1954 Chevrolet 210 “Sphinx”
Quick Specs
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Pharoahs (Japan)
For the Love of Lowrider Cruising
Since 2003 Hisashi Ushida has owned one of Japan’s best-known lowrider garages, Cholo’s Custom in Ama City, where he builds some of his country’s most notable lowrider vehicles. He is a prominent member of Japan’s oldest car club, Pharaohs, which was founded in Nagoya in 1985 by Junichi Shimodaira and has since played a significant role in the introduction of Chicano lowriding culture to Japan. A 1995 visit by Shimodaira to Pharaohs South Bay in California helped establish a friendly relationship between clubs and promote international lowrider comradery.
“Sphinx” has been a 20-year project for Ushida. The car combines elements from 1940s and ’50s “bombs” along with its radical striped paint—a dazzling paint job being a hallmark of some of Japan’s most distinctive lowriders. Though “Sphinx” is a show-worthy masterpiece, the vehicle still sees plenty of use on the streets of Japan. Ushida’s attraction to lowriders is twofold: “There’s the pleasure that comes with driving a cruiser but also the excitement that goes with customization.”
Collection of Hisashi Ushida
This Vehicle featured in the ‘Best in Low’ Exhibit.
1954 Chevrolet 210 “Sphinx” Gallery
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