All Hail The King Of The Kustomizers
George Barris may have passed on in 2015, but he remains the undisputed King of the Kustomizers. You've seen his work in some of Hollywood's most iconic movies and shows—but his catalogue of incredible custom creations goes back decades.
A Rough Start
George Barris came into the world on November 20, 1925—he was born George Salapatas, but his Greek immigrant parents changed the family name to Barris. Barris and his older brother, Sam, started off in Chicago—but their lives changed forever on the heels of a sudden tragedy.
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Moving On
Barris’ mother passed on when he was very young, and when he was just three years old, his father sent him and his brother Sam to live with their aunt and uncle. The two boys found themselves in a strange, new world: Roseville, California. For Barris, the change in locale would prove to be the best steppingstone for his entrance into the world of custom cars.
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He Was Born For It
Barris’ aunt and uncle fostered his love of cars, and by the time he was seven years old, he was a pro at building and customizing model cars made out of balsa wood. The attention to detail in his work led his model cars to win several contests, which had been sponsored by local hobby shops.
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His First Custom
Barris’ aunt and uncle owned a Greek restaurant, so he and his brother worked there part-time—their hard work paid off when they were given a rundown 1925 Buick, as thanks for all their help. The brothers wasted no time revamping the vehicle. Technically, this was Barris’ first real custom creation, but it was once they sold this Buick for a 1929 Model A Ford that the brothers truly got rolling.
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The Kustoms Car Club
After customizing the old Buick and Ford, the Barris brothers started making a name for themselves among their peers at San Juan High School. People wanted to see more of what they could do, and the brothers ended up creating the Kustoms Car Club—it was the first time Barris used the distinctive spelling of “Kustom” that he would become known for.
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He Was A Motorhead
Barris’ passion for cars soon became all he could think of—after school, he would rush to go sweep floors at a local auto shop, and he had no wish to keep working for his family’s restaurant. When Barris was 18, he decided it was time to follow his passion to the fullest.
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Their First Shop
Barris and his brother Sam moved to Los Angeles and made themselves known in the rising teen car culture there. Then, they opened Barris Custom Shop, in Bell, California. With their own shop, the Barris brothers started building custom creations for private buyers. George Barris also took up racing his car for a time—but something even more thrilling was on the horizon.
In The Spotlight
In 1948, George Barris’ cars caught the eye of Robert E Petersen, the publisher of Hot Rod magazine. Petersen organized the first hot rod show in Los Angeles—and one of Barris’ modified cars was the only custom car in the show.
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Bill Carr’s 1955 Chevrolet “Aztec”
Barris created this flashy dreamboat for his roommate Bill Carr. Carr also had some experience with automotive design, so he provided lots of input into this creation.
The Aztec was a modified 1955 Chevrolet convertible, featuring several eye-catching elements.
Bill Carr’s 1955 Chevrolet “Aztec”
Some of the most notable modifications include taillights that were handcrafted from red Lucite, tailfins from a Studebaker Hawk, and rear fenders that were stretched an incredible 18 inches.
Beneath the hood, the Aztec was powered by a 350 Chevy small block engine and equipped with 700R4 transmission.
The Hirohata Merc
In 1951, George and Sam Barris got to work on customizing a 1951 Mercury that was own by Bob Hirohata. The end result was the “Hirohata Merc,” which would go on to be displayed at the 1952 General Motors Motorama show. The car was a hit, but while new doors were opening for George Barris, another was about to close.
ATOMIC Hot Links, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Parting Ways
In 1956, Sam Barris walked away from the custom car business, leaving George to continue with a woman named Shirley Nahas. She became Barris’ rock, and the two worked well together in promoting the business. Barris wasn’t about to let his brother’s departure slow him down, and in 1957, he unveiled one of his most beautiful custom creations: the Ala Kart.
Ala Kart
Making the Ala Kart was a project for one of Barris’ close friends, Richard Peters.
It began as a 1929 Ford roadster pickup but used a chassis from the Model A. Barris also modified the truck bed, added fenders with peaks, and put dual exhaust pipes on each side.
Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Ala Kart
Beneath the hood, the Ala Kart was equipped with a Dodge Hemi V-8 engine and a suspension system that featured four coil springs with airbags, which wasn’t standard at the time.
Inside, the car seats were made of white Naugahyde and featured black velvet pleats with chrome beading. With such good looks, it's no wonder why the Ala Kart took home more than 200 trophies, including the trophy for America’s Most Beautiful Roadster—twice. After such accolades, it became a popular background prop in several movies and TV shows.
