PE

RF
OR
M
AN
CE• AR
TIST

“SJ Trokita”

bike shops.
’”Christine”

88 Bicycle
RY •

76 ‘63 Impala

84 ‘49 Hudson

116 ‘61 Impala

92 ‘81 Cadillac
The Cursed Cruiser.
“Microphone Fiend”
Features

A tribute to the Aztecs.

PR

48 ‘77 Monte Carlo

64 ‘51 Chevy Truck

Live to Ride - Ride to Live.

“Libertad” New Jersey Rag.

“Vitamin C” Orange and Juiced.

“El Uno” Rollerz Only, Prez of Reno.

through one of Los Angeles’ oldest
IDE • C

Dennison’s Schwinn Cyclery. Pedaling

ULTUR
E AUGUST 10

30 MUSIC

& EVENTS
FAME 2010
Volume 32 Issue 8

Shows
40 CAR CLUB

96 BUSINESS
46/114 RETRO

114 CARSHOWS

SHOW AND HOP

100 ROLL MODEL
22 ON THE SCENE
16 RAZA REPORT

28 NEW PRODUCTS

32 LOWRIDER IMAGE
36 LOWRIDER HALL OF
Departments

Andy Douglas-Craftsmanship Honor.

80 TEJANO SUPER SHOW

lowridermagazine

48 “Microphone Fiend ”
56 LRM PHOENIX TOUR STOP

Live to Ride - Ride to Live”

.com

Est.

Tech
1977

102 Resto

108 Deluxe

of wealth and fortune.

110 Clarion Install
Audio/Video for your hauler.
Goodmark Bumper Re-Chroming

Classic treasures and valuable objects

Services - Show Bumpers to your door.

Lowrider (ISSN # 0199-9362), AUGUST 2010, Vol. 32 No. 8. Copyright © 2010 by Source Interlink Magazines, LLC. All Rights Reserved. Published monthly by Source Interlink Media, LLC., 261 Madison Ave., 5th Floor, New York, NY 10016. Periodical Postage paid at New York, NY and at additional mailing offices. Canada Post Publications
Mail Agreement No. 40612608. Canada Returns to be sent to Bleuchip International, P.O. Box 25542, London, ON N6C 6B2 Canada. Subscription rates for 1 year (12 issues): U.S., APO, FPO and U.S. Possessions $35.00, Canada add $13.00 per year (price includes surface mail postage to Canada and GST-Reg. #872093125 RT0001). Foreign
orders add $15.00 in U.S. Funds per year, surface mail. For a change of address, six weeks’ notice is required. Send old as well as new address to Lowrider Magazine, P.O. Box 420235, Palm Coast, FL 32142-0235. CBN 129791596RT No part of this book may be reproduced without written permission. Printed in the U.S.A. This book is pur-
chased with the understanding that the information presented is from varied sources for which there can be no warranty or responsibility by the Publisher as to the accuracy or completeness. POSTMASTER: Please send address changes to Lowrider Magazine, P.O. Box 420235, Palm Coast, FL 32142-0235.
 EST. 1977
T
his month’s Raza Report seg-
ment in the August Lowrider
issue takes us through a pilgrim-
age that journeys its way up an old
footpath worn in the soil for decades
by millions of feet; a path that would
still be visible, if not for the paved road
it sits on today. This road stretches for
hundreds of miles to the destination
that is “El Santuario De Chimayo”. It’s
a small adobe church in the northern
part of New Mexico that is frequently
visited by tens of thousands in prayer
each year. The Holy place was built
on sacred grounds where a Crucifix
was once buried. The first worshipers
to have visited the area were Native
Americans, Spaniards, and Mexicans,
and now there are worshipers visiting
from all nations. These visitors are
greeted by works of Hispanic art and
several Santos and religious Frescoes
as well. This church is believed to have
spiritual and physical healing powers,
which are sought after by the many
religious believers who make this
pilgrimage in the hope of curing what
ails them. There are many legends of
“miracle healings” happening here, and
crutches can be seen hanging from
the walls in and around the church as
evidence. Patronage of “El Santuario
De Chimayo” has become tradition for
Lowriders as well, as constant cara-
vans come from all around to visit this
sacred ground. The dedication to their
Faith cannot be questioned, as they
sometimes ride through the snow to be
there for Good Friday, and to visit this
Shrine and receive blessings. There are
times in life when we ask God for things
and the answers aren’t what we would
like to expect, but they are usually
what we need.
The Mexico of Old, is remembered
succinctly by Vicente Fernandez. His
repertoire is pure Ranchera, as he
romanticizes audiences of all ages with
the timeless music that represented
the way of life in Mexico’s historic rural
ranches, revolutions, and philander-
ing caballeros. For 35 years, this
Mexican singer, actor, and
producer also known to his
fans as “Chente,” has con-
stantly filled stadiums
and venues. He is able
to melt all women, and
destroy some men with
moving ballads such as
“Por Tu Maldito Amor.” Pay a visit to our
music section as we honor this Mexican
cultural icon, who began his career
by singing for tips on the streets, and
has now sold over 50 million records
worldwide.
The paramount list of men who
were inducted into this up coming Hall
of Fame class of 2010 will be as follows:
The Craftsmanship Honor goes out
to Andy Douglas, also known as the
owner of Andy’s Hydraulics of San Jose,
CA. The Leadership Honor category will
be awarded to “Crazy” George Luna,
from the Viejitos Car Club. This year’s
Memorial Honor respectfully goes out
to “Big Rich” Gonzalez and the Majestics
Car Club. Lifetime Honor recipient for
this year will be Ralph Fuentes, car
club leader, car builder, and past editor
of Lowrider Magazine. Alberto Lopez
will receive the Visionary Award for
his revival of Lowrider Magazine, and
for taking the Lowrider movement to
worldwide commercialization. Also,
the Hall of Fame Committee will induct
iconic Lowriders for the first time this
year. Influential Lowrider vehicles
from the past will be recognized as
“Masterpieces.” These legendary cars
are known to all, like the ‘77 Grand Prix
“Entertainer,” “Brandy Madness,” the
’78 Cadillac from The Klique Car Club,
and “Raw Deal,” the mini truck that
started it all with the car show com-
petition revolution. Their owners will
receive recognition and awards during
this special celebration, which is set to
take place September 11th at the Long
Beach Hilton Hotel. Please make plans
soon, as this year’s HOF lineup is sure to
be a sold out event!
“Into each life, a little rain must
fall,” and this quote also applied to this
year’s Lowrider tour stop in Arizona!
The 100% chance of rain predicted by
the blonde weather reporter, didn’t stop
the 700 hundred wet cars on display,
nor the 8000 wet ticket holders, who
came out to support the show. The
quality and quantity of cars were even
better than last year’s event; check and
see for your self.
Back in the days, when the ’73
through ’77 models of Monte Carlo
came out, they were like a dime a
dozen out there on the boulevard. I
mean everyone owned one. Now? It’s a
shame that no one sees or recognizes
the dynamic sporty- luxury style that
these amazing cars have. Hopefully,
you will become a “fiend” thanks to the
Monte Carlo front cover car owned by
the Stylistics’ Alex Garza.
Where would San Jose be without
the newly acclaimed Hall of Fame
Craftsmanship Honoree Andy Douglas?
Andy’s Hydraulics and the New Style
Car Club are both well represented and
respected in our special feature. In our
Lowrider “Image” department, we pay
respects to Conrad Garcia from Classic
Memories, and the museum-quality
collection of cars he has exhibited in his
shop. In this month’s bicycle feature,
we visit an old classic Schwinn Bike
shop, known as Dennison’s. This story
brings back the good ‘ol days, when all
we had to do was homework and work
around the yard so that ‘Pops would
take us down to the local Bike shop
to buy us a bike for Christmas. Those re-
sponsibilities also helped us to get some
parts to make our bikes look cooler! Sad
to say, but long gone are the innocent
days of youth.
Hey Groupe, Imperials, Dukes,
Together, Techniques, Majestics,
Klique, Old Memories, LifeStyle , New
Style, Amigos, Viejitos, Oldies, Low
Conspiracy, Society okay, I better stop
here before I run out of room and I don’t
mean any disrespect to any clubs I’ve
missed − but in brief, I would like to
ask all the car clubs who have been
around for more than 30 years for a
huge favor. Please submit your classic
pictures for Lowrider Retro! Bunny-
ear antennas, show pipes, old club
photos, dances, famous cruising spots,
anniversaries, wedding processions,
wrought iron grills, and car shows, we
want it all so that we can pay tribute
to some of Lowrider history and teach
the younger generation a thing or two
about where their designs come from! .
Please email your photos to
joe.ray@sorc.com
Thank you.
Until the next trip!

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 “Rollin’ through the streets of LA
everyday, the STZ04 has the look to go
with the feel. It’s the only way I roll.”
USE YOUR SMART PHONE

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 EST. 1977

A LOWRIDER PILGRIMAGE!

F
or decades, this small town and church
in Northern New Mexico has been
attracting hundreds of thousands of
people from all over the world. It is reported
that nearly 300,000 pilgrims come to El San-
tuario de Chimayo every year, according to
the Archdiocese of Santa Fe. Why, you ask?
Pilgrims walk the grounds for a few yards,
and some even walk there from distances of
over one hundred miles in search of healing.
In fact, many people claim to have been
cured in this sacred area from diseases, in-
firmities, and unhappiness. The Walls of the
Sacristy are hung with discarded crutches,
along with before-and-after photographs, as
evidence of the area’s ability to heal.
Believed to be built on sacred earth with
miraculous healing powers, the legendary
shrine El Santuario de Chimayó, is probably
the most visited church in New Mexico. The
crucifix which adorned the original shrine
still resides on the chapel alter, but for some
reason, its curative powers have been over-
shadowed by El Posito, the “sacred sand pit”
from which it sprang. The shrine is located in

