# 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:** 5
**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 13, 2017, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-people-can-you-explain-little-deuce-coupe-lyrics/776841/81 "2017-01-13T22:27:27Z")
Wiki says otherwise, but what do they know: _A consequence of the problematic nature in adaptation of large diameter exhaust tubing to the undercarriage of ladder-frame or body-on-frame chassis architecture vehicles with altered geometry suspensions, lake pipes evolved to become a front-engined vehicle exhaust archetype crafted by specialty motor sport engine specialists of the 1930s, 40s and 50s, whose preoccupation was optimization of the acoustic effect associated with high output internal combustion engines. The name is derived from their use on the vast, empty dry lake beds northeast of Los Angeles County, where engine specialists of yore custom crafted, interchanged and evaluated one-piece header manifolds of various mil thicknesses, a function of temperature, humidity, elevation and climate they anticipated._ ---
**Author:** ![CannyDan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cannydan/32/548_2.png) [@CannyDan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CannyDan)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2017, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-people-can-you-explain-little-deuce-coupe-lyrics/776841/82 "2017-01-13T23:04:42Z")
Yeah, I read the Wiki earlier. But I’m still unsatisfied with it. Accepting this explanation requires a cart/horse inversion that seems unlikely. Exhausts surely underwent development, and that required wide open spaces for testing. Dry lake beds were great for that, where available. No argument. But these exhausts were not developed _for_ lake beds. Lake beds were not their intended use. There was no more relationship between these exhausts and a lake bed than between exhausts and welders, or jack stands. The lake was irrelevant except as the location where some of the development occurred. Some, but nowhere near all. People all over the country were experimenting with exhausts and plenty of them didn’t even know that dry lake beds existed. Smugglers, moonshiners, and plain old car nuts were building hot rods everywhere. The idea that Los Angeles completely dominated exhaust development to such an extent that even an obscure (to 95% of hot rod builders) and irrelevant test site became the nationally recognized jargon term for an exhaust configuration seems more like a conceit of Californians than accurate history. And there’s that damned memory thing I’ve got. I really do remember, or at least think I remember, seeing ads for exhausts in hot rod magazines for systems made by “Lake…” something or other. As I said above, lots of people today have no idea that “Scotch tape” was a brand name and now is used generically. I believe the same thing happened to Lake pipes. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2017, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-people-can-you-explain-little-deuce-coupe-lyrics/776841/83 "2017-01-13T23:23:07Z")
> [@CannyDan](#): > > People all over the country were experimenting with exhausts and plenty of them didn’t even know that dry lake beds existed. Oh, I think they knew [Bonneville](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bonneville_Speedway) existed. ---
**Author:** ![JoeJoey7](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/96bed5/32.png) [@JoeJoey7](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JoeJoey7)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2017, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-people-can-you-explain-little-deuce-coupe-lyrics/776841/84 "2017-03-21T23:08:26Z")
Several have mentioned that “Ported and relieved” refers to opening the passages in the head to increase air flow. True that procedure is to increase air flow but in this case it would not be in the head as the deuce coupe has a “flathead mill”. ---
**Author:** ![MacCat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maccat/32/216_2.png) [@MacCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MacCat)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2017, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-people-can-you-explain-little-deuce-coupe-lyrics/776841/85 "2017-03-22T03:34:25Z")
> [@gigi](#): > > Speaking out, decipher me this: > > I got a '69 Chevy with a 396 > Fuelie heads and a Hurst on the floor Fuelie heads was actually a mistake, they were only for the small block Chevy engine, not the big block 396. ---
**Author:** ![kanicbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2017, 12:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-people-can-you-explain-little-deuce-coupe-lyrics/776841/86 "2017-03-22T12:12:35Z")
> [@D.E.S.K.Top668](#): > > … Ricers are the “Kustomizers” of the import scene. Even if they put a bit of go in their cars, they’re mainly about show. Tuners are the “Rodders.” … I would disagree with that, Tuners/Rodders are ones who live by the motto there is no replacement for displacement and sports modified V8 powerplants under the hood, Ricer’s are the ones that turbo the shit out their 4 bangers light weight (typically) asian made cars to get their hard on. As in both categories there is a ‘for show’ subgroup of ‘Kustomizers’, which may or may not put into the power/handling of the car. ---
