One of the most valuable commodities of a man’s life is his family. The family unit is one that can motivate and guide, build you or break you, and in its purest form our family is what truly defines us.
Such is the case for Aaron Munoz of Kansas City, Missouri. His family is his guiding light and the fire behind everything he does. As a child, his father always had custom vehicles, so much of his childhood memories are filled with special moments being around cars. Shortly thereafter, those experiences got him interested in building model cars. First he collected them, then he customized them, and that in turn got him interested in working on a full-size ride.
“I would hang out at local shops after school just to learn more about cars,” Aaron tells LRM. “It was like an addiction that I needed more.” When Aaron graduated college he went against the norm and decided to open his own shop so he could stay close to vehicles. He went through a plethora of the standard lowrider-style vehicles, which included Cadillacs, Cutlasses, and many others. But going through all those cars made him realize that there was something more-and something specific-that he wanted to build. That car? It was a Riviera and as luck would have it he spotted a 1967 Buick Riviera that was for sale, and it was at that moment he knew it was coming home with him.
The drive home with the new car wasn’t as exciting as he had hoped. The motor was rumbling, and it was in such poor mechanical condition that it actually blew the moment Aaron pulled into the driveway. The first step was making sure the new Riviera would turn on and go, so he enlisted the Wright Brothers who specialize in race motors. The next step was bodywork as Aaron stripped it down to bare metal. Being a unique car, panels were not available for replacement so he made every panel from scratch.
Aaron wanted to set the bar a little higher when it came to the hydraulic setup so he had local builder Jaime Shelley design a unique setup using a laser-cut Riviera emblem in steel that holds the oil for the hydraulic suspension. When it came time to coat the exterior, Aaron used his shop, One of a Kind, where he and his brother laid down some crazy colors and designs to stand out. Jacob Birdsong came in and added some custom murals.
Aaron had some help along the way and w
ishes to thank his brother, Adrian, and Jaime Shelley, Jacob Birdsong, Street Ryders for the chrome, Bobby Sanchez for the pinstripe work, and most importantly his parents, as well as his wife, Deanna, and his three kids, Priscilla, Penelope, and Aaron Jr. Everyone in the family was involved in the build, whether through labor or inspiration to make his custom Riviera a true family affair.
1967 Buick Riviera GS
Vehicle NicknameFamily Affair
OwnerAaron Munoz
City/StateKansas City, MO
Body/Paintshaved key holes, rear deck vents and antenna, House of Kolor Kandy Gold with tangerine patterns, Sunrise Pearl painted by One of a Kind, murals of his kids with Aztec theme done by Jacob Birdsong, engraving under the hood and trunk, 44-inch Lincoln sunroof, gold leafing, and pinstriping by One of a Kind
Engine430 Buick motor, Star Wars special-edition air breather, chrome valve covers, 220-amp alternator, Buick 400 transmission with shift kit
SuspensionOne-off Pitbull Hydraulics custom pump, external gravity-fed hydraulic tank, 8-inch cylinders all around, four batteries, four oil coolers all done by Jamie Shelley (RIP)
InteriorEmbossed leather with yellow trim, custom door panels, and fiberglass console with custom neon box done by One of a Kind, and engraved interior pillars
Sound Systemeight 8-inch Digital Design speakers, four amplifiers, iPad source done by One of a Kind
Wheels/Tires14×7 Truespoke wire wheels with 1959 Impala center caps, 175/75-R14 Remington tires