I've read and re-read that same passage more times than I can count. And I still love it. Although I've never met him, Jake is pretty much at the top of my list of hotrod heroes too.
I started another thread "Your favorite magazine issue" for the other feature I wanted to show so it wouldn't pollute this thread. Please check it out and feel free to add to it.
The SR quote I had never seen before, but really hits it right on the head, especially when I was younger. This era of car is actually my favorite, by a stretch! Buttera (the reason I went to Machinist school), P-wood, P&J, Lobeck, that is the style I always try to emulate, even though I'm a later truck kinda guy. I tell everyone, you wanna see a hot rod, look at the Cop Shop Coupe, or Bill Vinther's '33, or Lobeck's Deuce, or Cal Tanaka's 33! Cars from back in the day, whose broke owners built 'cause it was what they could afford, and what they made into what they wanted, not because someone dictated some sort of style to them. Like the California Kid, which was a $250 pile and got chopped 'cause Pete didn't have anything in it to lose. Thanks for posting this, I've been wanting to let this out for a bit. Hi from the OTHER Chip!
I have mentioned before that I want to clone this truck. I already have a chassis, cab and front fenders. But the question is, exact clone? Which version? Or a loose "clone" I am a fan of the gold and have the perfect hue in mind but also love some of the new browns out there. One could simply build a can in homage to the one.................I dunno, I am torn.
Dude, we think exactly alike. Those cars left an everlasting impression in my brain, and they shaped the styles that I still emulate today in the stuff I build. I still see Cal's '33 around So Cal from time to time, and even though it's getting a little worn around the edges, it's still just as bitchin' as the first time I saw it. He drives the wheels off of it, and that makes it even cooler.
Tman....build what YOU want. Don't get in that trap of building something that has already been built. If you like Jake's truck, build it, for YOU. If you like his truck but would rather change some things, do that!! Personally, there's not enough time or money left to build anything that doesn't have my own personality in it.
I agree but Von Franco got me interested in the clone thing back in the 80s when he cloned the Kookie T and then later the Anderegg car. Part of me digs the focus it takes to clone one..........must be from my blackpowder and living history past?
You know Jeem, and others..............I think ANY phonebooth like this, with the same stance and look, honors the truck that Jake built. No matter what color.
Hey Alex, wanna good laugh? I'm Low Elco on 67-72. I had no idea at all you were here till I read this thread for about the fourth time and put two and two together. I knew I liked 'ol Whitey for a reason! That's gotta be awesome, just seeing the Tanaka car going down the street, no big deal. I think if you know a car like that and the story behind it, the wear just makes it cooler. And to get the big tour of Jake's place- I'd die. I'm just a huge geek fan of the whole early 70's SoCal style.
You, Alex (flat-n-low) Jeem and I are on the same page! You hit some of my favorites in one sentence.
Thanks! I actually forgot Fat Jack (and his son) in that sentence! I REALLY dig his stuff. You just know it every time you see one of their cars, and I can't stop staring. Best advice ever, too. "Get the wheels and tires you want, and build the rest of the car around it". That's what Alex did on his 64 and damn, that's a bitchin' truck! So is Brad's, built the same way. To stay sorta on track, I like the gold version, but I think a new one in Washington blue with polished 5-spokes would be awesome!
Are you freakin' kidding me? You're the same Low Elco on the 67-72 site? Now, that's funny!! It's amazing how similar minds always tend to gravitate towards the same stuff. You'll laugh at this: I finally got a day off, so Brad, Bob, and I went down to Irwindale for the Mooneyes Christmas Show, and lo and behold, what did I see? Cal's 33. As usual, I looked it over for a good 15 minutes, and yeah, it's still badass. I nearly died when I saw a guy cutting between rows in a Rascal sccoter miss Cal's car and a really nice '54 Chevy sitting next to it by mere inches. The owner of the '54 Chevy scolded the guy pretty good because the Rascal driver moved a bunch of the guy's chairs out of the way to take his short cut. I started to wonder if some of the battle scars on Cal's car came from car show spectators and not from road miles......
My truck has nothing in common with Jake's pick and I have always loved the look,,I borrowed the styling cues by adding the fog lights,,again I said it a few years ago when this thread was started,,, Jake's pickup is my favorite! HRP
Here is a 29pu built by Ulus Burnette of Indy Rod Shop that has that similar look. Have a 28 pu started but slow going.
Need Louvers? Thanx for posting the pic and article on my 40 Chevrolet. Still have it but now painted white. Car was originately built by Blairs Speed Shop in Pasadena for Noel Melovich. Fastest speed ever attained at El Mirage was 151.9 with a load of nitrous. At one time held 5 different records at Bonneville and El Mirage. Best at old OCIR was 104 @ 13.04 with it's stock head GMC. Currently wasting away waiting for another 302 GMC and a turbo 350 for a change. Hope to be back at the Inliners drags again. Had a lot of fun running at Fremont at the old Street Rod events and at Palmdale too.......................JD Tone
The guys at Indy Rod Shop are friends of mine and I admire the work but I honestly like the old truck better when it was black with orange wires. HRP
WOW! I hadn't looked in at this thread in a bit, and I'm shocked that you still have that car. Absolutely cool, and has been a favortie of mine for years. Way cool that you joined here to check in with us. Thank you sir!
I remember seeing that truck in person the first time. A few of us young Washington state guys take a road trip to Cali ... we had the same reaction as some people do when seeing a famous Hollywood star. Regarding the cloning of Jake's truck. Ive seen several trucks set up very close to his. Even though they are pretty nice they just dont catch my eye like Jake's does. Possibly because I grew up in the 70's era of its heyday? I say go for the clone. Its not like you (Tman), and the original truck are going to be bumping in to each other.
CG, no worries on the clone part other than stance. LilT (the soon to be 6 year old who owns the car) thinks it needs to be orange..................ironically my fav color.
1st i got to say i love jakes closed cab truck. somewhat inspired me to build this a model in 2006. once it was done and i had 100 miles on it i left cincinnati for the l.a. roadster show via san antonio texas to join the streetrodder magazine tour. well guess who i ran into at vintage air? jake in this panel truck. one of the best memories i have is driving door handle to door handle next to jake in rural texas. i could not believe it. i mean i have ready about him, read his tech articals in my dads old r& c mags growing up. here he was taking pic of my closed cab !!! i am a younger guy and i have to say i try to have the utmost respect to the older guys who figured out things back in the day and blazed the trailer for all of us. i am 37 years old and unlike SOME of younger rodders i am not into this FOR the tatoos, clothing, precieved life style. i am in it for the pure enjoyment and satisfaction of building something with my own hands and learning how to do something. i only wish i had talked to jake alittle more on the road trip. i was just so star struck so to speak and everyone was always around him.
Awww damn! Orange would be an awsome color for the "semi clone"... My fav too! AMC BIG BAD ORANGE is the brightest I've ever found.
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