**Author:** ![CWeb44](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/90db22/32.png) [@CWeb44](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CWeb44)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2017, 4:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-people-can-you-explain-little-deuce-coupe-lyrics/776841/87 "2017-09-03T04:32:40Z")
To put this to rest once and for all, the lyric is Big Slip Daddy, 60s hot rod slang for posi-traction, also know as a limited slip differential. When you actually read the lyrics, this fits much better than pink slip, daddy. If you own the car, then of course you have the pink slip! I can’t imagine someone bragging about that after listing a pile of performance upgrades he had added to the car. Also, I might point out that the claim to “get rubber in all four gears” occurs after this and would be preposterous without Posi-trac. Reading the lyrics purely from my car guy lens, this is the only conclusion I can come to. The idea that it is pink slip, daddy simply doesn’t ring true to me. I believe that the “racing for pinks” slang that does exist has only added to this myth/confusion about what the song really says. In addition, I am lucky enough to have seen The Beach Boys in concert and the word I heard was big, not pink. These guys loved cars and knew the slang as well as anyone. Big Slip Daddy was a very colorful and whimsical term that begs to be used in the way they did it. One other note is that Lake pipes, also called side pipes, ARE as suggested before a brand turned common slang. Lake Engineering was the original manufacturer of that style of exhaust. And just like Q-tip, Band-Aid, and Scotch tape; their popularity led to the moniker being born. And now you know, the rest, of the story… ---
**Author:** ![CannyDan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cannydan/32/548_2.png) [@CannyDan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CannyDan)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2017, 5:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-people-can-you-explain-little-deuce-coupe-lyrics/776841/88 "2017-09-03T05:52:19Z")
> [@CWeb44](#): > > \ One other note is that Lake pipes, also called side pipes, ARE as suggested before a brand turned common slang. Lake Engineering was the original manufacturer of that style of exhaust. And just like Q-tip, Band-Aid, and Scotch tape; their popularity led to the moniker being born. > > And now you know, the rest, of the story… Yes! As my Post #80 says, that exactly fits my memory. My mind’s eye still retains images of ads for exhaust systems being sold by Lake Engineering. Secondly, for all these years I’ve accepted others’ certainty about pink slips, even though it makes no sense to me in the context of young male braggadocio. I built street racers, and engaged in street racing, during the time period this song covers. My buddies and I bragged about times, and hardware, and other matters related to automotive performance. And we bragged about our own prowess and courage. (Street racing wasn’t for sissies; or at least, sissies weren’t very successful at it.) But never once did I ever hear anyone’s challenge include a reference like “…and I own it, too! Nya, nya, nya!” Who cares if you own it, or you just stole it from your grandma? What matters is what it will _do_. The fact that I too hear “big slip, daddy!” quite clearly is supportive but not (by itself) dispositive. ---
**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:** [September 3, 2017, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-people-can-you-explain-little-deuce-coupe-lyrics/776841/89 "2017-09-03T14:46:31Z")
> [@CWeb44](#): > > To put this to rest once and for all, the lyric is Big Slip Daddy, 60s hot rod slang for posi-traction, also know as a limited slip differential. When you actually read the lyrics, this fits much better than pink slip, daddy. If you own the car, then of course you have the pink slip! I can’t imagine someone bragging about that after listing a pile of performance upgrades he had added to the car. Also, I might point out that the claim to “get rubber in all four gears” occurs after this and would be preposterous without Posi-trac. Reading the lyrics purely from my car guy lens, this is the only conclusion I can come to. The idea that it is pink slip, daddy simply doesn’t ring true to me. I believe that the “racing for pinks” slang that does exist has only added to this myth/confusion about what the song really says. > > In addition, I am lucky enough to have seen The Beach Boys in concert and the word I heard was big, not pink. These guys loved cars and knew the slang as well as anyone. Big Slip Daddy was a very colorful and whimsical term that begs to be used in the way they did it. > > One other note is that Lake pipes, also called side pipes, ARE as suggested before a brand turned common slang. Lake Engineering was the original manufacturer of that style of exhaust. And just like Q-tip, Band-Aid, and Scotch tape; their popularity led to the moniker being born. > > And now you know, the rest, of the story… This is why the internet will be the doom of society. People who don’t know squat will add their worthless opinions to history long after the issue has been settled, and others will believe their garbage. No cites, no logic, no comprehension of the issue. A total waste of electrons there, bunky. Thanks for playing. ---
