What Happened to Ish in West Coast Customs

Auto Upholstery - The Hog Ring - Ish Jimenez - West Coast Customs

Ish Jimenez, main trimmer and former star of MTV'south hit television receiver bear witness "Pimp My Ride," singlehandedly made auto upholstery cool once again.

Prior to the prove's debut in 2004, the auto upholstery industry was idling. Very few young people were learning the craft, the vast majority of our customers were older, and to most automakers and enthusiasts motorcar interiors were an afterthought.

Then of a sudden – seemingly out of nowhere – the globe'south nearly popular TV channel for youth began broadcasting footage of Ish customizing car interiors in the wildest of means.

Week after week, millions of viewers tuned in to "Pimp My Ride" to watch Ish, along with the entire Due west Coast Customs team, transform i teen's beat-upwards motorcar into a dream machine.

W Coast Customs spared no expense and went to neat lengths to wow and inspire viewers with every new project. Of course, head-turning body mods, pigment and rims were a staple. But where the cars really shined was on the inside, where Ish wrapped seats, door panels, dashboards and more in beautiful leather and other fabrics.

His charismatic personality, creative eye and serious skills behind the sewing motorcar cast a spotlight on our craft and helped a whole new generation of car enthusiasts capeesh what we do.

And he didn't stop at that place. Since "Pimp My Ride," Ish has gone on to star in several other Tv shows, including "Inside West Coast Customs" on Velocity and "Street Customs" on TLC. He even co-hosted a program on Telemundo.

Now on his own — running Royal Auto Designs in Northward Hollywood, California — Ish continues to utilize his fame and platform to represent the machine upholstery manufacture well.

We recently caught upwardly with Ish to conversation about his past success, new venture, the current land of the industry and plans for the futurity — including his dream to teach the next generation of upholsterers by hosting workshops in his garage.

Nosotros split the interview into a iii-part series. Bank check out the starting time installment beneath:

Let'southward start at the beginning. How did y'all get involved in the craft of car upholstery? And where did you lot receive your preparation?

Well, to be honest, the way I started, I was eleven or 12. Information technology was dorsum in 1983, '84. Growing upwards every bit a Mexican in South Key Los Angeles, you lot simply had two choices: Y'all join the gang or yous join the gang. I started gang banging when I was similar 12 years one-time.

I got caught up in some problem and I was put on probation. And then my mom used to come option me upwardly from school and drop me off at my uncle'southward [automobile upholstery] shop. He used to take a store on Vermont and Florence Avenue, South Central Los Angeles. At the beginning, I didn't like the thought to work for my uncle. Then, I started making money. I said, "Homo, this is what I'g going to do." I knew right away that I wasn't good for school, so I stuck with upholstery. Next affair you know I was doing things on my own, like, "Oh shit, this is good!"

And so it was your uncle who trained you lot. How long did you stay with him?

I worked with him a little bit less than iii years straight. It took me similar two years and a half to acquire the trade. So, after that, I start doing things on my ain. And then, going dorsum and along with him. Yous know that was family unit. I love my uncle, and so I kept going back and along.

Then did you open up your own shop?

No, not actually. Like I said, I was a troublemaker when I was a little child. I learned the trade, and then I went back to the streets, getting myself in trouble. I never had the chance to open up my ain store til 1994. I opened a shop in Southward Central and really I was doing really good. I was like 20-something years old and had a badass shop in South Central. I was doing good, only at the same time I was messing up on the streets. I got defenseless up on another bullshit, so I had to close the store.

What was the proper noun of that store?

I did not even have a shop proper noun, bro. … Everybody used to phone call me "Picayune Homie," and we used to call [each other] homies, homies, homies…it's like, "Hey, simply go to Homie'southward." They knew that was my spot. I never named the shop, everybody knew, "Just go to Homie's."

Eventually, though, you stopped getting into trouble and hooked up with West Declension Community, where you lot worked on a lot of astonishing projects and were even catapulted to fame on the hit TV show "Pimp My Ride." How did that come about? And how has being famous changed your life?

