He’s only five years old but Alejandro Vega II has been lowriding for years, in a pedal car of course.
His first lowrider was a pedal car with a Finding Nemo theme. All the cars have been made by his father, legendary lowrider artist Alejandro "Chino" Vega.
The most tedious part is outlining the designs, but he says all the work is worth it once you see your child in that car for the first time.
“When you see your baby’s face, riding in a different toy, it just makes you feel good," says Vega.
Vega is the mastermind behind countless award-winning show cars, including 2018’s 'Lowrider of the Year,' a 1957 convertible Bel Air named 'Double Trouble,' and the Cutlass that took second place in the same competition.
“Lowriding is really a family-orientated sport so we always try to involve our family in everything. You actually feel more proud having a pedal car for your baby than having your own car," says Vega.
The pedal car he’s painting on this day is for a customer in Arizona. The pedal cars he creates could range anywhere in cost from $1,000 to $10,000.
The car he’s working on will cost about $2,500 but you can’t fully appreciate this work of art until the tape starts coming off.
That’s when you see the intricate designs and how the colors seamlessly blend together.
Vega knows there are several up and coming lowrider artists but he doesn’t compete with anyone but himself.
“We have to be our toughest competitor, our jobs should be better than the one we did before," he says.
So whether it's a lowrider or a pedal car, for Vega each creation is a reflection of himself, a work of art that can’t be duplicated.