Barris Cars

[Mercman]

Here is a pic of the hearse. It was on the show with Hef's girlfriends. They used it on Halloween. Not sure if it was ever in a movie or not.

.

Also in the shop at the time was John Schnieder's General Lee, to be touched up.

[mnwildpunk]

I have always been a fan of gene winfield myself.

[Jantrix]

For those who have never seen Sam Barris' famous Merc, here it is. This was done in '49 with a new vehicle. One could say he was among those that started it all, and was the hands-on customizer of the family.

[Mercman]

Heres a couple of pics I got of Sams Merc at the NHRA museum a few years back.

[1930fordpickup]

Sams Mercury is one of the few chopped Mercs I like. Awesome color and a tasteful chop.

Most shop owners get credit for what the others do.

I must have missed the shows when Foose did anything but stand in front the camera. Wait, he does do the art work (yes art is a skill must of us do not have) still not the same as doing the metal work and painting.

[Longbox55]

I think it was Sam Barris that built the Hiroshima?? Mercury.

.

Close. It's Hirohata, after the original owner, Bob Hirohata. More on the car can be found here http://www.kustomrama.com/index.php?title=Bob_Hirohata%27s_1951_Mercury

[Ace-Garageguy]

Gee whillikers...I sure wish they still made babes like that. I'd forget how old I am and make a real fool of myself.

As far as George Barris goes, he WAS the real deal and had his hands on a lot of the early cars that defined the "kustom" look on the left coast. He also wrote how-to columns for the early car rags, and he's often photographed actually doing the work...welding, leading, grinding etc.

Like a lot of folks who make it, he became much more involved over time in the promotional aspects of the business than the actual work. And like many artists, the quality and attractiveness of his credited designs have highs and lows ...and I agree, there are a few instances where the actual deserved 'credit' for a particular car is somewhat cloudy.

[Ace-Garageguy]

I must have missed the shows when Foose did anything but stand in front the camera. Wait, he does do the art work (yes art is a skill must of us do not have) still not the same as doing the metal work and painting.

I've been building stuff other people got the credit for most of my life, and I've been around the biz long enough to know if a shop owner knows the dirty end of the work. Chip Foose most certainly DOES. It's pretty obvious when his guys have a problem fitting something, or whatever...Foose gets in there and makes it look easy, and you can't do that unless you know your stuff and paid your dues actually doing the WORK.

[Blown03SVT]

Little known fact about Mr. Barris I just learned... he learned the craft early on working with Harry Westergard in Sacremento in the late 30's before he made the trek to L.A. to eventually start out with his brother Sam.

http://www.customcarchronicle.com/cc-builders/barris-kustom-shop/george-barris-personal-36-ford/

Edited October 12, 2013 by Blown03SVT