INVITATION TO LOVE: DIZZY FLIX AND LOWRIDER INSIGHT TALK ABOUT FEMALE REPRESENTATION IN THE LOWRIDER COMMUNITY.

I recently found myself walking down the hill of Mission street. To only be met by Lowrider's parked on the curb in front of 'Made In The City.' I couldn't help but consume the Lowrider that was slowly passing right in front of me with my eyes. Please believe when I tell you this wasn't just any typical Sunday afternoon in San Francisco. I don't know what about it, but this moment meant something different to me. Maybe it was my long history of love for old school cars that made me cherish the moment. Or perhaps it was witnessing the unity of people coming together to watch low-riders. But what I do know for sure is the role Dizzy Flix and Lowrider Insight played in bringing people together to celebrate the history of low-riders. I had the distinct privilege of witnessing their friends and family come together to celebrate their Art Gallery and Cruise Night at 'Made In The City.'

Furthermore, after speaking with Dizzy Flix and Lowrider Insight, I discovered things I still didn't know about the low-rider community. Importantly, I was unaware of the lack of female representation in the low-rider community. It should be noted, most people, including myself, are under the impression that low-rider events are only held for one day, but in actuality, low-rider events are two days. In addition, they are opposed to being symbolized as artwork on the body of many low-rider cars. In particular, that's how both Dizzy Flix and Lowrider Insight wanted to demonstrate the disparity amongst women in the low-rider community.

According to the article How Lowriders Became a Lasting Part of American Culture by The Advance Team, Low-riders got their start back in the day, just after World War II. The post-WWII economic boom of the '50s created a perfect storm of many young people with surplus cash and an extensively used car market just waiting to be picked over. The hot rod craze was blowing up, and the custom car scene emerged as a separate subculture.

Rather than stripping down the weight and increasing horsepower, custom cars were all about bright paint and unique modifications, including a lower than factory height. This was accomplished with cut springs and smaller diameter tires. Interestingly, the first lowered cars of the custom scene were only dropped upfront. The rear was factory ride height, giving them quite a rake.

Like many American trends, the epicenter of the low-rider craze was LA and can even be traced to a few streets in East LA. Hollywood types started buying up fancy custom cars. At the same time, the Mexican-American kids of Whittier Boulevard turned to the junkyards for upgrade parts and were first to drop the rear by adding cement bags or bricks in the trunk. Soon, enthusiasts formed clubs and cruised the streets as a low and slow mobile car show.

Some weren't on board with the low-rider trend, and they decided to stop these unusual cars through legislation. Low-riders became illegal when any part of the fender sat below the wheel rim. Traffic citations in the name of safety were thought to be enough to deter potential low-riders. But LA car customizer Ron Aguirre came up with a solution to this problem by placing a piston between a spring and the frame. Sitting inside the vehicle, he could adjust the ride height from pavement scraping to factory legal in just a few seconds. Aguirre had created hydraulics.

Low-riders adapted to a new style in the early 1960s. The lower, longer, and broader cars became perfect candidates for customization. The Chevrolet Impala was a favorite even back then due to more than just its good looks. With a relatively small x-frame underneath and massive fenders, the Imp can accept all kinds of wheels and has plenty of space for hiding hydraulic components. It's a blank canvas waiting for personalization.

Speaking of, in the '70s, low-rider enthusiasts began adding huge hand-painted murals to their vehicles. While this added another custom touch of cool, it was unfortunately also applied to the full-size van trend of the era. While it looks odd today, the large vans did provide ample space for family, religious, or fantasy mural scenes while widening low-rider appeal. Low-riders have diversified over the years, adding rockabilly, rat rod, and women's Pachuca styles. They're arguably more popular than ever, even though they may still run into problems in some states when it comes time for inspection. The Lowrider's rebel attitude ties into car culture as a whole while remaining a unique piece of Americana.

Source: The Advanced Team | Advanced Auto Parts