16 Lowridermagazine.com
the Sangre de Cristo Mountains,
and has been called the Lourdes
of America. The chapel was pri-
vately owned until 1929, when
several people bought it and
turned it over to the Archdiocese
of Santa Fe. Tradition has it that
on the night of Good Friday in
1810, Don Bernardo Abeyta was
performing customary penances
in the hills. Here is the legend
of what happened, according
to an account published by The
Archdiocese of Santa Fe:
“Suddenly, he saw a light
springing from one of the slopes
of the hills near the Santa Cruz
River. Don Bernardo went to the
spot, and noticed that the shin-
ing light was coming from the
ground. He started to dig with
his bare hands, and there he
found a Crucifix. He called neigh-
bors to see it, and a group of men
were sent to notify the priest at
Santa Cruz. The priest arrived,
picked up the Crucifix and, with
a joyful procession, carried it
back to his church, where it was
placed in the niche of the main
altar. The next morning, the Cru-
cifix was gone, only to be found
in its original location.”
“Again, the priest organized
a procession and brought the
Crucifix to Santa Cruz, and again
it disappeared and was found
in its original spot. Three times,
this occurred. By then, everyone
understood that the Crucifix of
Our Lord of Esquipulas wanted
to remain in Chimayo, and so a
small chapel was built.”
This church was built in 1814,
and has been drawing pilgrims
for several decades. As a boy, I
remember taking this walk with
my family every year on Good
Friday. One thing I always loved,
as we made our 25 mile walk,
was watching all the Lowriders
who passed us by. Now, as an
adult, I get the same satisfaction
as I did in those early days of my
life. Hundreds of Lowriders from
all over the state of New Mexico
make the annual pilgrimage.
It’s a great day of unity, friends,
food, and great New Mexico mu-
sica. This year, the weather put
a little speed bump in the festivi-
ties, as it rained and snowed for
a bit in the morning, but once it
cleared up, the Lowriders were
out in full force for the annual
Good Friday cruise. Clubs in at-
tendance included Rollerz Only,
Prestigious, Severed Ties, Dukes,
and Tru Ridaz, just to name a
few. “Every year it seems to
keep growing,” said Big Tigger,
VP of Rollerz Only NM. “We have
street hops, and people seem to
really freak out when the cars
start getting to 80 inches plus
in the air....keep in mind we have
people from all over the world
that haven’t been exposed to
stuff like that; it’s great.”
You can find every race, age,
and type of Lowrider making the
annual pilgrimage to Chimayo.
If you have never been on a
pilgrimage like this, this trip will
certainly leave a lasting impres-
sion on you. When you arrive
at the church, you will feel that
something bigger than yourself
is at work. Whether you believe
in miracles, or believe in the leg-
end of the sacred sand, you will
at least agree that this blessed
land is a peaceful and moving
place for all! ■
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 Acknowledging those individuals of outstanding merit for
their lifetime contributions to lowriding.
S
ince its inception, the LHoF has honored
some of the most influential figures in
lowrider history. In the 60’s and early 70’s,
many of the Hall of Fame alumni were influen-
tial in their barrios and boulevards. That is, long
before any magazine was published and main-
stream popularity, these legends, that include the
2010 Lowrider Hall of Fame honorees, were cruis-
ing the streets simply for the passion to lowride.
In previous editorials, I’ve highlighted the
progression of the lowrider movement from
the early 70’s into today’s automotive sport and
emphasized “who got us here”? However, as the
70’s were coming to a close, this cultural entity
had opened into new outlets through publications
and film; simply put- this country was introduced
to the world of lowriding as a culture shock. And
so, it was no longer of “where we had been”, now
it was of “where are we going”? Influences like
Dukes, Imperials, Groupe, and Lifestyle had set
the standard in L.A., in Northern Cal it was Low
Conspiracy, Low Creations, and New Style, in
central Cal it was Carnales Unidos, in Arizona with
Spirit and Society, and into Texas with Taste of
Latin. These clubs were the catalyst that set the
bar for car clubs that is even followed to date. In
fact, each club I mentioned is still presently active,
many decades later. Although, lowriding was
spreading throughout the southwest, it was not
until 1977 that yesterday’s onda would begin to
reach all the barrios of Aztlan, including a small
town in Texas.
With that said; I’m sure everyone remembers
A community leader and/or activist with a lifelong dedi-
cation of time, resources and heart in contributing, influ-
MEMORIAL HONOR
Recognition of a deceased individual, who has
demonstrated an outstanding contribution
to the lifestyle and/or automotive sport of
lowriding; in regards to leadership, craftsman-
ship, or lifetime contribution. Does not require
20-year minimum history.
20 Lowridermagazine.com
BY “Texas Ed” Zamarron
their first time? I’ll never forget mine; it was the
spring of 1980. I remember at first just staring
at it, wondering what do I do first? I finally got
the nerve to open it up, and then it happened,
Yep! I began to read my first Lowrider magazine.
(thanks “El Forties” Ramos) In that issue, and
many after that, I saw las rucas in the firme rides,
it introduced me to music like Tierra, Malo, and
Johnny Chingas. It instilled in me terms like unity,
paz, brotherhood, and pride in our culture. It
educated me with the political issues of the day,
as well as, the racial struggles of the past. But,
the true basis of this magazine, was and is, the
displaying of some of the most beautiful custom
lows the world has ever seen. Names like Gypsy
Rose, Dressed to Kill, and my personal favorite,
Krazy Camino were synonymous in the streets
and in the pages of LRM. And reading of those
custom vehicles, I learned of the customizers
behind their art on wheels and the car clubs that
they represented. As a teenager, in those pages, I
not only found my identity, but a revelation: you
see; to me, those customizers were artists; to me,
those clubs represented brotherhoods; to me, the
leaders of those clubs were organizers in their
barrios and communities; to me, they became
mentors and living legends.
Since 2005, the LHoF Executive Committee
has been privileged in inducting these mentors
and legends into their rightful place in lowrider
history. Today, the LHoF continues its commit-
ment to acknowledge those that have played
a significant role in lowriding’s past and as key
LIFETIME CONTRIBUTOR HONOR
encing and/or investing directly back into the lowrider
community. This category may include individuals who
promote lowrider events that simultaneously educate
and entertain such community.
CRAFTSMANSHIP HONOR
Designer, builder, artist in creating original and
outstanding vehicles. Also, exhibiting these
vehicles for a consistent period of time.
figures in its future. And, with the support of
Lowrider Magazine, will continue to educate
today’s autosport enthusiast of its unforgettable
lowrider roots, to include this year’s honorees.
The Lowrider Hall of Fame proudly and
respectfully introduces its 2010 alumni: Memorial
Honor- Richard “Big Rich” Gonzales, Craftsman-
ship Honor- Andy Douglas, Leadership Honor-
George Luna, and Lifetime Contributor Honor-
Ralph Fuentes.
In addition to honoring these icons in their
respective category, this year the LHoF is
recognizing some of the iconic cars that were in-
fluential throughout this automotive history. The
2010 Masterpiece Award recipients are: Mando
Estrada’s 1978 Cadillac “Brandy Madness”, Joe
Fontanillo’s 1982 Toyota “Raw Deal”, and Donald
Zavala’s 1977 Grand Prix “The Entertainer”. Also,
Alberto Lopez will be presented with the Vision-
ary Award for his significant role in resurrecting
Lowrider Magazine into a successful worldwide
publication.
Don’t miss this memorable night, September
11th at the Long Beach Hilton, as lowriding’s
elite show homage to these automotive artists,
these legendary leaders, and these inspirational
figures for their life-long commitment throughout
lowrider history. Paz.
LEADERSHIP HONOR
A founder/leader, who has directly affected
the course, actions, contributions and positive
influence of a recognized and organized group
and/or car c lub.
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 EST.
New Products p28 Music p30 Events • LRM Arizona Show p56
Tejano Super Show p80
O
n August 22, 2009, a milestone was met that Ben Sellers
thought wouldn’t be possible. Sweet Dreams Car Club of
Pueblo, Colorado celebrated their 20th anniversary. Ben Sell-
ers has been the Club President for the entire 20 years of the club’s
existence, and he co-founded the club alongside lifelong members
Judy Garcia and Jackie Jimenez. It’s safe to say that none of these
three individuals knew what the future held for the club during its
inception, but with their hard work, dedication, and passion, this
20-year mark would have been inevitable. Just like any car club,
they’ve had their ups and downs, but they’ve always overcome any
obstacles that threatened their longevity.
The celebration day began with a barbeque at Ben’s house. After
filling their bellies with some great food, everyone then headed to
the Dav Hall for some dancing and relaxation, with music provided
by Primavera. Awards were also presented that evening to various
members who have been in the club for five or ten years. Special rec-
ognition was also given to Judy and Jackie for being OG members of
the club. President and Founder, Ben Sellers, was recognized as well,
as he received an award from the Sweet Dreams Denver Chapter for
his dedication and support. Lee Trevino of El Vago Productions also
commended Ben for his loyalty to the Lowrider movement in Colo-
rado. The greatest moment of the day came in the form of a touching
tribute from Ben’s mother, who has supported her son from the car
club’s beginning,
and she still sup-
ports him to this
1977
day. Her speech showed everyone in attendance just how proud she
is of the accomplishments that Ben has achieved with the club.
“There are still challenges ahead for Sweet Dreams,” Ben says.
“We recently added chapters to our family. We now have chapters
in Denver, Colorado, Dallas, Texas, Holbrook, Arizona, El Paso, Texas,
Bellevue, Idaho, and Bloomington, Illinois. I am pleased and grateful
for the expansion of the club, and I will be committed 100% to their
success.”
Sweet Dreams was also recognized at the Denver Lowrider
Supershow 2009 tour stop and the Pueblo Lowrider Supershow
2009 tour stop for having the most members in attendance. This is
a challenge the club tries to achieve every year, and this year they
were able to conquer both shows. “Sweet Dreams will be around for
as long as Ben is around,” he says proudly, adding “I enjoy Lowrid-
ing, but nothing more could be better than meeting new people at
different car shows and also building those relationships with other
car clubs.”
Sweet Dreams would like to thank the following for their sup-
port at their special event: East Side Lowride, Rollerz Only of South-
ern Colorado, Nothing Else Matters, Soli-
tos, and all the independent riders. They
also wish to send a very special thanks to
Robert (Beto) Espinosa and Lee Trevino
for coming to help support and celebrate
Sweet Dreams’ milestone in Lowriding.
There will be many more to come. ■
 SOUTH GATE PARK
By JAE BUENO
I
In business for over 80 years, Green-
spans is considered to be the last great
clothing store. They provide hard to find
clothing styles for the movie industry, as
well as to customers in need all around the
world. They are an integral part of the Low-
riding culture, so it was no surprise that the
City of South Gate, CA. and the South Gate
Chamber of Commerce would approach the
store to help them produce a car show this
past March.
Greenspans was only allotted a certain
amount of space at South Gate Park, so
they decided to make it an invitational
event. The show was set up as a pre-1970
car show, with invites going out to clubs
like Bomb Club, Sons of Soul, Classified, HB
Gabachos, and custom car icons, the Tovar
brothers.
24 Lowridermagazine.com
The day of the show was a typical
Southern California day. The sun was
shining, the sky was clear, and the vibe at
the show was great. The quality of show
vehicles matched the pristine weather con-
ditions; as the best of the best came out to
attend the event. In fact, it’s safe to say that
some of Southern California’s heavy hitters
were at the park. Since the show was pre-
1970 only, there was no shortage of classic
Bombs and vintage motorcycles.
Live music, as well as music provided by
some of the vendors on site, kept the crowd
entertained, as they checked out the show
and visited the vendor booths. OG Abel,
Tribal Gear, Mestizo Wear and DePalma
were all at the show, offering their latest
products to all who passed by.
Since Greenspans was the force behind
this event, it created an atmosphere unlike
most shows; in the sense that the attend-
ees drew as much attention as the cars did.
Yes, the fashion was on display as much as
the candy paint was, and many of the at-
tendees were even dressed in classic-style
clothing. Naturally, there were plenty of
Pendeltons at the show, since Greenspans
is the place to buy them. There were pin-up
style models to be seen, and even Robert,
the Pachuco, posing for photos throughout
the show space.
The event was a success for both Green-
spans and the City of South Gate. If there
is an event next year, there is talk that the
show entries will be increased. Hopefully,
this will be the case, as it looks like this
show has the potential to be an annual
“must attend” event on the calendar. ■
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 Greatest hits

EL REY DE LA MUSICA RANCHERA

By MIKE LANDERS

T
he life of a select group of entertainers
comes in stages. Popular entertain-
ers are often thought of as being
“larger than life.” These entertainers often
have something about themselves that makes
them transcend their profession, be it singing,
acting, or dancing, and this something makes
them “a household name.” When a household
name stays relevant for decades, they then
become a “legend.”Legends that represent a
culture or group of people with ideals become
known as an “icon.” Still, none of these terms or
names can do justice to the man simply known
as “El Rey de Ranchera,” Vicente Fernandez. The
singer, also known as “The King of Ranchera” is
arguably Mexico’s biggest star, having recorded
a whopping 51 RIAA certified Gold, Platinum,
and Multi-Platinum albums and selling well over
50 million records in his career. “I’ve always said
there aren’t great composers− there are great
songs,” Vicente believes. With a voice like his,
it’s easy to see why this sentiment rings true,
as when “Chente” sings; it is from his heart and
soul. Known for his amazingly powerful and
dedicated concert performances−he once took
the stage despite learning of his father’s tragic
death just minutes before−his fans appreciate
his efforts, which have been known to result
in performances lasting between 2½ to 4
hours long! El Rey never disappoints, and he
never takes this stage without first donning
the charro, a traditional Mexican embroidered
suit and sombrero. “To me, it’s Mexico’s second
flag. When I put it on, I become an ambassador,”
Vicente says proudly. This rare combination of
cultural pride, work ethic, and amazing vocal
talent place Chente in his own category, and it is

30 Lowridermagazine.com
easy to see why he is so well loved.
Vicente Fernandez Gomez was
born in Huentitan el Alto, Jalisco,
Mexico in 1940, into a hardworking
ranching family. As a boy, he grew
up idolizing Mexican actor Pedro
Infante, so much so that he once told
his mother, “When I grow up, I’ll be like
him.” The hardworking boy helped
his uncle by working in his restaurant
as a waiter, dishwasher, cashier, and
manager, but his dream of singing still
motivated him the most, as he had
been practicing his guitar playing and
singing since the age of 8. Although
he was booed in his first public singing
appearance, he pushed on, winning
an amateur contest sponsored by
a Guadalajara television station in
1954. This led to more performances
around town for the young singer,
and his confidence began to grow.
Unfortunately, his father lost the fam-
ily’s ranch, and they were forced to
relocate to Tijuana, where
Vicente found himself
working odd jobs to
make ends meet. Still,
he kept singing, and
moved back to Gua-
dalajara to pursue his
music full-time. After
some more regional
success, his next move
was to Mexico City,
where he spent three
frustrating years being
turned down for audi-
tions and record deals.
He went back to Guadalajara and mar-
ried his former neighbor and began
to build a family, all the while holding
onto his dream of being a performer.
In 1966, popular Mexican singer
Javier Solis passed away unexpect-
edly, and within a span of three
years, two of Mexico’s other most
prominent performers, Jorge Negrete,
and Chente’s boyhood idol, Pedro
Infante had also passed away. Record
companies quickly looked to Vicente
to fill the void. Suddenly, CBS Mexico,
which is now known as Sony Discos
was calling Vicente to sign him to a
record deal – even though they had
turned him down several times during
his stint in Mexico City. He signed
anyway, and in 1966 he released
“Perdoname,” his first public recording.
Chente began acting in 1971, and
also composed a hit soundtrack and
starred in the hit movie, “La Ley del
Monte” in 1974. It was his biggest hit,
and one of his most enduring songs,
“Volver, Volver” was released in 1976,
it was so big that it can still be heard
playing from Lowrider speakers to
this day. During the next 35 years,
Vicente recorded a whopping 50
additional albums, all of which have
been certified Gold or Platinum. He has
won the Billboard Mexican Regional
Male Artist of the Year five times, and
has been nominated for a Grammy
award as well. With a star on the Hol-
lywood Walk of Fame, and an Arena in
Guadalajara named after him, it’s easy
to see that Chente is equally adored
among his American fan base as well
as his Mexican fan base. If you’re new
to Vicente, a great place to start would
be to pick up the album “Historio De Un
Idolo Vol. 2” which contains hits like
“Volver, Volver,” “El Rey,” and “Amor
Eterno.”
At 71 years of Age, Vicente
Fernandez is still performing in arenas
like Madison Square Garden, and still
wowing fans with his amazing vocal
talent and long-running live shows.
He has more Billboard certifications
that could ever fit on the walls of his
home, yet it is not the awards that
move him; it is his craft and cultural
heritage. This is why he has been so
well loved by his fans. In an era where
narcissism and greed top most “wan-
na-be” entertainers’ motives; Vicente
is as dedicated to preserving Ranchera
music and culture more than ever.
He tells his crowd, “Mientras ustedes
aplaudan yo les seguire cantando.”If
this is true, then it’s safe to say that
the Lowrider nation will never stop
clapping for the King of Ranchera. ■
Lowrider 29
JUNE 2010 Lowrider
August2010 31
 CLASSIC MEMORIES CAR CLUB PRESIDENT
RSONA,
EPTION, PE
MAINTAINS HIS IMAGE IN A ’50 CHEVY
PUBLIC PERCPUTATION, STATURE
PROFILE, RE

TH AT RE PR ESEN TS “C AL IFOR NIA’S GOLD RUSH,”

PICK UP
BUT WAIT ‘TIL YOU SEE HIS OTHER TREASURES.

