Lowrider Cars: Discover The Art Of Riding Low And Slow

Not all great works of art are confined within the four corners of a gilded frame to be admired from afar. A good lot of them can be found on the inside of a greasy garage or gleaming on the streets; they're not only close to the huddled masses but are actually among them to be freely seen, experienced, and appreciated.

And instead of standing on the three legs of an easel, they're proudly propped up by gleaming wheels at each of the four corners. The difference is that they're slammed to the ground, forming a unique sect of car culture popularized by outrageous colors and an even more outrageous style with its own unique sense of showmanship.

Welcome to classic cars like you've never seen before, welcome to the world of lowrider cars.

What Are Lowriders?
In a technical context, the term 'lowrider' describes a custom vehicle that has been lowered (or 'slammed'), with the subsequent ride height being considerably and precariously lower to the ground than stock.

This is made possible through the use of an adjustable suspension system that also allows for a wide range of outrageous poses, from 'bouncing' the car to a three-wheeled stance or even tilting the body forward, backward, and sideways at otherwise impossible angles.

That's just half of the equation; the other half has to do with the appearance of the car itself. The process of converting a vehicle to a lowrider means that the stock bodywork and accouterments fly out the window, turning it into a blank canvas to be remade according to how its owner sees fit: loud candy paint jobs with metallic specks in place of nondescript factory hues, emphasized chrome finishes, and custom upholstery at the absolute minimum, among other enhancements.

But lowriders don't just refer to the cars themselves, as the phrase has been co-opted by those who take pride in these creations behind the wheel, organizing themselves into car clubs whose bonds go beyond the smell of gasoline and high-gloss paint.

History Of Lowriders: The Beginnings Of Defiance
Like all forms of self-expression, the lowrider traces its roots in rebellion, a raw fist in the air against the established status quo.

One obscure account traces the phenomenon to the arrival of Mexican immigrants in El Paso, Texas, in the 1930s, where they were set to work at a large shoe manufacturing plant. They would often declare "Para shoe co" (for the shoe company) to border agents, the phrase eventually becoming the sobriquet pachuco.

As true hot-blooded young men, the pachucos were often at odds with authorities and the predominantly white community. One of their notable acts of expression was wearing zoot suits to emulate the gangster lifestyle and impress the ladies, something which was frowned upon in the 1940s as the flamboyant clothes were considered wasteful in the face of rationing during the war.

This culminated in the 1943 Zoot Suit Riots in Los Angeles, where hordes of US servicemen would beat and harass Latino men and boys over the course of five nights.

The Cars As Canvas
One popular belief stoking the pachuco folk hero mythos was that they were serial bootleggers with contraband stowed in the trunk. This was an accepted explanation as to why their cars sat so low.

Soon, other Latinos began to deliberately lower their cars' suspension systems, hoping to somewhat capitalize on this notoriety. By the end of World War II in 1945, car culture in America was in full swing, and the trend among the white set was to alter stock cars to squeeze out more power, as in hot rods.

Mexican-American veterans coming home from the war also tinkered with their machines, but for an entirely different purpose: emphasizing style and self-identity instead of speed.

Anatomy Of A Lowrider
Bajito y suavecito, limpio y lindo (low and slow, clean and mean) is the lowrider community's creed, the better to showcase the colorful designs and artwork that these cars would eventually be renowned for.

But what does it take for a car to earn the lowrider moniker? A few key ingredients need to be present.

The Springs
As the name suggests, a lowrider should be capable of having as much of its underbody close to the tarmac as possible. While this setup typically improves aerodynamics on a standard car, performance doesn't exactly rank high up on the lowrider list of priorities.

While there are several ways to do this, one method involves mechanics cutting off a portion of the coil springs. Another option would be to replace them altogether with shorter ones.

The Mechanisms
Shortened springs will invariably transmit more vibrations and jolts from the road into the cabin, resulting in a harsher ride. Modders solve this by attaching hydraulic cylinders or air bags to the springs, providing the ability to make adjustments in raising or lowering the chassis.

These are connected to a pump which, most of the time, is stowed away in the trunk space. Further upgrades might see more tanks patched to the cylinders, allowing for four-wheel independent adjustment in ride height.

Longer cylinders can also be installed for even more stupendous clearances, complemented by an extendable driveshaft. Bouncy hydraulics will lead to owners showing off how high their lowriders can go, and the car standing on its rear bumper with the front axle high up in the air will have the last word.

The Wheels
A low-cost option would be to retain the stock tires and rims, but where's the fun in lowriding if you're not going all-out, right? Coveted among the lowrider set are wire wheels rendered in either chrome or gold, usually sized smaller than factory spec.

Why smaller? Downsized rims can easily be tucked in the car's underbody, enabling the car to cruise low. Besides, the shiny finish easily compensates for the reduced diameter, and looks better when matched with whitewall rubbers.

The Exterior
Nobody wants a bland-looking car on stilts, which is why lowriders use colors and graphics that make the car truly stand out, even in a sea of other lowriders. Dark colors, when used correctly, can convey a menacing look, while brighter shades pop and are more eye-catching.

As long as the car is being transformed anyway, much effort can go into the bodywork itself, including the use of a three-stage pearlized finish for that extra-wet appearance. And then there are 'flake jobs' where shiny flakes are added to the mix, giving the appearance of glitter against metal.

The rest of the details could comprise anything from simple geometric patterns to grandiose murals. These are accompanied by touches such as heavy chrome, headlight trim, and even gold engraving. In extreme instances, the doors and tailgate can even pop out from the body and spin in place.

The Interior
A lowrider's cabin has to do justice to what the observer sees outside. To that end, the interior is as plush and ostentatious as can be, limited only by the budget and the modder's imagination.

