Who built the customized 1934 Ford coupe known as The California Kid?

Pete Chapouris built the customized 1934 Ford coupe known as The California Kid.

Chapouris created the car as a 1934 Ford three-window coupe, using a restrained traditional style that contrasted with the more radical trends popular in parts of the customizing scene at the time. The finished car was black, carried a classic flame job, and used 1960s-era Halibrand wheels.

The California Kid became widely known after appearing on the cover of Custom Rod in November 1973, alongside a similar coupe built by Jim “Jake” Jacobs. That shared cover helped bring the two builders together, leading to Pete and Jake’s Hot Rod Shop in Temple City, California, in 1974.

The car’s fame grew further when it appeared in the 1974 television movie The California Kid. Film modifications included dummy sidepipes, a C-channel rear bumper, steel wheels, and Ford hubcaps. Those movie details can cause confusion: the film company altered the presentation, but Chapouris was the builder of the original custom.