After cruising the car for a few months, Joe decided to go all out on the '63 and took it back to the Leal brothers where they laid down some serious custom graphics featuring a mixture of candy magenta, candy violet and candy blue which really accented the body lines. Joe flew in expert striper Curly, from Long Beach, California, to finish off the paintjob with custom pinstripping. Still wanting to add even more to the amazing look of the car, Joe decided to go ahead and chrome out the undercarriage. He took off the front and rear suspensions and transported the big body to Fidel Chrome in Houston where they chromed out the upper and lower A-Arms, calipers, gas tank and even the rear axle.
In just a few weeks the car was ready to be fully displayed in the LRM Houston show. Joe knew that the car was definitely a showstopper but had no idea that he would end up taking first place in his category. Elated, Joe dedicated the win and his success to his wife Frances, his brother Mike, his father Adan Rivera, and his fellow Latin Kustoms Car Club members for all the hours and input it took to bring home the trophy. "The Price Is Right" has competed with some of the best lowriders in shows across the nation, including the Las Vegas Super show where it took first place in its class. Joe has officially decided to retire this legendary car and is now concentrating on his latest project, a '59 Chevy Impala.
The Price Is Right
OWNER: Joe Rivera
Vehicle: '63 Chevy Impala
City/State: Pasadena, Texas
Club: Latin Kustoms
Engine/Drivetrain: Rebuild was done by the Crew of Latin Kustoms Car Club. The board over 30 engine was also upgraded with an Elderbrock carburetor and headers. The chrome air filter and valve covers were accented with custom-painted slits to match the car.
Body/Paint: The body was in perfect condition except for the floor panels. After Joe replaced all the metal work, he delivered the car to the Leal Brothers Paint and Body in Corpus Christi, TX. The paint scheme includes a Black Base color with Violet Ice Flake, patterned with Candy Magenta, Candy Violet and Candy Blue. Custom pinstripping was added by Curly of Long Beach, CA.
Interior: The interior was gutted out and reupholstered by the Latin Kustoms crew. The stock interior was replaced with new black carpet and the seats were reupholstered with black vinyl, black tweed, and accented with purple piping.
Sound System: A few of Joe's Car Club members installed the sound system. The system includes a JVC Touch Screen DVD/CD head unit powered by Rockford Fosgate Amps pushing the sound through Polk Audio woofers and speakers.
Setup: Shorty's Hydraulics hooked up the car with a Veterano Setup. The setup includes two Veterano Pumps, three Dumps, 8-inch cylinders in the front and 12-inch in the back and is powered by four batteries and controlled by four switches.
Tires: 55X80 R13
Wheels: Custom ionized 13-inch Zenith's