Jesse Lopez passed away

[Rik Hoving]

Yesterday David Zivot informed me with the sad news of the passing of a Custom Car Legend and a dear friend of him.
Custom Car Icon Jesse Lopez passed away peacefully on Thursday February 24, 2022, surrounded with his ex-wife Marlene and his kids as his home in Albuquerque, NM.⁣
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David mentioned that he had spoken with Jesse just three and a half weeks ago, and they had a very nice talk about cars, custom cars, the people, the personalities, places, music, really just the whole mood and spirit of the times. Jesse loved to talk about the 1940’s and early 1950’s. ⁣
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Jesse still had a fantastic memory, pointing out wonderful details, and really helped David to get an accurate picture of the early times at the Barris Shop and the whole SoCal Custom Car scene in the 1940’s.⁣
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Jesse was suffering from a mild form of leukemia which sadly had turned into full blown leukemia about 3 weeks ago. ⁣
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Jesse Lopez was the last man standing from that original early (mid to late 1940’s) “Barris era” crew. ⁣
With his passing that time and era has closed. ⁣
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May he rest in peace. ⁣

 

Enjoy the beauty of Customizing

[Tinwolf]

RIP Jesse Lopez , your icon kustom Ford will continue to inspire us to build beautiful kustom cars for eons .

Wolf

[Larry Pointer]

Sorry to hear of Jesse’s passing. Condolences to family and friends.  And to Davit and Michelle, thank you for sharing with us on the CCC the history and stories Jesse was able to share with you folks.  Those were the Golden Era of customizing, for sure, and needed to be preserved.  It is our history.  Thank you.  Long live the CCC.

[kustomland]

Well i must confess  the reason i stopped coming to my happy place the Custom Car Chronicle and Rik’s being the ” Key Master of History ” Was simply i could not bare to open the site knowing that it at some point things would close as Rik pointed out the last chapter of the BARRIS CREW.

I am not sure why..? But In 2011 At the G.N.R.S NOW & THEN SHOW I knew deep down that , Even tho it was in my opinion the greatest show along Sac Town Merc show. I knew that even tho i was having so much of a great time in the back of my head , Deep down i could not help to think this would be the last time all these great kustom guys would be under the same roof…..

I feel like it all started when Larry Watson died just before that 2011 G.N.R.S and the reason i felt the sadness as i did the rounds trying to speak to every one ….And get my newly acquired Barris Plaque looked at by George to see his reaction to this plaque being his personal ” kustom’s Of Los Angeles ”    Plaque after it was …Well lets say LIBERATED from him. In the 1960’s.

You see Larry Watson was only about 15 houses down from were Chuck from the ” EMPERORS ” Lived and we would walk down to Larry Watson’s…..

I recall the night of the set up of the 2011 G.N.R.S i stood at Larry Watson’s house with Chuck and we stood there in the driveway looking at his car with his hat on the seat and fresh copy of the latest car magazine sitting were he had just left it…….I looked at Chuck and said ….You know Chuck…… This is the beginning of the end with Larry passing away…….

And from that moment something inside me felt different I felt at that point there was really only a handful of people like   David Zivot / Rik Hoving / Brad Marsterson /    Rob Radcliffe who really were trying to save oral and photographic history like myself….

But for some reason as these guys passed away slowly i could feel the custom car world died 1 piece at a time…….  Then i asked my self ….. Do i really want to go to shows any more.? Because with out them in the back ground and at the shows i just felt like you had know one to talk to who was there and hear the stories and it some how made these shows feel complete.

Then i thought about all the questions i wanted to ask but never , And then as they slowly left us , Thoe’s doors would closed………

So for some reason and i have not worked out why yet, But i lost that spark i used to have and i am not sure were deep inside i can find it…… I was working on my kustom 1956 chevrolet coupe and for some unknown reason i got mad and walked away from the car  thinking about each person who has passed………… It for some reason affected me to the point i stopped coming to my happy place the CUSTOM CAR CHRONICLE………..

To the point every time i wanted to log on here, I would say i bet some one passed away and its on here……..

So with that thank you Jessie Lopez for what part you played in this custom car world and the last of the BARRIS CREW…….

Thank you for the people who saved the oral history…So we can go back when we are ready to hear the stories………

Jessie Lopez you will be greatly missed, And thank you for your time you gave me…..

My treasured Barris Plaque.

Luke Kustomland ” House Of Style ” Salinas c.a

• This reply was modified 2 years, 1 month ago by kustomland.
• This reply was modified 2 years, 1 month ago by kustomland.

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[Paul(hombres ruin)]

It’s unbelievably sad to see that Jessie has passed. With the passing of the old guard , they hand the keys over to us. I believe it’s  our duty to continue the tradition and respect it’s ways. To always keep the K in kustom

Respect tradition

[Author]

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