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2017, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-people-can-you-explain-little-deuce-coupe-lyrics/776841/90 "2017-09-03T15:21:59Z")
> [@G0sp3l](#): > > In _Shut Down_, there’s a line about _“two cool shorts sitting side by side”_ > > What is a short? In addition to “shorts,” there are a number of other things in **Shut Down** I am unfamiliar with: > [@](#): > > Yeah, my fuel injected Stingray and a four-thirteen What’s a 413? Does it refer to an engine? > [@](#): > > Gotta be cool now power shift here we go What is power shifting? > [@](#): > > To get the traction I’m ridin’ the clutch What does it mean to “ride the clutch”? ---
**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:** [September 3, 2017, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-people-can-you-explain-little-deuce-coupe-lyrics/776841/91 "2017-09-03T15:34:22Z")
_What’s a 413? Does it refer to an engine?_ Yes. Here’s a [video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yYa0fmWbvZw) of a 413 small block (in a Blazer!) tearing up a 1/4 mile. _What is power shifting?_ A technique where you don’t take your foot off the gas when shifting. You just keep is balls-out and blip the clutch just enough to get into a higher gear without losing power for a single bit. _What does it mean to “ride the clutch”?_ If you are riding the clutch it means you are keeping your foot on the clutch pedal, partially disengaging the clutch. This normally is a Bad Thing. ---
**Author:** ![Enter\_the\_Flagon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Enter\_the\_Flagon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enter_the_Flagon)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2017, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-people-can-you-explain-little-deuce-coupe-lyrics/776841/92 "2017-09-03T17:25:25Z")
> [@CWeb44](#): > > To put this to rest once and for all, the lyric is Big Slip Daddy, 60s hot rod slang for posi-traction, also know as a limited slip differential. When you actually read the lyrics, this fits much better than pink slip, daddy. If you own the car, then of course you have the pink slip! I can’t imagine someone bragging about that after listing a pile of performance upgrades he had added to the car. Also, I might point out that the claim to “get rubber in all four gears” occurs after this and would be preposterous without Posi-trac. Reading the lyrics purely from my car guy lens, this is the only conclusion I can come to. The idea that it is pink slip, daddy simply doesn’t ring true to me. I believe that the “racing for pinks” slang that does exist has only added to this myth/confusion about what the song really says. None of this is correct, unfortunately. In short: A- It’s entirely possible to “get rubber” without positraction - if anything, it’s easier, since it’s the result of engine horsepower overwhelming the tire’s ability to grip the asphalt. B- Of course the song’s author has the title to the car. In this instance, though, he’s bragging that he has the title in his immediate possession at that moment, presumably because he’s willing to wager the title on a race - an activity that we know has a basis in reality, unlike the use of the term “big slip”. C- And if the term “big slip” had ever existed, it would be possible to come up with examples of its use other than in that one particular song (and if the examples were from the early 60’s, that would make for a fairly convincing argument). So if you don’t mind, show us these examples or, barring that, come back and admit your mistake. ---
**Author:** ![Mangosteen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Mangosteen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangosteen)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2017, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-people-can-you-explain-little-deuce-coupe-lyrics/776841/93 "2017-09-03T18:26:59Z")
Why wouldn’t he have the Pink Slip? He borrowed money from a bank and he finally paid off the loan so the bank gave him the Pink Slip. This seems unlikely because what bank is going to loan money to a teenager so they could buy a hot rod? He bought the car from his grandfather who wouldn’t give him the Pink Slip until he paid off all the money he owed the grandfather. This also seems unlikely because why wouldn’t the grandfather trust his grandson enough to give him the Pink Slip up front? During the era we are talking about, did any of the teenagers driving around their hot rods NOT have the Pink Slip? The point being, why would the person in the song be bragging about the fact that he had the Pink Slip when in reality the vast majority of his peers all had the Pink Slips to their vehicles? ---
**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:** [September 3, 2017, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-people-can-you-explain-little-deuce-coupe-lyrics/776841/94 "2017-09-03T18:30:01Z")
They didn’t. It was still on loan, or it was really Dad’s extra car that Sonny fixed up, or something like that. Very, very few teenagers (and we are talking over 18 here) would actually “own” their car outright. You’d still owe somebody some money somewhere. Having a paid-off car of your own was something to brag about. ---
