Folks Of Interest RIP ... Pete Chapouris

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Photo I took 5 years ago of Pete along side Bill's -Howerton built GNRS winner that So-Cal finished. I just feel rotten about this loss.
Stimac

 

RIP Pete.

 

Pete and my dad were friends in the '70s. I grew up idolizing the guy.
My dad got sick in '98 and Pete found out, they likely hadn't seen each other in 15 years. He wrote my dad letters, get well soon wishes and kept sending us shirts/posters, updates on SoCal... Not long after my dad passed away he was kind enough to call me (a 16yr old kid that he didn't know) and chat with me about my father/cars/life for what seemed like hours. I'm sure it wasn't hours - but he'd always been a hero of mine.
He sure helped get me through what seemed like hell at the time.

RIP Pete.
Huge loss - he was such a great guy...

 

Man this blows. RIP Sir and thank you for being a Kick Ass Human Being. Every Car I've ever built has a little P&J in it. I make sure of it. Say Hey to Gray when you hit the Gates.

All the best - Tim

 

Rest in peace Pete Chapouris, a great man who inspired this Hot Rodder, and made So-Cal a great place to shop for parts.

 

What an incredible talent and from what I'm reading here, a great human being. Godspeed Mr. Chapouris.

 

Prayers to his family. It looks like he did some great things for the Hot Rod community !

 

I met Pete at SEMA and Detroit probably three or four times. I always made it a point to go to the Hot Rod Alley and find him. He was a very nice man. Each time I spent about 20-30 minutes talking to him and he graciously took that time to talk with me even with all the hustle and bustle of SEMA. Very sad to hear of his passing.

 

Jeez-just reading this now-another huge loss
Pete and Jake were true pioneers in the business and stayed true to their traditional roots
Always raising the bar with quality and innovation
Pete's influence will be felt in the industry for a long time to come.
Deepest sympathies to all his family and friends,
Rest in Peace Pete Chapouris

 

Damn! Sad news R. I. P. Pete
My thoughts and prayers go out to his family and friends


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This affects the core of what I am more than one would think. Did I ever meet Pete? No, but it's the combined influences that make what you are and Pete was one of the foundations. Born and raised in SoCal and a teenager in the 70's, I took so much for granted. Go down to Boyd's original shop and stand there with my tongue out , then cruise over to Fat Jacks to check out fat fenders. There were rod shops everywhere and I hit them all..... well, as many as I could driving a '54 Ford that got 10mpg and making minimum wage. Just seemed natural they'd always be there, but as always, life gets in the way. Family, mortgages, budgets and other responsibilities got me out of rods for a couple decades and now it's only the same in my mind.
The legends are passing as time marches on and my plan to catch up is getting harder and harder. Almost anti-climactic to end with a simple but honest..... RIP Pete.......

 

Massive stroke

 

Very sorry to hear this. It was mentioned that he was on the HAMB, what was his name on here?

 

Although Pete Chapouris III (PC3) joined the H.A.M.B. in 2007 (username @Pete Chapouris), I don't think he ever posted on the forum (i.e., he was a "lurker").

I believe the folks that mentioned PC3 was a HAMBer may be confusing him with P-Wood (@Pete Eastwood) or with one of the employees of the So-Cal Speed Shop in Arizona, Canada, Sacramento, and/or Pomona that frequent the H.A.M.B.

NOTE: PC3's son, Pete Chapouris IV recently joined the forum (username @Peter Chapouris).

 

OK, thanks for clearing that up.

 

I think Tom Fritz captured what Pet was all about in the painting below "Grab'n Gears". I had the pleasure of meeting and talking to both Pete & his sidekick Jake at different events, they are and will always be the real deal when it comes to Hot Rod Legends. They started the first successful mail-order (Now Called Online Shopping) hot rod parts company. The difference is they road tested their suspension parts and drove across this country in their hot rods. I know guys that have hot rods with all the comforts (A/C, Heat, Cruise, Power this and that) and they will not drive 50 miles to a car-event! Lots of respect to Pete, not only for driving his hot rods, but for making hot rods safe too! When I was around 20 years old, me and a buddy drove our home built hot rods to the Merced, Ca. Street Rod Nationals in 1983'ish. On Highway 99 heading North we looked in our rear view mirror's and quickly creeping up on us was Jim Ewing in the "Super Bell" Coupe, Jake in his Iconic "Yellow" Coupe, and Pete driving "The California Kid"! That was a moment in time I will never forget, they honked, smiled and waved as they flew by us! These guys were always cool and down to earth, and made time to talk to you, no matter what you drove! Rest in Peace Pete!

