This '79 on ebay: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Cadillac-DeVille-DTS-pretty-clean-lowriders-dream-clean-for-29-yrs-old_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ6146QQihZ011QQitemZ 320211557394QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWDVW

I have a problem with these things. They can't ride well and probably don't handle well. Cadillacs seem to be the car of choice for performing this abomination on a vehicle. Those who do this use bodies that appear pristine.
Am I the only one who feels this way or does anyone share my feelings? What's your take on this?

They are called "lowriders" and are somewhat of a sensitive topic around here, because we many traditionalists here. But basically it's a style of car modding that has become quite the fad. And these old American cars are choice because they're frame is separate from the car, not a unibody. Plus with the baby-boomers getting older, more and more of these are appearing on the market in near-mint shape and at rock bottom prices. Folks don't care if the leather and paint is mint; it will be redone anyway. Personally I don't care for the modifications, as I have an appreciation for originality and for history. I do think that it robs us of man pristine examples, however. But that's not anything negative to their name. They have their own traditionalists and contemporaries, too. I had just prefer see a historical artifact be preserved in it's original state. What really gets many people fired up, is when folks put pumps, batteries, and donut wheels on a car while lacking to pay attention to other cosmetics.

So like I say, it's a heated debate. We're mostly originality buffs here. But you will find alot more about the "culture" of lowriding and all the details from a person first hand. Most of them hang out at layitlow.com. You'll get all your questions answered there plus a little more (language, opinions, etc.) Again, I'm not bashing them, we simply have differing ideas for automobiles and automobile culture.

Best,
Greg

my favorite brougham pretty much hit it on the head, my first cadillac was an 89 d'elegance, on 13x7 wire rims, pumped up and 10 batteries in the trunk, but was super clean.

alot of lowrider guys go the extra mile to bring these cars back to showroom or better condition.

if it were air suspension and stock rims or wires i bet you wouldnt have anything to say.

as far a historical, eh there are only a few caddys you can deem as historical. 70 eldorado. le salles, vehicles like that. but when you want to tear down the world because somone put hydros on a 79 coupe. thats pushing it, if you want a stock coupe i can get you 5 or 6 here for sale today.

to each his own. respect another man for the hard work time and money they put into something THEY love.

We could turn that argument around to putting 500's 454's and stuff into the cars to make them racers. if you want a race car thats a caddy buy a cts. ya know>?

I was raised around the lowrider lifestyle and its awesome, but i wouldnt take a mint condition car and cut it up. one that has seen better days is a different story.

so take the blinders of and experience some new things. you may learn a thing or two.

I have no problem with lowriders. The value of the Cadillacs we love so much would actually be lower if it were not for the lowrider crowd. Many old Cads would have been scrapped if there weren't the demand. I respect all forms of automotive customizing. Not everyone will like what I have done with some of my cars, but I like them.

This '79 on ebay: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Cadillac-DeVille-DTS-pretty-clean-lowriders-dream-clean-for-29-yrs-old_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ6146QQihZ011QQitemZ 320211557394QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWDVW

I have a problem with these things. They can't ride well and probably don't handle well. Cadillacs seem to be the car of choice for performing this abomination on a vehicle. Those who do this use bodies that appear pristine.
Am I the only one who feels this way or does anyone share my feelings? What's your take on this?
Lowrider is like turning a 5000.00 car into a 500.00 car. And it cost a lot to do it. I thought they were illegal because if you were out on the highway when a hydraulic lines busts and your car decides on it's own to take a hard 90 degree right or left turn across everyone elses lanes of traffic. And how good is it for a cars to bounce it like a basketball? Probably shakes all the welds and screws loose. But each to his own, it would not be fun if we were all alike. TexasCadillac

I have seen lowriders which I feel have been tastefully done. If fact the early lowriders didn't have the hydraulics, just altered suspensions. I also admit that some of these cars, with the hydraulics, have had some very good work applied to the bodies.
I can't imagine that they can handle well or have a decent ride to them. Of course, it mostly a West Coast thing. A couple of guys in NY have started such projects and not finished. One persons project did get completed, but found that the environment around here isn't compatable with lowriders, because our roads aren't nice and flat like West Coast highways. One pothole and the whole suspension got ripped off the left side.

Alot of good feedback on here, I am a lowrider I have been doing it for about 15 years. The problem with lowriding is there is alot of myths that people believe that dont have the knowledge on. Lowriders ride shitty, yes alot of them do but you can make them ride like stock if you run accumalotors or however its spelled, most guys that build lowriders are not into making money on them, its a lifestyle. Just like any type of car customizing you have the halfassed cars and the ones that are built right. Its not for everybody thats for sure.

After seeing what 509 and his cohorts were doing, whether or not I like the results is beside the point. They ain't schlock artists! Their work is DAMN GOOD.
Yes, to me the cars look like they're on doughnuts, but the fit and finish, plus the innards and the rest of the mechanicals are top notch from what was posted here and what I could see.
I know some damn good trophy-grabbin' rod builders in this neck of the woods who would secretly envy the quality of work shown us by 509's low ridin' friends.
So I say go to it guys. Take the "abuse" with a grain of salt but know that your work is at least appreciated in some quarters because you're keeping some Cadillacs from the crushers for one thing, and you're showing some mighty fine handiwork while you're doing it.:yup:

After seeing what 509 and his cohorts were doing, whether or not I like the results is beside the point. They ain't schlock artists! Their work is DAMN GOOD.
Yes, to me the cars look like they're on doughnuts, but the fit and finish, plus the innards and the rest of the mechanicals are top notch from what was posted here and what I could see.
I know some damn good trophy-grabbin' rod builders in this neck of the woods who would secretly envy the quality of work shown us by 509's low ridin' friends.
So I say go to it guys. Take the "abuse" with a grain of salt but know that your work is at least appreciated in some quarters because you're keeping some Cadillacs from the crushers for one thing, and you're showing some mighty fine handiwork while you're doing it.:yup:Thanks, that means alot.

