The beginning of each new year in lowriding announces the entry of a fresh batch of show cars and the exit of the old and tired. The new cars rattle the cage and the older ones either go into retirement or through the next phase of revitalization. It's what keeps lowriding in an evolutionary state and fires a new stage of creativity, perfection and timeless art.As each new car is displayed for the first time, it's unveiled to a crowd of equally anxious followers who want to see what the hype is all about. From supporters to haters, the car is then analyzed and the topic of discussion for hours. But even after its first show and the initial unveiling, the topic is then taken to a global standpoint as the advent of the Internet offers further discussion for those too far away to attend in person.
But for probably the first time ever, a car was released that was essentially drama-free. When Tanya Maxwell launched her '63 Chevy Impala, there was nothing but rave reviews and highly regarded praises long before she was even done setting up the vehicle. From local spectators to online forums, her vehicle has gathered nothing but the best of reviews and, if left up to us, she should have called the vehicle "Drama Free" rather than "Ultimate Obsession."
Then again, Ultimate Obsession is probably the perfect name for the vehicle, which is not only in Ultimate Riders Car Club, but also an A-list contender for best new whip currently out. But being around cars of this stature is nothing new for Tanya. As many of you already know, she's the wife of well-known, well-respected and world-renowned car builder "V-Max." "I got into lowriding by going to shows with my husband, and I've been in it ever since he was first hopping is car in 1993," says Tanya. "The rest is just history."
Whether she picked up the trade by osmosis or the style through influence, one thing is certain--she ultimately ended up with one bad-ass ride. They say that beauty is only skin deep, but that only applies to judgement calls made on human beings and never lowriders. When it comes to lowriders, beauty is defined by everything in total, and when it comes to the lifeline (the engine), it's what separates the boys from the men until now. With a 2005 Chevy Corvette LS-2 engine, Tanya has taken things to the next level and now you can literally say, "She's the man."
Tanya came acting a fool when she unveiled the new LS-2, but you have to give props where they're due, and there's no denying that this is one bad beast. Surrounding the engine is an enclave of chrome and color-matched accessories, while the fenderwells of the vehicle were chromed out and followed up with pinstriping for the final touch.
Directly beneath is a suspension setup that follows in the vehicle's footsteps of excellence. With wrapped chrome A-arms and color-matched springs, the devil is in the details, which is evident as even the Impala logo was embedded into each arm. A four-pump hydraulics setup was installed by Lil' Bob at Ultimate Hydraulics in Norco, California. Out back, the most visual parts of the setup are the fat aluminum blocks that sit in a fiberglass tub. Amidst the hard-lines, solenoids and sea of fiberglass is a virtual showcase of audio components, all installed at Joe Carrillo Custom Sounds in Corona, California. Chrome runs further than skin deep in this car since the floorboards, disc brakes, gas tank and 9-inch rearend were all dipped.
There's so much to say about Ultimate Obsession, but nothing can compare to seeing it in person. The vehicle is so visually stimulating that words can never describe what your eyes could see. This woman-owned low-low is a true work of art that's pushing the boundaries of lowriding. Congrats on a job well done, Tanya.
Ultimate Obsession
Owner: Tanya Maxwell
Vehicle: '63 Chevrolet Impala
City/State: Norco, California
Club: Ultimate Riders C.C.
Engine/Drivetrain: The 2005 Chevy Corvette LS-2 engine was built by Bob at Ultimate Hydraulics in Norco and mated to a chrome Magnaflow exhaust system. Jesse Marquez at Custom Lowz took a hard-line approach to the engine.Body/Paint: The body was prepped by Louie Carrillo of Louie's Kustom Kandys in Riverside, California, and then finished in Sherwin-Williams candy lime gold. Pinstriping was provided by Mike Lamberson of Mike's Pinstriping and chrome plating by Victor at Best Polishing in Pomona, California.
Interior: All of the interior work--including leather and suede seats with Impala imprints, Dakota Digital dash and a Stay-Fast top--was performed by Roman of Roman's Upholstery in La Puente, California.
Sound System: The installation of the Pioneer head unit, XM radio, Kicker amps, Audiobahn subwoofers and headrest monitors was performed by Joe Carrillo Custom Sounds in Corona, California.
Setup: Lil' Bob of Ultimate Hydraulics juiced Tanya's '64 with a four-pump setup that features three Adex dumps, 8-inch (front) and 14-inch (rear) cylinders, 3.5-ton springs, Parker hoses, six Centennial batteries, 12 solenoids, fat aluminum blocks and six switches. The shop's Bob, Lil' Bob and Max also teamed up on the reinforced chrome-plated frame.
Tires: P175/75-R14 Hercules
Wheels: 14-inch chrome wires