed to the electric pump. The two upper barbed fittings are the feed lines that run to the reservoir.

13. ABS designed these brackets for any vehicle with floorboard-mounted master cylinder setups. This cantilever arm is one of the key features for achieving the proper pedal ratio for maximum leverage on the master cylinder instead of the factory original 1:1 ratio.

14. And there it is all mounted up and in place like it was meant to be there! This ABS power brake master cylinder really is a tight package that allows more clearance for running exhaust around it in confined areas.

15. As you can see the electric hydraulic assist pump is small enough that it really can be mounted anywhere you want. If it’s mounted within close proximity of the master cylinder it can be plumbed into the same brake fluid reservoir as long as it is gravity fed as well. Once a location is determined you just need a 10-gauge constant power wire and a smaller keyed ignition wire to give it power and a 3/16-inch hardline plumbed to the master cylinder and you’re done! Now you’re ready to stop your lowrider on a dime with the best braking system you can buy, courtesy of ABS Power Brake Inc.

AXALTA COATING SYSTEMS PAINT TIP OF THE MONTH

The Recipe of the Best Paintjobs

The art of vehicle refinishing demands the very best products and a commitment to total customer support. Axalta continues close interactions with customers to provide them with the information they need to continuously innovate. From coating systems offering an array of custom paint colors and tints to color matching and application know-how, the refinish craft requires a blend of skills that must come together to provide a result that meets customer approval each and every time. Axalta’s refinish products range from surface preparation to undercoats, basecoats and high-gloss clearcoats that are each formulated to meet the needs of body shops operating in different climates that also coat different substrates, such as metals, plastic, and the newest composite materials.

Last but not least, Axalta’s latest third-generation waterborne coatings are designed to meet stringent environmental standards while providing better coverage with fewer coats than conventional products. When it comes to coating collateral, Axalta’s leading refinish brands are recognized in body shops around the world. If you have experienced the results in Axalta Products then this tip is not for you, but if you haven’t just yet, please go to www.axaltacs.com. Any questions regarding their quality paint products, please contact paint specialist steven.c.chaparro@axaltcs.com.

Source

ABS Power Brake Inc.
(714) 771-6549
www.abspowerbrake.com

The post Brake System Upgrade with ABS Power Brake Inc. appeared first on Lowrider.

The 2016 Lowrider Denver Super Show was just recently held at the huge National Western Complex where over 500 entries were featured. There were three floors at this spacious venue that included select areas for the Hydraulic Hop Competition and the Bicycle and Pedal Car exhibits. As usual, custom lowriders, bombs, trucks, and motorcycles were everywhere on display. There were numerous quality rides that traveled an average of 16 hours to unload their full show vehicles off of trailers and onto 20×20 jackstand displays.

Axalta Coating Systems was the proud sponsor of this show and as part of their commitment to support lowriders and the Lowrider Denver Tour Stop and Show, Axalta selects a vehicle of choice from the whole show that best defines the “Outstanding Use of Color” Award. Axalta Coating Systems are the leading provider of innovative products, services, and solutions designed to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the vehicle refinish process. From multi-colored candies, pearls, and OEM colors, the selective choice was a two-tone blue nostalgic Suburban slammed on the floor. The owner and builder was none other than Fred Perez from the Old Memories Car Club Denver chapter. This well-known schoolteacher gave us a lesson with his prized creation by thinking different when it came to choosing the right color combo to add uniqueness to his special ride. See for yourself why Axalta selected this submissive Sub as their “Outstanding Use of Color” Award choice.

The post Best Paintjob inside the 2016 Denver Super Show appeared first on Lowrider.

Lowriding is not just about cars, it’s also about family. It’s a tradition that can be passed from one generation to the next, from father to son to grandson. This is a custom that Ernesto “Lil Ernie” Acosta, now proud owner of this classic 1954 Chevy station wagon, is very familiar with. Ernie’s grandfather, Hector, bought the wagon in 1980, and passed it to his son, Hugo, who then passed it to his son Ernesto in 2014. In the late ’80s to early ’90s, Ernie’s dad had been working on building the wagon. He took it to car shows, the Pomona swap meet, and cruising on Hollywood Boulevard. In 1993, Hugo took the car to a LOWRIDER magazine super show with Lil Ernie in tow. Later that same year he crashed it and decided to rebuild it.

After the car accident, as far as Ernie could remember, the wagon was primered gray with rust on the tailgate, no motor or transmission, and in pieces. His dad would have to push the car and have Ernie steer it in order to move it. They first removed the Chevy 350 motor and installed a Chevy 250 straight-six with a 350 transmission. The motor and transmission did not fit, so they had to get mounts made and replace the original fan with an electric one. Even with all the modifications they barely fit, yet they got the car up and running in late 2007 to early 2008. Hugo then left to Texas with the wagon. While he was there, he got the body and paint finished by Braulio Rodriguez from El Paso.

Ernie could not wait to have the wagon passed onto him as his grandfather did to his dad. But when Ernie turned 17, he figured that his dad was never going to give it to him, so he decided to buy his first car: a primered 1970 Impala. Over the years Ernie had been working very hard and saved up enough money to start building his impala, but in 2014 at a Stylistics meeting, his dad surprised him with the wagon for his 21st birthday. Ernie was determined to keep the tradition alive and see the wagon cruising back on the streets, so he decided to put his Impala on hold and pour all the money into the station wagon.

