For someone who's been a lowrider since the '70s Sam "The Kid" of Los Angeles, California, can attest to seeing many changes in the three decades that he's been "riding." Having owned at least a dozen lowriders, Sam's lost count, his latest and greatest ride is this here ragtop dubbed "Golden Kid." "I came across the car abandoned at a friend's home," says Sam. The car was "tore up," parts were missing, the factory shine long gone and the top was history, but Sam saw something special in that '64 Impala.
Now if you saw the photo album that showed the battered bowtie you'd be shaking your head in disbelief. Ah, but with the plentiful sources in the surrounding areas, it was just a matter of picking and choosing who'd do what to Sam's Impala, which happens to fly the Ghetto Fabulous club plaque.
Since the completion of the ride, the car is better than new, sporting an all-new interior, fresh top complete with a suede headliner, new engine, full undercarriage and a hot hydraulic setup. From being 17-year-old kid in the mid-'70s, until now, a grown man with a family to tend to, Sam is one die-hard lowrider who can really put his wonder years into his new moniker of "The Kid" into play. See you on the boulevard, big Sam!
Tech SpecsGolden KidOwner: Sam "The Kid"
Vehicle: '64 Chevrolet Impala convertible
City/State: Los Angeles, California
Club: Ghetto Fabulous C.C
Engine/Drivetrain: Tommy and Friday of Supernatural Car Accessories in Gardena, California, built a 350-c.i.d. small-block crate engine and dressed it to the hilt in billet and chrome goodies. A Turbo 350 transmission gets the horses out to the chrome rearend.
Body/Paint: Sam chose G Auto Body in Lynwood, California, to do up his ride right. "G" and "Pollo" took the semi-basket case from an old shell with missing parts to a smooth-as-glass prep job before Pollo could cover the car in PPG Inca Gold paint. As for the tasty patterns on the flanks, legendary graphic artist "Doc" of Los Angeles did the design so as not to take away from the overall look of the ragtop.
Interior: Ben over at Supreme Auto Upholstery in Inglewood, California, gave the interior the Midas touch using gold vinyl to match with the rest of the regal ride. The convertible top was also redone and is activated by remote control.
Sound System: A trip out west to Carson, California, brought Sam's ride to Anthony Williams' shop, Media Motoring, where Anthony hooked up a Kenwood head unit tucked away in the glove box, six-disc CD changer under the front seat, a set of tweeters and four midrange speakers in the interior and three subwoofers located in the trunk-area that are recessed in a enclosure with a Plexiglas window for a peep inside of the bass box.
Suspension: A ride like Sam's six-four, well, it's just got to have a banging hookup, so homeboy went to Supernatural Hydraulics in Gardena, where Tommy and Friday did up the all-chrome system. The frame is full wrapped and molded as are the A-arms; 8-inch cylinders up front and 12s in the rear with 311/42-ton coils do all of the moving when Sam's hitting one of four switches. A pair of custom Supernatural pumps with oil caps that have the Impala logo are nestled in the custom trunk setup and are plumbed using a combination of bent tubing and #8 hoses. Eight deep-cycle batteries are tucked away under upholstered panels.
Tires: P155/80-R13 Hercules
Wheels: 13-inch 100-spoke wheels with a custom center knockoffs