Go Inside the Cult of Classic Candy-Painted, Big-Wheeled Chevy “Donks”
On a rainy Saturday in Miami, dozens of petrolheads gathered together for Donk Day, the fourth annual celebration of one of America’s most unique auto subcultures. You’ve probably seen vintage candy-colored sedans jacked up on huge rims in the background of mid-2000s rap videos, or, if you’re lucky, cruising through South Beach. Those that are 1971-1976 Chevy Caprices or Impalas are known as “donks.” Donks emerged in Miami in the early-1990s, according to Ree Sims, who organizes Donk Day and founded enthusiast network Donk Planet. As for where the term comes from, the backstory is murkier. “Some people say the car looks like a donkey,” says Ree. Others think you can see a donkey in the OG Impala logo, or say the rear of the car reminds them of a donk in the Soulja Boy sense. The one thing donk purists can agree on is that any car with big wheels that’s not a ’71-’76 Impala or Caprice is just a car with big wheels.
As the donk movement has grown larger than its Miami origins, the customization has evolved. In the early days, Ree says, “a donk was known as a hustler’s car. They were the ones that could afford to put money into them.” Back then themed donks were popular—cars emblazoned with cereal and candy brand logos and painted in sugary hues like “jolly rancher green,” according to Ree. But nowadays, as you’ll see below, it’s all about building the cleanest custom donk you can. ’71-’76 Impalas and Caprices can be found for under 10 grand, but donk owners will shell out many times that for pearl paint jobs, matching rims (which must be 26” or bigger), monochrome detailing, and other custom work. As the cars have gotten back to their classic roots, “the image of donks has definitely improved,” says Ree, who has amassed over 200,000 followers on his Instagram page dedicated to showcasing the dopest cars and his own custom merch. Ree says he’s made contact with donk owners as far afield as Japan and Australia, and had people come to Donk Day from Michigan, California, and Canada. Check out who braved the rain at Donk Day 2018, and the incredible cars they brought, below.
Cars
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