Archive for category Kustoms
Danny Koker Building bikes, collecting cars are labors of love
Posted by rariccardi in Celebs, Kustoms on February 26, 2010
But the car that ZZ Top’s Billy Gibbons came in and stared at for an hour and a half is this radical 1941 Ford: chopped seven inches, channeled six inches over the frame, sectioned out of the body another four inches, with a genuine Carson removable top from the 1960s; paint-shot in satin black with flames hand-done in white ice pearl. It was first customized by George Barris, who designed the Batmobile.
Read the rest of the story by Doug Elfman over at the Las Vegas review Journal
RETROSPECTIVE THE CUSTOMS OF SAM BARRIS
Posted by rariccardi in Kustoms, Shops on February 26, 2010
Sam Barris
If you hear the name “Barris” , you’ll likely picture the wild Hollywood customs built by George Barris – cars like the original Batmobile, and Drag-u-la from the Munsters TV show. Although not as well known as his younger brother, Sam Barris made perhaps an even bigger contribution to the history of custom car building, pioneering the art of the chop top, among other things.
Barris Kustom Shop
Sam shared his brother’s love for building cars, but was a bit more of the quiet type in comparison to George’s bold nature. Before the second world war, the two brothers customized a hand-me-down ‘25 Buick that turned out to be the first of many Barris customs. After the war the Barris brothers reunited and came up with the idea of opening a a shop in Los Angeles. The Barris Kustom Shop was born.
1940 Mercury
One of Sam’s first personal projects was this 1940 Mercury that he built in the late ’40s. The car was shaved, chopped, and featured a removable Carson top.
removable Carson top
While by today’s standards the car looks like a lot of traditional customs, you have to remember all this was done in the late 1940’s. I imagine was quite a sight to see the car on the streets of Los Angeles back then, as Sam used it as a daily driver.
1949 Merc
After selling the ‘40, Sam went and bought a brand new 1949 Mercury with the idea of making into a chopped custom. Chopping was a new thing at this time, so it took a lot of planning before the car was cut up. When completed, the car would be one of, if not the world’s first chopped Merc. With four inches removed from the top, the seats had to be bolted to the floor in order to give enough head room.
fadeaway rear fender
Besides the groundbreaking roof chop, the ‘49 also had fadeaway rear fenders, molded front fenders, a custom front grill, one-off taillights, and side trim from a ‘48 Buick. The car was coated in dark green, with a green and white interior.
last year's Grand National Roadster Show in Pomona
After exchanging owners a few times, the Merc would eventually be fully restored to its original condition. It’s seen here at last year’s Grand National Roadster Show in Pomona.
Mercury, Bob Hirohata
After seeing Sam’s Mercury, Bob Hirohata was inspired to have a chopped Merc of his own. Sam did the chop on Hirohata’s ‘51 hardtop, and both it and Sam’s ‘49 helped make the ‘49-’51 Mercury the quintessential custom.
1950 Buick
Sam’s next project would be a 1950 Buick that took him nearly two years to finish. To give the fastback Buick a proper look, Sam sectioned the body to match the chop, and extended the rear fenders by four inches.
exotic production vehicle
With all the work put into the car, it looked more like an exotic production vehicle rather than a garage-built custom. In fact, a lot of these customs would get more attention than the factory concept cars of the day.
52 Ford convertible
One of Sam’s later projects was this ‘52 Ford convertible that he used as a family car. Like his past cars, it featured lots of shaving, frenching, and a handmade front grill. In keeping with the “family” theme, the car also included a baby bottle warmer and diaper storage…
55 Chevy
Following the Ford was another convertible, this one a ‘55 Chevy. The ‘55 was never known as a big custom platform, but if anyone could make it work, it was Sam Barris.
Sam would eventually grow tired of the fast-paced LA life. In the late ’50s he moved back to Northern California, where he worked out of his own shop. The last collaboration between and George and Sam was the “El Capitola” ‘57 Chevy, which debuted at the 1960 Sacramento Autorama.
Sam Barris would go on to work as fire commisioner in Northern California before he sadly passed away from cancer in 1967. Sam’s career as a customizer may have been short, his impact was as big as anyone.
It’ll be hard not to think about him the next time I see a chopped Merc at a car show…
-Mike Garrett
Yvonne DeCarlo Lilly Munster and One Sweet Barris Ride
Posted by rariccardi in Kustoms, TV Cars on February 1, 2010
Yvonne DeCarlo became famous from her roll as Lilly Munster in the TV series, The Munsters. The series only ran for two years and spawned two movies, but the role of the sweet, yet sensible vampiress Lily introduced Yvonne to a new, younger audience and reignited her career.
