Alexander Ruelas' 1965 Chevrolet

In 1967 Bill Hines painted and installed lifts on Milton Mills' 1965 Chevrolet Impala in his Lynwood shop. According to Milton the yellow Impala in the garage is the one Alexander bought. Photo courtesy of Milton Mills.

The Impala in front of Fernando Ruelas house in the summer of 1998. Photo courtesy of Alexander Ruelas.

Photo courtesy of Alexander Ruelas.

Fernando working on the rear suspension of the car. Photo courtesy of Alexander Ruelas.

Fernando posing next to the car. Photo courtesy of Alexander Ruelas.

Fernando's son, Jason Ruelas, flushing out the motor and radiator on the car. Photo courtesy of Alexander Ruelas.

Fernando Ruelas blocking the body, preparing it for a new paint job. Photo courtesy of Alexander Ruelas.

Photo courtesy of Alexander Ruelas.

Photo courtesy of Alexander Ruelas.

Alexander Ruelas in front of Fernando's body shop hanging out listening to some Doo Wop classics. Photo courtesy of Alexander Ruelas.

The Impala in Fernando's driveway. The front of Fernando's 1953 Chevrolet Pick Up Truck can be seen in the photo. Photo courtesy of Alexander Ruelas.

Fernando finishing the bodywork in lead. Photo courtesy of Alexander Ruelas.

Photo courtesy of Alexander Ruelas.

Photo courtesy of Alexander Ruelas.

Photo courtesy of Alexander Ruelas.

Photo courtesy of Alexander Ruelas.

Photo courtesy of Alexander Ruelas.

Photo courtesy of Alexander Ruelas.

The Impala in front of Fernando's shop May 1st 2004. The photo was taken the day Fernando and his brother Julio Ruelas were inducted in retrieving the treasure of the hobby award along with Berry Mwqguire, and they were filming an episode of Car Crazy. Photo courtesy of Alexander Ruelas.

Alex with the Impala in June of 2011. Photo courtesy of Alexander Ruelas.

Photo courtesy of Alexander Ruelas.

Alexander's Impala as it appeared in 2012. This photo is taken in front of Alexander's home in Chino, California. Photo courtesy of Alexander Ruelas.

Photo courtesy of Alexander Ruelas.

Photo courtesy of Alexander Ruelas.

Photo courtesy of Alexander Ruelas.

Photo courtesy of Alexander Ruelas.

Alex's Impala as it sat after it had been painted satin black. Photo courtesy of Alexander Ruelas.

A photo of Alex with the black version of his Impala. Photo courtesy of Alexander Ruelas.

1965 Chevrolet Impala originally owned by an unknown african american lowrider back in the late 1960s. Back then it was supposedly yellow, and it ran hydraulics up front. The owner used to cruise around with it scraping the front. Around 1966/1967 he took the car to Bill Hines for a full custom treatment. Bill chopped the top 3 inches up front and 5 inches in the back. The door handles were shaved and all sharp corners on the car were rounded off. The front was completely molded and welded to the body, so the only things that could be bolted off the car was the hood, doors and trunk. The rear end was stretched 6 inches so the rear window could be given a nice slant. It took two other 1965 Chevrolet Impalas to complete the build, and as the owner didn't have the full amount of money to pay off Bill, Bill kept the car at his shop for many years. In the late 1970s, the car was eventually sold to Imperials president Jesse Valadez. Valdez, who is well known for his Gypsy Rose 1964 Chevrolet Impala, wanted to get the old car back on the road. and his plan was to build another Gypsy Rose, using the '65 as base for the build. Jesse tried multiple times to install a new windshield in the chopped car, but as they kept cracking on him, he got discouraged and sold off the car to Dukes member Ernie Ruelas Sr. in the late 1980s. Ernie never came around to do anything with the old custom, so he eventually sold it to fellow Dukes member Steven De la Vega in the early 1990s. As Steven had nowhere to put the car, he asked Fernando Ruelas, the president of the Dukes, if he could leave it at his house. Fernando said OK, and it sat outside his house for a few months. The car ran, so after a while Fernando drove it off to a rental he had in South Los Angeles. It was parked there for a few years. Due to some bodywork Fernando had had done do one of Steven's other cars and storage fees, Fernando took full possession of the car sometime around 1996 or 1997. Fernando was aware of the history the car had, but as he had no room for any more vehicles his intension was to sell it off and make some money off it. In June 1999, Fernando's son, Alexander Ruelas, graduated from high school. Fernando wanted to buy him a new Honda Accord or Civic, but as Alexander didn't want him to spend that much money, he asked if he could have the Impala instead. Fernando agreed, and gave the Impala to Alexander. When Alexander got the car, it had no interior, stock height, and it looked like an old bucket. When Alexander got the car it still had the original scraping plate and cut outs for the front cylinders. Fernando and Alexander's older brother Jason Ruelas helped him get the car drivable. As he didn't have a back seat, he got an back seat from his uncle Julio Ruelas. Fernando then installed a black and grey vinyl tuck and roll upholstery in the car. The front and rear suspension were rebuilt, and the car was lowered. Dual pipes, a stereo system and Astro Supreme 14 inch wheels were added. The stock 283 V8 engine with a 2 speed power glide was kept. In order to make the car look presentable, Fernando blocked out and primered the car for his son. In 2004 Fernando opened a Dukes Kustom Chapter that Alexander later became the president of.