Story By TAKASHI KIKUSHI

r’s
of his father’s hand iwork. His fathe

A
ppreciating classic automo-
biles is the foundation for all
Lowr ider enthusiasts. As kids,
we often hang posters on the wall of
our dream cars, hoping to one day own
them. These automotive centerfolds
s,
hold the key to our adolescent dream
just like they did for a 14-year-old
e father’s love for VWs, and even now
named Conrad Garcia. The differenc
between Conrad and the rest of us is
that he went on to not only own a car
like the ones on his wall, he recently
got the chance to own one of the exact
cars that he dreamed about. When he
was 14 years old, he had the 1979 LRM
of
Super Show poster and centerfolds
Charl ie Lopez ’ 1949 Mercu ry “Nostalgia
Sleeper” from the Classics Car Club
hanging on the wall in his bedroom.
As luck would have it, Conrad’s good
friend, Miguel Zarate of Stray s Car Club
phoned him last year and let him know
d truck s have also turned many heads
that the car was for sale. The excite
Conrad on the other end of the line was
no longer a 14-year-old, he was the
President of Classic Memories Car Club,
col-
and a veteran Lowr ider builder and
lector. Who would have thought that
nearly three decades later, that same
’49 Merc – complete with hydraulic gull-
ic
wing doors and a see-t hrough acryl
roof would belong to the same boy who
idolized it after seeing it at a car show
with his father in 1979? Natu rally, he
jumped on this chance to own a piece
of Lowr ider history, just like he has
a truck which won the Grand Sweep-
many times over the years, acqui ring
garage full of classics that would make
the rest of us swoon.
When Conrad was a young boy, his
father restored and painted cars at
home. Fasci nated with his father’s tal-
ent, Conrad began taking mental notes
natural passion for automobiles and
considerable paint skills rubbed off
on Conrad, as he later found work
with famed custom painter, Roma n
Gomez. Conrad’s father helped him
n,
build his first car, a 1957 Volkswage
upon turni ng sixteen. He shared his
he
N’
owns the ‘80’s classic VW “Peaches
Screa m.”
The VWs were great for Conrad,
but once he got a taste of the Lowr ider
He
Bomb scene, he was hooked forever.
the
went on to hold the keys to some of
,
rarest of the Rare Vinta ge Chev rolets
includ ing a 1939 Chev rolet Slantback
4dr, a 1936 Chev rolet Phaeton, a 1938
ro-
Chev rolet Cabriolet, and a 1941 Chev
let Coupe pickup, just to name a few.
While many of his cars have
d’s
received maga zine coverage, Conra
withi n the cultu re. He is probably best
or-
know n for his ‘50 Chev y truck, “Calif
nia’s Gold Rush,” which burst onto the
at
scene in 1994, snatching up awards
pract ically every show it appea red in.
About 10 years ago, Conrad also pur-
chased a 1947 Chev rolet pickup that
had some history behind it as well. As
he began to resea rch the story of the
in
truck, he found out that it was built
of
1964 by a man named Roy Delaney
Lewiston, Idaho. Even better, the truck
was a multi-awa rd-wi nning show
stakes at the 1967 Portland Roadster
first
show, and took home several other
place honors at various other shows
ct
during that era. Conrad got in conta
with Roy and after talking with him,
he decided to restore the truck in the
 exact same way that Roy had built
it in the ‘60s. Unfortunately, Roy
passed away before he could see
the project through to fruition.
Conrad’s love for classic cars is
not just limited to Bombs, Trucks,
and VWs; he also owns “Violet
Rose,” a ’66 Impala which previ-
ously belonged to fellow club mem-
ber Wayne Dickey. His latest build is
close to his Bomb heart, how-
ever, as it is a Candy Oriental Blue,
flamed-out 1949 Ford named “Blue
Mambo.” From his varied tastes and
respectable builds, Classic Memo-
ries President Conrad Garcia has
certainly earned his stripes as one
of the culture’s most shining stars.
Having so many cars in his storied
collection, it begs the question;
“Which car will he drive today?” Call
him an auto enthusiast, call him a
treasure hunter, call him a museum
curator, but whatever you do, make
sure you call Conrad Garcia
a Lowrider. ■

34 Lowridermagazine.com
 GENUINE,
G
AG
MA
IM NA
GIIN VE
TIIV
AT E, ECCENTRICC,MASTER
IQUE , DIST INCTIVE,
UN
CRAFTSMANSHIP HONOR
Story & Photo: Humberto “Twotonz” Mendoza
T
he name Andy Douglas is one name
that I’m all too familiar with. Having
entrenched myself in the scene, this
name has been ringing in my ears for years
as the name of a man who was hitting back
bumper and fl ipping cars over as far back
as the 1970’s! One thing I couldn’t attach
to the name was the face, since I had never
had the chance to see the man in person.
When I got the word about his induction
to the Hall of Fame for Craftsmanship
Honors, I was excited and honored to be
the writer assigned to do the feature.
The one thing I wasn’t excited about was
having just a few days to locate a man that
seemed to be more of a myth than a reality.
I had to hustle in order to shoot him, inter-
view him, and have it all submitted within
half a week. Needless to say, my search
began immediately. I got on the phone and
started making phone calls to present and
past New Style members. I got my lucky
break when I called my friend Carlos “Coast
One” Malvido out of San Jose, CA. Not only
did Coast One lead me to Andy’s where-
abouts, he also led me to a good taqueria
once I arrived to San Jose! Without further
ado, I present to you the story of Lowrider
Hall of Famer, Mr. Andy Douglas.
Growing up in the East Side of San
Jose, one can’t help but to grow up around
gangs. At age eleven, Andy joined a street
gang by the name of “Callejeros” (street
wanders). “When I came home that night
my dad kicked my ass, he wouldn’t let
me do it (join a gang),” says Andy sternly.
Andy’s dad, who was a diesel mechanic
and owned his own trucking company,
bought Andy his first car, a 1952 Chevy.
“The car was a piece of junk, but I took
the car apart and restored it,” says Andy
with a laugh.” “I can’t remember what ever
happened to that car,” he says, giving me
EE
a sense that he’s been involved with so
many builds over the years that he’s lost
track. This is probably true; as Andy’s dad
had him working at the trucking company
banging out fenders and doing body and
paint work from a very early age.
Getting his Driver’s License and a
Nomad at age fifteen, Andy restored the
Nomad and eventually turned around and
sold it. This was his first foray into “fl ip-
ping” an older car, and a key moment in his
life, as he achieved a lot of confidence in
his skills. Around that time, Andy also fell
in love with the Impala. “The ’64 was my
favorite year,” he acknowledges. By the
time Andy was 16, he was able to get his
hands on one, and he immediately began
to fix it up. “That was my first Lowrider,”
says Andy with pride.
One of Andy’s neighbors had a relative
by the name of “Poppy” from East L.A.
who would come up and visit often. Since
both Poppy and Andy were both into cars,
they became close friends. “Poppy is the
one that got the ‘L.A look.’ inspired in me
the 5.20’s, the front lifted, and the rear
slammed,” Andy reminisces fondly. During
Andy’s junior year in high school, Poppy in-
vited Andy to go down to East LA to cruise
Whittier Blvd. “You have to see what we
are doing to the cars down there, we are
[even] putting little tires on them,” Andy
says, doing his best Poppy impression.
Back then there was no Lowrider Magazine
to show what everyone was doing to their
rides, so Andy decided to take a road trip
from East San Jo to East Los so he could see
these ground-breaking modifications first-
hand. “I went down there in my Root Beer
Brown ’64 with 10” wide Anson Sprints
and wide tires,” recalls Andy. “I saw all the
cars with little tires and even a couple of
guys with hydraulic set ups. I was like,
‘this is what I have to do.’” Andy began ask-
ing some of these L.A. riders where they
had gotten their hydraulic set ups. After
making friends with a couple of the guys,
Andy went with them to the aircraft shop.
“They took me to Cal Nelson in San Fernan-
do, and to Palley’s Supply Company in Los
Angeles,” says Andy. “Those were the two
aircraft supply places that just sold aircraft
stuff.” Of course, aircraft pumps were the
norm for the first hydraulic set ups, but
Andy was about to embark on a journey far
bigger than he ever imagined.
After buying all of the stuff he needed,
Andy brought it back to San Jose and
installed it on his car and to no avail; it
wouldn’t work. Taking everything back
out of his car, Andy put it all back together
outside of his car and it started to work.“I
then put it all back together in my car again
and it [still] wouldn’t work,” he says. Andy
knew there was something wrong. “That’s
when I got the idea of adding more volt-
age,” says Andy. Sure enough, everything
started working perfectly.
“I was still in high school, and a guy
came up to me and asked how much I
wanted for the Impala,” says Andy, who
ultimately responded, “it’s not for sale.”
“Later, the guy comes back with $10,000,
and I was like ‘you can have it!’” After
selling the first car that he had fixed up,
Andy decided to get a ’52 Chevy truck,
and restore it the same way. “Same thing
happened, a guy came up to me and bought
my truck,” he says with astonishment.
“I was living in the East Side of San Jose,
where nobody had money, but these kids
were coming up to me with money to buy
my cars,” he says, still in shock. “I would
have to say that with the money I got
from building and selling cars, I started my
business.”
“All of the first hydraulic work that I
did was on the East Side of San Jose, only
August2010 Lowrider 37
a couple of blocks from Story and King,
at my parents’ house on Gainesville Ave.
That’s also where New Style car club
was started,” says Andy beaming with
pride. With a lot of people wanting to get
hydraulics on their cars, Andy had cars
lined up on the street waiting to get a
set up installed. “My mom started to get
pissed at me because I had hydraulic fluid
everywhere, burn marks on the pave-
ment outside from the torch, so that’s
when I decided to open up the hydraulic
shop,” he says. This move would turn
out to be a groundbreaking moment in
Lowrider history.
“I was making weekly trips to LA
and picking up surplus stuff,” says Andy.
“That’s where the bulk of my stuff came
from.” Andy’s Hydraulics opened its doors
in 1975 on 1st street in San Jose, and
immediately began lifting cars from all
over. “What I did was to bring hydraulics
to the mass market. I did it so that anyone
could go into the shop and buy what you
needed; products that weren’t available
before.” Before Andy, if you wanted hy-
draulics, you first had to figure out what
you needed, find all the pieces, and then
piece it all together for yourself. “The
cylinders and Pesco pumps were from
military surplus stores, the hoses were
from tractor supply places and so on,” he
explains. These headaches were partially
alleviated when Andy decided to simplify
things with his own creation; his own
pump cylinders.
“I got the idea of making cylinders
one day, and I made a deal with a machine
shop to produce a cylinder called the ‘D&H
Red,’” says Andy. “By the time I was pro-
ducing the cylinder, we weren’t using the
Pesco Pumps anymore. We used what are
known as ‘the Gate Pumps,’” he explains.
The reason people call it “the gate pump”
is because it is used to lift tailgates on
work trucks. Andy went to Fenner-Stone
(who made the pump) and had them
make a pump specifically tailored to the
Lowrider car. “It had a #8 pump head in it
to push the D&H Red cylinder,” explains
Andy. This innovation not only proved
to be a more effective design, it also
legitimized Lowrider customization in the
marketplace as well.
In 1973, Andy and a few of his friends
from Overfelt High School founded New
Style car club, although the club wasn’t
official until 1974. Andy became the first
president of New Style car club. “Rick and
Manuel Garcia took over the club, and
still managed to work on my hydraulics
shop. I did it as a hobby at first, but it
really took off,” he recalls. “Then, when
Lowrider Magazine started in San Jose, it
gave the whole Lowrider movement a big
push. Everyone wanted to have their car
featured in Lowrider Magazine!” he says
with excitement.
Andy’s Hydraulics has moved to the
historic Story and King area, and once
there, he found his shop busier than ever.
“Entire car clubs would show up wanting
to have all their cars lifted by the week-
end,” says Andy with a laugh. Things
just took off in the scene, and before
long, Andy had 8 stores, including shops
in Los Angeles, Phoenix, El Paso, and all
others over Northern California. “I opened
up stores in the cities that I saw a lot of
people coming in from,” says Andy. “It was
a snowball effect from there.”
The business proved to be much big-
ger than Andy had initially visualized.
“Things started to get to crazy for me,
and I started to get out of it,” he explains.
“I was making a lot of money at the time,
but money isn’t everything.” “The hy-
draulics was bringing another element to
the scene that I didn’t like,” he says with
dismay. “It was bringing in a bad core of
people that I didn’t like, so I decided to not
do it anymore.”
Now that Andy Douglas has retired,
he has opened up a Hobby shop in San
Jose. “That’s the retirement business,”
says Andy with relief, adding, “it’s just
about playing with RC cars.” Although he
has stepped away from the hydraulics
business, he hasn’t completely departed
from the scene. Andy’s Hydraulics
is still working on cars these days,
because he is willing to work on cars for
people that he’s done work with dating
back to the ‘70’s. “I’m still lifting cars”
says Andy, who is working on the fifth
car for a new club coming out of the
East Side of San Jose called “Chevyitos.”
Andy would like to thank Doug Vigil
for keeping New Style car club riding
strong after all these years. The story
of Andy Douglas is an interesting one
to me. It is a story that left me thinking
about how everything in life happens
for a reason. Would the course of history
have changed if one young man’s trip
to East Los never happened? Would
Lowriding be what it is today if that
young man would have gotten a blowout
on Highway 101 on that faithful day in
1972? These were just a few of the ques-
tions that I asked myself after leaving
Andy Douglas’ home. I was astonished at
how a single road trip changed one man’s
way of life, and single-handedly pushed
the Lowrider movement to new heights,
(literally). ■
40 Lowridermagazine.com
FIRST RATE AND SELECT OVER 35 YEARS
Story and Photos: SAUL VARGAS
hen High Class Car Club started at Roosevelt made upon taking over. Under their leadership, the club

