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Lowriders have graced many films and television shows throughout the years. Here are some we'll never forget.

A sleek paint job, a sturdy vintage body, lavish interior, and hydraulics are the four cornerstones of any serious lowrider. Lowrider culture has been around since the 1950s and it would spawn some of the most artistically customized cars in history.

Related: 10 Cars That Make The Coolest Lowriders

Lowriders have graced many films and television shows throughout the years. Some have fallen in love with lowriders thanks to shows and movies like Chico and The Man or Cheech and Chong. Here is a list of some of the most noteworthy lowriders in Hollywood. Fair warning, most of them are Chevys.

In this Steve Martin classic, a group of thieves pulls up to a gas station in a beautiful blue 1972 Chevrolet Monte Carlo. The Monte Carlo is one of, if not the, most popular bodies used for lowriders. The car's crate grill, rear trim molding, and Turbo Jet engine immediately made it a customizer’s favorite. The Monte Carlo makes several appearances on this list.

This indie film about a graffiti artist is a catalog of customized cars and features almost every one of the most popular models in lowrider culture. Out of the 64 cars featured in the film, some notable entries are 2 Cadillacs, (a 1971 Coup Deville and a 1993 Fleetwood) 2 Buick Regals, 5 Chevy Bel Airs, and a whopping 16 Chevy Impalas, all ranging from short bodies to convertibles, and all of them equipped with chrome trim, top-shelf glossy or metallic paint jobs, and yes, hydraulics.

Before Lowriders, the film that spotlighted lowriders best was 1979’s Boulevard Nights. Like Lowriders, we see a plethora of customized classics but the one worth mentioning most is one of the lead character’s dark blue 72 Chevy Monte Carlo, the same make, model, color, that appeared in 1979s The Jerk.

One could easily play a drinking game with the variety of classic cars that make appearances in the NWA biopic, but if one is focusing on lowriders then the street party scene is the clip to watch. Not only do we see a souped-up 1978 Cadillac Coup, but we also see, once again, a 1964 Chevy Impala. The Impala does what any tricked-out Chevy does best, bounce sky high on some pristine hydraulics. To survive the heights that it did, the car would need top-of-the-line shocks and struts, preferably a Blisten B8 sport or a Koni Sport Adjustable.

Related: This Street-Legal 1964 Chevy Impala Lowrider Took A Decade To Build

In the opening series of this show about a Los Angeles mechanic, the star of the show and East LA local Freddie Prinize insisted that the producers get real footage from his neighborhood for the opening credits. The clip turned the real-life 1963 rose red and pink Chevy Impala with an intricate multicolor rose decal, owned by Jesse Valadez Jr into one of the most famous lowriders in history. The Impala, AKA the Gypsy Rose, features a plush pink velvet interior, a dash inserted television, and its standard 327 Cu inch Turbo-Fire V8 engine remains unmodified. It is currently on display at the Peterson Auto Museum in Los Angeles.

The film's villain, Big Worm, pulls up in a convertible 1961 model, which immediately bounces on its shocks as it pulls up. The car was also a hideous carrot orange. Contrast this to the car driven by cholo character Hector, whose 63 Impala convertible came equipped with a much sleeker, glossy dark green paint job and chrome trim.

As lowrider culture is very closely connected to Chicano culture, Cheech Marin, a prominent Chicano culture advocate, writes tributes to the car subculture into each film. While the famous “Love Machine” lacks the shiny exterior and the hydraulic system that define most lowriders, the car’s roomy shag interior assures it the respect it deserves. This will not be the only mention of Cheech and Chong on this list. Recently, a replica of the car was produced.

To take a break from this long list of Chevy’s, let’s revisit this 2004 comedy. Pedro’s cousins “with all the sweet hookups” drove a convertible 1971 Pontiac Grand Ville. The car in the film was equipped with a leather interior, hydraulics (duh), and a glossy metallic red paint job.

Related: This Father And Son Turned A Honda Civic Into A Lowrider

In this film, the pair turn an industrial van into a bad machine in a matter of seconds, fit with a shag carpet interior, chrome hubcaps, and unlike the love machine, hydraulics. The 1978 model also made an appearance in Boulevard Nights. The 78 Van was a more common choice for customizers than people might expect. Despite their extra weight and size, their large body makes for a perfect canvas for paint jobs and the Chevy Van’s sturdier axle, shocks, and struts were designed to carry more weight, perfect for the bounces that come with a hydraulic raising system.

Alonzo Harris tricked Monte Carlo, with its glossy black paint job, chrome trim and grate is a fan favorite. A major reason for the Monte Carlo’s popularity was the fact that it was the first car marketed by Chevrolet as a personal luxury car, and once again its easy customizability makes it a favorite among lowriders, and its 125 hp helped give the car the muscle it needs to be taken seriously on the streets.

James J. Jackson is a writer with words in TheThings, Sacramento News and Review, Ariel Chart Journal, and more. Like many a gear head, he grew up holding the flashlight for his mechanic dad.