Mopar lowriders

-

Princess Valiant

A.K.A. Rainy Day Auto
Joined
Dec 14, 2011
Messages
26,048
Reaction score
22,812
Location
Colorado
Ok, first off, I am NOT a low rider but I'm just making an observation here.

I notice most low riders are GM products.

Why do low riders not prefer mopars? Mopars take the same 5 on 4.5 wheels.

I always see GM products used, almost exclusively. Why is that?? I am glad to not see mopars in that condition but there has to be reasons.
 
You got to have a blatant lack of style to build a lowrider
And you got to have a ton of style to build a mopar

The two are just not compatible
 
If we are speaking hydraulic system lowriders, it probably has to do with torsion bar suspension/unibody. I’ve seen oodles of airbagged dakotas at truck shows, not sure if that counts, but the quintessential lowrider is a 64 impala.
 
It has more to deal with a lack of a frame, and the suspension system. Coil spring suspension is preferred as it is easier to retrofit a hydraulic system to it. You’d have to use a 57 and earlier Mopar just to get a frame.
 
Because the Chrysler Corporation didn't make the Impala, that's why. That's the best looking low rider ever, bar none.

Impala_Lowrider.jpg
 
I asked that question to a bonafide low rider vato down in Albuquerque many years ago. his answer was because there were half a billion GM's produced and are dime a dozen , and second is because they use coils and trailing arms opposed to leafs and torsion bars allowing for generous suspension travel.
 
It's very easy and inexpensive to cut height from a coil spring, but the result is a much stiffer ride. Thats why the cars ride so rough.
 
It's very easy and inexpensive to cut height from a coil spring, but the result is a much stiffer ride. Thats why the cars ride so rough.

Nope. The springs on those cars are usually very soft if they have any. Early hydraulic systems have pretty much no shock absorbing capabilities, they’re used for their lifting capabilities not their ride. That’s why they ride so rough. Modern hydraulic set ups are better but still have significant ride sacrifices. Modern air bags can be made to ride quite well, but they aren’t capable of hopping or some of the tricks the hydraulic show cars are known for.

I don’t buy the suspension design thing, for hydraulics the cars either get a full suspension replacement or destroy any of the stock parts in short order so ditching the torsion bars wouldn’t really be that much more work than converting a GM car. The full frame is a bigger deal because of all the twisting.
 
This is the only A body I have ever seen and this is off the internet.

I saw a 68 coronet locally many years ago. The coronet had hydraulics.

I always wondered why there is not more around, (I'm glad there isn't) but in my area, lowriders and custom cars dominate.

b2e0e518b00511c7d645fdbbcdb3228a.jpg


9d99ca9c4872ae793cb3b64dd8583cf1.jpg
 
Way WAY back in the seventies, I remember seeing a lowered, chopped 69 Satellite. It looked totally stupid
 
It must be frustrating to be so unimaginative and ignorant. Boring.

No, I’m not a low rider guy. But I’ve seen plenty of beautiful low riders. I’m not an OE restoration guy either, but I’ve seen plenty of beautifully restored cars. I wouldn’t build either style myself, but that doesn’t mean I can’t respect the work that went into them.

If you can’t appreciate the talent, hard work, and artistic vision that goes into those cars, even if you don’t agree with the style, then you don’t deserve any respect for your opinion either.
 
I did help a friend build a lowrider in 1994, it was a 64 impala, we worked together at the time and I cut the springs, modified the A arm's and helped him install the batteries and hydraulics, I made the battery holders and he plumbed and wired it. I have to say it was a blast riding in that thing. I changed jobs and haven't saw him in years, last I heard he had gotten in some trouble and went back to Mexico for awhile. He was always a good guy and fun to work around , he sold the car and I think its still in the Campbellsville area. From what I heard he had bought some stolen car parts and was innocent and didn't know and was charged with receiving stolen property.
 
I can definitely appreciate the amount of $'s, labor, engineering, talent and love required to build Lowriders cars - These defintely get my vote!

Only wish more folks were interested in vehicles whether they drive, restore, race or restore them

Car lovers are becoming extinct especially with our youth who can easily do without a vehicle but can't do without a Smart phone
 
I can definitely appreciate the amount of $'s, labor, engineering, talent and love required to build Lowriders cars - These defintely get my vote!

Only wish more folks were interested in vehicles whether they drive, restore, race or restore them

Car lovers are becoming extinct especially with our youth who can easily do without a vehicle but can't do without a Smart phone

I’d much rather see a Mopar turned into a low rider than rusting away.

