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Lowrider Hydraulics: A look at our
favorite trunk setups from Day at the Bay

There was definitely no junk in any of these trunks

Story & Photos: Jay Villa | Sept. 07, 2021 11:30am PDT

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Today we’re sharing pics of some of our favorite hydraulic setups from the Day at the Bay car show. Now to be fair, there were a lot of nice hydraulic setups at the show, but some trunks were only cracked open halfway (and it wasn’t our business to start lifting trunk lids to take a good flick). On the other hand, bad lighting conditions, closed trunks (by the time we came back to shoot it), or shadows would have made for a bad pic. 

Symmetry & Simplicity make this install look like a clandestine laboratory

A LOT OF TIME & PLANNING GOES INTO THESE SETUPS

Building a hydraulic setup for lowriders is usually a three-part process. First, you have to choose your hydraulic components, mock them up for testing, and then disassemble everything to have them customized to your liking. Now when it comes time to selecting your parts, you basically have two options: 1) Purchase newly manufactured components from manufacturers such as Hoppos, CCE, or Black Magic, or 2) You can go old school by acquiring vintage “aircraft” hydraulics from the likes of Pesco, Eemco, or Cornelius – just to mention a few of the favorite brands. Of course, option two will set you back and you’d better be ready to break bread because aircraft hydraulics are not cheap. 

Mr. Maton’s (Klique CC – President) convertible 1958 Chevrolet Impala with lots of that good stuff in his trunk. 

After purchasing your components, the second part of the process is the design and install phase. While the parts themselves are works of art, tying them together is a whole different discipline that makes or breaks it. Installers/owners  have to figure out where to put the battery trays, how your components will tie in to one another, and where they will be placed. It’s a grueling process reserved for those with either the skills and patience, or quite simply the money to have it installed by a professional.   

Once it passes inspection, it’s disassembled so each piece can be finished to the customer’s liking. There’s a lot to making this type of magic happen and its good for readers to know that it’s not as easy as buying a setup that drops in your trunk. Each setup has it’s own character, flavor, and charm and they’re individually tailored to the builder’s creative vision. 

1955 Chevy Bel Air: Low Bottomz CC with ‘Desert Rose’ – an incredible build by Johny Salters

The trunk of this Impala was definitely the cherry on top. 

 

There are also different ways to package the final product. Some take a minimal approach where exposed trunk floors become the hallmark of their installation. An install like this is raw yet refined but let’s onlookers know that you’re not hiding blemishes or flaws behind panels or carpets. On the flip side, others like the clean look of having a fully paneled trunk where floorboards, and panels cover the entire trunk. It’s a fresh look that’s long been practiced, but as with any ride, to each their own.

Homies Hydraulics never disappoints and this ’57 Bel Air is proof. 

For those interested in the intricacies of hydraulic setups, we’ll be doing more technical features in the near future. For now, this article serves as eye candy to showcase the different setups we saw that day.  

’63 Impala: The trunk setup of Carlos Rivera’s ragtop killer

A radical G-Body  

Reppin’ San Diego with this unique setup

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