Premiering as a prime time movie in 1974, "The California Kid" movie boosted the acting careers of Martin Sheen

(the kid), Nick Nolte (to truck driver), Vic Morrow (the evil sheriff), and others. But more importantly it exposed millions of TV viewers to an automobile that exemplifies what hot rodding is all about. A mean machine: chopped, flamed, louvered, down in front, and of course - highly powered!

The movie climaxes in a heads-up chase where the California Kid outmaneuvers, outperforms the

speed crazed villain on a winding mountain road.

The California Kid: Profile of a Hot Rod
Courtesy the Auto Editors of Consumer Guide

Among the most significant hot rods of the 1970s was Pete Chapouris' chopped 1934 Ford

coupe, dubbed The California Kid.

It starred in a television movie, bucked the then-dominant resto rod trend, and played an important

role in the founding of Pete and Jake's Hot Rod Repair, one of the first modern professional rod shops.

Photo Courtesy the Auto Editors of Consumer Guide

Thanks to Hot Rod magazine's Gray Baskerville, Chapouris met Rod & Custom staffer Jim Jacobs, who

was pounding out his own chopped 1934 Ford coupe at the time. With similar tastes, the pair became

fast friends and soon started their own hot rod business.

Pete's hot rod gained its name from a 1973 ABC made-for-TV movie starring Martin Sheen.

The movie, along with the motion picture American Graffiti from the same year, spurred hot

rod enthusiasm and nostalgia, and reminded a generation how a hot rod should look and sound.

Pete bought the car for $250 with the top already chopped. He dropped in the Ford 302-cid V-8,

FMX gearbox, and quick-change rear end from a previous rod,

and had Manuel Reyes apply the prominent flames.

The car originally had a set of Halibrand mags, but they were swapped for red steelies with beauty

rings for the movie. The movie producers also had the signature "California Kid" lettering applied

to the doors along the belt line.

Today, The California Kid resides with Jerry Slover of Peculiar, Missouri, who acquired it in the

1986 purchase of Pete & Jake's business. Jerry was one of P&J's original customers

and is a longtime hot rodder.

Photo Courtesy the Auto Editors of Consumer Guide

Movie producers changed the California Kid's Halibrand
mag wheels to red steelies with beauty rings.

The quick-change is gone in favor of a Ford nine-inch rear end, and several of the chassis parts have

been replaced. After all, the car has more than 90,000 miles on it! Now reunited with another

great hot rod, Jake's Coupe, The California Kid has found a good home, in Peculiar, Missouri.

Click on the logo to see what we have in the

Gift Shop for the California Kid

Die Cast Cars (very limited) - Books - Posters - Puzzels - Signs - T-Shirts  - Autographed DVD's

Die Cast Cars (very limited) - Books - Posters - Puzzels - Signs - T-Shirts  - Autographed DVD's

1934 Coupes on display at the Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum in Pomona, 2009.

Left to right: Super Bell Coupe, The California Kid, Jim "Jake" Jacob's Yellow Coupe

and the ZZ Top Eliminator Coupe owned by Billy Gibbons.

Pete Chapouris (So-Cal Speed Shop) and Darold Kohout (Sacramento Vintage).

with the 1934 Ford Coupe that was used in the movie.

Pete is the original builder of The California Kid.

Photo was taken at the Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum in Pomona.

Visit the Home of the California Kid - Pete & Jakes

'Grabbin Gears' Lithograph Print by Tom Fritz - Limited to 957 Prints

Measures 27" x 18"   $195.  Signed by 'Jake and 'Pete'

Available from Sacramento Vintage and in stock. Frame optional. Add $20.

A member of the Vintage Tin hot rod club, Pete began work on a chopped ’34 coupe that would have

a seminal impact upon not only his life but also the hot rod world.

Finished in traditional black and flames, the coupe was photographed for the cover of the

November 1973 issue of Rod & Custom along with a similarly chopped canary yellow coupe

of Jim “Jake” Jacobs. The two rodders hit it off and decided to start a small hot rod repair business

in Temple City, California.

Then came the call from Hollywood, specifically Howie Horowitz, producer of the hugely successful

Batman series. He wanted Pete’s car for a made-for-TV movie called The California Kid. The show

starred a young actor named Martin Sheen.

The Kid put Pete and Jake’s Hot Rod Parts on the map, and the pair ran a thriving business which,

because of their innovative style and seat-of-the-pants marketing savvy, took the hot rod business

out of the backyard and into the mainstream.

Click on the photo for additional information and history on Pete Chapouris

The year was 1973 and two friends were building a pair of ’34 Ford 3 window coupes.

The cars were finished in 1974 and made the cover of Rod & Custom Magazine.

What was to follow made Hot Rod history.

The two cars “The California Kid” and “Jake’s Coupe” have totaled up almost

250,000 hot rod miles through the years.

Bud Bryan with the 1974 Rod & Custom Magazine's 'Chicken Coupe' issue. 

Bud was the Editor of Rod & Custom Magazine when this issue was released. Bud also worked along side

several other heavy hitter magazine staff members back in the day.

Mr. Bryan is currently a very welcome addition to the Sacramento Vintage Ford staff.

Next year is the 35th anniversary of Pete & Jake’s and the So-Cal to Pleasanton 2009 boogie will

help jump start the celebration. The three cars will be photographed on their journey from the

NHRA Museum to The Rodder's Journal Studio in San Francisco by Steve Coonan

and the Rodder’s Journal crew.

Over at the Walden Speed Shop display.

Jim 'Jake' Jacobs, Darold Kohout (Sacramento Vintage) and Jerry Slover (Pete & Jakes).

The 4-Bar system on the front of Jakes' Coupe was designed and developed

by Pete and Jakes back in the day and launched Pete & Jakes Hot Rod Parts

into hot rod history.  The original 4-Bar is still on the car. The second 4-Bar prototype

resides on the California Kid with a little different bat-wing design.

Jim Jacobs (Jake) and Pete Chapouris

Black & White Prints From The Movie?

(Images courtesy pete Chapouris)

No...not yet......but

Sacramento Vintage is working closely with Pete and Jakes and Universal Studios on the

'rights' to offer you a selection of 8" x 10" black and white prints of many of the stills taken

during the production and several stills from the movie.    Stay tuned!

Well...as of Late September, still no luck with the Studio. Dosen't look good.

Actor Martin Sheen, star of the 1974 film "California Kid,"

autographs a Fender Custom Shop Stratocaster guitar to benefit the

St. Joseph Center on August 13, 2009 in Venice, California.

(images courtesy Wireimage & St. Josephs Center)

A special Thank You to The Slover Family and Pete Chapouris.

Images copyright Universal Studios, Sacramento Vintage Ford, Inc., Rod & Custom Magazine, Pete & Jakes,

So-Cal Speed Shop- Pomona, Danbury Mint, Tom Fritz, Wireimage and their respective owners.

HERE they are! They arrived Sunday afternoon, September 20th.

CLICK above for more California Kid Photos

We have more photos and close-up galleries coming!

CLICK above for more California Kid Photos

Click For Car Show Information and Photos