George Barris RIP

One of my Facebook groups posted that George Barris had passed. Ever the promoter, he was responsible for some classics.

I wonder what his casket will look like.

In reply to etifosi:

Probably over styled, using work "borrowed" from other people and then hyped to the nth degree.

RIP George, you certainly did a lot of good PR for the SoCal custom car movement.

I never fully appreciated his work, but he definitely was a legend in the custom car and movie car world.

Gary wrote: I never fully appreciated his work, but he definitely was a legend in the custom car and movie car world.

I think that summarizes my feelings, as well. His impact on car culture can't be disputed. RIP.

For the most part, George Barris and I had very different opinions of what cars that aren't the Batmobile should look like. But I love the fact that he was able to do what he did, and that he was able to keep doing it for as long as he did it. Car guy culture is better, in part because of his work and its wide reaching appeal. He built a lot of cars that non-car people took notice of, and for that, he will be missed.

A guy who lives near me owned the Villa Riviera for a while and I got to see it many times. That car would absolutely E36 M3 cool.

George almost made it to 90, a good long life.

The early Barris Kustom cars (like the Hirohata Mercury) were amazing cars, but by the 1960s a lot of their creations lost the plot. Still, he and his brother Sam were innovators.

Even if you didn't like his style, you had to admire his style.

Rest easy George.

stuart in mn wrote: George almost made it to 90, a good long life. The early Barris Kustom cars (like the Hirohata Mercury) were amazing cars, but by the 1960s a lot of their creations lost the plot. Still, he and his brother Sam were innovators.

That's when Sam died. But the custom world was already changing on its own. Smooth was replaced by over the top. George did that well.

I've always preferred Sam's style, but George was a hell of a promoter.

I met him one year at autorama... Just said hi and shook his hand.

He did some cool work. RIP.

For many years George Barris was one of the lead attractions at the "Country Cruise In". A little local show that attracts a few thousand cars. The charity event is held by a local philanthropist Steve Plunket.

http://www.fleetwoodcountrycruizein.com/

This is the organizer with the plebeian side of his Cadillac collection. George is featured as one of the attractions.

Here he during the event hopping into the helicopter that was used in the Batman series (or so they claim it was)

This is the main garage for the good cars:

Someone here at work just asked me about this, since I'm the resident "car guy". I was ashamed to only know the Batmobile, even though I remember all the Cavalcade of Customs shows I went to 70s-80-90s I'm sure he had more to show.

I knew of him but didn't really follow his work but his work was one of a kind. RIP

In reply to oldtin:

Barris did some of those cars but not all of them - most famously, the Monkeemobile. That was built by Dean Jeffries; in later years Barris bought it and then started taking claim for it, which didn't make Jeffries happy. Tom Daniel did the Red Baron hot rod.

Tom_Spangler wrote:

Gary wrote: I never fully appreciated his work, but he definitely was a legend in the custom car and movie car world.

I think that summarizes my feelings, as well. His impact on car culture can't be disputed. RIP.

Agree. Like a modern artist.. you may not like his stuff, but you can sure agree that he pushed the limits

I painted one of the original Batmobile show cars in 1988. The fiberglass was about 1/2" thick and it was on a 1950's Lincoln chassis with a Chevy 283 and Powerglide trans, but it looked cool.

I actually liked leisure suits.

Woody wrote: I actually liked leisure suits.

Hey, me too Woody!

In reply to oldtin :

hey do you have any pics of the pizza wagon the yellow one ?