Before passing the wagon to Ernie, his dad took off the hydraulics and welded all the holes for the cylinders. So the first thing that Ernie did was take it to Rick from Low Life Hydraulics to get it cut for hydraulics again. Then he took it to Efrain Arellano at Ridin Dirty Upholstery to finish the interior. Ernie had to redo all the chrome and stainless steel from the ’90s and decided to chrome the front suspension as well. Once everything was done, the challenge was putting the wagon back together again. Ernie needed some help so he asked his mom who helped him install the grille and bumpers. His club brothers—Jose, Jr., Anthony, and Chetes—helped him assemble the suspension. Anthony, Chetes, and Rudy also helped Ernie attach the back window and reassemble the back brakes.

Ernie finally had his lowrider, just like his Stylistics club brothers who he always looked up to. He enjoys hitting the streets and taking the wagon for a cruise, just like his dad did back in the ’80s and ’90s. You can see Ernie cruising on Sundays heading to Crenshaw, or on Broadway and 132nd Street representing Stylistics Los Angeles. His next project will be to finish his 1970 Impala.

Ernie would like to thank his mother, Margarita Vallejo, for helping him late at night, his grandpa Hector Acosta, and his dad Hugo Acosta for passing the wagon down to him. He would also like to thank to his club brothers Robert, George, Roger, Dave, and Tony for all their advice, not only on lowriding but on life.

1954 Chevrolet Station Wagon

Vehicle Nickname
“Old ‘N’ Kicking it”

Owner
Ernesto “Lil Ernie” Acosta

City/State
Hawthorne, CA

Club
Stylistics Los Angeles

Engine
1970 Chevy 250

Bodywork & Paint
Braulio Rodriguez

Suspension
two pumps, two dumps, two switches front and back, three batteries installed by Rick from Low Life Hydraulics

Wheels/Tires
Stock/crossbars 15×5, Coker 5.60s

Interior
Stock interior with Original-style vinyl upholstery done by Efrain Arellano from Ridin Dirty Upholstery

Sound System
Stock

The post 1954 Chevrolet Station Wagon – Passing the Torch … appeared first on Lowrider.

In high school, everyone’s got a rep; everyone is known for something. In stereotypical fashion, you may fall under one of the following categories: a jock, a nerd, a weirdo, or, perhaps, a loner. But not for Keo Sanh, he was in a category of his own.

He was known all throughout high school as a lowriding enthusiast. Students became familiar with seeing him create lowrider model cars and lowrider bicycles—and if he wasn’t building them, he was drawing them.

Fast-forward to present day and he’s taken that same love and that same passion, but he’s graduated to the next level and traded in models for the real thing.

The Impala you see here he’s owned for nearly 20 years. It’s been revamped five times over with each build exceeding the prior; and while the car has given him plenty of headaches, it’s also created many precious moments, all the while laying the foundation for some lifelong friends. But when asked how he found the car, it became one of those stories that left me wondering why I’ve never had that kind of luck.

“My friend Denny Ly spotted the car,” Keo says. As soon as his friend spotted the car he informed Keo. “He told me that the Impala had been sitting there for a long time and that it might be for sale.” At first, Keo had thought his friend had probably gotten confused with another older car, but not wanting to be left in doubt he went to check.

As luck would have it, he got to the location and there sat an ivory 1963 Impala. The car was all stock with the exception of a few odds and ends. Out of curiosity, Keo walked up to the door and asked the owner if the car was for sale. Initially it wasn’t, but since it was just sitting there, and Keo stood in front of him with an offer, the owner decided to sell it to him. In the end the owner sold it to Keo for $2,200 under the promise that he was not going to just flip it. A man of his word, Keo promised the older gentlemen his word and the deal was done. “I honored that deal and I’ve had this car since 1997,” Keo says.

As soon as he got it back home, he started on it right away. With plenty of wear and tear on the vehicle, he really had no choice but to start handling business – especially since the Impala was his daily driver. Back then, Keo would be the first to admit that his skill level, and access to resources, may have been limited, to say the least, but it wouldn’t stop him from pulling all-nighters in the backyard.

When asked about his experience building the car, he says, “I shared a lot of good times with friends and family and made a lot of priceless memories.” When asked if there was anything he’d change, he replied with a grin, “I wouldn’t change a thing, even if I could. Without the struggles in the build, I would have never met the lifelong friends that I have now and I have to thank lowriding for that.” Proof once again that lowriding has—and always will—revolve around camaraderie and respect.

1963 Chevrolet Impala

Vehicle Nickname
Lickwid Funk

Owner
Keo Sanh

City/State
Seattle, WA

Club
Eazy Duz It

Engine
With a smooth firewall Vilo and Chris of Real Time Resto dropped the TPI fuel-injected 350-crate motor with Street & Performance corvette pulley kit, K&N filter, Block Huggers headers, glasspacks, polished high-flow water pump, Accel wires, aluminum radiator with electric fan, and Optima red top battery.

Body/Paint
Pitra Poeng in Everett, WA, draped the Dupont copper and mandarin pearl on the 1963. Dave Austin and Chavo laid the striping, Wallace P. did the chrome, and Show Quality Metal Finish the gold plating

Suspension
Real Time Resto installed the three hi-low pumps, three Adex dumps with cannon plugs, nine accumax solenoids, steel tubing, and eight deep-cycle Marine batteries

Interior
Amos Quartinom of Central Family Upholstery stitched the vinyl and suede copper interior in an original pattern

Sound
Real Time Reto installed the Kenwood stereo, Rockford Fosgate amps, Sony 6.5-inch mids, Kenwood 6×9-inch mids, and Rockford Fosgate 10-inch subwoofers

Wheels/Tires
13×7 72-spoke triple gold Daytons on Premium Sportway 5.20s

The post A Forgotten Impala that Helped Build Lifelong Friendships appeared first on Lowrider.

