Checking out the Low Life

I don’t even remember how long it’s been since I unplugged my television, five years, maybe? Not unplugged, actually, just unplugged the cable; the television shows I watch, these days, orginate on the Internet, so I’m not exactly in touch with the cutting edge of pop culture.

While browsing Hulu dot COM, recently, I came across a series of shows from 2007 titled, “Livin’ The Low Life” which showcased several California low rider car clubs, their histories, as well as the history of low rider customizing.

I’ve always been a fan of low rider customs, not that I’m a “car guy”, but I like the vintage cars they use and appreciated the creativity of the builders. I find the wild custom paint jobs and dramatic murals appealing, as well, especially the fantasy art featuring sexy Aztecas or pin-up girls.

Glamorous women are very much a part of low rider car shows and photography and the host of “Living The Low Life” held true to form. I hadn’t heard of Vida Guerra, before, but I was entirely impressed with her easy,confident manner and sense of humor. She also matches my scoot, making her a possible subject for a fuel tank mural.

Memorial Saturday Car Show

Saturday of the Memorial Day weekend was everything a such a day should be. I had made a date with our friend, Jo, to ride out and find pie so I already had the pretty girl and motorcycle angle covered.
Friday night, my compadre called and informed me there was one heck of a custom car and hotrod show going on across town and we should ride over and check it out, come morning. I'm not a car guy, in the sense of being knowledgeable, but I enjoy seeing them restored or customized. To make a short story long, the three of us rode over and had a look.

It was a beautiful morning full of great machines.




My bud was the shutterbug du jour and pressed Jo into car model duty. She put Vanna White in the shade.



There were a good number of T's, of course.


This beauty wanted me to take her home.



The show was also a walk down Memory Lane for me and my bud. A college running mate drove a truck like this one and there were many cars from the fifties and sixties that were popular in our high school days.



This Caddy was beautifully done, but it made the words, "pimp my ride" spring to mind.






The owner of this '40 Ford coupe (with a Corvette engine) is the man I buy my fiddle strings from.
I've told him in the past that he's put my money to good use.







This radical custom '53 Studebaker was very popular.



Doors by Texas Aggies.



What's a hotrod show without classic hotrods?









Jo had somewhere to be so we loaded up the scoot and scooted. Its just as well; if we'd stayed we may have been put to work raising windows and rag tops against the rain that blew in, a little later.

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