RIP George Barris

blue water massey · Nov 6, 2015

The most iconic custom car builder of the most iconic custom cars to grace a TV screen, George Barris, is reportedly dead. Age 89
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blue water massey · Nov 6, 2015

Along with designing the Batmobile driven in the '60s "Batman" TV show, Barris also designed the Green Hornet's car, the "Beverly Hillbillies" jalopy, the Munster Koach and K.I.T.T. from "Knight Rider."

just to name a few

ObsoElitist · Nov 6, 2015

I have eyeballed a few of his customs. Some were made by placing fiberglass and bondo over chicken wire. Not great for driving as they would crack, but thats not what his cars were for. Great artist, not much of an engineer.

Dean · Nov 6, 2015

Trying to remember if George Barris designed the kick butt 1932 Ford custom Alley Kat of the very early 1960s....

Dean

larry@stinescorner · Nov 6, 2015

the pickers bought the coffin car from him on one of the american picker shows,it was a car that was in the Munsters show a few times,,he also made the monkee s car from a pontiac gto

casenut1 · Nov 6, 2015

Dean jeffries built the Monkees car. He built two of them , they used GTO's for the build. Barris later bought one of them and restored it. Barris has taken credit for some other builds he did not do also.

Richard G. · Nov 6, 2015

A friend's Grandfather who I have taken for a ride in my Model T was involved in the design of the Batmobile and JFK's limo. He still lives in OK.
Richard in NW SC

oldsarge · Nov 6, 2015

At least he didn't try to"customize" a 4020 like Foose did.

dr sportster · Nov 6, 2015

Nooooo . That 's bad news.Wow.

dr sportster · Nov 6, 2015

Nope Dean Jeffries . Also recently passed. The Monkeemobile blower was fake but the car had some great metalwork.

dr sportster · Nov 6, 2015

Most of the fiberglass customs were built by Big Daddy Roth. Barris did more things like Merc chops.

rustyfarmall · Nov 6, 2015

(quoted from post at 04:54:43 11/06/15) Trying to remember if George Barris designed the kick butt 1932 Ford custom Alley Kat of the very early 1960s....

Dean

Yes. Pretty sure it was George Barris that did the "Alley-Kat"

Dean · Nov 6, 2015

Can't remember but remember drooling over the photos of the Alley-Kat in 1962 or so.

I assembled a model of the Alley-Kat when in the 7th or 8th grade. Never was much good with plastic models.

I remember that it had 6 Strombergs on a "ram log" manifold but cannot remember the engine. Probably Oldsmobile, given the era.

Dean

ShadetreeRet · Nov 6, 2015

George and Sam Barris had a long and successful career, creating history as they went! There are four Barris creations that I guess you could say are my personal favorites. 1- "The Ala Kart", based on a 1929 Ford pickup. 2- "The Kopper Kart", a drastically modified 1956 Chevrolet pickup, but retained the six cylinder engine. 3- "The Golden Sahara", a 1953 Lincoln Capri, which was Jerry Lewis transportation in the movie, "Cinderfella". 4- And then there is the iconic, "Hirohata Merc" a 1951 Mercury coupe originally built for Bob Hirohata in 1953. One of the best known and widely recognized customs ever, and has managed to survive until today. (Or until very recently, anyway.)

RIP George Barris

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