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A Good Year
1958 would prove to be an incredible year for Barris. First, he and Shirley Nahas tied the knot—the two would later have two children, Joji and Brett. Then, Barris started working in Hollywood, and he made cars for the crime thriller High School Confidential! (1958). It was also around this time that Barris renamed his business Barris Kustom Industries.
Albert Zugsmith Productions, High School Confidential! (1958)
1958 Custom Corvette
Hoping to garner some attention for his company, Accessories International, Lee Sims commissioned George Barris to make a unique, custom car.
The end result was a beautifully modified masterpiece that went on to win the Los Angeles Arena Show.
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1958 Custom Corvette
The custom Corvette was a popular feature at car shows in the 60s. It was also featured in prestigious magazines, like Motor Trend and Vette. In 2019, the car was restored.
It is now equipped with the 1964 Corvette 327 V-8 engine.
Movie Magic
Barris' work went on to be featured in several movies throughout the 60s and 70s, including Fireball 500 (1966), The Silencers (1966), and Thunder Alley (1967). He also made the titular vehicle—a heavily modified Lincoln Continental Mark III—for The Car (1977).
T Buggy Prototype
In the late 1960s and early 70s, dune buggies were all the rage. So, naturally, George Barris had to come up with his own spin on the beloved vehicle.
In 1965, Barris built the T Buggy prototype to see if he would be able to create more of these kit cars.
T Buggy Prototype
By combining the classic looks of a Ford Model T with a fiberglass buggy, Barris created one of the most popular dune buggies of the time. The T Buggy prototype was powered by an air-cooled flat-six Chevrolet Corvair engine.
Barris kept and used the working prototype, and even had it restored years later.
The Emperor
This roadster hot rod is another one of Barris' most beautiful creations.
He kept the body of the car simple and sleek, but added a big custom grille, extravagant air foam upholstery, and a 40-coat paint job with Kandy Burgundy, Swedish pearl of essence, and crushed diamond dust.
When this beauty was unveiled, people were instantly enamored. The Emperor got a feature on the July 1960 cover for Hot Rod Magazine and won an award for “1960 America's Most Beautiful Roadster”.
The Emperor
While George Barris made the car into what it is today, we do have to give a shoutout to Chuck Krikorian, who started the work on the car.
He began making the car by combining a 1929 Ford Model A roadster frame with 1931 Model A frame rails and a modified Cadillac 365 V-8 engine. After being convinced to make it into a show car instead of a drag racer, Krikorian gave the Emperor to Barris to work his magic on.
Voxmobile
In 1967, the guitar manufacturer Vox asked Barris to make a car that not only advertised the company’s products, but actually doubled as one of their musical products.
To start, Barris designed the shadow of the car to look like one of Vox’s guitars. To do this, he put big fake Vox guitars on the side of the roadster.
Voxmobile
To turn the car into a functional Vox product, Barris added 32 audio jacks along the sides of the Voxmobile and lots of speakers, including three of Vox’s Beatle amps.
Barris also made a small stage at the back of the car, capable of hosting three guitarists and one pianist. In its heyday, the Voxmobile could be seen during parades, with rockstars belting out tunes from the back.
Munster Koach
No list of cool George Barris cars is complete without mention of the Munster Koach. Featured in the TV show The Munsters, this car was perfect for the titular family of monsters.
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Munster Koach
The producers of the show reached out to Barris for this commission, and with some design help from Tom Daniel, the Munster Koach was born.
The car was made from three Model T bodies and was an instant eye-catcher for its length and gold trim.
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1966 Batmobile
This iconic car cemented Barris' place in Hollywood and got him big points with auto enthusiasts. When people talk about the original Batmobile, this is usually what comes to mind.
Barris made the car from a Ford concept car, the 1955 Lincoln Futura. The concept car was, for the most part, a flop but in just three weeks, Barris reconstructed it for the 1966 Batman show.
Jennifer Graylock, Ford Motor Comp, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
1966 Batmobile
Barris changed pretty much everything about this car, and actually made four different copies to be used for racing, stunts, crashing, and special effects.
He kept the first car in his personal collection until 2013, when it sold for a cool $4.6 million.
Bob Nordskog's 1963 "Asteroid" Corvette
Bob Nordskog was a powerboat racer who wanted to take the thrill of racing to the streets. He wanted an all-in-one car that could race, be driven daily, and impress fans at auto shows.
So, he called George Barris to take his 1962 Corvette to a whole new level.