In a little inconspicuous corner of the infamous Las Vegas Boulevard sits the city’s go-to shop for tires, wheels, and, yes, … tacos. If you’ve had the privilege of attending the annual LOWRIDER Super Show, then chances are you’ve passed by it at one point or another.

Payless Tire Shop offers everything from window tinting, mechanical work, and a large selection of wheels and tires that are all in stock, and it’s located in the same parking lot as a taco stand to dream for.

“We work on everything from lowriders to Lambos to Bentleys,” owner Ivan Valenzuela, says. He further mentions, “We’ve had some of lowrider’s top car clubs stop by.” Clubs like Highclass, Majestics, Groupe, Nokturnal, and Desirable Ones are often seen getting their cars serviced here, and as if that weren’t enough, he’s had celebrities such as legendary boxer Floyd Mayweather and Gerardo Ortiz stop by. In all, they’re a one-stop shop that can feed more than just your automotive desires.

For most getting your car serviced is not necessarily the best way to spend an afternoon. Fortunately for you, Payless Tire Shop is adjacent to a world-renowned taco stand. Voted “Best tacos in the world” and featured in several media outlets, like Telemundo, you know your taco cravings will be satisfied.

When asked about their specialties, owner Hector Nunez grinned and responded with, “We specialize in Al Pastor.” From burritos to tortas to the savory “sincronizadas,” this local hot spot offers all the traditional late-night cuisine we crave. So when you find yourself in Sin City, just look for the long line of car club T-shirts … and tell them LOWRIDER sent you.

The post Payless Tire Shop is a Vegas Hot Spot appeared first on Lowrider.

Giving credit where credit is due is a fundamental part of any successful relationship, and Kansas City knows this all too well. In an effort to show appreciation to the Hispanic community, they teamed up to create the first Chicano Arts Festival in Kansas City. In conjunction with the Mattie Rhodes Center, The Scribblers Co., and the Hispanic Education Awareness Resource Team (HEART) of Hallmark Cards Inc., this spectacular gala brought the community together to kick off a great Cinco de Mayo.

The cultural holiday began at City Hall where the mayor and his city council recognized Kansas City’s Hispanic community for their significant contributions for their cultural and ethnic diversity. As invited guests, LOWRIDER magazine was highly honored for the invitation, and once we arrived we were amidst great company and many social and community leaders. To rub shoulders with artist and poet Michael Reyes, artist/ muralist Francisco Franco, as well as artist and cofounder of Chicano Park Josie Talamantez, was both an honor and a humbling experience.

The four-day Cinco de Mayo Festival included art exhibits, lowrider processions, a car show, awards show, live music, dancing, and an all-star lineup of speaking engagements form local high school and elementary students. In all, it was a privilege just to be in attendance, and as an added bonus we were also given the opportunity to visit the Hallmark Cards headquarters, as well as the Mattie Rhodes Art gallery.

In full support of the holiday celebration were numerous lowrider car clubs from surrounding areas. The Viejitos, GoodTimes, and South Side, along with Blas Ladesma brought out an old-school ambiance, and we had a blast. We hope that this will soon become an annual event, but while we’re waiting, we’d like to send a special thanks to Aaron and Deanna Munoz, John Fierro of Matte Rhodes, Michael Alvarado photography, Steve Lupercio, and the lowrider family from Kansas City who put out a warm welcome for us.

Lastly, we couldn’t end this story without thanking Kansas City for creating such an epic event, and for giving credit and recognizing the Hispanic community for their achievements and hard work.

The post Kansas City 2016 Chicano Cinco de Mayo Festival appeared first on Lowrider.

Simply put, the 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air is often referred to as an automotive icon, and it’s with good reason. The distinct look of this classic coupe is defined by its short tailfins, headlight pods, and wrap-around windshield, but when coupled with the right color (as found here), it’s a soothing piece of automotive artistry you can stare at all day.

Used many times as a silhouette, which has become representative of the late ’50s and ’60s, this Bel Air owned by Mike D. out of San Diego, California, is simply incredible. The attention to detail on his build is bar none and we wouldn’t have expected anything less, as Mike is the owner of his own autobody shop. With a build time of only four months, this incredible piece of machinery represents not only lowrider culture but the Majestics Car Club San Diego.

Sitting pretty on a set of 96-spoke Zenith wire wheels, the stance on this ride is perfect and gets ground contact through a set of 155/80R13 Firestone tires. The structural integrity of the Bel Air frame was reinforced by ASC Speed Metal, and from there it was mated to a set of ASC Speed A-arms, along with a bevy of CPP products and Big Kids Hydraulics Coils.

Moving on inside, the perfectly revamped interior by Linoy’s Upholstery is period correct, and sports the proper embossed vinyl with the mandatory OEM cloth inserts. As your eyes span the length of the perfectly painted dashboard, the only signs of modernization are found in the digital gauge cluster.

In all, this incredible build is simple yet effective and not overly refined or customized. It has all the raw essentials to make this car a heavy weight contender, but it leaves enough of its raw factory form to show the quality of the restoration—and a prime example can be found in the trunk area. Whereas some choose to use decorative panels on the trunk setup, this raw and unadulterated build lets viewers see just how much attention to detail was spent inside and out. Again, testament to the fact that simplicity is often the key to making a truly charming build.

1957 Chevrolet Bel Air

Vehicle Nickname
Mike D’s ‘7

Owner
Mike Davey

City/State
San Diego, CA

Club
Majestics San Diego

Engine
Westside Automotive installed the OG 350 with Headman headers and Flowmaster exhaust. Miguel Aguirre wired everything after he assembled the motor.

Body/Paint
Davey Auto Body sprayed the colonial cream paint.

