Lowriders

A lowrider drives along a side-street in Los Angeles. (Gary Friedman / LAT)

Sept. 16, 2014 1:11 AM PT

Lowriding is an offshoot of the “zoot suit” era of the late 1930s and early ‘40s. While it may have started out as an East L.A. phenomenon, it has since grown across the southland.

Young women admire a cruising lowrider on Crenshaw Boulevard. (Gary Friedman / LAT)

Lowrider creator Mario de Alba and his 1951 Chevrolet. (Iris Schneider / LAT)

This ’63 Chevy is displayed on jacks to highlight its elaborate chrome work. (Jim Laurie / For The Times)

Joseph Valdez, 14, right, of Santa Ana, makes an adjustment on his dad’s 1959 Impala lowrider that is equiped with a hydraulic system to make the car hop up and down. (Allen J. Schaben / LAT)

Linda Lopez cleans the chrome on the chrome bumper of her 1947 Chevy which she has named, “Golden Dream.” (Karen Tapia-Anderson / LAT)

“Golden Dream” rolling along in all its ground-hugging glory. (Karen Tapia-Anderson / LAT)