W
the
Park in Los Angles back in August of ’74, no has become much more family-oriented , a far cry from

one ever expected it to be as strong as it is to- dynamics that initially fueled the club.
rs
day. It’s safe to say that none of the founding club membe
d the club to be around for as long as it has, LRM: How did the club operate in the past, and is itany differ-
ever expecte
ent now?
and that the club has defied the odds. Most of the original
HIGH CLASS: When we were all single, we would go
members moved on with their lives, as they started
was cruise Hollywood Blvd. every weekend. The times have
families and left the scene. This changing of the guard now
nce for Luis “Speedy ” Rodrigu ez and Jose changed, as we still go cruising on the weekend, but
a pivotal occurre , at-
we are rolling around with our families. We go cruising
Barreras, who joined the club in ‘93 and ’94, respectively. club like a
tend car shows, throw picnics; we try to run the
s,
After a few years under the leadership of Louie Borrola out every
big family, with family involve ment. We all hang
to this dynami c duo, and they
the torch was handed over well,
weekend, and our kids are growing up in the scene as
would ultimately make an impact for their club.
hopefully they will follow in our steps.
When we caught up to the Club President and Vice
s they
President, they shared some insight as to the change

August 2010 Lowrider 41

 LRM: What does it take to be a member
of High Class Car Club?
HIGH CLASS: As of right now, we are
not taking on any new members unless
they have a nice car that’s outfitted
with rims, paint and hydraulics. We have
had bad experiences in which we have
thrown out members who couldn’t mea-
sure up to our standards, so now the club
attitude is basically that; your car will get
you in, and your attitude will keep you in.

LRM: To what do you owe the success to

your club?
HIGH CLASS: We had to change with
the times, our club isn’t just lowriders, we
also have SUV’s and trucks now. If they
are hooked up with a Lowrider style, we
can hit other shows that would normally
not accept us with our traditional Low-
riders. Our club was one of the first, if not
the first to hook up the Lowrider-style
SUV’s.

LRM: Do you guys think you will expand

the club by adding another chapter?
HIGH CLASS: Maybe in the future we
can expand, as long as the club mix can
be 70% percent Lowriders and the re-
maining 30% can be comprised of SUVs
or trucks with the Lowrider style. Most of
our guys have both of them, and usually
they are both hooked up properly so that
they can fly a High Class plaque.

LRM: What’s in store for the future of

the club?
HIGH CLASS: Most of us have more
than one car, and are building cars that
should be contenders. None of the active
members really know how the club
started, but they know that they are all
one big Lowriding family. The chemistry
between Speedy and Jose is good for this
club and its fourteen good-hearted and
dedicated active members. Now check
out this month’s club feature on High
Class and their rides. Keep up the selec-
tive, first rate work, High Class! ■

42 Lowridermagazine.com
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
VW 147 VW 166 VW 350 VW 450 VW 600 VW 810 A VW 820 VW 825 VW 830
AV. 20, 22 AV. 17, 18, 20, 22, 24 AV. 22, 24 AV. 22, 24 AV. 18, 20, 22 AV. 18, 20, 22 AV. 18, 20, 22, 24, 26 AV. 18, 20, 22, 24 AV. 18, 20, 22

10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18
U2-35 U2-50B U2-55A U2-95A U2-100A U2-100B U2-105A U2-110 U2-145
AV. 22, 24, 26 AV. 20, 22, 24 AV. 20, 22, 24, 26 AV. 18, 20, 22 AV. 18, 20, 22 AV. 22, 24 AV. 18, 20, 22 AV. 18, 20, 22 AV. 20, 22, 24

19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27
F5 85 F5 90 F5 95 F5 100 F5 105 F5 110 F5 35 F5 80 GW 130A
AV. 18, 20, 22, 24 AV. 20, 22, 24 AV. 18, 20, 22 AV. 18, 20, 22, 24 AV. 17, 18, 20, 22, 24 AV. 18, 20, 22, 24 AV. 18, 19, 20, 22 AV. 18, 20, 22, 24 AV. 20

28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36
GW 130B GW 190 BW B2B BW B3 BW B4S BW B6A BW B6B BW B8 BW B11
AV. 22, 24 AV. 17, 18, 20, 22, 24 AV. 18, 20, 22 AV. 18, 20, 22, 24 AV. 18, 20, 22, 24 AV. 20, 22, 24 AV. 18, 20, 22 AV. 18, 20, 22, 24 AV. 22, 24

37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45
BW B14 HW H1 HW H3 HW H6 HW H8 HW H10B STYLE 81 STYLE 82 STYLE 102
AV. 17, 18, 20, 22, 24 AV. 18, 20, 22, 24 AV. 18, 20, 22, 23, 24 AV. 18, 20, 22, 24 AV. 18, 20, 22, 24 AV. 20, 22, 24 AV. 20, 22, 24, 26 AV. 20, 22 AV. 20, 22

46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54
STYLE 104 STYLE 107 STYLE 111 BELLE REAPER RISSA FLAWLESS VERVE JINX
AV. 22, 24 AV. 20, 22, 24, 26 AV. 20, 22, 24 AV. 22, 24 AV. 20, 22 AV. 18, 20 AV. 20, 22 AV. 20, 22, 24, 26 AV. 20, 22

55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63
PARANORMAL SHYLOCK SUPERNATURAL ANGEL ELITE SENTINEL SPIDER CORSICA VIENNA
AV. 20, 22, 24 AV. 20, 22, 24 AV. 18, 20 AV. 20, 22 AV. 22, 24, 26 AV. 22 AV. 22X9.5 AV. 19 - 30 AV. 19 - 30

64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72
CREED FLASH GANJA JOKER OPERA REVOLUTION NASTY TYCOON VOODOO
AV. 20 - 26 AV. 20 - 26 AV. 20 - 26 AV. 20 - 26 AV. 20 - 26 AV. 20 -26 AV. 20 -26 AV. 20 -26 AV. 20 - 26

73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81
SS4 SS5 SS6 SS7 SS8 DIAL LSS8 LT-701 FIRESTAR
AV. 20 - 26 AV. 20 - 26 AV. 20 - 26 AV. 20 - 26 AV. 20 -26 AV. 20 - 30 AV. 20 - 30 AV. 20 -30 AV. 20 - 30
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 “FLAKED & WEBBED
FLEETLINE”

“‘67 GTO”

46 Lowridermagazine.com
 Story and Photos: Saul Vargas

I
f there is one thing that almost
all Lowrider builds have in com-
mon, it’s the fact that there’s
always some sort of influence or
motivating factor behind the build
itself. In many cases, it can be a
death in the family, a build for a
spouse, or even a lifelong love affair
with a certain make or model. In the
case of Alex Garza’s ’77 Monte Carlo,
the motivation stemmed from a
promise. Alex’s quest for the perfect
Monte began as he decided to look
for a car to build after one of his good
friends, a friend with whom he used
to ride motorcycles with, was killed
by a drunk driver while riding his
motorcycle. Herein lies the promise;
Alex gave his word to his wife and
mom after the tragedy that he
would never again ride street bikes,
and that he would instead build
himself a Lowrider.
An honorable man, building a
Lowrider was a great way to keep
Alex out of harm’s way for his fam-
ily’s sake, while simultaneously
preserving his identity as a true
auto enthusiast. “Lowriders were
always a hidden passion of mine,”
he says. “My uncles had built some
serious street cars back in the ‘70’s
and ‘80’s in Delano, CA. After I sold
my motorcycle, I began my search
for a Lowrider to build, focusing on
finding a ‘73-‘77 Chevy Monte Carlo,”
notes Alex, with a tone of reason in
his voice. “That was the car that all
of my uncles’ had back in the days.
Coincidentally, the Monte Carlo was
also the car I learned how to drive in
when I was a teenager.”
Now that he had narrowed down
his ideal make and model, Alex was
well on his way with the build. After
weeks of searching, he had a good
lead from Craigslist; it was a 1977
Chevy Monte Carlo that was up in
Delano. “I drove to Delano to check
out the MC. It was kind of in a rough
shape. It had some cancer in the
normal places, like the wheel wells
and exterior. I went over the car and
made sure that the car had no prior
or major body work. I then asked
the guy, ‘Are you firm with the price
of $1100.00?’ I figured I could live
with the cancer spots and so forth,

LIVE”
RID E TO
O RIDE,
ET
“LIV SION
A S
TIM EP
E
A LIF
 Model

Hair & Makeup: Nicole Woods

Photos: Paul Cobo
but with the title and registration being 10 older cars in their booth for SEMA. Craig sent
years behind, it was going to be expensive. I them the rendering of the Monte Carlo and
decided to offer him $600.00 for the car. He they were blown away. They immediately
spoke to his wife, and they handed me the requested and approved the car to appear
keys and paper work and I drove it home.” in their booth. The possibility of such great
Once the car was parked safely at Alex’ exposure weighed heavily on Alex. “Having
home, it sat in the drive way for a while, un- been to SEMA before, I knew what was at
til he was financially ready to breathe new stake, and I was not going to let my friends
life into it. “One day I woke up and drove it to down with this build. I knew that I was go-
my boy Edmund Frausto’s shop. He had done ing to have to go into overdrive with
my hydraulics before, and I felt that he was this one,” he says with a grin.
the man to do it again. Edmund installed two Work began for the crew at
Showtime pumps, four switches, and six a feverish pace. “Once my
batteries,” he explains. “I did not want a hop- partner, Nino Brown, and
per, I just wanted a clean cruiser, and that is I got the car disman-
exactly what he gave me when I picked it up. tled, I was ready to
Roughly 3 months later, I took the car to my get the chrome
buddies at Kal Koncepts and said, ‘I am ready redone. I
when you are.’” Once Dion and Craig saw called an
how serious Alex was about his build, they old
quickly went to work, with Craig immediate-
ly sketching out some renderings for design
ideas. “He came up with an idea that we
all agreed upon, so while Craig continued
to sketch on paper, the necessary body
work began. Brandon Lamby shaved
the door handles, and cut and
removed all the cancer, replacing
it with fresh new metal. There
were over 300 hours that was
put into the body work before
we were satisfied with it,”
Alex says with a smile. “Once
the body was perfect and
primed, it was ready to be
blocked and smoothed out,
in order to get ready for the
paint.”
During the process,
Craig had been on the
phone with House of
Kolor, and was told that
they wanted a couple of
friend in Anaheim, Peter Tapia, who de-
serves all the credit for the re-chroming of
the car, from top to bottom, and from front
to back,” Alex comments. “During the time
that the car was disassembled while being
chromed and painted, Dion Guiliano, Nino
Brown, Rich Wyman, and myself started on
the interior down at the Mob Shop. The Mob
Shop took great care with their work,
handling everything from the fiber
glass installs to the carpeting,”
he says, giving credit where
credit is due. Stitched
in BMW Leatherette
material, the spice
orange and tan
inserts were
the perfect
match for
what
was to become the “Microphone Fiend.”
Alex’s road to the perfect build did have
one major pitfall, however. “After blowing
up my stock engine at the Majestics’ picnic,
I sent my car to Steve Johnston and Nicka-
racci, and they replaced the motor with a
1977 Corvette 350 four bolt main with a
cam, lifters, aluminum intake, Edelbrock
Carb, electronic fuel pump, dual electric
fans and aluminum radiator and turbo 350
transmission. Juan, from Performance Off
Road, installed the exhaust.”
Now that the car was nearly complete,
all it lacked was audio, which was added as
the final step in the build. “The stereo sys-
tem was built by Rich Wyman and myself.
The system consists of 4 Kicker L7 8-inch
subs, 2 Addictive Audio 6.5s, and 2 Addic-
tive Audio 6x9’s in the rear deck, powered
by 1 Addictive Audio 10.4 4 channel amp, 1
Addictive Audio 200.1 mono amp, and a JVC
head unit,” he says. Serious sounds indeed,
but what else can you expect from a “Micro-
phone Fiend?”
When we asked Alex why he
decided to build this car, he told us
that it was built for a couple of
reasons. “It was built in honor
of my mom, Diana, who passed
away from breast cancer in
2006. Most importantly, it
represents the promise that
I made to her about selling
my street bike and building
a Lowrider,” he says proud-
ly. “It was also built for my
uncles, who showed me
what Lowriders were all
about when I was a kid.”
What a way to keep a
promise, Alex. ■
August2010 Lowrider 51
August 2010 Lowrider 52
LR-36
MICROPHONE
FIEND
Owner: Alex Garza
Vehicle: 1977 Chevrolet,
Monte Carlo
Ctity/State: Bakersfield, CA
Club: Stylistics Los Angeles
Paint: The Monte Carlo was
sprayed with House of Kolor
Candy’s and Pearls.
Engine: 1977 Corvette 350 motor,
and a 350 transmission. To allow
the engine to breathe properly, an
Edelbrock carburetor and intake, as
well as a billet air cleaner were used
in the build.
Sound System: Chris West at
Turn It Up Stereo in Tracy, CA built
the custom fiberglass enclosure and
installed the custom sound system,
with the help of Trino Alfaro.
Interior: The interior was stitched
in two-tone BMW leather. The
interior was dressed up with painted
panels, the dash and package tray
were also painted, in order to tie in
the interior to the exterior designs.
Setup: A two-pump Showtime
Hydraulics set up, powered by six
31-series deep-cycle batteries.
Wheels: 13x7 100-spoke Zenith
Wire Wheels
Tires: Coker 5.20’s
KICKING OFF THE YEAR
SOLD OUT AND WET
 as
Stor y & Photos by Saul Varg
d weather at
rega rdless of the pred icte