Suspension
ASC Speed A-arms, rack-and-pinion steering, CPP master cylinder/brake booster/tilt column four-link Toyota rearend, ASC Speed frame, Streetlife whammy pump, four switches, six solenoids, and four Interstate batteries

Interior
Dakota Digital gauges and an original cream interior kit from Ciadella that was installed by Lindy’s Upholstery.

Sound
Chuy installed the Alpine deck Beyma 6×9-inch speakers and the two 10-inch Rockford Fosgate subwoofers are cleverly hidden in the ice chest as well as a tool set.

Wheels/Tires
96-spoke Zenith with Firestone 155/80R13 tires.

The post Fully Restored 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air appeared first on Lowrider.

Makeup Artist: Liza Macawili Ramos (IG @lizamakeup)
Hair Stylist: self
Wardrobe: Blue Beach Swimwear (IG @bluebeachswimwear)

Huntington Beach fitness model Karla Marin was working at Victoria Secrets when photographer Michael Bell walked in with a model. He approached Karla about doing a photo-shoot. She had never modeled before but nonetheless she agreed to it. After a successful shoot, she decided to keep modeling and has worked with multiple photographers but has always been cautious about who she works with.

LRM: What made you agree to do the first shoot?
Karla: I was curious, I used to admire the models in magazines like Lowrider and would think to myself ‘she’s so pretty and has such a nice body’ and that’s what I wanted to be. My boyfriend at the time didn’t really like the idea but I went ahead and did it anyways and it was a good shoot.

LRM: Have you ever had any bad shoots?
Karla: I don’t think I’ve ever had a bad shoot because I screen every photographer I’ve worked with. I’ll ask other models how it was to work with them and I’ve just been very selective on who I work with because I’ve heard stories from other girls.

LRM: What do you do for fun?
Karla: I love to go to the gym, shopping and drinking coffee. I usually drink 2-3 cups of coffee’s a day. I’ll go to Starbucks but I mostly make my coffee’s at home in my Keurig. I love my Keurig because you don’t get stuck with a whole pot of coffee and you get fresh coffee every time.

LRM: Describe your perfect first date?
Karla: It would be a guy asking me out real politely. Taking me out to a nice dinner (steak and veggies), go for a walk with good conversation and then drop me off at my door. Don’t ask to come inside, just leave it at that. I’m very old school when it comes to that.

LRM: Old School? So do you consider yourself a hopeless romantic?
Karla: I think most girl are hopeless romantic, whether they just don’t want to admit it.

LRM: Where are you at right now in life?
Karla: I’m very, very happy with my life right now. I found a guy that is exactly what I want. He’s old school, like to go to the gym and eat healthy. My best friend and me are coming out with our own bikini line called Blue Beach Swimwear.

LRM: What made you start your own bikini line?
Karla: We’ve made our own bikinis before but we never thought about making them to sell. Girls would always ask us about them so we decided to start our own line and see how that goes.

We wish Karla nothing but success in her new venture and if you would like to check out her bikini line go to BlueBeachSwimwear.com

Model Name: Karla Marin
Hometown: Huntington Beach, CA
Ethnicity: Mexican
Occupation: Bridal Stylist
Height: 5’3″
Measurements: 32-26-41
Instagram: @MarinK_26

The post Karla Marin appeared first on Lowrider.

For this installment of the LOWRIDER metal fabrication shop, we decided to visit the 1980-1985 Cadillac Coupe de Ville Brougham d’Elegance Edition. A lot of guys like the look of the smaller opera window openings but do not like the idea of having to run the padded vinyl top that accompanies it. So what they do is take these smaller window opening overlay pieces, which are made of plastic, and fiberglass or epoxy these pieces onto the metal roof. At this point they have to cross their fingers that they will be able to bodywork and paint over them and not have the seams crack back through. So to permanently remedy this situation we turned to David and Greg Engle for some metal masterfulness.

We started off by taking patterns and measurements off of the stock plastic window pieces so we could start the metal shaping process. One creative liberty we did take with this upgrade over the factory design is that we noticed the side window openings had a different finished inside edge than the rear window opening. So we decided to make all the openings match for a more cohesive-looking and natural look.

After determining our plan of attack, we called up our friends at Harbor Freight Tools to get a few pieces of equipment to help us form our sheetmetal pieces. A shrinker and a stretcher would help us dial in the exact contour of the pieces to match the factory profile of the roof and windows, and an English Wheel would help us give the rear overlay piece a softer shape in the flat areas to mimic the factory piece.

Once all of the sheetmetal pieces were formed we had to weld them onto the car. For this we turned to Miller Electric Manufacturing Company for our welding needs. The rear “Limo look” overlay piece goes directly over the factory full width window so we decided to TIG-weld the panel on with our Miller Diversion 180 TIG in order to prevent any sort of spatter damaging the glass during the process. Welding it this way did require that we go slow in order to minimize warping the metal panel, but after we were done it didn’t require nearly as much grinding as a MIG weld so there’s always a trade off.

For the side “opera” window pieces we utilized our Miller Multimatic 200 for its MIG welding process. We were able to tack-weld it carefully quicker but it did require sanding to flatten out our welds. The Fleetwood Brougham d’Elegance vinyl padded rooftop happens to be a way better look other than the roof design on the regular shaped Coupe de Villes. In our opinion the vinyl top is cool, but the molded metal look allows for added paint, patterns, and or stripping. Please follow along as we go step by step for that permanent Brougham look that you can also adapt on your 1980-1984 Cadillac Coupe de Ville as well.

The stock rear Brougham window overlay piece has definitely seen better days. The cracks were glued back together so we could take proper measurements and patterns to transfer them to cold rolled 18-gauge sheetmetal.

