Lowrider plaques are more than ornamental pieces of metal. They are a rite of passage and, for some, the ultimate topping to their custom lowrider. Lowrider plaques signify an inclusion to a club or a brotherhood, but not everyone gets one. Each car club has its own governing body and within each club are set standards, principles, and rules which must be followed. Some of these clubs are lax, while others are strict and tradition – a topic we’ll touch on in an upcoming segment. On the flip side, some lowriders prefer to be “solo riders” with no club affiliation, while others join a club simply because of what the club represents or the style of cars they build. 

Origins of the Lowrider Plaque

When did the tradition of lowrider plaques start? With no official documentation to date, many claim it started in the early ’60s. A spinoff and iteration of car club plaque plates found on hot rods in the ’30s; lowrider plaques were different. Instead of being mounted in the license plate location or bumper, and usually dated out of molds which produced thick and heavy “plates” which had the club names embossed into them. In contrast, lowriders mount their custom car club plaques usually between the seat and rear deck of the vehicle. These car club plaques are usually seen through the rear glass of the vehicle as seen in the gallery below. Additionally, hot rod plaques were rectangular in shape, and their designs confined with a border, whereas lowrider plaques were fee-flowing, void of a solid border, and usually had the addition of two legs which allowed them to be screwed in. 

Most of the people we spoke to don’t have a specific person or club to give credit to when it comes to the “inventor” of lowrider plaques. Still, many, including this site here, mention the tradition’s origins to have been started somewhere near Downey by an unidentified car club. As we continue to talk to old-timers and veterans of lowriding, we will continue to post updates as this is crucial to document its roots properly.

This section was put together to document the history of car club plaques while sharing photos of the ones we’ve taken pictures of. For us, car club plaques are one of the fascinating components of lowriding. Each plaque carries its own unique identity, its own artistic values, and it’s a tradition that’s taken seriously. A plaque is awarded to members who have to pass a club’s set of standards and rules, and as with any organization or club, some are easy, and some seem to a full-time jobs.