World Famous 1964 Chevrolet Impala "Gypsy Rose" Lowrider Is Ready To Wow the Crowd

Cruise low and get heads turning. That was the purpose of lowriding in the first place, starting in the post-war era in Southern California, among the Mexican-American community, before it turned into a cultural move. It soon gained traction and, by the late 1960s, it became an expression of cultural pride, while Los Angeles turned into the capital of that culture. However, the spread all across America, with communities now existing even in Chicago, Kansas City, and New York.

The Impala "Gypsy Rose" is one of the three such cars that saw the light of day as the brainchild of Jesse Valadez, founder of Imperials Car Club in East Los Angeles. Number 3 was the most elaborate of them all, getting the most attention during the build and after it was completed.

Car number 2 had had a tragic end. It was destroyed during a party in El Monte, which was the neighborhood of a rival car club. Furious because they were not let in to join the party, the guys in El Monte came with the entire gang and destroyed the car parked outside.

So only this "Gypsy Rose" is known to have survived. The model currently resides in the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles. The modded Impala made public debut at the 1968 Winternationals Rod and Custom Show in Pomona. And while Valadez was slammed for the controversial paintjob, he also heard a lot of "wows" those days.

This 1964 Chevrolet Impala lowrider is a Hollywood sensation. It was filmed rolling down Whittier Boulevard during the opening of the television comedy Chico and the Man (1974-1978) and featured in several video ads for Boulevard Nights from 1979. The car wears candy pink, red, and white with pride. Over 100 roses painted by the customizing legend Walt Prey cover the body.

The 1964 Chevrolet Impala "Gypsy Rose" is a palace on wheels

The interior is a palace on wheels. The seats are upholstered in crushed velvet in red with a shade of bright pink. There are chandeliers with real lightbulbs and a cocktail bar.

Everything about this car consolidated the 1964 Chevrolet Impala as the absolute lowrider. The modifications back then were way simpler than they are today and did not involve purpose-built hydraulics, chipped tops, suicide doors, engraving, or artist-made murals.

However, this 1964 Impala is not your usual lowrider. With its bold appearance, it is still a muse for the lowriders of today. In 2017, the model became the first lowrider to be included in the National Historic Vehicle Registry, taking lowriding culture to a whole new level. To mark the moment, the Impala was locked inside a glass case and taken straight to the National Mall in Washington, D.C.

The model will be on display at the Petersen Automotive Museum starting May 11 in Mullin Grand Salon. "Best in Low: Lowrider Icons of the Street and Show" will showcase some of the most significant lowriders in automotive history.

One of the world's iconic lowriders will also be there. Alongside the "Gypsy Rose," guests will be able to see the 1958 Chevrolet Impala Convertible "Final Score" and the 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air "Double Trouble." Both of them won the Lowrider of the Year title.

The 1958 Chevrolet Impala "Dead Presidents," as sinister as it may sound, will be there as the creation of Albert de Alba Senior and Junior, two of the most respected experts of the lowrider community.

A representative of the Japanese lowriding community, the 1954 Chevrolet 210 Sedan "Sphinx" is part of the exhibition.

Lowriding was illegal for decades

From 1958 to 2023, the California Vehicle Code made lowriding illegal. The decision was slammed by the enthusiasts, who labeled it as unnecessary and discriminatory toward Chicano and broader Latin American culture.

Section 24008 of the California Vehicle Code went into effect on January 1, 1958. It prohibited modifications that would put the body of the vehicle lower than the bottoms of the wheel rims. There were, however, lowriding experts who managed to bypass the law. For instance, in 1959, mechanic Ron Aguirre  installed hydraulics that could quickly change the height of a General Motors X-frame chassis.

But a new low, going into effect in 1988, allowed local jurisdictions to make cruising or driving lowriders on city streets a traffic offense. To show support for the lowriding community, the San Diego Police Department has been using a Ford Crown Victoria lowrider. Officer Omar from the Community Relations Division has been cruising the streets of the city to make sure everyone is safe out there. His lowrider is called "The Guardian."

Finally, in 2023, a newly enacted California law lifted the ban on lowrider cruising. San Jose and Sacramento had already repealed the bans in 2022.