| To quote the band War, "the lowrider is the one to | | | | because they were less expensive than other |
| meet". For almost one hundred years, lowriders have | | | | manufacturers' vehicles at the time. Today, any brand, |
| been not only the one to see, but the one to meet. | | | | make, or model vehicle is fair game to become a |
| Stemming from an old Mexican ritual called paseo | | | | lowrider. The art of creating a lowrider has also |
| which made horses the utmost symbol of prestige, | | | | evolved well beyond using heavy weights and |
| lowering stock cars to almost sidewalk level and | | | | chopping springs to bring the body close to the ground. |
| customizing them dramatically has evolved into the | | | | Modern lowriders feature hydraulics which not only |
| same sort of symbol of status.From Mexico to Los | | | | raise and lower the car, but also make it hop, and tilt it |
| Angeles to Chicago to the rest of the world, the art of | | | | from side to side.By today's standards, the |
| customizing a stock car into a lowrider has been an | | | | modifications the Barris Brothers made famous with |
| evolution. In the 1940's lowriders only graced the | | | | their business Kustoms of America, look pretty minor. |
| streets on Sundays. As their popularity began to grow | | | | Today's lowrider can feature triple dipped chrome |
| lowriders not only became more plentiful but they | | | | accessories, gold plating, spectacular paint schemes, |
| became the vehicle of choice for anyone who wanted | | | | twin side pipes, spot lights, and everything from wire |
| attention and accolades and cruised the highways on | | | | wheels to spectacular spinners. The same pride which |
| a daily basis.George Barris became the early face of | | | | motivated early Mexican horse owners to sacrifice |
| lowriders by combining his creativity with his passion | | | | their own necessities in order to put more glitz into their |
| for cars and developing one of the first businesses to | | | | horses, still drives modern day lowrider owners to |
| customize lowriders for sale. George and his brother, | | | | spend a small fortune to craft a vehicle which is a |
| Sam, used their expertise in body work to straighten | | | | tremendous source of gratification.Exploding from early |
| fenders, bolt on accessories, and use paint schemes | | | | Mexican-American Sunday cruising to become rap |
| that were unheard of during that time. Lowrider | | | | video stars and the utmost way to display cool-status |
| creations from the Barris brothers flourished into a | | | | with a car, lowriders have come a long way from their |
| very lucrative business. George used his business | | | | modest beginnings. Back then it only took a little effort |
| sense to introduce lowriders to Hollywood which | | | | and a little time to create a lowrider vehicle which |
| resulted in not only the use of lowriders in many well | | | | would turn heads. Now lowrider enthusiasts spend |
| known movies such as High School Confidential, but it | | | | thousands and thousands of dollars along with |
| also helped him "become the person" to contact when | | | | countless hours of body work and modifications to |
| Hollywood stars wanted to transform their personal | | | | create their show-stopping lowrider masterpieces. The |
| vehicles into lowriders.The original lowrider artists | | | | methods may have changed, but the madness is the |
| focused mainly on customizing Chevrolet cars | | | | same the lowrider is the one to meet! |