One of the first cars that PC3g was involved in was the restoration, for Bruce Meyer, of the Pierson Brothers' coupe, which led to an enduring association and the eventual restoration of Alex Xydias' So-Cal bellytanker.

Cover-quality cars were produced by PC3g with prodigious speed, and the list included Don Simpson's "Killer Coupe," several cars for Billy F. Gibbons (including a '36 three-window coupe and "Kopperhed"), and an extended-cab Model A pickup for Chuck de Heras. However, the crowning glory in PC3g's body of work is the restoration of the Doane Spencer roadster for Bruce Meyer. Built by Doane in 1948 to compete in the infamous Carrera Panamericana Mexican road race, this car has an impeccable pedigree. By installing Lincoln drum brakes, 16-inch wheels, and raising the engine, exhausts and gas tank to increase ground clearance, Doane unwittingly spawned the classic "highboy" look that enthusiasts the world over continue to emulate more than 40 years later. It's also a look that won the hearts of the Pebble Beach judges, winning the inaugural Pebble Beach Historic Concours d'Elegance Hot Rod Class. It also won the perpetual Dean Batchelor Memorial Award for Excellence.

The win at Pebble Beach would be a fitting end to a chapter but not before Pete and his friend Alex were selected as two of the Top 100 Most Influential People in the high-performance industry and, as such, were inducted into the Hot Rod magazine Hall of Fame in 1997. Our story doesn't end there, though. For a while, Alex had been working behind the scenes with Pete Chapouris to resurrect the famed So-Cal Speed Shop. On November 21, 1997, that dream became a reality, and PC3g changed its name to So-Cal Speed Shop to begin another chapter in this on-going hot rod history.