Yvonne Decarlo With Munster Car
Not entirely unrecognizable from her full-tilt glam studio days, Yvonne wore green makeup and a long, black fright wig with a silver streak as the wife of Frankenstein’s monster-esque Herman Munster. In a way, (along with Carolyn Jones as Morticia on “The Addams Family,” which also ran from 1964-66) Yvonne De Carlo’s Lily may have helped to spawn early goth chic, introducing long black hair, flowing empire-waisted gowns, and bat necklaces to the mainstream public.
De Carlo’s Killer Ride
De Carlo relished the role, going so far as to have her black 1966 Jaguar sedan tricked out by Hollywood customizer George Barris with spiderweb hubcaps, gold coffin rails in place of a luggage rack, and coffin-shaped door handles. The pièce de résistance? The traditional Jaguar hood ornament was replaced with a brass wolf’s head with gleaming ruby eyes.
During the later years of her career, Yvonne used her Scream Queen status granted by “The Munsters” to propel her career towards a second wind in B-horror movies to help pay the bills. Quite often, she was cast in the role of a seemingly innocuous housewife. Lurking beneath the surface of her famous, sparkling gray eyes, Yvonne’s characters harbored a startlingly evil nature, capable of killing someone in cold blood.
Read the rest over at the Ghouls on Film blog.
An Afternoon at the Petersen Automotive Museum
Posted by rariccardi in Car Shows, Events, Kustoms on January 18, 2010
Mike Garrett over at SpeedHunters.com continues his tour of the Peterson Auto Museum in LA. See the rest of teh great phots he took over at SpeedHunters.
George Barris Sold Weirdo Shirts and Sneakers
Posted by rariccardi in Kustoms, Pinups, Ratrods on January 18, 2010
weirdoshirts
weirdo_shirts
weirdo_shirts
Sanderson’s C & C Garage News
Posted by rariccardi in Kustoms on January 18, 2010
sanderson_garage_strykers
Well everyone knows how the economy was last year. Let’s hope that this year is better. We are gearing up to take 2 of our cars to Barrett Jackson in Scottsdale, AZ next week. Hopefully it will be good to us this year. We are also looking forward to a new project with George Barris the King Of Kustomizers this year. It’s a secret so I can’t tell you anything about it. Let’s just say that it will be exciting and Generally Motivating.
I don’t know when it will start but keep checking back.
That’s all for now. Thanks for reading.
Here some news from Sanderson’s C&C Garage. Check them out over at HubGarage.com
The History of Lowriders
Posted by rariccardi in Kustoms on January 18, 2010
Richard Gazzo in the Lowrider-Desgn blog, gives us little history of Lowriders and how the Barris Brothers influenced what has become one of the most creative areas of car customizing.
George Barris became the early face of lowriders by combining his creativity with his passion for cars and developing one of the first businesses to customize lowriders for sale. George and his brother, Sam, used their expertise in body work to straighten fenders, bolt on accessories, and use paint schemes that were unheard of during that time. Lowrider creations from the Barris brothers flourished into a very lucrative business. George used his business sense to introduce lowriders to Hollywood which resulted in not only the use of lowriders in many well known movies such as High School Confidential, but it also helped him “become the person” to contact when Hollywood stars wanted to transform their personal vehicles into lowriders.
Read the rest of the story at Lowriders-Design.com
Richard Gazzo is a successful writer offering advice on where to buy cheap rims, custom wheels including custom chrome wheels, spinning rims, wire wheels, automobile rims, alloy wheels and more.
Bugazzi: Relive The Glorious Seventies
Posted by rariccardi in Kustoms on January 5, 2010
This story about a Barris Kustom featured in a Hemmings listing was all over the web a few weeks ago. No matter what you think of the car, it makes a statement about a specific time in American culture. Here is the Hemmings listing:
Bugazzi
From the Hemmings listing:
1972 LINCOLN BUGAZZI
Finished in stunning 30 coats of custom, hand-rubbed Pearl lacquer with 24-carat gold leaf hand laid pin striping. Interior features include: Gold suede upholstery, Persian rugs, Italian marble, television, wet bar, and more! This Barris creation was sold new for $29,500 – nearly 3 times the cost of a Lincoln, and $10,000 more than a Rolls-Royce. It was marketed as the finest motorcar in the world to select celebrities such as Danny Thomas, Pia Maria, Enzo Stuarti, and Jack Hennesey just to name a few! With only 12 built, this unique Bugazzi is among one of the most sought after collectible motorcars of modern times. We are proud to offer this piece of motoring history to the most astute collector, investor, enthusiast, or museum who truly desires one of the greatest motorcars of all time. Buy with confidence—you will not be disappointed in this truly magnificent Barris creation!
bugazzi interior
We’ve wallowed in Bobcat inspired seventies nostalgia (or nausea), but that was just a little turd. If you really want to know what the seventies were all about you have to experience a taste of the huge wave of fine original artistic coach-crafted cars that enticed us. Perhaps the grandest (and most originally named) of them all was the Bugazzi, which contrary to a subversive and vicious rumor, had no connection whatsoever with a mere 1972 Lincoln Mark IV. And it can now be yours! The seller promises: “you will not be disappointed in this truly magnificent Barris creation!” All the gory details and pictures of its fine interior appointments follow:
bugazzi nose
Bat-Fan Tribute Video: George Barris’ 1966 TV Batmobile Car!
