Overview
In 1972, Gray "Yer ol' dad" Baskerville of Hot Rod magazine introduced two young hot rodders, Pete Chapouris and Jim "Jake" Jacobs. They were both building traditional-style, though untraditional for the time, chopped '34 Coupes. They became fast friends and the build-up of their cars was followed along in Rod & Custom magazine where Jake worked. Eventually, the cars were photographed for the cover of the Nov. '73 issue, and the two guys decided to start a small business called Pete and Jake's Hot Rod Repair in Temple City, California.Then came the call from Hollywood, specifically Howie Horowitz, who wanted Pete's car for a made-for-TV Movie of the Week to be called The California Kid. The show starred a young actor called Martin Sheen.
The "Kid" put Pete and Jake's 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.
Pete and Jake's was eventually sold in 1987 to Jerry Slover. However, Pete and Jake have stayed friends, collaborated on many projects and, in 1995, teamed up again at Pete's SO-CAL Speed Shop where Jake heads up product development.
In Hot Rods by Pete and Jake, these two master craftsmen tell their fascinating stories by narrating captions to historical, personal photos. They describe not only the cars and people involved but also the ever-changing hot rod scene. It's a unique account that includes some of the biggest names in the hobby, including Gray Baskerville, Jeff Beck, Boyd Coddington, Pete Eastwood, Billy F Gibbons, Ed "Big Daddy" Roth, Thom Taylor, Robert Williams and ZZ Top.