In part one of my LA Story, I presented several of the awesome cars I had the privilege of seeing on my recent trip to Los Angeles, a city that’s long been a mecca for car enthusiasts from all over the world. Here are eight more amazing rides from my trip. Some are from the Petersen Automotive Museum’s mind-blowing ‘Best in Low’ lowrider exhibition, while others were on display at the Lions Drag Strip Museum. I was lucky enough to visit the latter when it was hosting a carpark show, where the variety was outstanding!

First published in the April 2025 issue of Street Machine

1. ‘Double Trouble’ 1957 Chevrolet convertible

It’s pretty rare for a car to stop me in my tracks nowadays, but this eye-popping 1957 Chevrolet convertible called ‘Double Trouble’ left me speechless.

Owned by Bobby Garza, it features the most unbelievable attention to detail and design I’ve ever had the pleasure to lay eyes on – and that was in a room full of spectacular lowriders as part of the Petersen Museum’s ‘Best in Low’ exhibition!

The astounding custom paint is like liquid, and everything from the tailshaft and air vents to the twin turbos and tail-light housings have been beautifully engraved.

2. The third incarnation of ‘Gypsy Rose’

2. Dubbed ‘the most famous lowrider of all time’, the third incarnation of ‘Gypsy Rose’ by the late Jesse Valadez was unveiled in 1974. As a 1964 Chevrolet, the core styling was of course a little different to its two 1963-model predecessors, but Jesse’s vision for this build elevated lowriders into works of art. The Walter Prey-applied custom paint still looks fresh, and it was interesting to note how such an iconic build lacked a number of the cornerstone styling cues of many of its brethren at the Petersen lowrider exhibition, such as wire wheels and incredibly elaborate murals. It goes to show just how much the lowrider scene has developed from this benchmark early build.

3. ‘Dyno Don’ Nicholsons’ 1962 Impala

While he became more widely known for his later achievements as a Mercury/Ford racer, ‘Dyno Don’ Nicholson (so nicknamed for his early prowess with chassis dyno tuning, beginning in the late 1950s) initially found success racing Chevrolets. Don won the Super Stock Eliminator class at the first NHRA Winternationals in 1961 with a 409 Impala, which he backed up with another win at the following year’s Winters. This ’62 has become an icon of the Super Stock crowd and was one of the cars that inspired my own ‘Old Daze’ and ‘Loose Morals’ Valiant hardtop builds.

4. Vic Young’s ‘Bad News Travels Fast’ 1941 Willys

Ardent nostalgia racer, writer and all ’round great guy Vic Young built his ’41 Willys into ‘Bad News Travels Fast’ around 25 years ago. This ever-popular, blown small block-powered coupe is Vic’s regular street bruiser and was quite the sight at the Lions Museum carpark show. One of the more popular Willys gasser builds of the modern era, it has featured in numerous magazines and high-end calendars and even been made into a Johnny Lightning diecast model.

5. Huge Bug!

Huge Bug both by name and nature. I spotted this tidy-looking VW Cabriolet in the Lions Museum back carpark, and it took me a second to realise that it dwarfed the Chevy panel truck parked alongside! Based on a modified Dodge Ram chassis and running gear, this gigantor has had mind-blowing attention to detail lavished upon it by local father-son metalworking duo Richard and Scott Tupper.

The pair disassembled a 1959 Beetle before remaking every part of the car 40 per cent larger than original; I’m six feet tall, which hopefully gives you some sense of scale.

6. Engraved ’58 Impala lowrider

When amazing innovation collides with pure crazy cool, you end up with the beautifully engraved ’58 Impala lowrider of Japanese paint innovator Takahiko Izawa. What initially appears to be engraved sheet metal is actually a special thick 3D paint developed by Takahito’s paint firm, which is itself able to be engraved and embossed, allowing the whole body to be done as opposed to just the usual bolt-on components. The metallic top coat was also developed in-house to give the ’58 a chrome-like bare-metal finish, and it certainly generated plenty of interest at the Petersen exhibition when I was there.

7. Big John Mazmanian’s 1941 Willys coupe

Big John Mazmanian’s 1941 Willys coupe was undoubtedly the most beautiful gasser of the 1960s ‘Gasser Wars’, and a personal favourite of mine. This replica was built by Rocky Pirrone and his team for the car’s original driver, Bones Balogh, to race again nearly 50 years later at the 2012 NHRA US Nationals. Resplendent in its signature candy apple red hue and gold-leaf signage, the Willys packs a 438-cube Hemi and shares a faux drag stage at the Lions Museum next to yet another famous Willys coupe, the Stone, Woods & Cook ‘Swindler II’.

8. Hemi-powered ’65 Beetle

‘Herbie on steroids’ was the apt name given to this crazy, Hemi-powered ’65 Beetle by the late Vince Gooler, who built it in the early 90s. A one-time VW Trends cover car, the project came about after a mate bet Vince that he couldn’t make the famous Chrysler donk fit a dak-dak.

Needless to say, he got busy jamming a 392-cuber into place, and the rest is history. Thankfully, the car’s current owner has kept it immaculate, and it was a pleasure to see it in the metal at the Lions Drag Strip Museum carpark show.