Everything is fair game when it comes to stripping out the passenger space - and in some cases, the modifications could result in practically no accommodations for anyone save for the driver.

Floor-to-ceiling velvet carpeting is not unusual, coupled with the use of analog sound systems along the lines of 8-track player consoles, if not cassette tape decks. And the stock urethane or laminated wood steering wheel would invariably be replaced with something like a chain-style tiller, begging the question of how drivers managed to avoid injuring their fingers when executing turns.

The Engine
True, lowrider cars were conceived as the antithesis of the need for speed, but this hasn't stopped modders and enthusiasts from plonking down larger power units inside the engine bay, effectively doubling or tripling the car's original power output.

Since a lowrider car's handling wouldn't be able to handle the uprated numbers anyway, the modification is part of the peacocking, producing a growl meaty enough for lowriders to earn the nod of hot-rodders and tuners alike.

The Underbody
Especially for show cars and trailer queens, every inch of a lowrider is open to scrutiny, which is why custom modders take pains to make the car as presentable as possible - even in places not normally seen on standard cars.

You might find immaculate-looking bolts used to hold panels in place, or twisted chrome used as a particularly show-stopping driveshaft and sway bar. Every gleaming surface will be free of soot and grime, standing up to the simple scrutiny of having a mirror placed under the car. When enthusiasts say a lowrider should look good from every angle, they mean it. Given that lowriders are typically classic cars with decades of wear and tear to them, these builds are even more incredible.

Popular Lowrider Cars
Considering the period that lowriding was born in, it's no coincidence that iconic lowrider cars are classic cars. Here are some of the most popular lowrider cars among enthusiasts and modders.
Chevrolet Bel Air
Prominent tail fins and a monster V8 engine under the hood have made the Chevrolet Bel Air a favorite among hot rod fans, but it has not escaped the attention of lowriders as well.

The '57 model year, in particular, was released with the 283 cubic inch Super Turbo Fire V8 engine equipped with the first-ever use of Ramjet fuel injection at the time, responsible for channeling 270 horsepower and 285 lb-ft of torque to the rear wheels.

Buick Riviera
Many candidates for lowriding were chosen back in the day because of their affordability among the working class. However, the first-generation Buick Riviera was a more upmarket offering as it already came straight from the factory with a plush interior, significantly reducing the time and effort needed to convert it to a lowrider.

The pointed front end helped distinguish the Riviera from other models used in lowriding, and the lighter bodywork compared to its contemporaries helped it take advantage of its V8 engine options.

Ford Galaxie
By the 1960s, aerodynamics was a chief consideration for Ford in terms of design for its full-sized cars. The Ford Galaxie featured a hood that sloped down to the quad headlights as well as a larger windshield that improved outward visibility.

Buoying the Galaxie over the pavement was a front independent suspension with four-coil springs and anti-roll bar, working with a live-axle rear setup supported by semi-elliptical leaf springs.

It's iconic looks made it the perfect candidate for being turned into a lowrider.

Pontiac Catalina
One of America's legendary muscle cars, the Pontiac Catalina, is also a great choice for lowrider conversion. Considered the most lightweight as well as the most affordable, the Catalina used aluminum bumpers for weight reduction and was widely seen as a groundbreaking design at a time when Pontiac was focused on performance.

Transitioning from the 1961 to 1962 model years involved Pontiac revising the Catalina's body contours as well as the roofline on the two-door hardtop. These attributes showcased the car's sleekness in lowrider form.

Lowriding In Other Cultures
Mexican Americans don't have a monopoly on lowriding, as the culture also crossed over to African American history as well. As lowriders began to surge in popularity with the civil rights movement in the 60s and 70s, African Americans began their own take on the lowrider trend.

This would reach fever pitch in the 90s, with the emergence of gangs in LA leading to that decade's penchant for West Coast 'gangsta' rap. Leading hip-hop artists of the day, such as Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg, paraded around in lowriders for their music videos, with many other acts following suit.

Lowriding would eventually find itself in other places, far from the LatinX beginnings and oppression that necessitated its genesis. In Japan, lowrider culture is in full swing following its arrival in the latter half of the 80s, with an estimated 200 car clubs active in the lowriding scene. Lowriding is also popular in Brazilian car culture and has extended beyond cars, with lower-income earners testing their creativity on bicycles as well.

Misconceptions & Conflicts With The Law
Lowriding culture is rooted in rebellion, giving rise to notions that lowriders are a threat.

Early lowriders cut the coil springs or weighed down the cars using bags of cement or bricks to achieve the desired ride height. But when California outlawed cars that had any part lower than the bottom of the rims in 1958, a customizer named Ron Aguirre used hydraulics from a B-52 on his 1957 Chevrolet Corvette X-Sonic. That lightbulb moment led to the adjustable suspension that has since become a lowrider hallmark.

But that was only the first legal hurdle, as lowriders were subsequently linked to criminal activity, apart from being blamed for blocking traffic with their proportions that are oversized by modern standards. By the late 1980s, California had begun to ban the cruising of lowriders or simply parading them on public roads on the pretext of public safety.

Campaigns against the bans have resulted in many California jurisdictions lifting the prohibition, allowing the Chicano community to freely showcase their mobile masterpieces on the road again after 30 years.

Where Lowriders Go From Here
The lowrider set isn't just a niche group of gearheads and grease monkeys; it's a movement that prides itself on using heritage and art as a means of socializing and community organizing towards common goals.

While the idea of slammed cars back in the day sprang from thoughts of going against the grain, the subsequent years have allowed lowriding culture to foster a sense of belongingness, all while showcasing a culture every bit as colorful as the cars' bodywork.