Tales From The Garage: Putting Your Stamp On It!

In the world of famous automotive pinstripers, the names are very familiar: Von Dutch (Kenny Howard), Ed “Big Daddy” Roth, Tommy “The Greek” Hrones, Dean Jeffries and Danny Alvarado. Wait, Danny who? 

If the name Danny Alvarado is unknown to you, then head to the post office and pick up a sheet of the newly minted USPS postage stamps honoring lowrider culture in America. The pinstriping designs of these stamps are the work of Southern California artist Danny Alvarado.

Danny is a totally self-taught automotive artist, among his other talents as a costume and set designer. His interest in pinstriping began in 1975 by watching Walt Prey, who pinstriped the famous lowrider “Gypsy Rose,” paint cars with a steady hand and an extra-long bristled brush. Walt would only allow Danny to watch from a distance.  If he got too close, Walt would shoo him away like some bothersome cat.  Danny watched intently and thought, “Hey, I could do this.”

Since 1975 — more than 50 years — Danny has been fulfilling many lowrider owners’ and hot rodders’ dreams. By his own estimate, he’s pinstriped about 5,000 lowriders and an equal number of hot rods. Between these cars are the perfect coachlines on an untold number of Rolls-Royces, Bentleys, race cars, motorcycles and American classic cars.

Early in his career, Danny worked as a limo driver and bodyguard at night while painting cars by day. As we say, Danny has “seen some stuff.” We assume he was protecting those rock-steady hands that he needed for pinstriping during the day.

Danny beams with pride over these new postage stamps. The idea for the stamps began four years ago, and it took awhile for the stamp designer Tony Alcala to come up with the concept and select the cars to be featured. They are:

— 1946 Chevy Fleetline “Let The Good Times Roll”

— 1987 Olds Cutlass “Pocket Change”

— 1958 Chevy Impala “Eight Figures”

— 1963 Chevy Impala “El Rey”

— 1964 Chevy Impala “The Golden Rose”

The chosen cars were photographed for the stamps by “Beto” Mendoza and Phil Gordon. Once the cars and the layout were finalized, Tony needed the best pinstriper in the business to add the embellishments to the stamps.  That search ended with Danny, who contributed the original designs above each car and on the side spaces of the sheets. This included the reflective silver foil, which was expensive for a stamp, but perfect for this application. Danny’s original art was larger, being 8.5×11 in. acetate in black ink. Later, during production, the artwork was reduced to stamp size and the color added.

There is a very active lowrider community in America that includes Latin culture, as well as African-American culture. What ties them together is a free-spirited sense that your car can be anything you want it to be. It is only limited by your imagination — and Danny’s availability.

The lowrider “Forever” postage stamps are available at usps.com and local post offices while supplies last.

Learn more about Danny Alvarado on Instagram by searching for his handle: instagramdannyapinstriping

Want more “Garage Tales”? Rodney Kemerer’s most recent book, “Tales From the Garage” is an illustrated collection of his best essays and is now available from Amazon. Go to Talesfromthegarage.com for more information.

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