The automotive community suffered a great loss last week with the passing of the King of the Kustomizers, George Barris. Like many my first introduction to his work came by way of the original Batmobile, but since further diving into car culture I’ve seen, and become a fan off, a lot of his other creations.
Today as sort of salute I’m going to post up a varied collection of a fraction of the cars he built, designed, or his shop had a part in creating.
I feel honored to have met him a few years ago at the Fleetwood Country Cruise In and to have seen him there again this year.
Start things off with the restored ‘Supervan’
If this van’s a rockin’…
The ‘Ala Kart’ is a 29 Model cab and 27 Model T bed that Barris heavily modified for Richard Peters, it won the America’s Most Beautiful Roadster Trophy twice and more info on it is hereAs some of you well know I have a small obsession with show rods and The George Barris Bathtub buggy is one of the wildestUntil this very day I had no idea that Redd Foxx and George Barris had any connection but apparently George built this for FoxxThe ‘Surf Woody’ is one of several more show rods George did
Several years too young to have ever watched the Munster’s I’ve only be told of the impact the Munster Coach had on-screen, many citing it as the best part of the show George didn’t design or build this or the Dragula below but they were both produced at his facility
I wasn’t too young to watch Knight Rider (in syndication) which I did quite a bit of growing up, ridiculous show now but cool as heck when I was a kid
I’ve seen a few interesting takes on KITT as well….Not all of George’s work was over the top, George and his brother Sam built the ‘Hirohata Merc’ cited as one of the most important customs at the time, beautiful carThe snake pit has 6 (!) Cobra Ford V8s, 2 transmissions, and 2 rear ends, it took four years to build, and theoretically makes 2000hp. It also kind of looks like a vehicle from Star Wars
This video goes through a number of his builds as well, from show rods, to the Flintsones, The Car, and a number of clean Kustoms in-between.
Obviously can’t end this post without a shot of the original Batmobile, and the man himself posing beside it, rest in peace
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