T
is alw ays a good from far and
he Southwest the ven ue . The cars cam e
e,
stop for Low rider Magazin wide, as eve rybo dy was read y to kick
ics are le-
especia lly when hyd raul off the yea r in full force. The
big three
e of Arizona.
gal to have in the great stat were in the house, as the
Majestics CC
ured that we wou ld kick off our ive lineup.
This ens
positive note, rolled deep with a impress
Lugz-sponsored tour on a Rollerz Only also had a stro
ng showing,
that a sold out line up of 600 his club in
knowing as founder Troy promoted
to be displayed dow n indoors,
juiced cars were waiting vendor’s row. UCE held it
nds. Whi le the st Los Ange-
at Arizona State Fair Grou as they feat ured thei r late
le host, the
venue itself was an incredib les Cha pter of the UCE fam ily. Desireable
Mot her Nat ure
weather was not as kind. Ones CC from Las Veg as mad e a great
t atmosphere
brought more of a Midwes guest app eara nce , as they brou ght out
utdoor
to this Southwest indoor/o a few of thei r big guns, incl
uding Mar ty
r 10,000 wet
event. That didn’t stop ove Feli x’ “Life After Death,”
which placed
from rolli ng
and ded icated spectators third in the sweepstakes
class. The Sty-
the gate s to che ck out the the hall as wel l,
through
gh. listics looked good inside
industry ’s top rides thou Februa ry LRM
were since they feat ured thei r
As usual, the show grou nds cover car. Society also had
a few gems
ted space,
packed and feat ured no was
58 Lowridermagazine.com
 d ‘64 Impa la owned by
on display, includ ing a recently finishe
out of Arizona supported
head judge Danny Ochoa. Klique CC
ials of Phoenix decided to
the event, as did Groupe. The Imper
gh the show with an impre ssive lineup for all to see
roll throu
as well.
ed up for Li’l
The concert began as Mr. Capone-e open
came out to support.
Rob, who tore it up for all the fans that
cs, includ ing “Sum mer
He rocked a set of some of his classi
and “Bring out the Freak in
Nights,” “Super Bad,” “Playground,”
crowd, as he performed
You.” Baby Bash also killed it for the
Control,” and “Cyclone.”
“Baby I’m back,” “Suga Suga,” “Outta
as well, bringing out
Once the concert ended, the show ended
the seaso n in style .
we received a surpr ise
While Lowr ider was out in Phoenix,
show stage by Phoe nix Vice Mayor Michael Nowa-
visit at the
our awar d cerem ony began , the Vice Mayor
kowski. Before
certifi cate of appre ciatio n mark ing the
presented us with a
annual event. Despite
conti nuous support of the city for our
way to start off the year
the weat her, this show was a great
the next tour stop, and
rain or shine. We hope to catch you at
g us! ■
once again, thank you Phoenix for havin
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 S TH E CROW D
NCER CA PT IVATE
JER RY ’S CA R DA

THE RAIN DROPPED

AND THE SOUTHWEST HOPPED
Story & Photos by Saul Vargas,

T
hanks to the enormous success of last
year’s invitational hopping contest, this
year’s shows had minor changes added
to the rules or categories, most notably in the
form of a new show hopper class. The weather
for this year’s show was not the best, but that
didn’t stop the competit ion from heating up.
With the rain coming down the hardest during
the hop, it looked like a scene from the movies,
as a curtain of water impaired the vision of the
hardcore Lowrider fans who showed their sup-
port despite the weather in Arizona.
The Lowrider hydraulic competit ions have
thrown all of the rules out the window, as the
hydraulic competit ion has been revamped to
focus on entertain ing the crowd. The key rules
all revolve around safety, as the hydraulic part
has now become an invitational, allowing us to
bring you only the best hydraulic exhibition-
ists in the sport. So the main goal is to bring the
spectators the best and safest show possible.
For this part of the exhibition, the hop off
becomes a measuring stick, literally. All the
best hoppers have to prove is to out hop one
another and record their leaps via a ruler, or
measuring stick which measures the heights
that they achieve. There are usually three
guys per class, which allows for an exciting
elimination between them, giving the win-
ner ultimate bragging rights. The car dance
hydraulic competit ion is also setup to get our
crowd more involved, as it is more of a friendly
exhibition with the crowd serving as judge and
jury to pick the winner. ■
1 2 3 4
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 A TRIBUTE TO THE AZTECS
Story By Humberto “Twotonz” Mendoza, Photos By Saul Vargas
H
aving been converted from a pile
of rust in Modesto, into a certified
show-stopper in Las Vegas, this
garage-built ’51 Chevy out of San Jose, CA
took Lowrider builds to a whole new plateau.
“I never thought that it would go to this
level,” says Henry Palacios, owner of “SJ
Trokita.” Henry and a few close friends spent
countless nights in the garage assembling
this one-of-a-kind Chevy. The crew finished
the truck just in time to take it to the LRM-
sanctioned show in Pueblo, Colorado, where
they were able to qualify for the Las Vegas
Super Show. “The trip to Colorado, and the
atmosphere there was awesome,” expressed
Henry, as he told me about the 29-hour road
trip east. “It was a real blessing to have been
able to go to Colorado and make it back,” says
Henry.
As a youngster, Henry Palacios always
wanted a Lowrider, but never got his hands
on one until his loving wife, Yolanda Vargas,
bought him a ’65 Impala. After a year of work,
Henry had converted the old ’65 into a clean
street cruiser and later decided to sell the ’65.
Henry began his search for a new challenge
to build. One day, Henry mentioned to his
good friend Jimmy Gustamantes, Jr. that he
wanted “a Bomb truck with the three win-
dows in the back.” Luckily, his friend had a
lead for him. “Jimmy knew that there was one
in Modesto for $2500,” says Henry thank-
fully. After taking a trip out to Modesto to go
look at the truck, Henry saw that just about
the only thing the truck had to offer was the
skirts, but he still ended up buying the rough
project truck for his wife Yolanda anyway.
With her Dad being an original member of
Chicano Pride Car Club, and with 3 of her 5
brothers also being involved in the Lowrider
scene, it’s safe to say that Yolanda was
brought up in a family of Lowriders.
Once in possession of the truck, Henry
started working on it while at-
tending Viejitos car club meetings.
Liking what he saw at the meet-
ings, he ended up joining Viejitos
Car Club. “The club does a lot of family
oriented stuff,” explained Henry.
As work began on the truck, his sup-
portive wife Yolanda had a lot of input
on the build. “A lot of the ideas on there
are from her,” says Henry with a smile. “I
just wanted a molded firewall, and
she’s the one that wanted to have
it engraved,” he laughs. From the
color of the truck, to the engraving
and the murals, Yolanda added a
lot of creative insight. “As we started
competing, she got more into it,”
explained Henry. Yolanda, who helps
to set up the truck at the shows, even
named the truck. “We make a power
team,” says Henry proudly.
Balancing the act of working
six days out of the week as a service
manager at an automotive shop and
spending a lot of his free time in the
garage building the truck proved to
be quite the challenge for Henry.
That doesn’t even reflect on the
financial difficulties involved with
the build, a struggle that most
Lowriders out there can definitely
relate to. It’s hard to build a car like this
when you’ve got a mortgage and a family,”
says Henry.
Henry would like to thank his wife for be-
ing very supportive in this unique project. He
also wishes to send his regards to the Vargas
brothers, Jimmy, John, Danny Torrez, Coast
One, and Amador for all the support that was
lent and the late nights they spent helping
him achieve his perfect build. ■
 SJ TROKITA
Owner: Henry & Yolanda Palacios
Club: Viejitos CC San Jose
Vehicle: 1951 Chevrolet Pick-up
City/State: San Jose, CA
Paint: Two-tone gold and silver PPG paintjo
b
with murals and subtle graphics.
Engine/Drive Train: Stock 235/6 Cylind
er
with a custom air cleaner and 3-speed on the
column.
Interior: Tan suede and vinyl seats with
molded
and painted door panels to match the exterio
r of
the vehicle.
Setup: Five engraved aluminum pumps, Adel
dumps and custom slow down valves on a motor-
ized hydraulic rack powered by four Optima
yellow
top batteries.
Wheels: 14x7 gold center OG wire Wheels
Tires: Premium Sportway 5.20’s
 ‘63 NEW JERSEY RAG
Story and Photos by: Phil Gordon
L
ibertad is the Spanish word for
freedom. That word has a very special
meaning to 31-year-old Manny Faxas
II of Keansburg, New Jersey. In a generation
where fathers are absent in the household,
and parents are often working or separated,
Manny had a very strong and close relation-
ship with his father. His father, Manuel, ar-
rived in the United States in the 1960’s, after
moving his family from Cuba with the dream
of raising his children in a better place. He
purchased his first car, a ‘63 Chevy Impala,
as his primary work vehicle. As Manny grew
older, he began watching his father tinker
with the Impala, and eventually grew to love
his father’s car.
When Manny turned 16, his father took
him to get his first vehicle. It became an
important bonding experience for the two,
and led to daily projects like installing stereo
equipment and changing oil or spark plugs.
Tragedy struck in early 2009 when Manny’s
father was rushed to the hospital for heart
failure. Unfortunately, he failed to make it
through the night. Manny was crushed and
vowed to pay honor to his father in every
way possible.
One month later, Manny searched far and
wide and found the perfect ‘63 Chevy Impala
SS Convertible in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. He
brought the Impala back to his home in New
Jersey, and for the next 6 months, he worked
continually on what he calls “Libertad.”
Manny and his friend, Nelson Gonzales,
removed the stock motor and rebuilt it. Parts
from the Impala were sent out piece by piece
to SPS in Miami, Florida, to receive some high
quality chrome plating.
When it came to the hydraulic suspen-
sion, Manny wanted the car’s setup to
be efficient, but still classy. He enlisted
James Stewart Jr. of Haines City, Florida
to undertake the tasks of completing the
frame wrapping and hydraulic install. A
two-pump, three-dump Hi-Lo setup was
added to achieve the efficiency Manny was
looking for. A vinyl casing was wrapped
around the batteries and throughout the
setup, separating the audio equipment from
the high powered pumps. Manny pulled out
the original interior and replaced it with a re-
conditioned, saddle colored leather and cloth
mixture. Peanut Butter colored floor carpet
was added to complement the newly added
interior work.
Libertad took a total of 6 months to
complete, and Manny finds it a fitting tribute
to his father. Even after his passing, Manny’s
father continues to be his biggest inspira-
tion, as he has recently enrolled in college
to become an engineer like his father. “My
Pops meant everything to me, and I know
he is looking down on me and is proud of
my accomplishments,” he says proudly. He
adds, “if he were here today, he would be
right beside me every step of the way.” The
loving support from his wife, Mercy, and
their four children, Bryana, Nicholas, Manny
III and their newest addition Michael, drive
Manny to pursue his dreams and succeed
in everything he does. The Faxas family’s
commitment serves as a reminder that the
continued legacy of Lowrider enthusiasts
will forever endure, as “Libertad” embodies
the perseverance, soul, and dedication that
symbolizes our culture and movement. ■
Owner: Manny Faxas II
Vehicle: 1963 Chevrolet Impala SS Convertible
City/State: Keansburg, New Jersey
Club: Individuals C.C.
Engine/Drive Train: The stock ‘63 327-c.i.d. V8 was
removed, reworked, and rebuilt by Manny and friend
Nelson Gonzales in his garage. Billet accessories and
a four-barrel Edelbrock carburetor were added. SPS in
Miami, Florida handled the chrome plating.
Body/Paint: No Limit Performance in Keyport, New
Jersey stripped down the fading paint, and coated it
with smooth as glass PPG Black and 8 layers of PPG
clear coat.
Interior: Manny handled the interior himself, remov-
ing the stock guts and replacing it with a reconditioned
Saddle leather and cloth mixture with chrome piping,
which brought out the color. The side panels and carpet
were also replaced.
Sound System: A Kenwood head unit plays through
a stellar system that includes four MB Quarts compo-
nents, including custom kick panels in the front. Two
JL Audio subwoofers are mounted in a compartment
under the rear seats, and enclosed in peanut butter
colored leather. Two JL Audio amplifiers are mounted
in the trunk behind a plexiglass Individuals logo with
LED lights behind it that switch colors, all controlled by
Manny.
Setup: The frame was wrapped and chromed by James
Stewart Jr. from Haines City, Florida. A two-pump Hi-Lo
setup was installed, using one Adex dump and two oil
system dumps. Eight inch Showtime cylinders handle
the front, while twelve inch Showtime cylinders are
run to the rear. Eight Deka batteries line the sides of the
trunk and are hidden away. A four-switch panel was
built to replicate the factory trim and mounted to the
dashboard to handle the basic moves.
Tires: P155/80R13 Triumph radials
Wheels: Custom built 100-spoke chrome center and
black lip Rhyders Edition. The hub was engraved by
Hernan in California. Eazy from Percision Engraving in
Irving, Texas engraved the knockoffs.
Text and Photos by LRM Staff
T
he most anticipated Lone Star
state show is none other than the
distinguished Tejano Super Car show,
located in the booming oil town of Odessa,
Texas. Enormous crowds full of supporters
gather annually for this show, thanks in
part to the efforts of the man behind the
event, Lowriding legend Nick Hernandez
of Texas Tours Entertainment. This year’s
event marked the 38th annual showing of
this Lowriding celebration, and it kicked off
without a hitch, just as expected. An incred-
ible show, this Sunday phenomenon was the
talk of the town in this West Texas vicinity.
As the morning sunrise gleamed over
the clouds, the early bird competitors lined
up at the gates to make their way into the
Ector County Coliseum and its six additional
exhibit halls. Over 400 entries comprised of
best-of-the-best Lowriders from Arizona,
New Mexico, Oklahoma, and of course, the
Texas-bred rides. Inside the main arena
there were a handful of candy-coated
lows, while the rest of the illustrious rides
were displayed throughout the grounds.
Prestigious car clubs such as Rollerz Only,
Brown Impressions, UCE, Dallas Lowrid-
ers, Klique, Solitos, New Breed, Majestics,
Imperials, and Estilo all lent their own style
to this already extraordinary show. As fans
walked around in awe at the remarkable au-
tomobile masterpieces, other fans browsed
the vendor aisles to check out the latest
aftermarket accessories and add-ons. Lone
Star Brand showed off their latest apparel,
while purchased CD’s from Dope House
Records were flying off the tables. The main
stage was set to host the hottest entertain-
ers, with a lineup that included Rekluse, MC
Magic, and lyrical genius, Twista. Besides
these amazing rappers, the show displayed
diverse musical flavors for everyone to
enjoy. Renowned Spanish recording artists
followed up the hip-hop performance, and
had hundreds of aficionados grooving with
their celebrated hits.
The lineup from the Taste of Latin Car
Club was definitely among the show’s best,
and provided plenty of eye candy that the
fans couldn’t get enough of. Alma Gomez’ ’73
Impala, “Magentalicious,” was sitting low
and pretty, while Augustine Hernandez’ ‘81
Lincoln was turning up the heat, show-
ing spectators what a quality ride is truly
made of. David Leal’s ’79 “Cadd-Berry” Coupe
DeVille exhibited well in the luxurious
category of lowriding. Hailing from Roswell,
New Mexico, Frank represented Majestics to
the fullest with his exalted ragtop Caprice,
dubbed “King Hater.” A stroll down Old
Memories Car Club Boulevard revealed a
number of classics for spectators to feast
ODESSA, TEXAS KEEPS LOWRIDING ALIVE

