Klique Car Club East L.A. - 1977 Mercury Cougar

During Jose's time as club president he expanded the club with chapters in Orange County and Bakersfield and changed the whole image of the club. When it started taking Lowrider of the Year and became more visible at the shows, they started to become recognized as a family oriented club. Also during Jose's run as club president, he met his wife of 23 years, Donna, while cruising with the club one day in 1980. Jose and Donna got married in 1986 while he was still heading the club. Even with Donna's support, Jose knew it was time for him to step away from the club and help Donna raise their ever-expanding family. They moved to Palmdale, California, and the Cougar sat in the garage while they focused on their children.

While the car sat, it was torn down again and the undercarriage was redone. It was molded, candied, and chromed. After the undercarriage was complete, Jose took the car out of storage and retirement and showed it at the '06 Lowrider magazine Super Show in Las Vegas. In 2007, Jose was invited to represent Klique East L.A. and display the Cougar at the Peterson Automotive Museum as part of the museum's exhibit La Vida Lowrider: Cruising the City of Angels. After the car was moved out of the museum in 2008, Jose took the Cougar to Conejos in the San Fernando Valley to have the undercarriage pinstriped.

The car and Jose are now active again in the scene and plan to attend more shows in 2009. With the never-ending support of Jose's wife and their 10 children, Jose and the family continue to travel to the shows together. At the shows they all pitch in and set the car up and make sure it's show worthy. Jose continues to leave his legacy in the lowriding culture. The next generation in the Martinez family has now started to build and compete in their own rides. Gone are the days of the man and his car. The days of the family and the car are here now and Jose and his family are an excellent example of a lowriding family. Jose Martinez's virtue toward his car club reflects what the Klique's image is all about: Pride and devotion.