The Mothership

The mothership is set to launch the truth—or the terror—but that all depends on which side you’re on.

- John Jarasa

Being no stranger to custom cars, Chris Mills is nothing short of a car fanatic. He’s been through a laundry list of exotics and anyone in the L.A. car scene knows all too well how he pulls up. From Phantoms to Bentleys, Lambos to Porsches, he’s been through them all, but little did most know that at heart he was a lowrider enthusiast—and a member of Self Made LAX Car Club.

In fact, he’s owned plenty of lowriders. He’s owned four Cadillacs, a '62 hardtop, a '61, a '57 rag, and a '64 rag, and the fact remains that Chris isn’t new to it, but true to it. As of late, he’s also become a staple of the L.A. lowriding scene and he’s not afraid to drive what most would store in their garage. In short, he’s active on those streets.

When asked to compare exotics to lowriders, he spit nothing short of the truth. “I’ve owned Lambos, Phantoms, a Carrera GT, and other exotics but there’s no feeling like being in a lowrider. The way it tips, the attention it gets is unreal.” But as the tone of his voice got more serious, he says, “Honestly, the exotic car scene is cool and all, but lowriding has a camaraderie that’s unreal. You’ll hear people say it’s not a hobby, it’s a lifestyle; and it’s true.”

When asked about the major differences between the two, he started by talking about classics being an investment. “With lowriders you can have fun and make a few bucks, especially if you choose the right models.” He adds, “Exotics will throw a curve ball in you finances because of depreciation but the biggest difference is in the culture and the crowd. Look, I’m a car lover like the next man, and I’ve been around a whole lot of people, but the lowrider community is one that’s made up of people who work hard for their family and their lowrider.”