The ultimate honor for a lowrider is to be recognized by one's peers. While trophies and photo shoots hold a special value, they will never replace the "street cred" that this sport was founded on. A lowrider wants to be known for his ability to build a sweet ride and this is where it all starts.
Not every reader will be able to handle every aspect of this kind of trunk build at home, but seeing how it gets done will put things in perspective nonetheless. The final product looks simple and clean, but you'll see that there are hours upon hours of blood, sweat and tears that go into this seemingly simple build. Turning an average trunk into a better than showroom-finished masterpiece is not for the weak of spirit.
The objective of this build is to create a paintable showpiece that will accentuate the chrome hydraulics setup and still allow the space needed to create a good-sounding sound system. We wanted a smooth and simple foundation that would highlight the setup without overpowering it. This is one of the reasons why a multi-angled box was built.
The intention was to optimize the space, but keep a clean, flat face on the enclosure. The beauty ring on the enclosure was created in such a way that kept to the smooth theme, but provided some depth to the sub faces. The final touch to this artwork is squirting the custom paint and wrapping some material to incorporate the touches from the inside and outside of the car. Once complete, we're sure that this car will be a giant step toward the "street cred" that we desire.
 1.The first step in our custom...  1.The first step in our custom build was to weld a piece of metal above the floor pan to provide us a semi-smooth surface for the molding to begin. While the floor itself could be filled with body filler, you run the risk of the body filler cracking. The smoother the surface is to begin with, the less body filler needed, and the better off you are. |  2.Once the welding is complete,...  2.Once the welding is complete, the tedious task of body filling begins. Body filler is a customizer's best friend when it comes to task like this. Mix it a few wipes at a time so as not to waste materials. |  3.After countless hours the...  3.After countless hours the floor is starting to take shape. Keep in mind which areas will be seen and remember it's better to leave a pretty part hidden than it is to have an ugly part showing. "Too much work" shouldn't be in a custom car builder's vocabulary. |
 4.Lots of sandpaper and wipes...  4.Lots of sandpaper and wipes of filler later, the floor is nearing completion. Be sure to mark off the areas where the custom panels will go and use a scrap piece of wood to ensure that the necessary areas remain flat. |  5.Even the lines at the rear...  5.Even the lines at the rear of the trunk should be properly finished. Attention to detail will not go unnoticed when the judges stop by. |  6.Now that we have a smooth...  6.Now that we have a smooth surface for our foundation, the audio build can begin. Using and angle finder, our multi-angled box begins over the large drop from the area below the package try to the newly formed flat floor. This will be the base of the enclosure. |
 7.The box was then measured...  7.The box was then measured out in such a way that left plenty of clearance for the cylinders and hoses. These complex angles need to be sealed up tight so be sure that the wood butts up nice and the sealer is laid on thick. |  8.The next step is to trim...  8.The next step is to trim the box with a clean beauty panel that matches the angles and contours of the car. The illusion that we are trying to create is a clean transition from the flat box surface to the rest of the trunk. The best way to avoid gaps is to cut out the lines with plenty of material left over to allow for a final trimming that butts up all of the surfaces as completely as possible. |  9.After multiple passes, we...  9.After multiple passes, we achieved our goal. The edges for the panel butt up clean and the trunk hinges are checked for clearance. |