AND STRONG FOR OVER THREE DECADES

their eyes on. The timeless works of art
were absolutely breathtaking, and the
intricate details were more than appreci-
ated by the many fans who turned out
to show support for the Lowrider culture
that is.
The high-flying daredevil action in
the hopping pit kept the fans on edge
and screaming for more. Mouths dropped
when the switch action erected these
radical contenders to a near 90 degrees
angle. The towering Hi-Low creations
made their presence known in the arena
by giving the crowd performances of the
highest caliber.
Entertainment value is always
the key to a successful show, and Nick
Hernandez definitely accomplished
that, with a recipe that included custom
rides, superb tunes, good food, and
great friends. Thanks in part to Univi-
sion, Sudden Link, O’Reilly, BBS, Hi Low
Hydraulics, and B93, the infamous 38th
Tejano Car Show was marked down in
the history books as yet another success.
A special thanks is extended to all those
who supported this Texas Tours Enter-
tainment bash. ■
 URSED CRU ISER
‘49 HUDSON - THE C
Story and Photos by: Dustin “ Volo” Pedder
Marisa Rosales inherited this 1949 Hudson
Brougham after her boyfriend, Arturo “Mijo” Palma,
passed away in 1999. He had purchased the car some
time before from his friend, Gaspar, who has also
passed away. As Marisa recalls, Gaspar had purchased
the car from the widow of the original owner. So, unde-
niably every man who has owned this classic cruiser
is now resting in peace. Coming up with the name for
this beautiful [but deadly] ride was easy for Marisa.
Christine, a 1983 John Carpenter movie based on a
novel by Stephen King, tells the story of an old red car
that seems to be possessed and very dangerous on its
own. “Christine” was perfect.
Marisa says that when she acquired the car, it still
needed a lot of work. The engine and interior were not
yet installed and the ride’s body was only primered.
Although she had been associated with this Hudson
for about 18 years, she really became involved with
it over the past decade, spearheading the restoration
and makeover project.
Along with her current boyfriend, Leo, Marisa has
invested a lot of time, money, sweat and tears into
this car, including many trips to Bill Albright’s shop in
Fontana, California and Al Saff ron’s shop in Arizona –
shops that specialize in hard to find parts for Hudsons
and other classic vehicles. These particular vehicles
are very rare, especially in the coupe model.
Marisa loves her car and apparently Christine loves
her too. The mutual care and respect given to each
other is obvious. Marisa has been lowriding for many
years and says she will continue do so in her ‘49 until
the day she dies – a fate that she claims will definitely
be faced, just as Christine’s previous owners have
already unfortunately succumbed to. ■
TECH SPECS
Owner: Marisa Rosales
Vehicle: 1949 Hudson Brougham
City/State: Cula Vista, CA
Car Club: DUKES C.C.
Body/Paint: Chico at Candy’s Auto Body in
San Diego, California took on the responsibil-
ity of body work and paint. After the body
was prepped, Chico sprayed a PPG candy and
Chrysler inferno red, creating a two-tone red
on red color scheme with candy and big me-
tallic flakes. Cisnero, a mobile pinstriper also
from San Diego, added some class with some
fine stripes. Ben over at Sanchez Polishing
in Escondido, California took care of the re-
chroming and re-polishing for the bumpers
and moldings.
Interior: Octavio Davalo, from Davalo’s
Upholstery in Chula Vista, completed the
interior with a two-tone red and black color
scheme in leather and suede. A Mercedes
Benz center console was modified and uphol-
stered to fit into the car with the stereo deck.
Sound System: Arturo of Big Boys Audio
up in Lemon Grove, California, installed a
Fahrenheit touch-screen head unit hooked
up with two Orion amplifiers, two Fosgate
tweeters and four 6x9-inch mid-range
speakers, and one 8-inch MTX subwoofer.
Set Up: Jaime “Carrot” Romo, of Carrots
Hydraulics in Chula Vista, performed the
necessary frame reinforcement and prep. A
Chevy Camaro front sub frame was added
before Leo Milla and “Neto”, of Bottoms
Up Hydraulics in Spring Valley, California,
installed an eye-popping hydraulic setup
consisting of two chrome Pesco pumps, two
chrome oxygen tanks, two-ton coils, and
four Optima batteries.
Wheels: Zenith cross-laced 13x7
Tires: Cooper Trend Setter
155/80/13 whitewalls
 PEDALING THROUGH ONE OF LOS ANGELES’
OLDEST BIKE SHOPS
Story and Photos by TAKASHI KIKUSHI
or those of you who have been reading

F Lowrider Magazine or Lowrider Bicycle since

the early days, the name Dennison Schwinn
Cyclery needs no introduction. The shop is a part of
Lowrider history, having been located on Whittier
Blvd., in the heart of East L.A., since 1947. Dennison’s
is also the oldest bicycle shop in Los Angeles. Owned
and operated by the Blake family for the past six
decades, the shop has an amazing collection of old
bicycles. In fact, a tour through this one-of-a-kind
family business is like walking through a historic
museum of cycling. On the walls and hanging from
the ceiling, you can see O.G. Stingrays like the first
Orange Crate, Apple Crate, Cotton Picker, and many
other older and rare Schwinns.
The shop’s beginning came out of necessity,
rather than profit. Dennison’s founder, George Blake,
spent countless days commuting by bicycle from
his house in East L.A. to the factory in downtown
where he was working. He performed all of his bike
maintenance by himself, and his co-workers began
asking him to help them with their own bicycles. He
agreed and began working on his co-workers’ cycles
in his garage during his spare time. Before long, the
flood gates were open, and the neighborhood kids
began bringing their bicycles to George as well. That
garage, located on Dennison Street, became the
birthplace of the shop as we know it today. It also
served as George’s only income after he had lost his
factory job because of the war.
Even though the shop itself has not changed
much, it has kept up with the times, enduring the fat
tire bikes of the forties, and the middle-weight bikes
of the fifties. The trendy ten-speeds and the popular
Schwinn Sting Rays of the sixties were followed by
the beach cruisers and BMX bikes of the seventies.
In the eighties, the road bike passion was born,
which propelled cycling to a new level of enterprise.
Lowrider bikes and mountain bikes became the
fascination of the past two decades, bringing about
a mainstream awareness rarely seen outside of
the culture. Bill Blake, George’s son, took over and
continues to run this amazing shop. Our editor, Joe
Ray, remembers going to Dennison’s as a child. “My
father took me and my little brother there to add
parts for my Stingay,” he says. Joe isn’t the only one;
many Lowriders that grew up in the East L.A. area

88 Lowridermagazine.com
August2010 Lowrider 89
frequented the shop as well.
If you want to know about Schwi nns and
parts, Bill is certai nly the man to learn from.
His contributions to the Lowrider communi-
ty include helping to mass produce the “Baby
Daytons” for Lowrider bicycles when he
was working with Alberto Lopez for Aztlan
Bicycle. He also helped Al to mainstream the
Lowrider-st yle custom ized bicycle and parts.
In short, Bill has watched and helped with
the Lowrider Bicycle movement from the
early days to the present day. Today, Bill’s
son, William, represents the third genera-
tion of Blakes working in this histor ic family
business.
To exper ience a blast from the past that
has not changed much since the forties, visit
Dennison Schwi nn Cycler y, you won’t be
disappointed. You won’t have any trouble
at
finding the place, either, as it can be found
the same location at 6220 Whitt ier Blvd. that
it has been for the past 60 years. When you
you
stop by, make sure to let them know that
heard of them through Lowrider Magaz ine.

SOURCE
Dennison Schwinn Cyclery
6220 Whittier Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA
323.721.8316
www.dennisoncyclery.com
DEPALMA IS A REGISTERED TRADEMARK. © ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
 ORANGE AND JUICED ‘81 CAD
Story and Photos by: Humberto “Twotonz” Mendoza
A
s a kid sitting in his grandparents’
front yard, Daryl Harris remem-
bers the first time he saw his older
friends, Daniel and Rigo, nosing up their
G bodies on the street. “From that point
on, it had me” says Daryl with a laugh. At
that time, most of his friends were into
sports, but Daryl was into cars. “That’s
around the time when I started buying
Lowrider Magazine,” remembers Daryl. As
a youngster that didn’t have a car, Daryl
would write down every single piece, part,
wheel, and set up that he ever wanted in
a notebook − a notebook that he still has
to this day. He even wrote down prices
and contact numbers. This dedication and
attention to detail would shape his Lowrid-
ing career forever.
“As I got older, the homie Rigo sat
me down in his car and showed me how
switches worked,” Daryl recalls. Rigo
even took him on his first ride, and three-
wheeled it, thrilling a young Daryl. “My
goals in life changed at that moment,” he
remembers with a smile. As a youngster,
Daryl had seen his share of amazing rides
in both the pages of Lowrider Magazine,
and at the car shows he attended. One
thing that he noticed was that he didn’t
see too many of these show cars out on
the streets riding, and even less of them
out hitting switches or three-wheeling.
“It really captivated me when I saw people
[actually] getting out and rolling their
cars,” he says. Daryl believed that things
were built and designed to be used, and
this mentality runs deep within his family
for a reason.
Daryl’s mother served in the Army for
twenty years, and his grandfather served
in the Air Force for nearly forty years.
Couple that with the fact that nearly all of
his uncles and aunties also served in the
military, so it’s safe to say that Daryl comes
from a deep military background. This gave
him a sense of dedication as well as a great
perspective on accepting people for who
they are, not what they look like. Daryl
grew up without seeing
segregation, having friends
from different cultures
that had varied interests
also played a big part in
his life.
His family always
knew that he would end
up in the military but like
most teenagers, Daryl hit
a rebellious stage and was
not interested in pursuing
that future. Deep down,
he knew that one day he
would still follow that
path, but at this age, all that was on his
mind was for him to begin his Lowrider
career. Purchasing his first Lowrider, a
1984 Cutlass Supreme at age sixteen, he
spent every free minute cleaning it and
polishing it. Working and saving up, he was
able to get his first set of knockoffs and
before long; he got his first set up. Right
after high school, he started working three
jobs, in order to finance his car build. With
the income from these three jobs, he had
enough money to build his car, but he didn’t you learn from that.”
have enough time to work on it. One day As he began building cars, he really
his grandfather Leonard Smith sat Daryl keyed in on building a car that was show
down and told him “You can have three jobs quality, but could take the abuse of every
forever, but you have to really look at what day street riding as well. Always wanting a
you want from life.” This wisdom sank certain set of cars, he explains the time he
in, and this was the moment when Daryl first saw a Euro Cadillac “I remember when
knew he had to make a change in his life, so I saw my first Euro Cadillac, I didn’t even
he joined the military. know what it was, but I knew I wanted
Daryl started off as a heating and air one.” After some research, he figured out
ventilation technician in the military, and that you couldn’t just buy one at a car lot,
that experience, along with his added you had to build one. “I’ve worked real hard
carpentry skills, gave him the knowledge to have what I have, and I’m proud of that,”
to do his own welding and wiring. Having he explains “You don’t have to do dirt to
the time, money, and experience from his have nice things in life, you just get out
military job, Daryl finally began his project. there and work hard in order to play hard.”
Having that good foundation also gave him Not only did Daryl build himself a Euro
the chance to get out there and get some Cadillac that he can show and hit the street
“seat time,” so he could really ride. Like with, but he also built himself one that
most new riders out there, Daryl learned can grace the pages of Lowrider Magazine.
from trial and error. “You get out there and Good job Daryl!
you get switch happy, you break stuff and Daryl Harris would like to thank God,
because without him nothing is possible.
He would also like to thank Kita Lealao, who was
a big inspiration for bringing down the racial wall
during a time in life when people were content to
stay segregated, Miguel Garibay, Max Alvarado, Lil
Rick, Dwight, Eric, Jason, White Mike, Rob, Vic; his
Individual brothers, also get kudos for helping to
keep his mind motivated, focused, and ready to ride.
He would also like to thank his wife Marian, who has
been there for him, and supported him 110%. “She
never tried to stop my hobby, she was always push-
ing forward with it and I can’t thank her enough for
it.” Daryl adds, “I also wanted to dedicate this to my
grandmother.” ■
Owner: Daryl Harris
Vehicle: ’81 Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham
City/State: Sacramento, CA
Club: Individuals C.C.
c
Engine/Drive Train: Origina l 6.0 V8 Cadilla
engine
Body/ Paint: Always wanting a Euro Caddy,
Daryl upgraded his ’81 Cadillac Fleetwood front
clip to an updated 90’s front clip, while also add-
ing the fiberglass front, back and side panels for
c
that clean look that only a two door euro Cadilla
can get. The House of Kolor “Sunset Pearl” was
sprayed by Ben out of San Jose. The Delgado
brothers took care of the pinstripping and gold
leafing.
Interior: The upgraded ‘90’s dash was
fiberglassed and painted to match the car. All
the interior moldings were painted orange to
complement the Cadillac pillow style interior. An
ACC carpet and Nardi steering wheel was added
to finish off the interior.
Sound System: With the help of his fellow In-
dividua l club members, Daryl installed a Pioneer
head unit, speakers and amps.
Setup: True Riders Hydrau lics in Antioch, CA
took care of Daryl’s need for street hopping by
installi ng 3 Pro Hopper pumps and 10 batteries
in his Cadillac. All the reinforcements, mold-
ing and chrome, were also done at True Riders
Hydrau lics.
Tires: 13x7 Zeniths that were powder-coated
Sunset Pearl to match the luxury ride.
Wheels: 155/80/R13
 1 4 7 6 7 CA LV E R T S T VA N N U Y S CA 9 1 4 1 1
W W W. M O T E K W H E E L S . C O M