1. Once we had our plan of attack we started cutting out pieces of sheetmetal and bent them in our sheetmetal brake. With the pieces bent to the desired angle we then used our Harbor Freight “shrinker” tool on the edge to give our straight pieces the proper arch to match the factory window. Going slow and spreading the shrinks across the whole edge prevents any kinking in the part.

2. Now that the long pieces are done we moved onto the short side pieces. This is where it gets a little tricky, after cutting the pieces to the proper shape we decided to pre-stretch the areas where the corners are going to be shaped with our Harbor Freight stretcher. Also the reason for this is once the pieces are bent they will need extra material to hammer the corners into shape and keep the panel flat.

3. We then bent the edge of the panels in our sheetmetal brake to get the straight edge. Next we had to hammer the brake out of it where it started transitioning into the corner. With the corner drawn out we then used some Vise Grips to grab and bend the corner back into a rough general shape. Since we had pre-stretched these areas it was much easier to bend these corners then use our hammer and dolly to dial in the shape.

4. Once the edges were all finished we decided to run our panels through our Harbor Freight English wheel to give the flat areas some gentle shape. We put a piece of sheet rubber on the upper wheel so it would only bend our panels in one direction perpendicular to the direction we rolled it. This process takes minimal tension on the wheels to achieve some nice results.

5. With the pieces set over the original factory plastic piece, you can see our new sheetmetal Limo window is starting to take shape.

6. Before moving forward with our rear window transformation, we taped some chip board to it in order to protect it during the preparation process and also while we did the final fitting of our new overlay piece.

7. Now that our new overlay pieces are fully welded together and metal finished, we moved onto fitting it to the car and tacking it in place.

8. With the new sheetmetal tacked in the exact position that we wanted it was time to fully weld it to make it a permanent fixture. We decided to utilize our Miller Diversion 180 TIG welder machine in order to eliminate the chance of any sort of MIG welder spatter damaging our window at all during the welding process.

9. The factory side window pieces are made of plastic, but for permanent longevity and to ensure any cracks ruining your precious paintjob the only way to go is to make them out of metal.

10. Here you can see the Harbor Freight combination shrinker/stretcher in action. By bending strips of sheetmetal based off measurements of the plastic side window frame, we had the basis of our pieces. In order to arch them we carefully shrunk the inside edge of the sheetmetal a little bit at a time across the whole edge in order to not create any kinks.

11. With all the window pieces shaped, we started tacking them together. The front edge pieces were overlapped so we could scribe a cut line and create a perfect gapless weld joint.

12. We proceeded to use our Miller TIG welder to tack weld our front edge pieces on so they wouldn’t move around during final welding.

13. After final welding we used our Harbor Freight hammer and dolly set to flatten the weld joints back out again. As you can see with a little patience the results will require minimal body filler material to be added.

14. With all of the metal shaping done now comes the fun part. We decided to MIG weld tack these pieces on with our Miller Multimatic 200 due to the irregular joining areas, but we still took the same pains with making the joints perfect before welding.

15. As you can see the results speak for themselves, we now have a permanent Cadillac Brougham d’Elegance that will never have any fiberglass cracking problems.

Sources

Miller Electric Mfg. Co.
www.millerwelds.com

Engle Brothers
englebrosfabrication@gmail.com

Harbor Freight
www.harborfreight.com

The post Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham Metal Fab Upgrade appeared first on Lowrider.

Diehard Los Angeles Lakers fan Rita Brena recently watched her basketball hero, Kobe Bryant wrap up his illustrious 19-year career. Season after season she has supported and cheered on her favorite player.

Another career that she has been following is her father’s, who has been a member of New Class Car Club for about 30 years. For a better part of that time, she has been accompanying him to car shows and helping him build his lowriding masterpieces. “New Class has been a family to me,” Rita says. So it was only natural for her to one day build a lowrider of her own. What a way to blend both her favorite things than to build a lowrider paying homage to her favorite player with the help of her dad, Jesse.

Rita’s 1962 Impala was first outfitted with a 350 Chevy small-block with upgraded cam and new 700-R transmission, along with custom Nascar-style exhaust system. From there, it was off to Jesse Brena, at New Class Shop, who covered the car in a two-stage midnight Black with Laker Purple adorning the side trim. Bugs, of Phoenix, was then called in to add accenting pinstripe lines, which flowed along the vehicle’s body lines. Zavala upholstery, in Yuma, Arizona, installed a black suede, tweed, and vinyl interior adorned with stitching of Kobe Bryant’s signature and Black Mamba snake logo embroidered into the seats and doors. A set of custom midnight black and chrome Galaxy Wire Wheels with Black Mamba logo emblems were then mounted onto 155/80-13 whitewall, radial tires. Jesse would also install the double-pump airbags special ordered from Universal Air.

“The lowriding industry is still very much male dominated,” Rita says. “And though, more often than not women’s roles are reserved and in the background, today women’s participation in this culture is no longer to be skimpily dressed and modeling in front of cars. We are active contributors in building these cars. I love when someone is admiring my car and asks who the owner is. I am privileged to say ‘Me!’ Seeing that look of surprise, especially on a guy’s face, is a proud feeling. Today women are capable of building a car just as exceptional and eye catching as any man.”

1962 Chevrolet Impala

Nickname
Black Mamba

Owner
Rita Brena

Car Club
New Class

City/State
Yuma, AZ

Engine
350 small-block with upgraded cam and 700-R transmission

Upholstery
Zavala upholstery in Yuma, AZ, installed the black suede, tweed, and vinyl interior, complete with Kobe Bryant’s signature and Black Mamba snake logo embroidered into the seats and doors.

