Unless you've been living in a cave somewhere up in North Dakota, you already know all about Tribal Streetwear (www.tribalgear.com), the hip, but label-defying line of urban clothing headquartered in San Diego, California. Tribal Gear owner and designer Bobby "Tribal" Ruiz obviously has an eye for fine design and a definite sense of classic street style, and it's no surprise to us that he has an impressive pair of classic Chevy Impalas among his prized possessions.
Bobby keeps busy with his business and family obligations, but he managed to "pull the trigger" on a pair of first-class Impala projects. His two-tone "Tribal '59" (originally found in Mexicali, Mexico, some years ago) sports a "stock restored and more" look, while his "Tribal One" '61 goes off in a more custom direction. Bobby credits the fine craftsmen (mostly in the San Diego area) listed in the Tech Specs who did good work on both cars, and he also sends special thanks to Sabrina Ruiz, Joey Ruiz, Carl Arellano, Frank and Oscar for their love and support.
Keeping Tribal Gear in the forefront of the urban fashion industry is a full-time responsibility, but Bobby knows that sometimes you have to stop and smell the roses. Maybe that's why, when we asked Bobby about any future plans for either one of his rides, he replied, "Cruise it!"
Tribal '59
Owner: Bobby "Tribal" Ruiz
Vehicle: '59 Chevrolet Impala
City/State: San Diego, California
Club: No affiliation
Engine/Drivetrain: The original 348-c.i.d. V-8 received a complete going over at Insane Customs in San Diego and was equipped with a glass-pack exhaust system.
Body/Paint: "Chico" at Candy's in San Diego did a sweet job restoring the original Frost Blue with pearl white two-tone color scheme. Cal Plating in San Diego is the home of the chrome.
Interior: Julio at A&G in Los Angeles, California, retained the original flavor inside.
Sound System: John and Rene at Directed Electronics' "Snake Pit" in Vista, California, allow the '59 to thump the tribal beats through a system with DEI gear and an Alpine head unit.
Suspension: Gabe at Insane Customs installed a two-pump, two-switch airbag setup.
Tires: Coker wide whitewall
Wheels: Stock
Tribal One
Owner: Bobby "Tribal" Ruiz
Vehicle: '61 Chevrolet Impala
City/State: San Diego, California
Club: No affiliation
Engine/Drivetrain: The original 350-c.i.d. V-8 was dressed with billet pulleys and accessories at Insane Customs in San Diego and equipped with a glass-pack exhaust system and mated to a Powerglide transmission.
Body/Paint: "Chico" at Candy's in San Diego shaved the door handles and trim, and cooked up a custom color scheme for the '61. All chrome-plated parts, inside and out, were rechromed at Cal Plating in San Diego.
Interior: Raul at Friendly Upholstery in El Cajon, California, stitched up the "mild custom" interior with suede headliner.
Sound System: John and Rene at Directed Electronics' "Snake Pit" in Vista, California, directed the installation of DEI components.
Suspension: Gabe at Insane Customs installed a two-pump, two-switch airbag setup.
Tires: P155/80-R13 radials
Wheels: Chrome 100-spoke wires