Believe it or not, what helped in achieving our style was a welding machine, an MIG welder to be exact. Things changed for us big time. We got our cars and our style by using that welder in ways we'd only dreamed about until then, so once we had that, it was on. After I bought a welder and a plasma cutter, I decided to take my 1948 and went ahead and body dropped it, in order to get the car lower to the ground. This decision really changed and defined our style of the cars that we would build. After a few weeks of working on the car and dialing in all the obstacles that we encountered, we did the same sectioning procedure to Michael's green '39. This type of car build became our signature and part of the Tovar identity. Now with every car we build, people expect us to section and body drop, it's definitely a lot of work but I don't think we would have it any other way.
Our dad was only 39 years old when he passed away. He didn't leave us with much, but he did leave us with a garage full of tools, and for that, we are forever grateful, as that's where we got started. When anything broke down we went to that garage, and we built all of our cars out of that little garage too. We didn't know very much about life, but we learned to be there for one another, thanks to the way our grandparents raised us. My mom was the backbone of the Tovar family, she always supported us in the lowrider life. My backbone now is my wife Teresa, who I have been married to for 31 years. She has always supported me 100 percent, when we first began dating, our dates would be going to a car show or sometimes cruising to Whittier Blvd, depending on the mood. Once we got married, nothing ever changed; if I wanted to do something to a car she would tell me to go for it. If I needed an extra pair of hands she would be there, from helping with a windshield to adjusting a hood. Even my daughter Melissa, and my youngest daughter, Valerie got caught up helping. If I needed to bleed brakes they would be there to help out because of this type of family support that we share. Without this type of support I don't think I would be where I'm at today. We stick together because family is number one to us."
This humble family attitude is what earned Eddie this year's spot in the Lowrider Hall of Fame. Hopefully soon his brother will follow, as the whole Tovar family deserves to be inducted, but for now it will have to be one brother at a time.