After purchasing the convertible kit for $3,000 from Impala Palace, he knew there was no going back. With the car, the kit, and the talent, Miguel got to work on the classic Chevy. After 2-3 weeks of measuring, grinding, and cutting under the guidance of Big Ray from Rebirth Car Club, Miguel finally had his 1961 convertible! After finishing the raw metal, Miguel wondered if he should just do bodywork and paint, or take the entire car apart. Having gone this far, he knew he had to put it all on the floor. With the help of fellow club members Rob, Miguel, and P-nut, the four builders started taking the car apart. Nothing came easy during the process, in fact, it seemed that if the pieces weren't breaking off, they had to be grind off. From bodywork to rust repair, the car needed just about everything. Miguel believes that "if it ain't a project car, then it ain't a Lowrider." "You need something to talk about," laughs Miguel. When the time came to put the body back on the frame, there was no one available to help, so Miguel had to improvise. Using an engine hoist to lift the body, and the help of his 13-year-old daughter, Priscilla, and 5-year-old son Miggie, he was able to push in the frame, line it, and square it off.
After many years of shopping at swap meets and different locations, the car was finally coming together. Wishing to stand out from the crowd, Miguel started chroming the undercarriage, powder coating the belly, adding the continental kit, and putting in leather seats, to achieve his desired look.
Why the name "Playing with my Money," you ask? Being a religious man, Miguel wanted the phrase "In God We Trust" placed on the continental kit. As he sat thinking of a name for the car, a light bulb went off inside his head. The car was green, "In God We Trust" appears on all dollar bills, and he'd spent more than 2 years of his time and money on this project, so it only seemed fitting to name it "Playing with my Money."
One thing that Miguel can say about his car is that it was cut in his garage, fabricated in his garage, put together in his garage, and built in his garage. "The best part about building a car in the garage with friends is all the memories you make," reminisces Miguel. "The late nights eating pizza and sanding the car, you just can't get that by sending your car out to a shop." Well said, Miguel.
Playing With My Money
Owner: Miguel Maldonado
Vehicle: 1961 Impala Convertible
City/State: San Leandro, CA
Club: True Elegance, East Bay
Engine: 1997 Chevrolet 350 5.7 liter
Body/Paint: A two-stage lime green was sprayed on the flawless convertible.
Interior: The black leather and tweed interior was stitched together by New Hank Trim Shop Auto Upholstery.
Sound System: Ron Samaly from Auto Sound System of San Lorenzo, CA installed 3 10-inch Diamond sub woofers and midrange speakers that were powered Rockford Fosgate amplifiers that were all controlled through a Pioneer head unit mounted in the custom front console.
Setup: Two Showtime Hydraulics pumps powered by four American Batteries controlled by two switches
Tires: Remington 155-80R13
Wheels: Sinister 100 13x7 spoke wheels
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Model: Krystinna
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