Southern California is the birthplace of the lowrider custom car segment, and despite numerous laws effectively banning its use, the region remains a hotbed of a niche automotive scene. Although the lowrider scene predates his iconic 1990s film, boys and the hoodthe film helped cement the Lowrider as one of the most famous and unique custom car segments.
A lowrider scene is born in Southern California
Lowriders are virtually a product of the Southern California hip-hop scene, where cars (mostly large American models from the 1960s to 1990s) are slammed to the ground and equipped with adjustable ride heights that can be changed in seconds. It has suspension. Additionally, they are often intricately painted with eye-catching colors and other visual elements. The interior is also typically customized, typically with high-profile upholstery and an array of aftermarket parts.
One of the aspects that makes the lowrider scene stand out is how these custom cars are used. Unlike most aftermarket specials, the Lowrider is meant for cruising. In culinary terms, it’s “low & slow.”
‘Boys and the Hood’ helped establish lowriders
1991 John Singleton film, boys and the hoodis an early ’90s iconoclastic film that focuses on the trials and tribulations of three young men living in Los Angeles’ Crenshaw ‘The Hood’. The film highlights the culture of those living within the LA ghetto and the social, racial, and violent issues inherent in growing up in such an area. The film depicts someone who grew up in this environment desperate to escape it as much as possible, while others fall victim to its criminal culture and violence.
The film features a star-studded cast of Cuba Gooding Jr., Ice Cube, Laurence Fishburne, and Angela Bassett, as well as the car that has become an icon of car cinema, the Ice Cube. A 1963 Chevrolet Impala Lowrider driven by the character Doboy.
The Impala features many of the mainstays of the lowrider scene, including gorgeous paintwork, aftermarket wheels, custom interiors and adjustable suspension used for low-speed cruising. Coupled with the long, sleek lines of the genuine Impala, the ‘Touch of Gold’ Impala is arguably one of the most memorable automotive movie cars of its era.
The lowrider scene was already established long ago boys and the hood hit the theaters. Still, Doughboy’s Impala helped highlight the aftermarket automotive segment and introduce it to a whole new audience. With Ice Cube’s ownership in the film and the growing popularity of the film, Touch of Gold Impala further elevated the lowrider’s popularity in the hip-hop scene.
What happened to the Impala in “Boys and the Hood”?
According to LA Car, rapper and actor Ice Cube once owned the 1963 Impala he drove in the movie. However, Ice Cube later sold it to a private collector in Japan for an unknown amount. The publication suggests that the Southern California lowrider scene has crossed the Pacific as “Japan thrives on the rise of American lowrider culture.”
The 1963 Impala Lowrider virtually disappeared from the curtain call limelight, boys and the hoodThe car’s iconic status in 1990s movies ensures that it will remain one of the most famous movie cars, especially among lowriders, for decades to come.
