# Car people, can you explain "Little Deuce Coupe" lyrics? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 10, 2017, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-people-can-you-explain-little-deuce-coupe-lyrics/776841 "2017-01-10T22:59:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2017, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-people-can-you-explain-little-deuce-coupe-lyrics/776841/21 "2017-01-11T01:59:53Z")
In the song, probably. On the album cover, [definitely not.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Little_Deuce_Coupe#/media/File:Little_Deuce_Coupe.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2017, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-people-can-you-explain-little-deuce-coupe-lyrics/776841/22 "2017-01-11T03:22:56Z")
OK line by line: Just a little deuce coupe with a flat head mill _Flat head Ford V8_ But she’ll walk a Thunderbird like it’s standin’ still _walk= pull away from in a race at a walking pace. Like it’s standing still= faster than a walking pace_ She’s ported and relieved and she’s stroked and bored. _ported = increase the size of the intake/exhaust poets, relieved = removed (relieved) castings obstructions in the block. Stroked = increased the stroke of the crankshaft to increase the displacement of the engine. Bored = increasing the diameter of the cylinder to increase the displacement of the engine._ She’ll do a hundred and forty with the top end floored _With your foot flat on the floor the car will go 140. Top end = as fast as it will go_ She’s my little deuce coupe You don’t know what I got (My little deuce coupe) (You don’t know what I got) She’s got a competition clutch with the four on the floor _Stronger clutch, shifter on the floor,not the column_ And she purrs like a kitten till the lake pipes roar _Exhaust cut out for the lake pipe (run down the side of the car under the doors)_ And if that aint enough to make you flip your lid There’s one more thing, I got the pink slip daddy _Pink slip = Title, he owns it outright._ And comin’ off the line when the light turns green Well she blows 'em outta the water like you never seen I get pushed out of shape and it’s hard to steer _Gets sideways under hard acceleration, a handful to correct._ When I get rubber in all four gears _Each time he grabs a new gear there is so much power the tires lose traction and leave tire marks “rubber” on the pavement_ ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2017, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-people-can-you-explain-little-deuce-coupe-lyrics/776841/23 "2017-01-11T03:31:21Z")
The lyrics were written by Roger Christian, BTW. Brain knew as much about cars as he knew about surfing. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2017, 5:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-people-can-you-explain-little-deuce-coupe-lyrics/776841/24 "2017-01-11T05:06:13Z")
Somehow, a DJ writing the lyrics doesn’t fill me with confidence either. Maybe Roger’s brother was into car culture like Dennis was into surfing. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2017, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-people-can-you-explain-little-deuce-coupe-lyrics/776841/25 "2017-01-11T14:30:13Z")
> [@Onthefly](#): > > My guess is that this bad boy is candy apple red metalflake and the seats are tucked and rolled. You know, I really love the feel of tuck and roll upholstery. Anyway, I also thought “deuce” referred to a two-door making “deuce coupé” a bit redundant. Are we sure that it refers to 1932? ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2017, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-people-can-you-explain-little-deuce-coupe-lyrics/776841/26 "2017-01-11T14:40:06Z")
Yes we are. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2017, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-people-can-you-explain-little-deuce-coupe-lyrics/776841/27 "2017-01-11T15:44:42Z")
[Lake pipes](https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nsS2c3toVE8/VxkVYdV6rFI/AAAAAAAAFlA/x46fAB-yZHUklvR6TBZfJCVbbKVciJ-SACKgB/s1600/IMG_4045.JPG), in case the OP is still wondering. ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2017, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-people-can-you-explain-little-deuce-coupe-lyrics/776841/28 "2017-01-11T15:58:55Z")
Wow… all of this lingo is part of my foundational knowledge. Is it really that obscure in the era of chipped, flattened ricers? ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2017, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-people-can-you-explain-little-deuce-coupe-lyrics/776841/29 "2017-01-11T16:14:25Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > What’s the last car that came with the gear shift on the column, anyway? Or are there still some being made? Somebody already answered, but I’ll mention this: My dad had a '74 Toyota Hilux with four forward gears (and floor-mounted shift lever). IIRC, the '75 model came with a 5-speed. The MGB was built until 1980, and it had a 4-speed transmission, though electrically-operated overdrive in 3rd and 4th were common. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2017, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-people-can-you-explain-little-deuce-coupe-lyrics/776841/30 "2017-01-11T16:14:49Z")
> [@Amateur\_Barbarian](#): > > Wow… all of this lingo is part of my foundational knowledge. Is it really that obscure in the era of chipped, flattened ricers? Are you sure you don’t mean tuners? ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2017, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-people-can-you-explain-little-deuce-coupe-lyrics/776841/31 "2017-01-11T17:12:47Z")
> [@ftg](#): > > You know, I really love the feel of tuck and roll upholstery. > Anyway, I also thought “deuce” referred to a two-door making “deuce coupé” a bit redundant. Are we sure that it refers to 1932? > [@silenus](#): > > Yes we are. Yup. Also, _Blinded By the Light_ by Bruce Springsteen. "Cut loose like a deuce, another runner in the night " ---
**Author:** ![Mangosteen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Mangosteen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangosteen)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2017, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-people-can-you-explain-little-deuce-coupe-lyrics/776841/32 "2017-01-11T17:51:30Z")
_She’s ported and relieved and she’s stroked and bored_ Do people still do this to engines today to make them more powerful or were these things what one had to do to engines 50 years ago to make the 1930’s engines go faster? ---
