My vote is McCord's California Kid hands down................I do respect the Milner Coupe for what it is though
No The Kid was already completed. The producers saw it on a magazine cover and rented it for the movie. Milner's Coupe was built for the movie. It was built to Lucas' specs as he remembered Hot Rods in the period he was growing up in the area American Graffiti was filmed. It's gotten a lot of flack about "wrong" things. He was a car guy his buddy Alan Grant drove a Cobra and Lucas designed the paint scheme. On Alan Grant's replica he's added Lucas as crew chief. He also did the paint for the car in his student film. Pete Brock also grew up in the same area and drives the car. You can see a yellow theme on all of them. BTW: In High School Pete Brock customized his 46 Ford convertible and won his cl*** at the Oakland Roadster Show 2 years in a row. Lucas' 1966 student film
Mackenzie (American Graffiti) is the daughter of John Phillips & his first wife not Michelle (California Kid) (her second husband was Dennis Hopper of Easy Rider). Michelle & John had a daughter Chyna who teamed up with Brian Wilson's (Beach Boys) daughters to form the trio Wilson Phillips (they did a couple Beach Boys car songs). This sorta ties into hot rods and cruising with Boss Radio 93 KHJ in the 60s ---- But it's TMI so back to cars
I saw Milner's coupe today turning left out of Payne road heading north on 5&15 in Newington, CT. Glad it had the proper height grill shell in it.
Milner's, but the first car that I remember that really made me like hot rods was the McMullen roadster. I remember reading about it in a Street Rod magazine in the early 70's when I was in elementary school.
@29Sleeper Me saying purposely built as in stlye of cars thought on build 32 a DD , Street Racer , Transportation. the Kid DD , Cruiser H-R Style's 32 built like early 60's The Kid late 60's style ,Pete East said Actually built in 72 . When Movie company contracted to use the Kid in the movie, Did movie add the side pipes or all ready On ? I remember seeing many H-R's threw 70's to early 80's with side pipes in N-Va Area .my father had the Aluminum Thrush on his 40 Ply
Between those two, Milner's by a country mile. Full fenders and running boards are not my thing for a hot rod. CK is borderline street rod in my eyes. Albeit a pretty cool one. I am not a fan of yellow, and there's some stuff on Milner's car I don't care for, but it screams hot rod.
Like plum crazy Mopar muscle cars, the last thing we need is another Milner clone. Yeah, I said it. Were it not for the movie it was another slapped together hot rod that most would roll their eyes when seen. Now some will take a knee and say "BUT THAT'S HOW IT WAS!" Uh, no. It wasn't. My dear departed Dad was a racer and hot rodder. Not famous, not in the biz of hot rods, but he instilled the ideals of challenging yourself, and taking to task the best looking and safest version of what you imagine or want. Ive mutated into a version that never wants to hear "WTF izzat?" or "What was he thinking, that looks like ****." The 'Kid isn't my taste but I get it, and it is kool. I'd lose the flames and **** it up to a late 60s vibe with slotted mags like Ansen Sprints. But Jake's? The only hot rod from someone else that I'd love to own. It hit me hard unfinished in the magazine drop (Car Craft? Rod n Custom?). As I recall it was gonna be a nailhead or BBC. I remain as smitten today over that car as I was in print decades ago. Spent too much time starring at it in the Detroit Autorama 20yrs ago. Ok, ok. I know that was NOT the question...
Just to F%$k with you guys, here's the Kid before flames. You tell me what badd *** is . . . Also, this is the best wheel / tire combo it ever had. 4 1/2" reversed kidney-bean Halibrands up front and Mag 8" Palimides in back. Also, no nerf bars. Those came later and I built them. Sorry the photos aren't better. (shot in Gray Baskervilles driveway!)
Facts Toad and the 58 was the only part of that crew that had a fun night Milner = depressed Opie = aggravated. Had to hang out with Shirley. The Jaws scientist = anxious but was in second though became a pharaoh and met the Wolfman Toad = hung out with a chick that looked like Connie Stevens, witnessed a hold up, cruised a cool car, got in a fight and was the starter for an epic race
That's one fast Coupe. I saw it 3 days ago at Sunday's Wings & Wheels show at Cable airport in CA. I guess we could settle the "which is most popular" by the number of clones. But that number could be skewed by the cost to build.
There is a pic in my Pete and Jakes book of the 34 with no flames but it had the white pinstripes... in color That version is killer
Vic: Look who's talking. Hey, who's the wimp you're hanging out with now? Einstein? Debbie Dunham: Tiger happens to be very intelligent, unlike you. I know everything your dirty little mind is thinking - it shows. Terry Fields: Hey now, buddy, look. The lady obviously doesn't want to have... Vic: Look, creep. You want a knuckle sandwich? Terry Fields: Uh, no thanks. I'm waiting for a double Chucky Chuck.
Don't overlook the Chevy driver: Bob Falfa is a ****y, cowboy-hat-wearing street racer played by Harrison Ford in the film American Graffiti (1973) and its sequel More American Graffiti (1979). He drives a black 1955 Chevrolet and hunts down local hot-rod legend John Milner for a dawn drag race
Plenty to love about AG movie over the CA Kid movie. Car to car, it's got to be the Model 40. I think the CA Kid's influence as well as Pete and Jake's on the entire hobby was so large as to make the 34 our hands down winner. The CA Kid led to my love of the Model 40, as with so many around the country if not the world. It led to my purchase of a 5W and a lifelong affinity. Which in no way downplays the movie's impact. AG is my favorite movie of all time; the fact that my cousin is George Lucas' age and lived the scenes depicted in the movie as a Turlock HS kid driving up from Turlock to cruise the main in Modesto helps cement
I think these two cars represent Hot Rodding at its best. The California Kid car represents the high end -what many aspire to build- The AG coupe represents what many build and have built not quite as refined but built for speed and fun. Many, no most of us don’t possess the skills that the legendary group of guys who built the Kid do. That’s alright. @Pete Eastwood thanks for the history lesson. Dan
another history lesson The Kid was not a "high end build" Pete built it in his two car garage. He was raising two small kids and working at Clayton Manufacturing. Pete did the entire build, except the final body work & paint on the sheet metal. and the flames & pinstriping. Hell, it just had two bucket seats. It didn't have an interior until years later. Here it is January 1st 1972 when Pete, Randy Troxel & I picked it up in Glendora Ca.
Pete described most all H-R's I seen built , out side , carports & if a Garage it was not big enough to open both doors @ same time , cherry picker rare Engine where pulled from tree @ least this is what I did until mid to late 80's
Another action that was bad to do for H-R build not to be completed Wants gas tank went in No more gravity feed 1 gallon container most time the rest as in paint , interior " Forget about it " like my 32 now , No paint nor Interior, I probably can say the only H/R that I knew seen in person & ever seen completely 90-100% done before being driven was Just Gary sedan & his garage at the time was not much bigger than the car
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