Hot Rods the California kid?

"Loud audible gasp"! Yes, the M&S coupe caused a lot of those during it's career. I only saw it run in the 60's, when it was racing for real. Wish I could have see Gerry make a pass in it.

 

Ah, the Three Corners - US71, I-435, I-470 triangle - grew up a half-mile from that spot. Jerry's Ruskin Auto Parts was a standard stop on our Blue Ridge Blvd. cruise route back in the '70s; his black-and-chrome coupe was gorgeous and always spotless.

And Chevy guys, don't get your panties in such a wad. He didn't say one was "better" or "worse" than the other, just that the 350/350 combo is common enough to be a cliche' nowadays and he wants to be different. Any other discussion or argument is a waste of time and space. I'm building a Lincoln 430 with 6 97's for my tub project, so I think a big MEL would be awesome in a '34!

The only problem with The California Kid is that it's no longer a car, it's an icon, a piece of art like a statue or the Mona Lisa.

 

Damn that car is cool. I've gotta say , I'm probably in the group that likes it better than Milner's coupe. IMHO , it looks so much better with the steelies/caps ... Minus the sidepipes , of course .

I liked that last video that was posted - it's a Ford ... No wait , it's a Chevy ... No wait , it's a Ford , LOL !! A pretty good "go-to" car movie.

 

Most of Gerry's runs were "full smoke", however he lightened up the clutch on one run, and laid down an 8.70 !!!!!!!!!!

 

I was just going by what Pete said.

 

I can't give that picture a like. That's behind Freeman and Sons building, after they finished tearing the car up. This is how it went to K&G, and got the hideous yellow paint job. I don't think Paul Southerland's Fiat comp coupe next to it was saved. What a shame.

 

I didn't know that! But to me the last pic of Johnny Cash or the last picture of Jimmy Hoffa, holds the same value as this one.
At least someone took the time to save the pic, even though they couldn't save the actual car!
But that just me.

20 years ago we had Johnny cash, bob hope and Steven jobs.
Now we have no Cash, no Hope, and no Job.
Please don't take the Memory's too!

 

I'm partial to Pete's coupe in it's original form. 4hole Palamides out back, flipped around small hole Halibrands up front. I think , if I remember right ,the whole drivetrain came out of his awesome "T" roadster. It originally had Webers on the SBF. His and Jake's coupes are both to freakn' cool! Edit : Just pulled out my raggy old R&C copy and saw as of the P&J coupes issue, Pete's car had the single 4bbl on an Offy intake as shown in an above post.

 

I have seen pics of the bare chassis in that little bitty garage with the webers on it. Both are correct both cars just ooze cool, there is no getting around it they are real hot rods built by real hot rodders.

 

The kid

 

Not as I remember it but it is cool non the less. Hard to believe that he built that car in there. It is like Keven Lee's first roadster. LOL

 

That's a thread that could be brought back from the dead!

 

The basement roadster? Keven's first car was a masterpiece. Just less then perfect enough to be HAMB worthy.

 

milner's coupe was such a pos that it was a no-sale after filming. they were asking $3,500.

 

LOL I wonder how many people actually remember the movie. Some things never made any sense to me like when he had it up on the rack and was tightening the front suspension. I mean what was he actually tightening to make it handle better?

 

I remember but I was like 12 years old at the time that I saw it (new) and it was the coolest thing to me.

 

P.B. Tightening the shock absorber nuts to compress the bushing rubber is racing tech!
They had to put a wrench in the guy's hand to do something for the cameras. It's the sort of thing they'd have Elvis do in Viva Las Vegas...just before he beat everyone and won the money to save the day.

 

When he has the torch in his hand concerns me

 

I vaguely remember the scene with the torch, was he wearing a welding helmet ? That seems to be standard issue in most films, as far back as I can remember.

 

I really liked the movie.
I was home sick from elementary school,
We had three channels, two of them showed afternoon movies.
This was it, it's left an impression on me.

Oh yeah, wonder what he burnt with the torch?

 

Remember seeing both coupes at the Nationals in 75/76.

 

Must have been 1974 or 1975

I know ... I'm a smart ass , lol !

 

The torch was used to adjust wedge by torching the spring..I would've changed the front tires..Flame on the car, flame in his hand..Ah, he broke the drop light!!!!!

 

You're off by few years. 73 or 74 is when the movie was released.

 

I'm ahead of my time, what can I say.
Should have thought more before hitting post.
Yeah, I was grade 6 so it would have been 74 0r 75
But I still like it

 

Lol , I was just bustin' yer stones.
I've been known to post before thinkin' as well.

 

We've all posted something before giving it a thought. No big deal.

 

IIR, he tweeked on it in a garage outside of town... no rack, but a grease pit. -Tim