Body/Paint
Jesse Brena at New Class Shop covered the car in a two-stage midnight black with Bugs, of Phoenix, adding accenting pinstripe lines

Suspension
Double-pump airbags by Universal Air installed by Jesse in Yuma, AZ

Wheels/Tires
Custom midnight black and chrome Galaxy Wire Wheels with Black Mamba logo emblems mounted onto 155/80-13 whitewall, radial tires

The post Rita Brena’s 1962 Chevrolet Impala appeared first on Lowrider.

After losing her son, she gave it all up in more ways than one.

Done in conjunction with Quaker State and Shell, our Roll Models Series has become a global hit. Created to highlight the overshadowed virtues of lowriding, this series was intended to shed light on the tastemakers and influencers of the lowriding world.

Beyond the chrome, murals, and miles of pinstriping are not only historic vehicular platforms, but also historic drivers who contribute to society on multiple levels. From doctors to social influencers, we share their most private stories and take a deeper look into what not only drives them but fuels their passion for life, love, camaraderie, and lowriding.

Each story takes a deeper look into the owner profile of each vehicle and this one here is no different. A story of pain, triumph, and recovery, this heart-wrenching story speaks volumes about the everlasting love a parent will forever have for their child. It’s a heartfelt piece that’s bittersweet, and an episode that proves that our body is merely a vessel for our souls and that our acts of kindness and generosity will continue to live—and be embodied—by our loved ones who will carry our message.

To lose a loved one is a painful reminder of the frailty of life, but to lose a child is a punishing and surreal experience that paralyzes the soul. In reality, such a tragic event becomes an agonizing and cruel reflection of just how unfair life can be, but the Garcia family was able to turn their tragedy into triumph because there was no way there were going to give up before giving back.

Call it an act of self-healing, or self-realization, but the Garcia family decided to create a foundation that would serve as the footprint of their beloved son, Lawrence, who they called “Boo”—a moniker taken from the character “Boo Boo” from Yogi Bear. After losing a long battle with lymphoma, they realized that Boo’s body was merely a vessel for his soul, and they wanted his spirit to continue to walk with the love and kindness he so often expressed. At the time of his death he was only in his teens, but in honor of his own generosity and genuine kindness, they created “The Boo Foundation”—an organization aimed at giving back to the community.

In this episode of Roll Models, we take a look at how Margaret, along with the lowrider community, pulled together to create such a beautiful organization. It’s a heartfelt episode that touches the soul and it brings to light the power of human compassion and the camaraderie found in the world of lowriding.

The post LOWRIDER Roll Models Episode 5: Margaret Garcia appeared first on Lowrider.

Hollywood has always been known for its bright lights and movie premieres, but if you were fortunate enough to have been cruising during the late ’80-’90s you would remember it for a totally different reason. With Whittier Boulevard’s heyday steady in the rearview mirror, the infamous Sunset Boulevard was fast becoming the hot cruising spot in all of Los Angeles. We all agree that the 1964 Chevy Impala has long been considered the quintessential lowrider and each one of us remember when and where we saw our first. “For me, it was cruising down the Sunset Strip,” Chill Will, of the Devotions Car Club, says. And as many of you can relate, life would be forever changed.

After 13 years of military service and with duties of protecting his country complete, it would finally be his turn to fulfill his dream of building a 1964 Chevy Impala. Shortly after retiring to Las Vegas, the tedious task of a full frame restoration would begin. Longtime friend Mike Sakuma of Honolulu, Hawaii, would be responsible for a majority of the build and would begin by implementing a small-block 350 Chevy engine complete with chrome and billet accessories. He would then cut and sew the vehicle’s eye-catching two-toned Tropical Dream Green and Hampton Green Gator leather interior mimicking the original Impala patterns. With the 10-inch subwoofers, mids, and highs all wired to the custom Kenwood head unit, Mike would then turn his attention to completing a fully wrapped molded frame and preparing it for Brannon Kajitani of Xceed Auto Works who would then lace the exterior and undercarriage with the unique blend of Pearl Jasper Green found throughout the vehicle. The one and only DJ Wish, also of Honolulu, would go onto add the Velvet Leaf Green fine-line pinstriping and murals depicting the beautiful Downtown Honolulu skyline. V-Max of Ultimate Hydraulics would then plate and install all the chrome metalwork, along with polished trim and emblems, and would complete the project by installing the custom single-pump hardline setup that would include four switches and eight batteries.

Chill Will would like to thank God, his “Ol’ Lady,” his boys and girls, as well as all the Devotions Car Club members who lent a hand. More importantly we would like to thank you, Will, for keep this country safe and putting your life on the line for us. Your sacrifice has allowed us to continue to cruise and keep the sport of Lowriding alive.

Xseeded Expectations

Owner
Chill Will

Car Club
Devotions Car Club

City
Las Vegas, NV

Vehicle
1964 Chevrolet Impala

Engine
Chevy 350 with turbo transmission

Upholstery
Mike Sakuma of Honolulu, HI

Body/Paint
Xceed Auto Works

Suspension
Full wrapped frame with molded suspension

Wheels/Tires
13-inch OG wire wheels with 155/80-13 Uniroyal tires

The post Chill Will’s 1964 Chevrolet Impala appeared first on Lowrider.

When it comes to adding aftermarket air conditioning to your classic car it becomes a touchy subject that’s often frowned upon. For starters, there are purists who believe that a classic car should only be restored to the specifications they were built to, and then there are the countless others who are weary because of bad personal experiences—or the countless amount of horror stories they’ve heard about either repairing or replacing an A/C unit.

This segment of the industry has always been clouded by doubt. From poor performing factory air, unknowledgeable technicians, and the costly bills associated with repairing or modding vehicles to accept aftermarket air—these are just some of the issues on the list.

