The California Kid at SEMA---not exactly

Hi Guys,
I just completed my tribute to the California Kid. The car that made many of us street rodders during our youth.

I am getting letters and seeing posts on the internet saying this is the real California Kid car. While I am honored some cannot tell the difference, I want to set the record straight and I thought this the best place to start.

This car is not the original California Kid but, the California Kid's older brother.

First, let me say that without a tremendous amount of help and support from Jerry and Jason Slover at Pete & Jakes (they own the original) I could have never gotten this project to where it is.

I started with an original all steel 1933 Ford 3w that (according to Jerry) was chopped sitting next to his Kid so the chop would be correct with it's laid back windshield.

I changed out the original '33 hood for a Rootlieb version with no louvers, '33 front reveal and '34 handles. Jerry and Jason supplied templates of the 4" louvers and their placement. I then digitized these and cnc machined the correct louver die needed.

The flames were made by taking side photos of the original, making them raster images and overdrawing them precisely in AutoCad. Then the outlines were changed to vector art and printed out as a full size/scale stencils. This was also done with the text on the doors. I did both sides of the car so the original differences would be captured correctly.

In the back where Reyes signed the car, he signed "Reyes '53". This was an effort to let everyone know he was copying the styling of "Tommy the Greek" as he would have done it in 1953. The flames and pinstripping on my car was done by Joey Hudson who signed the back "Hudson '73". Since we were trying to copy the styling of Reyes.

While I have done everything possible to recreate the outside design charistics Pete Chapouris made in the original Kid, I am in no way wanting to pass this car off as the original.

I was fortunate to have it picked as one of the featured vehicles and unveiled at the SEMA show in Los Vegas las week. What an honor!

My hope is some young guys see this car coming down the road and it brews the same enthusiam in them, as the original did in me when it crossed that bridge in 1974.

Thanks for listening guys

Cheers!
Mickm

 

I saw it at SEMA and thought to myself "Hmmm, something doesn't seem quite right" but I couldn't put my finger on it. Thanks for easing my pain

 

If I was going to copy classic the California Kid would be the one. The car is timeless.

 

Please ... when showing someone your engine DO NOT fling open the hood like Sheen did when he showed the cop. That made me cringe ... still not over it ...


Nice car by the way.

 

HaHA, Don't you mean Halibrand Sprints only the finest wheel ever made. Yes I know the movie is different but the Halibrands are waay better looking and are 100% Hot rod. They are aluminum BTW an polished.


Love the car above too, it nailed it. It's pretty close to an Icons look.


Tim
Tim

 

The wheels on it are nice...but I have to admit I really liked those homebilt smoothies that were on the car first.
The actual wheel build article was in some mag...forget which.
Just that they were BUILT does it for me...LoL

Nice job Mick! Looks just as awesome as the original.

 

Hey youngster you'd better do some research on those "Goofy Chrome" wheels. Start by googling Halibrand before you make anymore "Goofy" statements

 

Looks really good. Be interesting to get some pictures of it side by side with the original. Sounds like you went over & above to make it an accurate copy of an icon.

And props to you for being so up front about it being a clone. Some guys would not be so honest.

 

Very nice !!!! Tom (Tired Old Man)

 

That's still one of the best hot rod designs ever. Funny they never made a model kit of it.

 

"Tribute" isn't the same as "clone" ... frankly I'm glad it isn't a clone of the movie version -- I don't know if you can even get those cheesy sidepipes anymore.

Beautiful job on the car - I dig it.

 

they did. "no painting, no gluing"

 

Ha! I was gonna say you forgot the sidepipes! Nice job anyway.

 

Beautiful.If you want to drive the "Kid",building a tribute car is the only way.I don't see Jerry or Jason ever parting with the original.Nice job to say the least.

 

Wrong flamejob. Of course you could take photos and make your own decals.

 

I'm positive I built one back in the day...mid-'80s or so. I remember laying those flame decals on the body. It would have been Revell or Monogram, as I hated the AMC/Ertel kits.

 

Great job !,... I really like it !,..... and yeah,.. that car does it for me as well !

( I really like the fact you kept the 33 grill & doors)

 

Mickm....real nice car; really.

But I don't get what the deal is with replicating/cloning a vehicle that already exists. Some famous or beautiful rod or custom from days gone by that has been lost forever...I get that. It doesn't exist nowadays. But if I see another American Graffiti/Milner 32 I'll puke.

 

You have done a great job...that 2nd shot is my new screen saver...Rod.

 

ditto

 

One of my favorites. Nice job!

 

Boy, did you hit the nail on the head!!!

 

I think, because he retained the 33 hood,grill and doors, speaks to the fact he wasn't trying to clone the California Kid,.. Second he came on here to clear up any misconceptions that this might be the original car,.... Finally, I have no problem with somebody building a Tribute Car,.. as long as there not trying to pass it off as the original,... which, he clearly, is not.

I applaud him for what appears to be a very fine effort, and a very nicely built car,... In fact, I would love to do the same thing. I guess that everyone that builds a 32 highboy roadster is building a clone of the guys car that first ripped the fenders off,....

There are just so many cars that can stir the hot rod emotion, and there often one of a kind,... a milestone hot rod, that makes everyone take notice. Some people use them for inspiration on there similar car, but in the back of there mind they always really wanted "That Car". That's why cars with history are so popular, sought after, and expansive.

On the short list of Hot Rods I would love to have are, The California Kid, The Doane Spencer Roadster, the Tom McMullen Roadster, the Lou Bingham Deuce Coupe, the Grammel Coupe,...the list is endless,.... Guys like Bruce Meyer can realize this kind of dream,... the rest of us have to take another route,....

I totally have no problem with this tribute build, other than the fact it isn't in my garage, with my name on the title.

 

Nothing but positive reaction from here on your "tribute", you did an amazing job. I do prefer the steelies,rings and caps but that's just a 15 minute exercise to change. While Neikamp's 1st AMBR winner and Frank mack's '27 hold the 1 and 2 spots on my list of favorites a chopped '33-'34 is right there keeping them honest. If Harm's Way ever leaves the door to his shop open while he's gone I'll have the makings of my own interpretation. Probably shouldn't have said anything as now if the '34 3w comes up missing he'll know where to look.

Frank

 

Thanks to all of you for the kind words.
As for the disucssion about the wheel choice. I actually have a set of red steel wheels with rings and caps so I can change them out if I ever want to and am certain I will.
The deal with replicating a famous vehicle is a good question and one I fully expected.
Personally, as a Design Engineer, I have always felt Pete really hit the nail on the head with all the different design features he added when he built the original. As many have stated,and I agree, these features have made the Kid timeless.
I know Jerry and Jason will never sell the original car and I don't blame them. Since my car had the distinction of being chopped from dimensions taken directly from the original and it's being an all steel '33, it just made sense to create the California Kid's older brother.
Before one bit of work was started, I spoke with Jerry and ran my idea by him. He said he thought it was one of the coolest ideas he had ever heard.
I did go over and beyond to make this tribute worthy and am very proud of the results.
All of your kind words are greatly appreciated.

Cheers!
Mickm

 

Hey Mickm,....

I for one, would love to see more pictures,.... and maybe even construction photos if you don't mind,.... I seriously really dig your Coupe !

The thinner surround on the 33 grill, and the curve to the bars,.. actually look better on this car that the straight 34 grill,.... IMHO.

 

Sweet ride. You should be proud.

 

Beautiful! You did a great job!

 

side pipes too?

 

Harms Way,
Here are some construction photo's of the car.
Thanks for your interest.