ABILENE, TX –  Owners of lowriders, take pride in their rides. Still, few come close to Ruben Anthony Holguin, who has been passionate about lowriders and customized them since his teenage years. Ruben was born and raised in Abilene, Texas. His friends and family call him Ant or Anthony. Growing up, his household consisted of his mother and two younger brothers.

Ruben’s mom was a single parent, she worked multiple jobs to keep a roof and warm food on the table. As his mother was working early and late hours, Ruben would spend time with his brothers at the Boys & Girls Club and Recreation Center Programs. This schedule lasted until middle school when the boys participated in track, baseball, field and football.

Ruben was the oldest. Thus, responsibilities came quickly to him. Therefore, he learned to drive when he was eleven. This was the start of a beautiful journey that would lead him to his love for lowriders. The first car that sparked his passion for cars was his mother’s 1983 Chevrolet Monte Carlo. While his mother was working, he drove the car to complete errands around the town. Since the family income was limited, he would fix spark plugs, wiper blades, and change light bulbs in the car. He would try to fix any car issues they had to save his family money.

Ruben was an active student in the mechanic’s class for his sophomore year of High School in 1992-1993. He wanted to learn more about cars and how they worked mechanically. With knowledge in hand, Ruben became an expert in changing valves, cover gaskets, and drum brakes. This does not mean he was a certified mechanic. However, Ruben gained enough knowledge to get a car that is not running back on the road and the driver home safely.

The remaining years of his intermediary education were very routine and mundane. However, Ruben’s life took an unexpected turn in his senior year of high school in 1994-95, which is when he met his biological father for the first time. He also found out he had five half-brothers and a sister too. Ruben always wanted a sister, so this was his dream come true.

Although this was a lot for Ruben to take in as a teenager, he was eager to get to know his father. Therefore, he started spending more time with his dad and working together on his 1972 C10 pickup. Initially, Ruben watched his father do the work. Eventually, he started to use his mechanical knowledge to help whenever could.

The father-son bond was established very quickly as they fixed the truck together. After Ruben spent time with his father for a few months, he spent more time with his brothers and sisters whose obsession with lowriders developed his passion for lowriders. The half-siblings were constantly working on their cars, tweaking them mechanically, or making upgrades and modifications. Ruben would spend time with his siblings, swapping for parts, talking about cars, or just drinking and spending time together. Their favorite hobby was having a cold beer and talking about their love for lowriders.

Ruben graduated from high school in the summer of 1995. It must come as no surprise that he was on a mission to find the perfect first ride that he could transform into a lowrider. One day, he was traveling to Houston to visit extended family. It was a humid July month as his eyes locked with a 1984 T-top Monte

Carlo. Ruben saw the car through a hole in the wall while standing on the front porch.

Ruben had saved a few thousand dollars over the years while working different jobs. He inquired about the car, the owner’s sales price was a little high for Rubens budget. However, he did not back down. He spent four hours with the owner, trying to reduce the price that accommodated Ruben’s savings. Thankfully, the vehicle owner agreed, and the 1984 T-top Monte Carlo was now Ruben’s.

After Ruben bought the car, he was excited to show it to his family in Abilene. They all were happy for him and loved the car. In time, this car would become his first lowrider. Since then, he has owned many different makes and models of lowriders. Here he explains that each lowrider is unique in its special way. He commented on why he loves lowriders.

“Every car you come across is never the same as the next guy’s car or even the same as the one you may have seen elsewhere. They are unique in every way expressing that individual’s personality. The peacefulness is just riding around in a classic car with the windows down, stereo up and getting thumbs up from passersby. Also, anytime I need to relax and get away, I can step into the garage and tinker with the cars here and there. I can just get lost in the task and forget about my difficult day or anything else I have on my mind. It is an escape that lets me gather my thoughts.”

Ruben is now a member of a local car club. Coincidentally, the lowrider car club began in the same summer that Ruben bought his first lowrider. He was kind enough to tell us how the Royalty Car Club was founded. “After returning to Abilene after a week, I couldn’t wait to show the guys what I had come up with while I was gone. Towards the end of that summer, all the guys were spending time together with members from another lowrider car club that just happened to be close friends to them. One of them suggested that the clubs should come together to become the biggest car club in Abilene. The only way everyone would agree on it is if they could agree on a new car club name, so that’s when Royalty Car Club came about. That was 27 years ago and counting.”

Each member of the Royalty Car Club is unique, with different interests. It celebrates inclusivity and distinctive personalities to celebrate lowrider’s interests. Ruben considers every member his family. Every member is either related to Ruben or a childhood friend, they all grew up together. For many years, they have celebrated multiple birthday parties, enjoyed Sunday afternoons and worked on their cars together.

Ruben is a family man blessed with three lovely daughters who seem to follow in their old man’s footsteps with their passion for lowriders. One of his daughter’s was by his side at the photoshoot for Abilene Motors Magazine. We had a chance to chat with him about his family life and if they are enthusiastic about lowriders as he is. This is what he said:

“Fast forward to 2006, and by now, I am married and have my first daughter on the way. I have now moved on to fixing my second lowrider car. My first car lasted a few years until I ran into a bad deal with a car painter that refused to do the work that I had paid him for in full. So, with a new baby coming, I knew I had to act quickly while I had the money in hand, so I found a 1982 Monte Carlo that a friend wanted to sell. That was six months before my oldest daughter was born. While building my family, I was also building this new car. Now I have three daughters: Mersai is 16, Makaya is 11 and Amerie is 6.”

Ruben’s daughters have all been a part of his lowrider passion since they were born. Anytime he does anything lowrider-related, cruising or car shows, he has one, two or all of them with him. They don’t miss time going with him very often.

With his daughter’s growing passion for lowriders, Mersai, the eldest, claims the Monte Carlo. The middle daughter wants the 1963 Impala, and we can see why she has her eyes set on this beauty. The 63’ Impala has a 350-engine crate with five-speed Tremec manual transmission; the corona cream with a turquoise interior adds personality; Ruben upgraded the discs with modern brakes; and gold accents run throughout the car. In addition, the center gold wire Zenith 13 x 7 wheels create a unique presence.

On the other hand, the 1982 Monte Carlo is an investment. Ruben has entered many car shows with this lowrider. It has a Hydraulic setup, a Kandy Brandywine paint job, a custom velour interior, and a 4160e transmission. Lastly, the lowrider also has painted wheels, a chrome motor, and a front-to-back suspension.

Ruben enjoys going to local car shows whenever he has the chance and has won many awards over the years. But what he loves more is supporting the community or cause that these shows help financially. Additionally, he has the chance to talk about cars with other automotive enthusiasts. He also enjoys spending time with his kids while they are with him since they love to travel, and cars too. His wife may occasionally attend, whenever she can. She is very supportive of his passion. One thing is for sure, Ruben’s passion is shared throughout his family and if you ask them, they will tell you that lowriders are more than just a car. They are a big part of the family too.