**Author:** ![california\_jobcase](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9d8465/32.png) [@california\_jobcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/california_jobcase)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2017, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-people-can-you-explain-little-deuce-coupe-lyrics/776841/95 "2017-09-04T15:42:49Z")
Just a couple things on the tech end- It’s a flat head, so most of the porting and relieving will be done in the engine block. Flat heads don’t have ports in them. Stroking requires modifying the crankshaft pins with offset grinding, or swapping in a different crankshaft with a longer stroke. Just changing the connecting rods won’t change the stroke, but it could change the compression ratio. ---
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2017, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-people-can-you-explain-little-deuce-coupe-lyrics/776841/96 "2017-09-04T22:13:47Z")
> [@Mangosteen](#): > > Why wouldn’t he have the Pink Slip? Yes, to most of your suppositions. I grew up in a car culture. We were not rich kids. I knew lots of kids with hot rods but none of them owned them outright. So pink slip = bragging rights. But I think the bigger thing is (as mentioned earlier) is that he had it with him _at the time_. The implication being that he is so confident about racing anyone that he brought it with him to race for pinks. ---
**Author:** ![DSYoungEsq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c6cbf5/32.png) [@DSYoungEsq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSYoungEsq)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2017, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-people-can-you-explain-little-deuce-coupe-lyrics/776841/97 "2017-09-05T03:28:33Z")
> [@Lucas\_Jackson](#): > > Yes, to most of your suppositions. I grew up in a car culture. We were not rich kids. I knew lots of kids with hot rods but none of them owned them outright. So pink slip = bragging rights. > > But I think the bigger thing is (as mentioned earlier) is that he had it with him _at the time_. The implication being that he is so confident about racing anyone that he brought it with him to race for pinks. In my opinion, that is ridiculously contrived. :dubious: Let’s make the simple point here: in the absence of a direct statement from one of the Beach Boys, or some other equally dispositive evidence (such as the lyrics on the jacket cover of an album issued at the time), there is no way to resolve this ongoing debate over “pink slip daddy” vs. “Big Slip Daddy”. There is no way to resolve it otherwise, and it’s a debate that has heated up Teh Intarwebz for some time, based upon my search. If you are making a positive assertion one way or the other without having definitive dispositive evidence, you’re not adding anything to the debate at this point. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2017, 6:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-people-can-you-explain-little-deuce-coupe-lyrics/776841/98 "2017-09-05T06:27:58Z")
> [@DSYoungEsq](#): > > If you are making a positive assertion one way or the other without having definitive dispositive evidence, you’re not adding anything to the debate at this point. First of all you might want to look up the definition of debate. Second, I’m adding to this discussion like everyone in this two page thread, offering my opinions. If you go to live versions of The Beach Boys singing this song “pink” is much more apparent (that and on every other cover on the internet). What is ridiculous is you putting words and intentions in my mouth and thinking you can shut down this conversation by asserting that someone must have a copy of the liner notes for it to continue. 🙂 ---
**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:** [September 5, 2017, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-people-can-you-explain-little-deuce-coupe-lyrics/776841/99 "2017-09-05T15:22:08Z")
> [@DSYoungEsq](#): > > In my opinion, that is ridiculously contrived. :dubious: > > Let’s make the simple point here: in the absence of a direct statement from one of the Beach Boys, **or some other equally dispositive evidence (such as the lyrics on the jacket cover of an album issued at the time), there is no way to resolve this ongoing debate over “pink slip daddy” vs. “Big Slip Daddy”.** There is no way to resolve it otherwise, and it’s a debate that has heated up Teh Intarwebz for some time, based upon my search. > > If you are making a positive assertion one way or the other without having definitive dispositive evidence, you’re not adding anything to the debate at this point. 🙂 Or we could, I don’t know, maybe check the sheet music. Where it plainly says “pink slip.” So it is you that is contributing nothing to this ridiculous discussion. ---
**Author:** ![outlierrn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/outlierrn/32/3005_2.png) [@outlierrn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/outlierrn)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2017, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-people-can-you-explain-little-deuce-coupe-lyrics/776841/100 "2017-09-05T17:29:34Z")
I always figured the importance of the pink slip was meant kinda ironically, ‘yeah, and it’s got seatbelts.’ [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-people-can-you-explain-little-deuce-coupe-lyrics/776841.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-people-can-you-explain-little-deuce-coupe-lyrics/776841.md?page=6)