The picture featured on the front cover of the Beach Boys' 1963 album Little Deuce Coupe was supplied by Hot Rod magazine, and features the body (with his head cropped in the photo) of the car's owner Clarence 'Chili' Catallo and his own customized three-window 1932 Ford coupe.

Catallo had bought the car in 1956 for $75 in Michigan when he was 15 years old.
Catallo replaced the stock Ford V-8 engine (as in the song) with a newer OHV Oldsmobile V8, chopped and channelled to lower the top by 6 in (15 cm).
Much of the original customizing work, including the stacked headlights (from a later 1960 Chrysler 300H), side trim, and grille was done by Mike and Larry Alexander in the Detroit suburb of Southfield.
After Catallo moved to Southern California, additional work, including the chopped top, was done in 1960–61 at Kustom City, George Barris' North Hollywood auto customizing shop.
This led to the magazine cover and two years later, the shot was featured as the cover for The Beach Boys' fourth album.
Catallo sold the coupe a few years later but, urged by his son Curt, was able to buy it back in the late 1990s for $40,000.
The car had since been additionally modified but was restored by Catallo with many of the original parts, so it is again nearly identical to the famous photo.
In 2000, the hot rod won the "People's Choice" award at the Meadow Brook Concours d'Elegance.
The picture featured on the front cover of the Beach Boys' 1963 album Little Deuce Coupe was supplied by Hot Rod magazine, and features the body (with his head cropped in the photo) of the car's owner Clarence 'Chili' Catallo and his own customized three-window 1932 Ford coupe.
Catallo had bought the car in 1956 for $75 in Michigan when he was 15 years old. Catallo replaced the stock Ford V-8 engine (as in the song) with a newer OHV Oldsmobile V8, chopped and channelled to lower the top by 6 in (15 cm). Much of the original customizing work, including the stacked headlights (from a later 1960 Chrysler 300H), side trim, and grille was done by Mike and Larry Alexander in the Detroit suburb of Southfield. After Catallo moved to Southern California, additional work, including the chopped top, was done in 1960–61 at Kustom City, George Barris' North Hollywood auto customizing shop. This led to the magazine cover and two years later, the shot was featured as the cover for The Beach Boys' fourth album. Catallo sold the coupe a few years later but, urged by his son Curt, was able to buy it back in the late 1990s for $40,000. The car had since been additionally modified but was restored by Catallo with many of the original parts, so it is again nearly identical to the famous photo. In 2000, the hot rod won the "People's Choice" award at the Meadow Brook Concours d'Elegance.
1932 Ford