Heck, I’d rather see a Mopar turned into a low rider and actually being driven than some high dollar, perfect OE resto that just sits in some rich guys garage 364 days out of the year.

Cars are mean to be driven. You want to know why the majority of the “youth” aren’t interested in classic cars? Because they never see them. They don’t get to experience them. A bunch of old guys meeting in a park once or twice a year with their garage queens doesn’t cut it. Sure, seeing some old car in a museum is “cool”, but that’s not gonna light anybody’s fire. They have to experience them, see them being driven, ride in them, work on them.

And yes, update them to whatever the current style is. The alternative is that no one new takes an interest, and 20 years from now this hobby will be as dead as all the old codgers that whine about my 18” wheels.
 
im very new to the car scene. im "young" probably for the standards on this board. I have always wanted a classic car but they were a "luxury" and I was just always priced out of them. I am "lucky" that I don't actually need a car and came across what was a great deal for a solid daily driver. but yeah, you just dont see classic cars anymore. kids can't appreciate them as much because its harder and harder to work on cars these days without having a computer to connect it to. my 13yr old son begrudgingly works on cars and motorcycles with me and when we are done for the day he is always amped and ready to do something else, but he rarely wants to go in to the garage on his own volition because its just not something most kids his age are doing. that said, he definitely brags about the work he does to his friends and they are always impressed.
growing up low riders were the thing, but it was a small poor florida town so it was tiny spoked rims on hondas with wild paint and tinted windows....or donks.
if I could put donks (big *** rims) on my dart i likely would, but living in quebec I'd be replacing rims every month because our roads are terrible.
but like was stated above if you can't appreciate the time and energy and work put into a lowrider, even shitty ones then you should re-evaluate your views. people are putting just as much time and energy into crappy rebuilds, but they are keeping those cars on the roads which is great.
 
As an aside, there are Donk vehicles (BIG rims, raised etc.) that I can appreciate

It takes guys/gals who are also love cars to build, show and race these crazy rides, whether you like the style or not

I can appreciate that they are also keeping interest in vehicles alive

I agree with 72bluNblu and mtldart and hope we encourage others to be as passionate about vehicles, as we are, regardless of what they are building

Interesting in that "Donk's" are also raced -

 
im very new to the car scene. im "young" probably for the standards on this board. I have always wanted a classic car but they were a "luxury" and I was just always priced out of them. I am "lucky" that I don't actually need a car and came across what was a great deal for a solid daily driver. but yeah, you just dont see classic cars anymore. kids can't appreciate them as much because its harder and harder to work on cars these days without having a computer to connect it to. my 13yr old son begrudgingly works on cars and motorcycles with me and when we are done for the day he is always amped and ready to do something else, but he rarely wants to go in to the garage on his own volition because its just not something most kids his age are doing. that said, he definitely brags about the work he does to his friends and they are always impressed.
growing up low riders were the thing, but it was a small poor florida town so it was tiny spoked rims on hondas with wild paint and tinted windows....or donks.
if I could put donks (big *** rims) on my dart i likely would, but living in quebec I'd be replacing rims every month because our roads are terrible.
but like was stated above if you can't appreciate the time and energy and work put into a lowrider, even shitty ones then you should re-evaluate your views. people are putting just as much time and energy into crappy rebuilds, but they are keeping those cars on the roads which is great.
Great post.
I would rather see a car driving on the street than sitting idle in someone's back yard or garage.
Some people think that if it isn't a show car, then they won't drive it.
Your tastes are good with me as long as you are enjoying the car on the street.
Whether it's a low rider, a donk, a numbers matching resto, pro street, 4X4, or whatever, just get them out there!
My thought is, get the car safe and reliable and cosmetics are secondary.
And as for young people, I would rather see a wrench in their hand than a cell phone.
But then again, I grew up in a different world...........
 
there was an episode of that sleeper car show on netflix that had a donk in there. i had very high hopes and was bummed when he didn't even come close to winning.
I have a very soft spot for donks. born and raised in the south in not the best neighborhoods, if you were anybody you drove a donk.
 
Disagree! i don't care about those impractical
It must be frustrating to be so unimaginative and ignorant. Boring.

No, I’m not a low rider guy. But I’ve seen plenty of beautiful low riders. I’m not an OE restoration guy either, but I’ve seen plenty of beautifully restored cars. I wouldn’t build either style myself, but that doesn’t mean I can’t respect the work that went into them.

If you can’t appreciate the talent, hard work, and artistic vision that goes into those cars, even if you don’t agree with the style, then you don’t deserve any respect for your opinion either.
Cool, still looks like ****!
 
-
Back
Top