Posted by rariccardi in Kustoms, TV Cars on December 18, 2009
Here’s a pretty cool Tribute Video from a 60’s Batman TV Show Fan. It’s main focus is on footage of one of the very best Batmobile cars out there, the one designed by George Barris for the 1966 Batman TV Show!
Bugaloo Buggy created by George Barris
Posted by rariccardi in Kustoms, TV Cars on December 12, 2009
BuggyShow
BuggyShowGaryGeorge
Buggy with new owner, Gary Hillman (r), and creator, George Barris (l)!
BuggyShowGeorge
George Barris worshipping, I mean autographing the Buggy!
Barris at the Buggy
Buggy
Seen in public for the first time since being sold at auction in 1983, the Bugaloo
Buggy is pictured above featured in a car show in Sweden, April 10-12. George
Barris attended and signed the Buggy!
“George loved it and done a piece on TV about the car. I also built some new wings
and got them fully working as well. It really did look like it came alive when they
started flapping!” – Gary Hillman
How fantastic is that!
NewBuggy
NewBuggy
The Bugaloo Buggy has been found – AGAIN!
The last we knew of the whereabouts of the Buggy was in France in dark, underground storage.
Well, I am happy to say the Buggy is back in the light and has a new owner, Gary Hillman!
The Buggy is now in London and in the process of being fully restored. In fact, the Buggy will
be shown for the first time in over 30 years in a car show in Sweden in April. George Barris
is also scheduled to attend – what a reunion! I will provide details and pics of the show when
available. For now, enjoy the newest Buggy photos!!
I’m so happy I could fly!!!
Bugaloo Buggy
the Bugaloos Buggy, featured on “The Bugaloos” television series. Since the concept of the show, starring Martha Raye and the four Bugaloos, showed the group with wings enabling them to fly, it was determined logical for the car to “fly” and to “ride” on water. The buggy was equipped with two large flapping butterfly wings, and twin screws installed under the rear body for high-powered water sporting. Oversized headlights looked like the eyes of a bug, while the taillights were tunneled portholes that illuminate at night. Wide oval Firestone tires were installed on Ansen one-piece sprint wheels. The interior was individualized for each Bugaloo – each star having his/her own telephone system and Muntz stereo tape system with individual earphones. The buggy was painted in a green, yellow and orange butterfly theme with orange and purple pinstripes.
- Cars of the Stars, ©1974
showbuggy
The Bugaloos buggy was another television show car constructed especially at the Barris Kustom shop for Krofft Productions. The producers desired a small, wild-looking, fun buggy to incorporate into their new NBC-TV series. To supply an automotive interest for the series, Barris built the buggy in late 1969 to be used in the 1970-71 TV season. His motivation: the vehicle was to possess all of the fun characteristics that made the Meyers Manx dune buggy famous – yet push the concept beyond the envelope with attention-getting color and design elements. The goal was a completely different and vibrant look. Using a four-passenger body mounted on a Volkswagen floorpan, the buggy actually looked just like a bug – mixing well with the show characters who could fly and walk on water like little flying insects. The design featured a T-shaped rollbar set over the rear wheels with a pair of “wings” that gave the effect of an airborne bug yet allowed plenty of space for television camera maneuvers. The chassis rolled on Ansen Spring alloy wheels, highlighted with orange spoked centers. The fully fendered four-wheeler featured oversized headlights that looked just like bug eyes. On the outside, the paint scheme was a wild combination of green, yellow and orange applied to copy the markings found on a butterfly’s wing. There was much more. The interior was fitted with four custom bucket seats with leaf-like design elements that continued the buggy’s nature theme. Four Capitol Communications telephones and four Muntz stereo tape cartridge players were also installed. A four-tone horn was on board as well, offering a distinct tone for each one of the characters. Fully street legal, The Bugaloos buggy was used extensively in the show. When the series was introduced to the airwaves, Barris contracted with model kit manufacturer MPC to design a plastic model kit based on the program vehicle (which never saw production. See MCP catalog in Collectibles).