Fast-forward to present day and things have changed—drastically. The heat that once surrounded A/C talk has now cooled off and since been replaced with rave reviews, all thanks to advancement in technology.

Today we have available to us aftermarket air conditioning kits that are easy to install, reliable, and there’s a multitude of options to fit your specific platform. These replacement units make repairing older A/C compressors a thing of the past and there’s options to choose from. From vehicle specific, to universal platforms, each of the companies listed below have units that are sure to keep you coolin’ out.

Vintage Air

Tired of messing with cables and fighting your A/C control switches? Tired of not having cool air? Well now you can chill out with the Vintage Air Gen-IV SureFit Systems complete kits.

They’ve been around since the mid ’70s and have long been the go-to source for some of the top custom builders in the hot rod world. All of their kits are fly-by-wire, which means no more screwing with—or fighting—cable tension. This system is electronic, which means they are operated by electronic servo controls, so there’s no more worming around with capillary tubes.

All Gen-IV systems are model-specific and offer climate-control technology for real-deal, bi-level airflow and “just right” temperature air blending. Each kit comes complete with an evaporator kit, a condenser and drier package, brackets, mounting hardware, and instructions for a professional finish that maintains your car’s value and cool looks.

Restomod Air

With three model lines to choose from (Custom, TruMod, Underdash), Restomod Air does more than just cool. Their attention to detail carries over to the styling of their A/C vents, and one look should be enough to sell you.

At Restomod Air, they pride themselves in offering function with fashion and invest plenty of time creating and stylizing the only true aftermarket A/C systems.

Now, if engine aesthetics is important to you (and you don’t want to drill into your finely finished firewall) then try their Underdash units, which utilize high-torque dual-shaft blower motors, which are mated to a correctly sized evaporator. What does that mean in simple English? You can tuck it under your dash in an all-inclusive unit without the need to butcher your firewall.

The underdash air conditioning system is a cool only unit that contains the evaporator coil, blower motors, and controls for fans speed and temperature control. This unit is used in conjunction with a condenser, compressor, receiver/drier, and hoses to connect all the components together.

Classic Auto Air

Aside from selling factory original (OEM) A/C systems and conversions, the gents at Classic Auto Air not only carry individual parts but also aftermarket systems for 1950-1970 classics.

If you’re looking for aftermarket units then their “Perfect Fit” A/C systems utilize the latest technology to get the job done. In addition, they offer model-specific units that use the original heater controls and dash louvers while providing you with powerful air conditioning, heat on the floor, and dehumidified defrost.

The air conditioning and defrost connect to the original heater-defrost diffusers. As an option they also offer pre-bent tubing that makes for a better installation, and you can even send them your dash controls and they will modify them to work with the modern air/heat so as to look more original.

Sources

Classic Auto Air
www.classicautoair.com

Vintage Air
www.vintageair.com

Restomod Air
www.restomodair.com

The post Three A/C Companies to Help you Out this Summer appeared first on Lowrider.

Esta mañana, Chevrolet arrancó una nueva serie de su campaña “Personas Reales. No Actores” en donde hace pruebas sobre la resistencia de la caja de la Ford F-150 y de la Chevrolet Silverado 1500. La campaña está basada en videos que ya fueron publicados en internet y serán mostrados en televisión.

El objetivo de esta campaña es mostrar qué tan resistente es la caja de la Silverado en comparación con la F-150 y los resultados son dramáticos. Para empezar, la caja de la F-150 es de aluminio de grado militar, algo que Chevrolet ha criticado desde que se lanzó la actual generación en el año modelo 2015. La caja de la Silverado está compuesta de acero de alta resistencia.

Para esta demostración, Chevrolet recolectó alrededor de 55 bloques de concreto con un peso en total de 825 libras y los tiró sobre ambas cajas desde una altura de cinco pies. La caja de la F-150 recibió 52 perforaciones y muchas más abolladuras durante las 12 pruebas realizadas. En comparación, la caja de la Silverado recibió algunos daños cosméticos pero no hubo rupturas en la carrocería.

Otra de las pruebas incluyó poner una caja de herramientas de 28 libras sobre el borde de la caja de la camioneta y empujarla hacia la batea. En las 14 pruebas realizadas, la F-150 recibió 13 agujeros. En comparación, la Silverado obtuvo dos pequeñas perforaciones y 12 abolladuras.

Como parte de esta nota, en Motor Trend en Español consultamos dos cosas. La primera, qué porcentaje de las camionetas Ford salen de la fábrica con un protector de caja en aerosol. La respuesta: 17 por ciento, aunque los clientes también la pueden conseguir en el mercado de accesorios. La segunda cosa fue preguntarle a Ford si tenían algún comunicado o postura respecto a esta comparativa.

“Cuando eres el líder del mercado durante 39 años, los competidores algunas veces intentan dispararte con trucos de marketing. El hecho sigue siendo que la caja de aluminio de grado militar de alta resistencia de la F-150 ofrece la mejor combinación de fuerza, durabilidad, resistencia a la corrosión, capacidad, seguridad y ahorro de combustible que jamás se haya ofrecido en una camioneta. Hemos construido alrededor de un millón de F-150 nuevas y nuestro liderazgo sobre la competencia sigue creciendo”.

Este es un fuerte golpe para Ford, pero hasta mayo de este año, la marca del óvalo azul había vendido 324,307 unidades de la F-Series, un aumento de 7.4 por ciento en comparación con el año pasado. Por el otro lado, la Chevrolet Silverado ha comercializado 223,990 unidades hasta mayo de este año, una caída de 0.1 por ciento sobre el mismo periodo del año pasado.

¿Servirá esta campaña de marketing? No dejen de ver el video a continuación.