**Author:** ![scabpicker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scabpicker/32/8268_2.png) [@scabpicker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scabpicker)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2017, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-people-can-you-explain-little-deuce-coupe-lyrics/776841/33 "2017-01-11T18:21:32Z")
> [@Mangosteen](#): > > _She’s ported and relieved and she’s stroked and bored_ > > Do people still do this to engines today to make them more powerful or were these things what one had to do to engines 50 years ago to make the 1930’s engines go faster? Yes, people still do it. Stroking and boring increases the displacement (the volume of air/fuel mix an engine can pump in a complete firing sequence), which is a fairly foolproof method to getting more power out of an engine, since it’s a bigger engine when you’re finished with it. The heads are usually designed to be somewhat all purpose. There’s plenty to be done (porting and relieving) in most of them if absolute performance is your goal. [Here’s](http://www.iagperformance.com/IAG-Subaru-EJ25-CNC-Cylinder-Head-Porting-Service-p/iag-mss-3000chs.htm) a company offering CNC porting of my engine’s heads. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2017, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-people-can-you-explain-little-deuce-coupe-lyrics/776841/34 "2017-01-11T18:21:52Z")
They still do it today. Just not with the engines they put in your average sedan. Some people do the work themselves; others buy complete engine/tranny combinations from speed shops and just drop them in. Watch _Counting Cars_ on the History Channel sometime. Danny and his crew put out some amazing cars, with tuned engines that are works of art. ---
**Author:** ![peedin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peedin/32/14095_2.png) [@peedin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/peedin)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2017, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-people-can-you-explain-little-deuce-coupe-lyrics/776841/35 "2017-01-11T18:27:47Z")
I hear the lyrics as “she’s got the big slip, Daddy” as in slip differential. ---
**Author:** ![scabpicker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scabpicker/32/8268_2.png) [@scabpicker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scabpicker)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2017, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-people-can-you-explain-little-deuce-coupe-lyrics/776841/36 "2017-01-11T18:30:21Z")
> [@peedin](#): > > I hear the lyrics as “she’s got the big slip, Daddy” as in slip differential. But in differentials, you would want a limited slip, not a big slip. A big slip would be a peg-legged smoke machine. Which is still fun, but not usually fast. ---
**Author:** ![74westy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/74westy/32/3950_2.png) [@74westy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/74westy)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2017, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-people-can-you-explain-little-deuce-coupe-lyrics/776841/37 "2017-01-11T19:21:28Z")
> [@scabpicker](#): > > But in differentials, you would want a limited slip, not a big slip. A big slip would be a peg-legged smoke machine. Which is still fun, but not usually fast. What is a big slip differential? I got curious and I’ve found a few Google results claiming that “big slip” was '60s hot rodder slang for limited slip and that the lyrics actually are “big slip, daddy” For [example](http://www.wow.com/wiki/Limited-slip_differential) > [@](#): > > In The Beach Boys’ song 409, the lyrics mention the presence of a limited-slip differential: “…My four-speed, dual-quad, Positraction 4-0-9 (4-0-9, 4-0-9).” Their song Little Deuce Coupe also mentions a limited-slip differential: “…And if that ain’t enough to make you flip your lid, there’s one more thing: I’ve got the big slip, daddy.” Big slip, slang for a limited-slip differential, is often mis-heard as “pink slip,” slang for a vehicle’s certificate of title. Don’t know if this is convincing to anyone but it’s not the only result in a search for “big slip” differential and it always sounded like “big slip” to me. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2017, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-people-can-you-explain-little-deuce-coupe-lyrics/776841/38 "2017-01-11T19:31:01Z")
Listen to the Beach Boys sing the song live - “Beach Boys Concert” is a good place to start. The lyric is “pink slip.” Unless my ears have been fooling me for the last 40 years. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2017, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-people-can-you-explain-little-deuce-coupe-lyrics/776841/39 "2017-01-11T19:48:15Z")
> [@peedin](#): > > I hear the lyrics as “she’s got the big slip, Daddy” as in slip differential. I’ve always heard it as “pink slip.” I just listened to it closely on my phone with my ear buds in, and heard “pink slip.” And I have a pretty faithful cover by Jan and Dean, and they also sing it as “pink slip.” ---
**Author:** ![Tired\_and\_Cranky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a87d85/32.png) [@Tired\_and\_Cranky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tired_and_Cranky)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2017, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-people-can-you-explain-little-deuce-coupe-lyrics/776841/40 "2017-01-11T19:56:36Z")
> [@peedin](#): > > I hear the lyrics as “she’s got the big slip, Daddy” as in slip differential. I’ve always heard, “I’ve got the pink slip, Daddy.” I think the idea is to suggest not just that he owns the car but that he has the pink slip with him and would bet his car against “Daddy” in a race if Daddy agreed (“Daddy” being short for a dismissive “daddy-o” as others have suggested. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-people-can-you-explain-little-deuce-coupe-lyrics/776841.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-people-can-you-explain-little-deuce-coupe-lyrics/776841.md?page=3)