Low riding has been around since the 1930’s. Nobody seems to know who actually introduced the art to the American public. However, it really started to flower in the 1970’s. The television show Chico and the Man nationally exposed the art to everyone. Low Riding has a culture that is older than the TV show. It is a form of Mexican culture that came together with Southern California culture.
It was originally called “zoot suit” by teenagers. Cars were lowered to where they almost scraped on the pavement. Chevy’s were very popular with this art form. Many of them would just have the back side lowered. Sandbags, concrete bags, blocks of wood, would be strategically placed to give the car a low ride appearance. Sometimes the top coils on the springs would be cut back to lower the car. To elevate the front part of a car, coil lifters would be placed in the springs to elevate the front of the car.
The appearance of these vehicles also slowly changed the dress style of many riders. It was a change in the culture of dress as well. It started in the 40’s and slowly evolved with the automobile. Slick back hair styles along with big leather jackets, jean jackets,white T-shirts, gave youth the freedom appearance of their own. The Rebel with a Cause”, type of look was reflected by the youth.
Some cars would use their fender skirts to help with the low rider appearance. Sometimes these skirts would be custom made. They would have designs or words on them, too. The suspension system on a vehicle is also altered to give the vehicle a lower look. Some have hydraulic suspension to give it a lower look. The hydraulic system can also raise and lower the vehicle. These systems can be from simple to very complex and expensive. They are usually measured and controlled by various switches in the car. These switches can allow a vehicle to do a number of hydraulic motions. A car can be dipped at or raised on a corner of the car. The entire side of a vehicle can be raised as well as the front end or back end, too. Some cars are set to just lift one corner of a car.
When a vehicle is completely lower to it farthest point, this called “pancaking.” A good operator of the switches can get the car to bounce up and down while either in one place or even moving. It is even possible to lift one wheel completely off the ground and roll on three wheels.
Today the low riding scene is very diversified with different styles and cultures. There are basically three classifications of low riders. The bomb low rider refers to a car from the 30’s to the late 50’s. These often pass for restored factory vehicles with the hydraulic systems in place. The traditional low rider is cars from the 60’s upwards to today. The Euro low rider are cars related to the import vehicles and min trucks. These would be cars like the Honda Civic and Volkswagen Golf.
Many cars have special paint jobs and designs on them for show. In the summer time, many people like to take their vehicles to shows and picnics and then cruise along the streets. There are many shows and events held throughout the US and Mexico. Traditional low riders like to show off their wheels. Some have gold or silver platted spokes on the wheels. There are even wheels that give you the impression that they are rolling when they are just standing still.
These vehicles can be very expensive. The work both to the body, hydraulic system and engines can run into the thousands of dollars. However, a car that is well taken care of can sell for a lot more than what it took to restore it. The reason for this is because it is considered a specialty car. If it is considered a classic automobile, it could be in high demand which raises the value of the vehicle.
Even if you don’t own one or even want to own one, the appreciation for the car and beauty of a vehicle is often admired by everyone. Each low rider has it’s own unique history. They represent a culture that is still evolving even today.