The post Nuevo anuncio de Chevrolet ataca a la F-150 appeared first on Lowrider.

We are all products of our environment. For Armando Salazar, this is no exception. Growing up in the Lowrider scene he knew sooner or later he would have his own lowrider. Watching his dad cruise a custom Caprice named Black Beauty, as well as his uncles Richard, Ruben, and Shorty hop and three-wheel up and down the infamous Central Boulevard, Armando was destined to be part of the car culture. So shortly after moving to Arizona and joining Swift Car Club with a then-stock Denali, the making of one of Phoenix’s most memorable dub cars would begin.

The project began with an upgrade to the 2002 6.0 stock engine by adding a Flowmaster exhaust installed by Eddie at Tune It, in Phoenix. Eddie also installed the custom gray leather interior along with the numerous Rockford Fosgate TVs found throughout the vehicle. The record-breaking amount of screens includes eight 21-inch and 26 7-inch monitors, as well an Xbox gaming system and custom 3-inch rearview monitor. The Denali was then lowered with Eibach springs and GMC ground effects were added all the way around. With a unique blend of Dark Sangria Red two-stage paint sprayed through the vehicle, Chavo of Chavo’s Pinstriping was then called in to create a full custom paintjob by layering a variety of color combinations, which included pinks, blues, and teals, along with outlining pinstripe and silver leafing. With LED lighting added throughout the vehicle by Tim of Unique Lighting the finishing touches were left to Damone Early, who would gold plate the custom 30-inch U2 wheels, making them the only wheels of this enormity to be found in the West Coast.

“No project is complete without the help of friends and family,” Armando says. “And special thanks are in order for Chavo, Damone, Eddie, and all my club brothers who lent a hand. Most importantly to my fiancee and kids … thank you for putting up with me and those long hours spent in the garage.”

Thirty Thirtys

Owner
Armando Salazar

Car Club
Swift

City
Phoenix, AZ

Vehicle
2002 GMC Denali

Engine
2002 6.0 with Flowmaster exhaust Tune It in Phoenix

Upholstery
Tune It installed the custom gray leather interior along with the numerous Rockford Fosgate TVs found throughout the vehicle

Body/Paint
Chavo’s Pinstriping created a full custom paintjob by layering a variety of color combinations, which included pinks, blues, and teals

Wheels/Tires
custom gold plated 30-inch U2 wheels wrapped with Dcenti tires

The post Armando Salazar’s 2002 GMC Denali appeared first on Lowrider.

Leo Nava was destined to become a fixture in the Lowrider community. At a young age he seemed to have gotten wrapped around the game in a literal sense and that all happened shortly after he was just 15 years old. After receiving a 1964 from his father, he would eventually find himself wrapping his car around a tree. With the car totaled, he momentarily put his lowriding days on pause, but that was only up until he would cross paths with Chris and Mike of Kool Aid Hydraulics-the gentlemen who would put him back in the right lane.

While at Kool Aid, he soon found himself driving the company’s promotional limo. The infamous limo served as transportation for musical acts, such as Debbie Deb, Lisa Lisa and many others during the height of the Freestyle music mania. All the while attending school, Leo took up electronics and little by little he started helping out in the shop during the weekends. As he began honing his craft and learning all about the hopping game, it was another fateful day that would lead him to meet the guys of Hellafyde Records. That chance meeting would eventually become the building blocks for relationships with artists Groucho and Seven, which resulted in them opening their own custom shop, aptly named Hellafydraulics.

A one-stop hydro shop where honesty, hard work, and bit of humility would set them apart from the competition, they pride themselves for being best know for their attention to detail. “From hopping, lay and play, to full show … we do it all,” Leo says. “We are fortunate enough to have worked on some of the industry’s top lowriders, as well as some of the top car clubs, including Old Memories, Klique, LA Times, and of course, Techniques.

We are an old-school type of shop,” Leo continues. “We concentrate on creating something different and still treat it as a hobby, which just so happens to pay the bills.” With continued help of longtime friend Harold “Pops,” you can bet they will continue to build some of the Lowrider community’s top vehicles.

What is the biggest change you have seen to the sport?

The fun of competing has changed. Before we would have to drive as far as Portland just to qualify. The streets will always be the streets.

What made you join Techniques Car Club?

I never really wanted to be a part of a car club, but the fact that they are always driving their cars and a bond I witnessed between members is something I wanted to be a part of.

What is the biggest change in hopping?

Nowadays, streetcars are easily hitting over a 100 inches. I wish it would go back to the days when cars were built to hop and cruise.

What would you say is the future for our sport?

There will always be lowriders, either it’s in your blood or it’s not. But it is up to us to teach the next generation and encourage them to outdo everything we have done.

The post LOWRIDER ShopStop: Hellafydraulics appeared first on Lowrider.

2016 Tour Dates

Click here to download the 2016 LAS VEGAS SUPER SHOW CAR REGISTRATION FORM

2016 Las Vegas Super Show
October 9th
Cashman Center

Click here to download the 2016 Lowrider Rules (Updated 2/16/2016)
For Car Registration or General Show Info, Please contact:
949-705-3161

Sponsorship & Vendor Information Please Contact:
Martha Carrasco
mcarrasco@enthusiastnetwork.com
949-705-3135 PH
949-705-3140 Fax

Sanctioned Shows

2016 Albuquerque Super Show
August 6th
Albuquerque Convention Center

Click here to download the 2016 Sponsorship Brochure

Read below for information on advertising in Lowrider Magazine

Media Info

2016 Lowrider Tour Media Center
Contact Mike Karsting at
mkarsting@enthusiastnetwork.com for press credentials

The post 2016 Lowrider Tour appeared first on Lowrider.