Bob Nordskog's 1963 "Asteroid" Corvette
Barris reconstructed a fiberglass hood for the car, which adds stylish flare while also hiding its powerful V8 engine, capable of cranking out 400 horsepower.
The Asteroid also featured an extended nose cone with a bladed grille that housed the headlights, revised sound, big headers that exited through the front fenders, and a deleted rear-window divider.
He also gave it a shimmering bronze paint job, making it one of his more attractive creations.
Custom Collabs
Barris had some serious street cred in the world of custom cars, but he was never one to shy away from sharing the spotlight. He often collaborated with other car designers and manufacturers—most notably, he revamped cars for Ford's "Custom Car Caravan" and "Lincoln/Mercury's Caravan of Stars” exhibits alongside other legends in the game: Gene Winfield, Dean Jeffries, and the Alexander Brothers.
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The DiDia 150
In 1965, Barris added his creative touch to the Bobby Darin Dream Car, the DiDia 150 . The car was the one-of-a-kind vision of fashion designer Andy Di Dia, and was built for superstar Bobby Darin. Once the car had been put together by Ron Clark and Bob Kaiser of Clarkaiser Customs, they sent the vehicle over to Barris for the final touches. He gave it a “diamond-dust” paint job, mixing at least 30 coats of metallic red paint with real diamond dust.
The DiDia 150
In addition to Barris' incredible paint job, the DiDia was full of state-of-art perks, including automatic windshield wipers with moisture-detecting sensors, electrically opening doors, one of the first forms of four-zone climate control. Beneath the hood, it was powered by a 365-ci Cadillac V8 engine that produced 510 horsepower.
The DiDia 150
The DiDia took seven years to complete, costing about $93,647. Bobby Darin bought the car for about $150,000—the equivalent of $1.5 million today. At the time, the DiDia secured a spot in the Guiness Book of Records as the most expensive custom-made car in the world.
Zsa Zsa Gabor’s 1961 Rolls-Royce
Bobby Darin wasn’t the only one to get a custom that had been blessed by Barris’ magic touch. When Zsa Zsa Gabor wanted to make something special out of her Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud II, she knew just who to go to: George Barris. Barris Had built cars for many celebrities, including Elvis Presley, John Wayne, and Sonny and Cher—and he had something brilliant cooked up for Gabor.
Zsa Zsa Gabor’s 1961 Rolls-Royce
The most eye-catching feature is, of course, the two-tone gold paint job, which is made all the more incredible with a “Zsa Zsa” emblem on each rear door and etched windows featuring roses, hummingbirds, and butterflies. And, to match the paint, Barris outfitted the car with 24-carat gold plating on the interior and exterior trim.
Zsa Zsa Gabor’s 1961 Rolls-Royce
Barris made the inside of the car just as beautiful as the outside, with wood trim on the dashboard, brown leather upholstery, and a large rear cabin with hidden folding tables—and a hairbrush and comb, because this is Zsa Zsa Gabor we’re talking about here.
No Limits
While many of Barris’ creations were big and bold, he wasn’t afraid to downsize. Other celebrities, like Elton John, Bob Hope, Bing Crosby, and Ann-Margaret, got custom golf carts from Barris. He also created 25 custom Mini Mokes for a contest hosted by the Beach Boys.
Barris' Ferrari 308 GTS
This golden hotrod was the perfect car for the Kustomizer King. Barris bought the car in 1978 and only improved on the already-impeccable Ferrari styling.
He gave the car a wide body, flaring out the fenders and adding a set of super-wide wheels.
Barris' Ferrari 308 GTS
Barris also removed the pop-up headlights of the standard 308 GTS, moving them below the bumper and styling them after those of the beautiful Ferrari 512 BB.
Add a new grille, front and rear spoilers, and several coats of custom gold paint and you’ve got the masterpiece that is Barris' Ferrari 308 GTS.
Barris’ 1975 SnakePit
The SnakePit was one of Barris’ more intense customizations, taking four years and a $100,000 budget to complete. Incredibly, the car is powered by six Cobra 351 V8 engines, which was intended to help it set a new land-speed record.
Theoretically, it could produce up to 2,000 horsepower and hit a top speed of 300 mph—sadly, it never lived up to its true potential.
Barris’ 1975 SnakePit
The SnakePit has never really tasted the open road, spending much of its time in personal collections or unique auto displays.
Makes sense, too—with the way the car was constructed, it probably wouldn’t be as fast as Barris intended anyways.
