Folks Of Interest Jim "JAKE" Jacobs, The Original Traditional Hot Rodder ! "TRODA"

^ Thanks for the correct info Greg…

 

Found a photo online. Credit to photographer…

 

Don Mabe ,lives in Seal Beach and is a retired Fireman

 

Here is a pic of Jake's truck and my RPU taken in Compton in '64 .The other pic is of Jake having a snack next to my RPU taken near Yosemite.He and I went on a camping trip to escape the August 11th 1965 Watt's Riots.Did Yosmite,Lake Tahoe,Reno(Harrah's Car Museum- to young for the Mustang Ranch),SF,Hwy 1-Big Sur ,SLO and back to SoCal.My RPU had a '55 265 SBC w/cast iron Pglide and Olds rear F1 steering ,Buick Skylark spoke wheels.

 

Great pictures Shel thanks for posting awesome story

 

I have just clicked - Sheldon Bardin - the best T tudor ever

 

Its amazing thinking that your cars were only approx 34 years old at the time of that trip. If it was now those cars would have been from 1988. I guess a lot of younger guys are into modifying cars from that era now but its awesome seeing traditional styles cars from then and a lot older still being saved, built and driven. This is an awesome thread. Thanks.

 

I remember p***ing by Angeles Abbey Mausoleum on Bullis and Compton Blvd. on our way to Sears....

 

How about "Daves Home of Chrome" near Sears too.

 

Dave Mehelich dropped by and shared these photos and info.

Ron Jones moved to Washington state and had a sandblasting shop and did metal work on early fords here. He rented the shop from me and one day showed up with these pictures and gave them to me. Both Pete and Jakes coupes in the photos. Ron had just cut the top off to chop the ZZ Top Eliminator coupe. I am sure some of you will be able to name all those in the photos. The photos could have been taken at Don Thelans shop.

Last pic is Ron and his good friend Jerry Slattery, just before Ron's p***ing.

 

^ Great photos…

 

Great shots but I am SO glad I am too young for the flattened cowboy hat years! As comical looking back as 1999 rockabilly style

 

Clockwise from lower left: ZZ Top guy, Jake leaning on his coupe, Jerry Morrow ( Don Thelen's employee ), Henry ( Don Thelen's employee ), unknow, ZZ Top guy, unknown, Pete sitting on his coupe's fender, & Billy Gibbon sitting in the car.

 

And the story continues…

 

Round-up of urban cowboy throttle jockeys !

 

I'm old enough to remember when, (mid to late '60s) muscle cars were THE thing and in every single Sunday newspaper cl***ifieds, there were as many as a dozen or more 1932 Fords for sale. None were priced higher than $3,000. I remember thinking, "Wow.. that must be a nice one."

I was only 9, 10, 11 years old, but I just knew that as soon as I was able, I would buy a 1932 Ford 3 Window Coupe. I was aware that the old cars had fallen out of favor and remember thinking that I would probably be one of the only guys around still driving an old hot rod. And I liked that idea.

Then along came Pete & Jake.
And two very cool hot rod Coupes on the cover of
Rod&Custom.
And the Resurgence had begun.
And the popularity increased to 600.601 mph.

 

i took those pics a couple of weeks back when I went to breakfast with Jake

 

Yep…thanks!

 

"some people shouldn't be allowed to buy historic hot rods".

Really?

So, respectfully - Thom Told Jeff that this was Jake's truck and Jake and I spoke and he asked what I did with his interior and explained that I thought it was in my parts pile but at the time I had a brain fart and forgot that I sold the interior, painted grille shell, light bar, lights and other goodies to Robban Gustafson in Sweden who is taking the car to as close as it can get to Jake's car but he has the same problem - just where in the F*ck was I supposed to get hold of that wild and whacky camper shell, Huh?

