Most auto enthusiasts favor a particular niche—such as muscle cars, lifted trucks, or exotics. At the same time, fans of one automotive subculture generally appreciate the others. However, there’s one genre of car fandom that often gets snubbed: the lowly lowrider.
If lowrider style is going to win over new fans, the love will go to models like the slammed and bagged 1978 Cadillac Coupe Deville for sale now on eBay.
Let’s start by marveling at the big Caddy’s cleanliness. Someone has long cared for this big coupe, inside and out. The long slab sides are spotless and straight—accented by gleaming two-tone paint, bright chrome, and a well-preserved vinyl padded roof.
The two-tone interior is finished with an unusual, muted green. Crayola might call it sea green and fern. The color stretches from the carpet to the doors to the steering wheel.
The ’78 Caddy looks like it just rolled off the showroom floor.
How Low Can You Go?
The defining technical feature of a lowrider is the hydraulic system filling the cavernous trunk. As journalist Phillip Thomas noted earlier this week, lowrider enthusiasts began adding military surplus hydraulic cylinders to get around racially motivated law enforcement in postwar California.
Eventually, the frame scrapers developed electronic controls to raise and lower each corner for the amusement of onlookers. Of course, eBay Motors has a great selection of hydraulics and other parts if you want to lay frame with your ride.
Shop now for hydraulic lowering kits
The tiny 13-inch diameter wire wheels fitted to this Coupe DeVille might struggle for appreciation. They are an automotive fashion statement to some. But many will think they’re too small for such a big vehicle.
Moreover, the front wheels are wider (seven inches) than the rears at five and a half. The rears need to be under the fender line, so a narrow width is required.
Remember, style is the priority here—not vehicle dynamics while driving on twisty roads. Handling is not a big deal for cars best driven at two miles an hour, so everybody sees you.
Shiny Chrome and a Booming Bass
The low stance defines the genre. But so do the tunes. A pair of 10-inch bass-booming subwoofers in the trunk sit next to the hydraulics. The head unit is understated, though it’s fitted with Bluetooth for streaming from a smartphone.
Under the hood, everything looks stock. Perhaps some chrome engine dress-up bits would extend the shiny finish to the mechanics of this extraordinary Caddy.
That’s the beauty of the lowrider culture, the sense of freedom that all modifications are fair game. You have a blank slate to make a statement and to achieve the goal: to get noticed. Hit the switch and watch jaws drop.