NASA Comes Calling
In the 1990s, Barris got an unexpected call—NASA wanted to get Barris’ original designs for the Moonscope, a 1966 creation that was a favorite among plastic car model collectors. You see, NASA really liked the Moonscope’s big, wedged tires and six-wheel spider suspension, and wanted to use the vehicle to design their Mars rovers.
1998 Mercury Cougar “Woodie” 2050
This car started off as a Mercury Cougar and was transformed into this strange one-time creation by George Barris.
Before applying 40 coats of Gold Pearl of Essence paint, Barris modified the car to look more like a 1949 Ford Woody Wagon and swapped out the front of the car for a 1950 Ford design.
1998 Mercury Cougar “Woodie” 2050
The grille was from a 1950 Mercury Panel Truck and the car also featured Lucas tri-beam headlights. The rear end of the car was taken from a 1950 Ford Station Wagon and then modified to fit the car.
The finned, ribbed side pipes were inspired by those of the Corvette. All in all, it was a strange mashup of cars that made up one of Barris’ more unusual creations.
The Barrister
It’s said that this bad boy was once owned by Liberace. Looking at the golden trim and sleek black paint job, it’s easy to see why the legendary musician would want to be seen in this car.
Barris started with a C3 Corvette and then went about lengthening the frame and stripping it of distinguishable Chevy features.
The Barrister
To that end, he gave the car a long hood, a split front windscreen, fake external exhaust pipes and a tapered tail.
He topped it off with a gold radiator grille and a glossy black paint job that attracted attention from celebrities like Bo Derek, Sammy Davis Jr, James Caan, and of course, Liberace.
Jurassic Park Tour Vehicles
George Barris wasn’t credited for his work on the Jurassic Park Tour Vehicles, but these became some of the most iconic cars in Hollywood history. Each one looks like the perfect safari vehicle, and adds to the realism of the film.
Jurassic Park Tour Vehicles
Barris revamped some 1992 Ford Explorers, adding extra lights, a glass roof, and the recognizable paint job.
Barris also made the cars seem like they were self-driving and helped filming by making it so that a backseat driver could control the car without being seen by the cameras.
Kargoyle
Goerge Barris wasn’t the biggest fan of hearses and refused to make the Munster Koach out of one. But he couldn’t avoid the somber vehicles when it came time to make a unique ride for the 1980 movie, Gargoyles.
Since then, the Kargoyle has made appearances in shows like Hearse Life, Monster Garage, and The Girls Next Door. It was also used as PR for Mötley Crüe’s final concert.
Kargoyle
Barris made the car by combining a 1967 Cadillac Funeral Coach with hot rod elements. With an oddly big engine block, lake-style exhaust pipes, and suicide doors, this mishmash of a car lives up to its namesakes.
To complete the look, Barris added a customized spiderweb steering wheel and hubcaps and a metal flask purple paint job with airbrushed gargoyles on the side.
Tragedy Strikes
George Barris’ work had earned him the title of “King of the Kustomizers”, but even such a lofty title couldn’t spare Barris from a life-changing tragedy. In 2001, Barris’ wife, Shirley, passed on. Barris still had his daughter Joji, and son Brett, but one of his next moves was about to add to his troubles.
The Back To The Future Controversy
The DeLorean time machine from the Back to the Future movies is one of the most famous cars of all time—and for a moment, people thought George Barris had been one of the masterminds behind the automotive icon. More than a decade after the release of the third installment in the series, Barris bought a stock DeLorean and modified it, turning it into a replica of the DeLorean from Back to the Future. It was an incredible replica, and it proved useful in the promotion of his company—but this would come back to bite him.
Dwurban, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
The Back To The Future Controversy
Barris never officially said he was involved in the Back to the Future movies, but he did say that he had made a Back to the Future DeLorean—without clarifying that it was an independent replica of the car. This earned him the ire of Universal Studios, and in 2007, they sent Barris a cease and desist order. The order called for Barris to remove photos of the DeLorean from his website, refrain from displaying any replicas of cars from the movies, and refrain from making any more "misrepresentations regarding any involvement with the Back to the Future films".
Universal, Back To The Future (1985)
The Undisputed King Of The Kustomizers
When it came to customizing cars, George Barris never slowed down and kept working right to the very end. In addition to putting out a line of diecast toys and exclusive bicycles, he continued to make appearances at car shows around the country. Sadly, though, all good things must come to an end. On November 5, 2015, just 15 days before his 90th birthday, George Barris passed on in his sleep. The King of the Kustomizers could finally rest, leaving an incredible legacy that still captivates car enthusiasts.
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