Sorry, to take exception to that VERY misplaced and condescending..."some people..." comment but. reimagining Jake's April, '70 R&C Issue FUB 133 is not a crime. After 40 years working for Jeff Tann, Jim McGowan, Jim Smart and a host of other Editors, and during that time I restored Steve and Mario San Paolo's Spaghetti Bender Dragster to its Historical Glory and it sits in the Lyon's Dragstrip Museum (I donated it and they seemed pretty happy to get it) after its stay in the NHRA Museum ...guess that one was done 'right' or Greg Sharp wouldn't have displayed it, early in the museum's tenure for 5.5 years. Not to mention from only 5, November, 1961 HOT ROD Magazine Photos snapped originally by Curt Hamilton (who prepared the Jag in XFUB133, BTW...), Scott Monks and I built Gary Slusser, Richard Rea, Blinkey Sullivan's Reath Automotive Orange Fiat AA/FA that "Blinkey" approved, every step of the way because I married his daughter and which that little racer was asked to be included the HOT ROD 65th Birthday Party Main Building and then on to the 70th Burgers 'n' Burnouts Main Tent a**** the Elite of HOT ROD Feature cars and a stint in HOT ROD itself in 2013 to building the Rod & Custom Cl***ical G***er Candy Red Willys which only holds three world-record hammer prices at Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale. After 70 years of motorcycle racing, drag racing, restorations, hot rods and 40 years of automotive photojournalism - 55, cars later (the first 35 of which were by my own hand) and trapsing across the country shooting events and car features under the tutelage of the very Jeff Tann that you refer to above, I think I've paid my dues and should be able to make ANYTHING that ever was, better than I found it which is how I was taught and as Jeff's work on the RPU, and the photos above attest. GEEZ, LOUIZZZE gimmie a BREAK !!

 

ok--tell us how you really feel--just teasing-i agree about your stance on this matter!--something like -its MY car...

 

I first saw Jake's coupe at the Tulsa Nats, which was a a few months before it was on the R&C cover, and still remember walking up to it. It was so different from most of the hot rods at the show; loaded with cool details. Pic taken by me, using a cheapo box camera.

 

Thanks, patsurf - I'm a little sensitive as you can tell - I built a '27 Chrysler Phaeton that won GNRS '06 and beat out Jake's Model A Touring Car for the Hot Rod Touring Cl*** and that very car was the impetus for taking Jake's RPU to the next level. Here is that thread, in case you are interested in that story: 27 Chrysler touring at GNRS? | The H.A.M.B. After The President of the Walter P. Chrysler Society shunned my 13 calls after I FAITHFULLY restored that Official Parade Car from Victoria Australia, Oahu, Hawaii and Bishop, California from 1927 through 1991 and I simply wanted him to point me to where I could find a pair of the running lights on the mid-section door jamb to complete the car and save it forever as the truly historically significant car that it was. Thanks to my adopted brother, Jeff Tann who, on the way to the Hot Rod Reunion suggested that I ditch the arrogance of the Chrysler Powers-that-be and make a *****in' and really rare Hot Rod, which I did! Of course, when it appeared in Street Rod Builder and American Rodder, he saw it, called Jeff and told him that my molesting that piece of history was Blasphemy and God Love Jeff, he just said: "well, you should have called Tom back! " After that, I reconnected with my roots and remembered that we built what we wanted in the 60's and 70's no matter whose it was and/or what it was and usually because we wanted it better or it was so worn out that it needed the love. Soooo, Jim Jacob's RPU (It was Thom Taylor who told Jeff whose it was so blame him) became more than it EVER was (respectfully, as I humbly submiut that the photos reflect) no matter who he is/was (respectfully meant) or what his buddies think. Like you said..... it's MY car...! Hope you like the Chrysler story and photos on the HAMB. Cheers!

 

I'm having a hard time following your rant. Did you build the yellow RPU? Or you own it?

 

Own it, put it together with Jeff Tann, who beat it, painted and ***embled it, Todd Walton who set up the ch***is to accommodate what ultimately became a Curt Hamilton m***aged Jag V-12 rear end, Doug Fraijo 347 SBF stroker and polished Luke Dodd C-4. Check out “Roadster Revival” in Fuel Curve.