As a child, Ismael Padilla dreamed of owning a bomb, but financial constraints and juvenile pleasures always offered roadblocks to achieving that dream. What money he did have was spent on partying and going out, but after years of financial neglect, he decided to put one foot forward into achieving and realizing his dreams.
The changes in Ismael's life were positive ones, which led him down the right track, and he saved a considerable amount of money. The timing couldn't have been better as the opportunity to purchase a bomb was literally right around the corner. When a friend brought up the opportunity, they paid the owner a visit and, after bargaining him down to $3,500 from the original tag of $5,000, Ismael's life literally changed.
Ismael now owns the perfect platform to work on, a '51 Chevy Deluxe, and even though he was on crutches at the time of the build, the itch to start on the vehicle began. It was just a matter of time before the vehicle was finally built, but this is where the story gets interesting. April '99 was the official month that the vehicle was completed and the results of his hard work began paying off. Ismael's "Mi Tesoro" started taking home numerous First Place trophies and a Sweepstakes award, as well as landing in the pages of Lowrider Magazine as a "double feature" that was followed up in the "Best of Bombs" special.
Now some of you might remember Ismael's vehicle being rosewood pearl with a gray interior. Ismael probably doesn't recollect much as the end of his project marked the rebirth of yet another incarnation. With the vehicle freshly built and cherried out, it was time to start on another project, so he decided to invest in a '39 Chevy. But that project came to a screeching halt when his father passed away. In the following months, Ismael would stumble across a picture of his father posing alongside his ride. It was at that moment that he decided to scrap the '39 and rebuild the "treasure" that he already had.
Even though Ismael's wife, Rachel, had called him "loco," she was still supportive of his decision and even encouraged him to follow his dreams. "Do what you have to do to make it your dream," said his wife. And that's what he did. Ismael's not only realized his dreams, but has also created a story which exemplifies leadership by example. A lot of people talk a good game, but not too many can follow their own advice. Ismael is the perfect story of success through hard work and the ability to make the right decisions.
This second coming of his ride is not only a sign of sheer excellence, but also a great example of how personal lowriders can get. Lowriding really is a family experience and this story makes a good point of that. Whether it be his immediate family or members of his club, Oldies C.C.-East Bay, Ismael is reppin' what he knows best and that's lowriding.
So what's next for Padilla family? Well, it's highly unlikely that the vehicle will go through a third rebuild, but we can tell you that Ismael is excited to enjoy his lowrider. He's determined, just like the rest of his club, to actually drive their vehicles like real riders do, and that's exactly what we wanted to hear. He's not afraid to throw miles up on his ride, and when he's not doing that, you'll probably catch him laying ground on his new project, a Harley that he just picked up.