Projects and hoods across the country have people making choices every second of the day. Some of those choices are made right at the junction where life goes down one of two paths-one straight and narrow, and one whose branches and reach can grow quickly, but can break in the blink of an eye. The flash of the jewels, chrome and paint possessed by hood stars is enticing and can blind anyone to the facts.
Scarface the movie is the visual soundtrack for just about every hood star. Stacks of cash and the tools to keep things in check, along with the product to keep the stacks coming are all there. Like Jay-Z said, "Scarface the movie did more to me than Scarface the rapper." This car called "The Game Don't Last Forever" was built to bring to life the cautionary tale that Scarface the movie tells.
Jose Rodriquez grew up in a Watts, California, housing project, one of the toughest neighborhoods in the nation. "Growing up in the projects in the city of Watts is hard," Jose says. "You either do the right thing or the wrong thing." Unfortunately, Jose made some choices that landed him in trouble with the law.
Jose's brother was there for him when the time came. "When I got out of doing some time in the system," Jose says, "my brother gave this car to me so that instead of going back I could change my life around." His brother had purchased the car a few years earlier and the car was to help Jose keep away from the temptation of the streets.
The thing with fast money is that it comes fast and most of the time it gets spent just as quickly. This car could have been built in a couple of months with the right amount of money thrown behind it, the kind of money that you see in the movie Scarface. The murals on the car are like clips taken from some of the most memorable scenes in Scarface and are filled with piles of money, champagne and women all around.
But just like everyone else not sporting shoeboxes full of cash, Jose saved and got things done as he could afford them. In the end, this '64 wound up being a seven-year build. And more importantly, it was also a test of patience for Jose, knowing that with a couple of quick flips he could have all of the money he needed in the palms of his hands.
Javier and the rest of the crew at Mexico Collision Center in South Gate, California, had a major hand in getting the car built from front to rear. And Javier, better known as "Mexico," is one of Jose's friends as well as a fellow Los Angeles Car Club member. He had no problem helping Jose with some homie hookups and expertise.
In the end, Jose realized that The Game Don't Last Forever is not only a car for him, but an example of what's possible for a man from Watts... or any other hood for that matter.
The Game Don't Last ForeverOwner: Jose RodriguezVehicle: '64 Chevrolet Impala convertibleCity/State: Watts, CaliforniaClub: Los Angeles C.C.
Engine/Drivetrain: A '97 Corvette TPI motor and 2-inch Flowmaster exhaust feature chrome everywhere you look. A Turbo 350 transmission transmits the power to the wheels. Mexico Collision Center in South Gate, California, handled all of the work.
Body/Paint: The entire body was smoothed out and the firewall, hood and trunk were molded and sprayed candy blue. Alberto Herrera at Alberto's Quality Art in Visalia, California, went to town with the Scarface-inspired art. "Fonzy" handled the murals on the firewall and "Curly" of Long Beach, California, did the pinstriping. Javier "Mexico" Gomez and his shop, Mexico Collision Center, performed all of the bodywork and paint.
Interior: A full suede and tweed interior with sculpted L.A. signs throughout was done by Juanito at Juanito's Upholstery in Riverside, California. The top was stitched at California Upholstery in Bell Gardens, California.