The lessons of “low and slow”
January 4, 2024 1:15 AM Subscribe
My research has revealed that lowriding flourished in the southern California region—post WWII—and represents part of a larger movement characterized by individualized expression via car customization where returning veterans had more expendable income to personalize and modify their vehicles in unique ways .... Within the dominant mainstream culture, the practice of car modifications was embodied in high performance muscle cars best characterized as hotrods that are described as fast and mean. In contrast, Chicano car enthusiasts modified and customized their vehicle with a unique cultural aesthetic that honored ingenuity where vehicles came to be understood as artistic canvases on wheels and where the practice of car cruising down the boulevard brought forward a low and slow attitude bringing forth the creation of stylized and customized vehicles that shaped Chicana and Chicano culture. from The San Diego Lowrider Archival Project
The San Diego Lowrider Archival Project documents the history of lowriding in San Diego and the surrounding borderlands, from the 1950s through today. The project includes photographs, car club documents and memorabilia, official records, meeting minutes, dance posters and lowrider art. These materials reflect important qualities of the lowrider movement: creativity, independence, cultural pride, resistance, activism, community service, collectivism, tradition and ritual, and cultural continuity.
The San Diego Lowrider Archival Project documents the history of lowriding in San Diego and the surrounding borderlands, from the 1950s through today. The project includes photographs, car club documents and memorabilia, official records, meeting minutes, dance posters and lowrider art. These materials reflect important qualities of the lowrider movement: creativity, independence, cultural pride, resistance, activism, community service, collectivism, tradition and ritual, and cultural continuity.
New California 2024 law! Cruising as well as lowered cars now legal!
I am amazed.
posted by cccorlew at 4:35 AM on January 4 [2 favorites]
I am amazed.
posted by cccorlew at 4:35 AM on January 4 [2 favorites]
One of the coolest things I have ever seen was the donated restored low rider at the American History Museum in DC. I fell in love immediately.
posted by Kitteh at 5:46 AM on January 4 [2 favorites]
posted by Kitteh at 5:46 AM on January 4 [2 favorites]
The best of the lowriders are really works of art. I love seeing them go by.
posted by Dip Flash at 7:04 AM on January 4 [3 favorites]
posted by Dip Flash at 7:04 AM on January 4 [3 favorites]
The lessons of “low and slow”
Hey, where is the BBQ I was promised?? (j/k, this is a very interesting subject)
posted by Greg_Ace at 8:19 AM on January 4 [2 favorites]
Hey, where is the BBQ I was promised?? (j/k, this is a very interesting subject)
posted by Greg_Ace at 8:19 AM on January 4 [2 favorites]
I've been to Chicago's Low Rider Festival twice. I'm 100% not a car guy and have no connections at all to Chicano culture but I absolutely admire magnificent obsessions that spiral off into sheer madness and the Low Rider scene is a spectacular version of that.
posted by srboisvert at 8:32 AM on January 4 [1 favorite]
posted by srboisvert at 8:32 AM on January 4 [1 favorite]
Low Rye Der
posted by seanmpuckett at 9:50 AM on January 4 [3 favorites]
posted by seanmpuckett at 9:50 AM on January 4 [3 favorites]
Now I can’t get that damn song out of my head — but cool post!
posted by jamjam at 11:04 AM on January 4 [1 favorite]
posted by jamjam at 11:04 AM on January 4 [1 favorite]
The Phoenix Suns “City Edition” uniforms this year are a tribute to the low rider culture in the area and I love them. The intro video on those is here. I’m in southern Arizona and low riders have always been a thing here. The artwork on some of them… they’re hand painted masterpieces.
posted by azpenguin at 11:46 AM on January 4 [2 favorites]
posted by azpenguin at 11:46 AM on January 4 [2 favorites]
It's rare that San Jose can offer a significant cultural contribution in the United States, but low riders are a significant part of the city's history.
Lowrider Magazine was started by three SJSU students in 1977; the magazine remained in print until 2020.
Even the city government has belatedly celebrated it in 2023, considering that city hall is located along the prime cruising strip on East Santa Clara Street in downtown.
The "No Cruising" signs were removed in 2022.
posted by JDC8 at 7:29 PM on January 4 [2 favorites]
Lowrider Magazine was started by three SJSU students in 1977; the magazine remained in print until 2020.
Even the city government has belatedly celebrated it in 2023, considering that city hall is located along the prime cruising strip on East Santa Clara Street in downtown.
The "No Cruising" signs were removed in 2022.
posted by JDC8 at 7:29 PM on January 4 [2 favorites]
Can't find a link to it, but the best episode of Tosh.0 was the California driver's test where the kid had to do a drivers test with the lowrider up on 3 wheels.
posted by prepmonkey at 9:26 AM on January 5 [2 favorites]
posted by prepmonkey at 9:26 AM on January 5 [2 favorites]
Thanks for posting, makes me miss El Lay
posted by winesong at 4:27 PM on January 11 [1 favorite]
posted by winesong at 4:27 PM on January 11 [1 favorite]
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posted by Thorzdad at 3:36 AM on January 4 [2 favorites]