 

Another 'nephew' passes...
Pete and I had an old gag going, someone introed me as 'Uncle Mike' in the '70s.
Pete laughed at that, said he was older. We compared I.D.s and sure enough, I was older by 2 months. (Oct. '42)
Last time my son and I were down there (Fathers Day Eve, 'open house' at SoCal) Pete was in the office, said "Hello, Uncle Mike..." My son was amused.
Worst thing is a little selfish...I always thought I'd see him again.
Go proudly, Pete.

 

There is a hole in my Hot Rod Soul.......Rest In Peace.....

 

I think P-Wood said it best - "Damn it!!"
Just damn it, Damn it, DAMN IT!!
I never met the man, but I learned a lot from his work and his style. He lived large, but never big time. One of us, taken too soon.

RIP Pete.
Give our best to Ol' Dad when you get there.

Just damn it . . . .

 

Just too many of our friends and legends like Pete are going. May he rest in piece

 

Pete and my Dad have been thick as thieves for close to 50 years... Their friendship started off running around in t-buckets in their early 20's, which they often reflected was the most fun they ever had, and were together 3 days before Pete's untimely passing, as you would guess, still running around in their hots rods. Although the loss is enormous, Pete left a tremendous legacy that will not be forgotten. I was fortunate to have grown up around the Chapouris Family, and will always be grateful for all of Pete's guidance... God knows I needed it!

I can't begin to express my gratitude for the resources he made available to me over the years and of course his input and direction throughout my deuce sedan build. As reflected in all the posts on this thread, he was always approachable, gave you his honest input (whether you liked it or not), and was always 100% right on!

Here is a post from Pete Chapouris 4 on So-Cal Speed Shop's Facebook page: https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10155070586459560&id=197306349559

Here an oldie but a goodie at the Hot Rod Nationals on July 7, 1982. PC3, Boyd, Lobeck (with his thumb in my Dad’s junk), Bob Rothenberg, Jim Wrench, & Bob Hines to name a few.

 

From Brian Burnett's archives:

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RIP! A great hot rodder gone.

 

... I was very fortunate to meet and talk to Pete and Jake on a visit to the PC3g shop back in the 90's when we went on west coast trip visiting all the SoCal hotrod shops at the time ...
... Pete came rolling out in a wheel chair with a broken leg to greet us and was very hospitable letting a bunch of us guys who just showed up unannounced ... check out the shop and the cars ... including the "Cal Kid" ... that just happen to be in the shop at the time! ... Met him again in 2010 at the Detroit Autorama ... where I told him how memorable that PC3g visit was for us ... his broken leg and all! ...
... Great guy he was ... RIP Pete ... the world was a better place with you sir ...

 

RIP...... "Kid". RIP

 

this like looking at the New York Yankees of hot rodding. Heavy hitters ALL!

 

Never got to meet Pete but one of my all time motivated hotrod builders of all time!! I will build a few more of those model 40's in the backyard for ya Pete!!! You'll be missed! But not forgotten! My 34 is on a P&J's chassis!

 

Everyone is universally sad with the passing of Pete. Based on all of the comments and my experience it's a wonder that Pete ever got anything thing done with the time he spent with so many. The California Kid has always been my favorite car. Pete was a friend and my wife has a Prowler tribute to the Kid that has actually appeared with it. I agree with Sanford&Sons that Tom Fritz captured the essence. Here's the one on my Pete wall in my office. The framed note in the lower right was a note from Tom Fritz to Pete with instructions on how to sign the picture for me. It's absolutely priceless but I wouldn't share it with out Tom's permission. Pete got a big kick out of it.

 

Nice tribute on Pete's cohosted podcast Shift and Steer and an interview with Pete from 2015 on how it all started:

http://cdn46.castfire.com/audio/522...n_id=46&uuid=cabe86751cc4b2bebeb3a07550dd1b02


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