The California Kid at SEMA---not exactly

Shit, I thought it was the original. Don't I feel like a Dork!

 

Good job on a very thoughtful tribute!

 

While, I wanted my tribute to be as close as possible on the outside. I plan on driving this car (a lot) so I made it as comfortable and sensable as possible.
Power comes from a 383 stroker with a 2004r tranny behind it. This gives me plenty of power with decent gas mileage. It has a taupe leather interior with power windows, vintage air and a kick-ass stereo system.
Next I plan to install a F.A.S.T. EFI system then hit the road this summer.
Cheers!
Mickm

 

Sure is nice!!!!!! What are you running for power? Is it auto or stick? Do you think they would let you take some pic's,side by side with the original?

HAHA! You must have been typing at the same time as me....

 

Well....even though I don't care for the Streetrod influences,it really looks like a well built car. That interior looks pretty comfortable. Don't be offended...it's just my opinion. JustplainJ's and Vern of the Choppers cars are more my style.

 

Read the original post and thought, " Well a little self promotion ain't to bad". Nice look, cool enough. Then these pics. It's still a nice street rod that wants to be " The Kid". But older brother? Come on. At least it's steel. Notta clone, justa wanna be.......sigh.....

 

I talked with Jason about your car several weeks ago. He was very positive about it and urged me to check it out while I was at SEMA. I'm glad I did.

 

Bad Bob, no hurt feeling here buddy. I too dig plain J's and Vern's 34 cars, they are very cool.
Bib Overalls, Thanks for posting your comment about talking to Jason. As I stated before, without Jerry and Jason's help, this project would never been able to be done.
Cheers!
Mickm

 

I applaude your attitude Mickm! Your approach to creating a beautiful tribute to an extremely influential hot rod and your interest in perhaps influencing more potential hot rodders is to be commended. I too, was heavily influenced by "Da Kid" - to the point of creating a tribute of my own. I had a '33 (unchopped) 3 window in need of a paint job at the time the movie came out ...so, black, red, orange and yellow overspray found it's way into every nook and cranny of my mom's garage! I did my flames with a bit of a swoosh (to follow the lines of the fenders), but there was no mistaking the similarities!

Again, super car. Enjoy!

My coupe:


-Dave

 

Love it! One of my first cars many moons ago was a 34' 3w with a tunnel rammed BBF. Someday would like to build another 33-34 and still kick myself for recently selling my 32 3w

 

i have allways loved da' kid and yours is just as awesome

when i saw pics of yours in someone elses post of sema pics i thought cool they've brought the kid of hiding for awhile

its very cool that you are being upfront about your car cause alot of people would never know its not the one and alot of other guys would take advantage of that

ive allways wanted to do a recreation or clone of the kid but mine would be glass if i ever did one my pockets arent deep enough for original steel

the kid is the reason i love 34 fords

there is a loose based clone around here it has the basic flame pattern and i think they call it the cincinnati kid its kinda cool but it aint da kid

 

I agree

 

Great build and even though it clearly not being the original 'The California Kid' as it's a '33 and retains the '33 grille and doors, I have a problem with it being lettered as 'The California Kid'. I think I would feel more comfortable if it said 'The California Kid II' or 'The California Kid's Kid' - maybe it's just me though....

 

Just watched that movie on Sunday....

 

great hot rod

 

the calhoun kid.

 

It looked awesome rolling down the street in front of the convention center right after the show. You fooled me and my co-workers. We were convinced it was the original. Very nice ride!

 

rodncustomdreams-wow, you had a '33 coupe when the movie came out? Oh man did I envy you! I had to wait 36 years for my dream to come true. Awesome ride!

Bull-Thanks of the kind words. It was a blast cruz'n Paradise road after the show, fullfilling a lifelong dream.

Cheers!
Mickm

 

If you don't mind me asking.........Who chopped the top of your car?

Chris

Oh yea, great looking car.....you should drive it up to P&J's for there open house next spring.

 

sodbuster-There were two guys who chopped it. I belive one was from Australia and the other was Gary Rhinehart. It was chopped back in the eighties.
They did such a good job, you cannot find where they cut it from the inside and only by coloration of the lead on the outside.
We purchased a single quart of bondo to do the entire body work on the car before we painted it...black!

Cheers!
Mickm

 

Fooled me too!
If someone drops a winning lottery ticket on the ground (I don't buy them), I'd do the 33 version too - that thing is beautiful!

 

What are those seats from?

 

terryr-While the seat appear to be buckets, it is actually a bench seat. It is an aftermarket seat made by Wise-Guys.
George Jones of Stitchin Interiors in Baton Rouge reshaped the frame work to better fit the shape of the body. He then added additional foam to make it appear as if two bucket seat were shoved into each other.
He did a great job as it is very comfortable.

Cheers!
Mickm

 

I have always coveted 'The Kid'. I think I saw it at the Grandview store before the Slovers built the shop in Peculiar. I can remember trying really hard not to drool.

 

That movie made a lasting impression on me.

Cool car you built, and cool story. Thanks for sharing with us.

 

There couldn't be a greater car to copy. I saw yours at SEMA. Took a bunch of pics of it. And then looked in the window....WHAT? That interior is different! Then I read the sign that was laid on the dash and against the steering wheel. It was the "Kids big brother". It is an outstanding job of creating another "Kid". Well done.

 

Mick,
The other guy was probably Peter Weitz, from New Zealand, he was living in KC back then. Don't know if he's on here, but he's well known down there.

Howard

 

Cool deal I live hr from the real kid.. I was just there ordering my 32 chassis the other day and thought man you see milners coupe 1 million times but noone has a Kid replica.. well I guess I was wrong.. Nice job man that car is legendary.. Here is my Kid with the Kid and in the Kid..... get all that LOL we bought the movie and he has watched it 3 times already.. gotta keep the tradition alive man!

 

Cool car...one of the earliest memories I have of wanting one of these was watching that movie on Channel 13's "Dialing for Dollars" afternoon matinee...seeing the Kid cruise into town over the bridge..Righteous. Nice work, beautiful car.

 

like it