STORY & PHOTOS BY BETO MENDOZAI
t takes years to create a great reputation but just seconds to
destroy it, which is why our words must be valued and our
actions a direct reflection of not only our integrity but our
character. Just ask Mario Zamudio and he’ll tell you.
He was an original member of the Imperials in the early ’80s and the
builder of a ’70 Monte Carlo that became known as “Evil Ways.” Decades
later, a conversation with the late Jesse Valadez turned into a promise
of him one day rejoining the club, so when he was ready to make his
reentry, he set out to build something different. He was directed toward
a Riviera that had been the victim of a poorly attempted restoration.
The car was purchased in Hesperia for just $500, but at that price, the car
had to be hauled back in pieces. Four years later, the car has become the
artistic canvas you see here and Mario not only made good on his
promise to rejoin the club, but also serves as the Imperials VP. To
read the full story, visit http://www.lowrider.com/rides/cars/1969-
buick-riviera-a-promise-kept/ to see how Mario literally
had his hands in the process from start to finish. LRWhen Your Word
is Your Bond, You
Do What it Takes to
Keep it That WayLOWRIDER.COM
NOVEMBER 2019