SP Rides: Sky’s the limit
BY MICHAEL KITCHENS
Name: Hannibal Puma Jr
Age: 34
Occupation: Commercial Driver
Hobbies: Family, Lowriders
Year, Make, Model: 1984 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme
Color: Black with Hot Hues Hot Rod Candy Raspberry
Suspension: Extensive frame and suspension modifications, Black Magic Hydraulic setup, 2 Piston Pumps Front, 2 Hard-lined, chrome BMH pumps rear, BMH gears, . 4-3/4 ton Sky-Hi coils
Power: 16 Batteries sponsored by Junkshop Pros
Wheels & Tires: 3” Daytons that absolutely gleam and are fitted with P155/80R/13s.
From practically birth, Hannibal Puma Jr, aka “Junior”, knew that he loved lowriders. At age 6, he witnessed his first lowrider and he has been riding low and dirty ever since with the occasional moments of high in-between. Seeing one of his fav rides, Steve Guillermo, with his white two door Caddy cemented his passion even further. He progressed from lowrider models to bikes and finally to his first lowrider: a blue 1999 Cutlass Supreme with a white vinyl top.
Since then, Junior has owned around eight to ten cars covering g-bodies to Cadillacs. Each car has helped to build his skills in the game of “hopping” and his current ride beats them all. You’ve already seen the photos, this 1984 Cutlass Supreme gets sky high. This ride is a fully functional, battlewagon built by his garage, HiLife Kustomz. It runs, it rides, and it hops like a champ. It’s currently holding the highest in Hawaii with 96” measured from the ground to the bottom of the tire on the hop.
Hopping requires quite a setup, but most of all, it needs solid workmanship. Junior acquired this hopper from a friend as a single pump setup with ten batteries. He immediately set to work redoing the suspension due to misplaced components reducing the mobility of the car. He spent a few years running this setup before shifting into high gear and raising the bar.
Within two days, Junior, rebuilt the setup into a double pump with an additional sixteen batteries in his garage. Thanks to being an exclusive distributor and team member for Black Magic hydraulics, he rocks some of the best with 2 piston pumps to the front and 2 hard-lined, all chrome BMH pumps to the rear with special BMH gears. 4-3/4 ton Sky-Hi coils are installed in the front for the maximum bounce for the ounce. While rolling with his car club, True Rydaz, the Cutlass rides supreme on authentic 13” Daytons that absolutely gleam and are fitted with P155/80R/13s.
One of the most noticeable parts of the car, other than the fact it’s practically vertical half the time, is the paint. At full height, the roof is on major display and is incredibly awesome. The paint job was completed in his garage and features a Black Cherry as the base. The stunning roof is a combination of Hot Hues Candy Raspberry mixed with House of Kolor Fireball Red Flake that flames out in the light.
When it comes to being in the hopping scene, Junior does it for the excitement. “I like being that center of attention. It just feels good to get that certain height, and you just want to get higher and higher. Sky’s the limit, man.” says Junior.
Shout-Outs:
Thanks to my wife, Raygene, for the support ‘n stress that comes with it. Ron @ Black Magic Hydraulics, Stevie Dixon, Pjay, Mamerto, OG Engraving, the Game Over crew, Ronald @ Junkshop Pros, Olando Huch, Rob @ Playa7.Charlie n the Supremacy family, my mom n dad and my neighbors who deals with my late night wrenching.