After seeing what 509 and his cohorts were doing, whether or not I like the results is beside the point. They ain't schlock artists! Their work is DAMN GOOD.
Yes, to me the cars look like they're on doughnuts, but the fit and finish, plus the innards and the rest of the mechanicals are top notch from what was posted here and what I could see.
I know some damn good trophy-grabbin' rod builders in this neck of the woods who would secretly envy the quality of work shown us by 509's low ridin' friends.
So I say go to it guys. Take the "abuse" with a grain of salt but know that your work is at least appreciated in some quarters because you're keeping some Cadillacs from the crushers for one thing, and you're showing some mighty fine handiwork while you're doing it.:yup:

I agree to. It is not at all my cup of tea...but props go to all the hard, thorough work it takes to make such a transformation of cars he and others also love, even if it is in a different way:thumbsup:

Alot of good feedback on here, I am a lowrider I have been doing it for about 15 years. The problem with lowriding is there is alot of myths that people believe that dont have the knowledge on. Lowriders ride shitty, yes alot of them do but you can make them ride like stock if you run accumalotors or however its spelled, most guys that build lowriders are not into making money on them, its a lifestyle. Just like any type of car customizing you have the halfassed cars and the ones that are built right. Its not for everybody thats for sure.

x2:thumbsup:

Hey 96BB, how's that Fleetwood coupe coming along? And that grey Brougham? I saw alot of progress last time, and I'm anxious for some large pics of that coupe WITHOUT a huge gash in her!

Cheers!
Greg

I think they look cool. I wouldnt want one personally but lotsa kids doing it these days.

I think they look cool. I wouldnt want one personally but lotsa kids doing it these days.Lots of Fathers Mothers and grandparents also.

Hey 96BB, how's that Fleetwood coupe coming along? And that grey Brougham? I saw alot of progress last time, and I'm anxious for some large pics of that coupe WITHOUT a huge gash in her!

Cheers!
Greg

its coming along bro, will have some new pics later this week on my layitlow topic, i myself can't even believe is the same car:D

Oh wow, I just looked over there and you've really straightened her out! You're gonna find some Fleetwood trim to go on that Deville door, though, right? And have you given any thought to my offer for the wire wheels? PM me. ;)

yea im going to need to find some trimming. pm me the offer again i erased all my messages

well coming from a beachside town neighboring a town mostly composed of mexican americans, i've seen it all. i've seen the 92 honda civics on 22's and ive seen old school suicide door lincolns lowered on the "donut" wheels. ive also seen some very tastefully done lowriders such as my friend's '61 impala. its lowered on the stock wheels and rims with a mint paint job and custom interior. i work with the owner and he does things right with that car, everything is perfectly done. ive also seen things done terribly wrong like a mid 80's 4 door brougham with the top chopped off rolling around on wire rims. they didnt know what they were doing because the back is practically dragging on the ground while the front is stock height. ive seen it about 5 times and the suspension has never changed so i doubt the car has hydraulics. the top was obviously the work of a weekend with a sawzall. on close inspection you can totally tell. it's really a sight to behold.

but i mean hey, i'm going to lower my '69 once i finish it. but im going to keep the stock rims and tires. nothing too fancy. i just like the look of that body style laying closer to the ground thats all.

still, to each his own. i appreciate what low rider guys go through and the work they put into their rides because i come from the exact opposite crowd where we like big lifted trucks with oversized tires running around town with no exhaust. and people say the same things we're saying on this thread about us. so hey. its all good. lowriders arent really my thing but i dont have anything against them unless its terrible like that pink cadillac with the cheetah interior that was floating around on ebay a while ago. terrible

I have no problem with lowriders. The value of the Cadillacs we love so much would actually be lower if it were not for the lowrider crowd. Many old Cads would have been scrapped if there weren't the demand. I respect all forms of automotive customizing. Not everyone will like what I have done with some of my cars, but I like them.

I agree with you that it makes the value go up as there is more demand. The downside of that is it cost us more to buy them because we're competing with the customizers, at least here in LA.

I Wouldnt Say Its A Fad Man,
Lowriding Been There Since The 70s If Not Sooner

Dpgc23

Yep, it's been a while.
My wife and I are active in canine rescue and some years ago we rescued an aging poodle with a bad case of arthritis. Nobody wanted her so we kept her. She was a purebred with the awful name of something like Sugar Cane XXXVI.
I said "To hell with that" and since she was arthritic and begged for food by bouncing up and down on her front legs so that she looked like a lowrider that I'd seen on TV the night before, I wanted to call her "Chevy."
My wife nixed the idea and we ended up calling the dog "Chur" since it was close to Sugar.
Oh well. I still think Chevy would have been better.

Too funny! So how is all this hydraulic doo-dad stuff helping increase the value of these cars? The description claims the car has $3000 worth of hydraulics, yet the car only reaches $3000 and is a no sale. That makes the car worth, what...0 dollars?

Has dents etc, transmission needs seals, and no telling what else. To me, the person is more interested in entertaining people with a car that hops up and down, than actually giving it the necessary restoration that would make it a nice car.