I ain't going to lie, it was skilful. … I call back dorsum in 2001, some people walking through West Coast. … Nosotros were really known because we used to practise Shaquille O'Neal's cars, Kobe Bryant, Tracy McGrady and Mystikal. When I saw those people coming into the store, Ryan [owner of Due west Coast Customs] put a quick meeting together and he said, "Hey, man, these guys are from MTV. They want to practice this." I said, "Fuck it, let'southward do information technology!"

Next thing you know, we're like everywhere. "What's up human, what's up pimp? What'southward upwardly? What'south upwards?" Like, "Oh shit!" That was a good matter, though, to be honest. I was young. I enjoyed information technology. It was proficient coin, a lot of women, and a lot of fun.

Suddenly everyone knew your name. You became a celebrity.

Aye. That was the other story. People were similar, "Oh human being, you lot're the best!" I said, "No, homo, I'm not the best. I'thou merely the lucky one, I guess." You sympathize what I'm maxim? That'southward how I feel about that. That was some approving. It was a good feel.

Do people even so recognize you to this twenty-four hour period?

Oh yes. After "Pimp My Ride," Ryan did another show with TLC. So, Velocity. Then, I starred in my own prove on Spanish idiot box. I did similar iii seasons for Telemundo.

No kidding. What was that bear witness called?

"Nitido" similar "dandy." I was a co-host in the West Declension, the main host was in Miami, Florida. Just to cover everything, motorcar show, whatever has to do with cars on the Due west Declension. That was expert. People, at some betoken, they were telling me, "Homo, you should become to Hollywood." I said, "No, man." At the terminate of all these things, I want to be doing what I dearest to do: cars.

I am who I am considering of what I do. I want to be like Mr. George Barris, residue in peace, good friend of mine. He'southward going to be remembered as a motorcar guy. He's a legend in the automobile manufacture. If I got blessed to be recognized like that one twenty-four hour period, like, "Oh yeah, the upholstery guy." That would be my major accomplishment.

These days, you lot're no longer doing TV. And I hear you lot left West Coast Customs, is that right?

I'thousand not at Due west Coast no more, bro. After sixteen years, I decided to open my own shop.

When did you get out Due west Coast Customs and for what reason?

Like seven, eight months ago. Know what? When I started working at West Coast Customs, it was like a friend relation between me and the CEO. The company started growing to the indicate that he had to bring people to help him run the company, which is understandable. In that location's no style that he can command a big company similar W Coast by himself. With that, information technology brings distance. I wasn't feeling it no more. I was feeling like I was working for the White House or something.

Like a large corporation, as opposed to the modest close-knit company it started out equally?

Exactly. Like okay, now you're non allowed to talk to the dominate "unless you get through me." … I got tired of that. At the same time, I got a lot of people telling me, "Man, why don't yous open your ain shop?" One day, I just woke up, I said, "Man, you know what? That's information technology." I never went back. And I'm non planning to come back.

Well, congrats on the new store! Tell u.s.a. virtually information technology.

It'south chosen Royal Car Designs in North Hollywood. So far I got vi guys working for me, only I'm doing a little fleck of everything. I'1000 doing pigment, body kits, lowering. … I try to do everything in-firm. Although my main thing is still upholstery. That's what I'k really known for, upholstery.

Auto Upholstery - The Hog Ring - Ish Jimenez - Pimp My Ride

Auto Upholstery - The Hog Ring - Ish Jimenez - Pimp My Ride

Auto Upholstery - The Hog Ring - Ish Jimenez - Pimp My Ride

Stay tuned for part two of our iii-office series, in which Ish Jimenez talks about the technical side of auto upholstery. Among the topics nosotros discuss are how he comes up with his ideas for interiors, repairing sewing machines, steaming leather and wrapping dashboards.

Also, bank check out Ish's new shop Royal Auto Designs online at RoyalAutoDesigns.com, and follow them on Instagram.

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Source: https://www.thehogring.com/2015/12/07/talking-shop-with-celebrity-trimmer-ish-jimenez/

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