Robert's passion for Lowriding was personal anyway, so despite the lack of a scene around him, he decided to keep moving in his quest for all things Lowrider. He purchased a 1975 Glass House and began buying Lowrider parts and equipment from Lowrider Hydraulics in San Jose, CA, by mail order. He kept hitting up the cruising spot on 38th and Federal, yet still found almost no action. He soon made friends with a man named Jaime who owned a '68 Impala. Jaime wanted hydraulics was looking for an experience and dependable shop. When he found out that Rob was from California, he asked if he knew where he could find hydraulics. "He gave me money to get the hydraulics, and I ordered him a rear set-up from Lowrider Hydraulics. We installed the setup in Jaime's backyard. That was the first time I had ever installed them," says Robert proudly.
After that confidence boost, Robert decided to try his luck on his own car, and he ordered and installed a front/back setup for the Glass House. He also had 14 x 7 True Classics with 5.20s. Now that Robert was officially rolling down 38th, and showing up to all of the car shows with his tricked-out car, he began to get the attention of a lot of people. They were wowed by the hydraulics and wanted to know where they could get themselves a set-up like his. He realized that there was a need for a good parts store in Denver, one that could accommodate the scene's blossoming interest in the Lowrider Movement. Robert met the love of his life, Teresa Quintana through a chance encounter with his future brother-in-law, Max Quintana in 1981. Max had a 1962 Impala that needed to get a new hydraulics set-up installed in it for an upcoming show. That upcoming show only gave Robert two days to install the setup, with no time to order parts. Robert worked tirelessly through the night and installed the used parts into Max's car. At that time in the scene, the hopping record in Colorado was no higher than a can of Coors- roughly 6 inches. At the show, the other competitors' cars all got to the 6-inch mark. The car Robert built for Max hit for a whopping 21 inches, completely shattering the record and making Robert an instant Lowrider legend from Colorado in the process.
Robert soon met a man named Ron, who also saw the need for a constant parts supplier in Denver. They took a trip to California and set up an account with Andy's Hydraulics. They began stocking hydraulic parts and wheels at Ron's house. Robert installed most of the parts and did most of the work, but never seemed to see the money that he deserved. The venture soon folded because of the monetary discrepancy, and became yet another let down for Robert. He was tired of working for and counting on other people, and he wanted something more. Determined to further the scene in Colorado, Robert joined the Denver Knights Car Club, and then Low Impressions Car club. After deciding that he again felt stifled, Robert soon founded his own car club called Street Life. This independence showed him what he really needed to do.
In 1984, after the let down of all let downs, and after struggling to make ends meet with a baby on the way, Robert took matters into his own hands. He borrowed $5,000.00 from his mom, took a trip to San Jose and began his own account with Lowrider Hydraulics. He opened up his own business on 32nd and Tejon called "Rob's Hydraulics." He installed hydraulics and performed tire and wheel installs as well. Business began to bubble, but not without the blood, sweat, and tears that can make or break a man. Long hours working, traveling to car shows to promote the new business, running a car club, and providing for a family made it hard for Rob to keep it all together. He had to end his affiliation with Street Life, and put it in the hands of Roy Romero Sr., so that he could focus on his own future as well as the future of the Colorado Lowrider community.