Note: Prices subject to change without notice. No returns accepted without authorization Sending cash quickly go to a
number. All returns or cancellations subject to a 20% fee of total amount. All refunds by and wire the money
company check only. No returns or cancellations on special order items (specially drilled,
1. PAY TO: MOTEK WHEELS & ACCESSORIES
gold or chrome plated). Shortage and damages must be reported within 24 hours of receipt.
All prices + Shipping, Handling, Mounting & Balancing, Lugs, Locks, COD charg- 2. CODE CITY: MOTEK 3. STATE: CA
es. Customer pays for shipping & handling both ways on all warranties & returns. 4. SENDER’S ACCOUNT NUMBER WITH COMPANY: 003
Rusted wire wheels will not be warranted. 5. ATTENTION: SALESPERSON’S NAME

Story & Photos By: Edgar Hoill
C
ollectors Choice owner Cesar
Lozano has been collecting
all kinds of toys, figures, hot
wheels and baseball cards since he
was a kid. After collecting so many
things over the years, he was forced
to start selling some of his prized
collections in order to make space for
the new stuff he wanted to purchase.
At a young age, Cesar began selling
some of the stuff in his personal
collection in the Santa Fe Springs
Swap Meet. Through this experience,
he found out that he could make
money doing something he loved and
enjoyed, and this pivotal moment in
his life would ultimately shape his
career focus.
After a couple of successful years
dealing at the Swap Meet, he opened
up a small store called Collectors
Choice in the Compton Fashion
Center in 1995. The store was very
busy right off the bat, so he hired his
nephews Firmin, Alex, and Frankie,
who helped him during the weekends
and their summer vacations. During
that time, Cesar began travelling
with his girlfriend to all the Lowrider
Magazine tour stops. “It was hard
since we had to drive to all of the
events, including Miami and Chicago,
but it was a great experience and it
helped us get a lot of national whole-
sale accounts,” Cesar recalls. A new
aspect of business opened up for him,
thanks to his networking and keen
market sense. After traveling with
96 Lowridermagazine.com
UR
SUPPORTING THE LOWRIDER TO
FOR THE LAST FIFTEEN YEARS
the tour for a few years, he wit-
nessed the skyrocketing popularity
of the Homies Figurines, and he
struck up a deal to become the only
distributor for the line. Creator of the
Homies Line, David Gonzales, gave
the toy line’s wholesale rights to
Cesar after the two agreed upon busi-
ness terms. David and Cesar began
working together on more projects,
and Cesar soon became a full time
consultant for the Homies Line, as
well as with the Linberg Company,
who created the Homie Hoppers.
When Cesar started to consult with
Linberg, they were using stock colors
and hubcaps. He was the creative
force behind the second line of Homie
Hoppers, which came with custom
paintjobs, wire rims, and white walls.
Besides the Homies Line, Cesar’s com-
pany is a distributor for Hot Wheels,
Mattel, Jada Toys, Maisto, Rebell, and
many others.
What was once a hobby has now
become a career, proving that if you
have a passion for something in this
country, you can find a way to make a
living off of it. Thanks to the constant
demand for quality toys, Cesar stays
busy in his warehouse and travels
to many toy expos, all the while
remaining a great supporter of the
LRM tours. We would like to thank
Collectors Choice for supporting LRM
for the past fifteen years. To pur-
chase some collectors items please
visit them at www.stores.ebay.com/
collectorschoicetoys-hobbiesinc. ■
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By NAME HERE

100 Lowridermagazine.com
Story and Photos: Carlos Valencia
I
n the U.S. more than 100,000 men,
women and children currently need life-
saving organ transplants. An average
of 18 people die each day from the lack of
available organs.
As a child growing up in barrio Hollywood
on the west side of Tucson, George Rivera
contracted rheumatic fever, damaging his
heart, and for several years lived with a pos-
sibly fatal heart condition. It was not until
after he graduated from high school, would
he be placed on the national transplant wait-
ing list. Less than a year later on December 2,
1989, George received his new heart at the
University Medical Center in Tucson.
Ten year later he was diagnosed with
renal failure and spent three years on dialy-
sis before receiving a kidney transplant on
March 29, 2003.
None of these life-changing obstacles
have changed George; he is still a die-hard
lowrider enthusiast and a member of Groupe
Car Club, Arizona chapter and a man who
puts family first.
George and his brother Jesus spent more
than two years perfecting his 1967 Impala,
named “Second Life,” which was painted by
legendary car painter O.G. Mando of Arizona,
blue and green and adorned with the Donate
Life logo. On the back of the car the number
213 is painted because he was the 213th
patient to receive a heart transplant at the
University Medical Center in Tucson.
It has been almost twenty-one years
since receiving his heart transplant and
George has become an advocate within the
lowriding community for the organ donor
program. Traveling across Arizona with the
help from his brother and his brother’s wife
Reina and car club members. George takes his
‘67 to car shows, speaking engagements and
anywhere he’s welcomed.
Without the transplant, George would
not be around today and because of that, he
lives life to the fullest. Enjoying each and
every moment of it with friends and family
and doing his part to help others that might
be going through what he has gone through.
As George put it, people of all ages and
background can be organ donors. If you are
18 or older you can be a donor by signing a
donor card. You should also let your family
know your wishes.
For additional information on becoming
an organ donor please visit http://www.
donatelife.net. ■
August2010 Lowrider 101
 TECH PROJECT

SHOW BUMPERS TO YOUR DOOR

Story & Photos by Saul Vargas

B
1. We headed to Goodmark in Norwalk,
uilding a great Lowrider CA to drop off these Impala bumpers.
has always required the 2. If you’re close or within driving dis-
creator to focus on the tance, you can drop off your bumpers to
details; especially the paint a Goodmark drop off center.
quality and chrome trim of the 3. As soon as the bumpers are dropped
vehicle. Classic cars also tend to off, they will be tagged for identification
have gigantic chrome bumpers, and plating instructions.
so finding a good bumper shop to 4. The bumper job had the order number
assist in your designs are essen- engraved on it.
tial, although that can be easier 5. When they arrive to the plating
said than done. When restoring facility, the bumpers are checked and
or customizing a car, the bumpers photographed for ID purposes.
are usually one of the first parts 6. There are written directions on the
that need to be sent out. If you actual bumper as well as on paper.
want them to be restored prop- 7. To remove the years of road grime, the
erly, you’re going to have to find bumpers are going to be sandblasted.
a shop that isn’t going to leave
sanding belt lines on the finish!
Bumpers can usually help
you look into a car’s past. If the
car has been banged up by fender
benders, the bumpers will usu-
ally carry the scars. In order to fix SOURCE
them properly, you need to send Goodmark Industries
them to a reputable shop that has (770) 339-8557
plenty of experience and knowl- www.goodmarkindustries.com
edge on how to refurbish them. A
great place to start is Goodmark 01
Industries, which was founded in
1991. Almost 20 years later, this
shop hasn’t lost a step, as they of-
fer show quality chrome service
that is convenient for most build-
ers, and a to-your-door service
that can be ordered through the
internet.
Simply put, there is no need
to go looking for the shop that
claims to triple plate, when
Goodmark delivers the show
finish every time. Every bumper
02 04 06
that goes through Goodmark
goes through their standard
bumper process, which includes
straightening, polishing, dipping
in copper, and a follow up dosage
of hex chrome. Today, they have
three around-the-clock shifts
working year round to ensure
a fast turnaround. Now follow
along, as we drop off bumpers at
Goodmark and walk you through
the process from start to finish. ■
03 05 07

102 Lowridermagazine.com
 8. Stamping the job number on each bum-
per will allow a paper trail, which shows
when the bumper came in, and when it
was completed.
9. The bumpers had the chrome stripped
chemically. This allows the grinder to fin-
ish cleaning up the bumpers.
10. Going into the grinding process re-
moves any and all of the old finishes.
11. Goodmark has thousands of pattern
libraries for factory/bumper specs.
12. Goodmark has several grinders at work
with different duties.
13. Different sanding belts are used to
remove the old plating.
14. Removing the old plating is very
important.
15. Here is a look of the part where the
chrome was removed off of it.
16. The edges are repaired from being bent
by bumper jack.
17. Polishing has begun using different
belts.
18. Areas of concern are noted on the bum-
per for the polishing departments.
19. Once the bumpers are polished, they
are dipped in copper.

08 09 10 11

12 13 14 15

16 17
20. To give the bumpers that deep look once
chromed, they need to be polished one last
time.
21. The bumpers are racked and wired for
the chrome plating process.
22. The rack with the bumpers are rinsed
in a chemical soap, which helps to degrease
the bumpers.
23. The bumpers are being platted with
18 19
semi-bright.
24. Next is the bright nickel.
25. In between the process, the parts need
to be rinsed to keep the tanks from contami-
nating.
26. Coming out of bright nickel.
27. The bumpers are rinsed.
28. The bumpers are almost finished as they
were lower into the chrome tank.
20

21 22 23 24

25 26 27 28
104 Lowridermagazine.com
29. Coming out of chrome solution, the
bumpers look like they were gold-
plated.
30. The final rinse was done with
water.
31. Wipe down and inspection is com-
plete before being shipped back.
32. The bumpers are shipped back to
29 30 31
the Goodmark distribution center in
Norwalk where they were originally
delivered and turned back in.
33. As you can see, the bumpers are
completely refurbished and left with a
show finish.
34. The brilliant looking bumpers are
ready to be picked up and bolted back
onto the project car with a shine to last.
32 33 34

Tap Into The

Lowrider
Market
And Watch
Your Business
Grow!
For advertising information,
please call
(949) 705-3100
or write to:
Source Interlink Media
c/o Lowrider Advertising Dept.
1733 Alton Parkway
Irvine, CA 92606

CLASSIC TREASURES AND VALUABLE OBJECTS OF WEALTH AND FORT
By Saul Vargas
L
ast month, we reminisced about the
70’s, and on how they came and went.
In this issue, we are visiting one of the
kings of vintage accessories, Mike Ramos.
Mike has been collecting for several years,
and what initially started off as a hobby,
ultimately became Mike’s livelihood. We
hope you enjoy this fraction of Mike’s collec-
tion, which we are proud to feature in this
month’s column.
To get the proper frame of perspective,
picture yourself getting ready to hit the
road on that historic Route 66, wanting
nothing more than to get away and leave
town. What’s wrong with that? Well, noth-
ing thanks to all of the luxurious amenities
that have become standard with our road
vehicles of today. Imagine instead, wanting
to take a road trip in that ’39 Master Deluxe,
or that fastback ’48 Fleetline. You would
first have to plan it out and see what time
of the day you would be leaving so as to
map out the perfect pit stops. The solution
to those days of the past was to purchase a
“Thermador-style” Air Cooler. The reason we
say “Thermador-style” is that they used to
private label them for certain retailers. You
could purchase these through Mail-order
catalogs like JC Whitney, or go to your local
parts house or places like Pep Boys, Sears,
Wards, and Firestone Tire. This was common
practice in the automotive air-conditioning
market for the late ‘40’s thru the early ‘50’s.
We had to wait until 1955 to be able to order
factory AC in your ‘55 Chevy. These Ther-
madors can be found at automotive swap
meets, as well as through the internet, but
once in a while you can find them in base-
ments, attics, or in the rafters of old wooden
garages!
UNE
NOS GM Hat holder
This accessory was originally made for a
1941-1948 GM vehicle, and was primary
available for the Chevrolet. The Lowriders
like these in every model, but they were
originally found in these cars. There’s al-
ways the chrome, cowboy-hanger-type for
those who can’t afford these OG accessories.
This model has been reproduced in a limited
run, which is no longer available, proving
that you can’t beat the OG!
Note: People wore hats daily in this era,
making this accessory very functional.
Another note: People also wore coats and
robe-type trench coats during this time.
That’s what the bar and ropes are for inside
the 2 & 4 door cars from the ‘30’s-‘50’s.
The famous GM Red Head fl ashlight
These have been around since the ‘20’s-
‘50’s. There are several versions, even
plastic ones available from the ‘50’s era.
These are the Chevrolet ones which have
the accy ribbon caps embossed. They were
used from 1936-1949, again the Lowrider
culture has adapted them as a must-have
on a Bomb. It has 3 essential purposes. Be-
sides being used as a flashlight, it also has
a signal flare which shows once it’s placed
on a floor stand. Its unique stand can hang
on the hood rod supports of a 1937-1941,
allowing you to adjust your carb at night, or
make any other adjustments that need to
be made hands-free.
GM Batteries
These batteries are exact copies of what
was issued, only they are retro fitted
with today’s technology, making them re-
chargeable, instead of disposable. Not being
rechargeable led to the demise of these bat-
teries, as they were just tossed away!
GM Ventalarm Fill Guard
Imagine being at war and not having ac-
cess to the resources you need. Well, that
is exactly what happened after the Great
Depression and during World War II. You
were only allowed a certain amount of fuel
for your vehicle, and you needed to make it
last. Some of the common occurrences that
were detrimental during these times were
for the tank to get over topped off, leading
to the spilling and wasting of fuel. This
occurred if someone didn’t pay attention
while pumping the gas into the car. Some
of the consequences of this included the
paint being damaged from the leaded fuel
mix. This gas tank vent guard would slip
into your tank neck, and as the fuel would
fill the tank, the air would blow through the
designed whistle.

Locking Gas Cap

Another idea that came from the rations of
World War II was the locking gas cap. If you
didn’t want somebody to steal or siphon
your rations, you would buy a locking gas
cap. These locking caps were very popular,
but quickly faded away, once the world
went back to normal and benefitted from
the fuel embargo of the 1970’s. These lock-
ing gas caps were reproduced, much like
the one to the right of the original pictured
here, but had to be discontinued as they
were not GM-approved because of minor
design differences.

The saying “one man’s trash becomes

another man’s treasure”
couldn’t be more true than in the world of
automobile restoration. If you have some
vintage accessories and artifacts, as well
as the facts that you want to share with
the public, drop us an email at: saul.vargas@
sorc.com

August 2010 Lowrider 109

 TECH PROJECT

AUDIO/VIDEO FOR YOUR HAULER

Story & Photos by Saul Vargas

I
f you’ve ever hauled a car to a show,
then you understand how long the
drive can be. A two-hour trip can turn
into a six-hour adventure, and without
any mobile entertainment, these trips can
seem to last for a lifetime. Today, we can
laugh about the good ‘ol days when you
would have to take a cross-country trip
with only a few 8-track tapes or casettes
to play for the road. Thank goodness
that today’s options are phenomenal in
comparison to those old school days of
limited mobile entertainment. Today we
have mp3’s, iPods, and video; they have
even brought in gaming systems that can
be tied into your vehicle!
Clarion has been a leader in mobile
entertainment, as they were the first to
integrate iPod technology into their head
units. This month, we are adding a Clarion
mobile entertainment setup that will keep
your trips feeling as short as if you just
drove next door. Now follow along, as John
01 04
Wilson installs a Clarion VX709 2-DIN,
7-inch Touch Panel Control, DVD Multi-
media Station. This stereo is one of the
innovations available that helps to ensure
that our trips feel shorter than what they
really are.

SOURCE
Clarion
www.clarion.com

1. As you can see, this hauler needed

some video upgrade.
2. This old Double Din had seen better 02 05
days, and was ready to be pulled out.
3. Since everything was going to be
disassembled, we took advantage of
the situation and decided to add a back
up camera, which was mounted on the
license plate. So much for the Raider
Nation.
4. First off, everything was torn out
of the vintage head unit, and the seats
were next.
5. The 5-inch Clarion monitors were
placed into position, which allowed the
backrest to be marked.
6. Once everything was measured
twice, it was cut once.
03 06

110 Lowridermagazine.com
 7. The material on the back of the seat
was removed to allow us to take out
the foam and make sure that the moni-
tors were bolted on.
8. The monitor mounting plate was
drilled onto the seat metal backing, as-
suring that it would be tightly secured.
9. The monitor will slip into the metal
bracket, and the factory cradle will
hold it in place.
The same process we just showed you
will also be applied to the passenger
side seat. 07 08
10. Using a Scosche wiring harness
really helped to make the wiring part
of the install easy to knock out. It also
made sure that you didn’t accidentally
cut any of the factory wiring har-
nesses.
11. The rear view camera RCA was
hooked up to the video input. This will
allow the camera to engage and pop up
on the screen when backing up.
12. The rear view camera is small and
does not draw much attention to the
vehicle.
13. John ran the iPod cable to the
center console to allow for a very ac-
cessible, but discrete location for the
09 10
iPod to be stored when being used.
14. The Clarion VX-709 Double Din
head unit was easily installed.
15. The dash was carefully re-in-
stalled on the truck.
16. The dash snapped in place.
17. The head unit was ready to start
playing some media for us..
18. We checked to ensure that all the
monitors were working properly. We
were ready to hit the road with our
new video entertainment; that will
definetly make those long trailer
hauls to car shows more enjoyable for
the family! ■ 11 12

13 14 15

16 17 18
OLDIES CAR CLUB
SAN FERNANDO VALLEY
PRESENTS
CAR SHOW & CONCERT
SUNDAY JUNE 27TH
10AM TO 5PM
$10 DOLLAR ADMISSION
S.I.B.L. 12530 HARDING STREET
SYLMAR, CA. 91342
VENDORS FOOD MUSIC
CAR HOP CASH PRIZES
INFO CALL GEORGE 818.679.5763
OR RICARDO 818.602.5173

Lexani Lifestyle Festival 2010

All coming together for the first time
under the banner of the first-ever of-
ficial Lexani Lifestyle Festival car show.
Southern California is known for being
the Mecca of car culture dating back to the
days of slick backed hair and transistor
radios. The times have changed, as has the
technology but the desire for individu-
ality has not. Come and see how these
everyday innovators continue to keep
the multi-billion dollar car manufactures
on their feet. You’ll see everything from
muscle cars, lowriders, lifted trucks, tun-
ers, and stock cars. There will be modified
and SUV’s, cars that cost more than some
peoples houses and are as fast as some
planes off the line. The cars on display will
be competing against their piers not only
for the trophies but also for cash prizes,
and most importantly bragging rights.
The right to be able to say they placed at
the first ever Lexani Lifestyle Festival car
show!!

To learn more about this show visit them

on the web at www.lexanilifestylefesti-
val.com

Any events in your area?

Please send show information at
least 3 months prior to event date to:
edgar.hoill@sorc.com. This is a
free service, LRM is not responsible for
changes or cancellations.
 FREE
Car A/V catalog

Get bigger sound for

your lowrider -
Just call Crutchfield.
■ Huge selection from top brands
like Alpine, Focal, Infinity,
Kenwood, JL Audio, Pioneer,
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■ Personalized help from our
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■ Se habla español: 800-315-2758

or visit www.crutchfield.com/lrm
114 Lowridermagazine.com
...AND PREZ OF THE ROLLERS ONLY, RENO
L
ife is one big network; it’s all about who
you know, and who knows you. Using
this logic, Auto Restorer Richard Lopez
has certainly had himself a great life, as he
is one well-connected guy. If you’ve been
cruisin’ through Lowrider circles for a lifetime
or so, you pretty much have no choice but
to be linked up with the best of the best. A
veteran Lowrider for many years, Richard
tooled around with and sold a 1965 Impala
Super Sport ragtop before developing this
spectacular red ride. Richard lives in Reno, NV,
and with the rag long gone; he was itching
for another street custom ride to enter into
the car show categories. Richard decided to
put in a call to Lolystics Car Club member Raj
Reddy, whom he asked to help in his search
for a workable ’61 Chevy. Soon enough, a
dusty, barely recognizable, white Impala
was spotted in a field, but there was a catch;
Richard couldn’t touch It without paying the
owner $2,100.
The idea behind his project ’61 was to
move it up into a mild custom category, which
was done from the frame up. Good metalwork
is crucial for restoring an oldie-but-goodie
like this ’61, even though it can go unnoticed
once the paint is completed. The underlying
bodywork was assisted by his good pal Tony
Madera, and after every nook and cranny
was addressed, Tony deemed it ready for to
be dressed for the prom. Wouldn’t you agree
that this radiant red is pure romance at first
sight? It’s attractive for a guy calling out to
the ladies, in this case, Richard’s gracious
wife Denise, and the police seem to also have
a love affair with red vehicles, which often
scream out to them, “Look at me, I hope your
radar gun doesn’t work!” Richard took on the
task of sealing off his garage with plastic for
the paint process, before enriching the body
with a deep luster and giving it a silky gloss.
Waiting in the wings for his turn while the
paint dried, master pinstriper and pattern
creator Armando Serrano of Psychotic Cus-
toms, in Reno, NV set his sights on a dazzling
design. With the insane strokes of his brush,
he touched on the steering wheel, and even
patterned-out the fully wrapped x-frame and
gas tank.
When it comes to Lowrider interiors, com-
fort, quality audio, and high quality uphol-
stery helps to separate the great rides from
the good rides. Mr. Audie Rich from Audie’s
Quality Upholstery out of Reno, NV applied
an original Chevy gray vinyl pattern with
after-market inserts, seatbelts, carpet floor-
ing, mats, and a custom rear window package
tray complete with MB Quartz 5¼” midrange
speakers. Richard himself is also known as
an “all-in-one handyman,” and he proved this
by mounting the stereo in the ‘61’s vintage
dashboard. Tuning in to Reno’s best stations
is an Alpine AM/FM CD head unit, which is
pro-wired to Alpine 4 channel 800-watt and
600-watt 2-channel amplifiers Kicking out
 ers,
the tunes in the ’61 are MB Quart 1½” tweet
mids and JL Audio woofers.
“The motor and frame are new,” Richard
says proud ly. The compa rtment speak s for
shine
itself, as the nuts and bolts of the engine
and gleam as much as the exterior of the car
e-
does. It’s definitely inspiri ng to see a compr
hensive overv iew of such masterful engine
work, beginn ing from the top down. The engine
build was bolted in by John Figoni of Reno,
the
Nevada. After popping the hood, we found
and
emblem sitting atop the Edelbrock air filter
ed
4 bbl. intake carburetor, which were situat
over the V-8 block. Also incred ibly hypnotizing
are the valve covers, which sit over the alumi-
ashine
num heads, Edelbrock water pump, endur
coating, hosing , and serpentine belt and pulley
system. The refined machi ne sends raw power
is-
to the Zenith wheels via a 350 Turbo transm
st
sion. Lastly, the polished Magna-Flow exhau
,
was outfitted by Sid’s Alignment and Brake
by
while high-quality chrom ing was handled
ABC Plating out in Reno, NV.
Having great connections alway s helps in
the
a build, but of course you also need to have
d
right amount of money and time. Since Richar
had both, he tied up the last loose end with
magnificent real red vinyl trunk work. After
Uno,”
christening the car with the nickna me “El
and giving it the large Impala logo, he finally
h
capped off this amazi ng build. Even thoug
still
Richard did most of work himself, the job
dead
took him over three years and $60,000 in
presidents before it was complete. In the end,
an
however, as any car lover will tell you, “it’s
affair of the heart.” ■

Owner: Richard Lopez

Vehicle: 1961 Chevrolet Imapla
City/State: Reno, Nevada
Club: President, Rollerz Only
Paint: Sherwin Williams Radiant
red, applied by Richard himself.
Engine: ’98 Chevrolet Vortec V-8
350 c.i.d. with as 4 bbl. Edlebrock
carburetor, aluminum heads.
Interior: original grey vinyl pat-
tern with aftermarket inserts, cus-
tom package tray and a pinstriped
steering wheel.
Setup: Six, 12-volt Interstate
batteries powering 2 Black Magic
chrome pumps with 2 Italian Adel
Gen dumps. Steel tubing and
braided hoses go from the pumps
to four, 8-inch cylinder and 2¾ ton
springs. Also sharing space in the
engine bay are hydraulic cylinders
mounted through sealed A-arms.
Wheels: 13x7” 72-spoke cross
laced, red nippled, Zenith wire
wheels
Tires: 155/80/13 Firestone
Whitewalls

118 Lowridermagazine.com
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