If there were a Mount Rushmore for car customizers, George Barris should be one of the busts immortalized in granite. After running a successful car customizing business during the hot rod and custom heydays, George parlayed his skills into building Hollywood cars, with the pinnacle being the original Batmobile. Finding one of his original cars from the early days is a real treat, and finding one for sale is even better! Check out this amazing Kustom 1940 Mercury for sale here on Craigslist. Located in Aromas, CA, this piece of automotive history is being offered for $140,000.00. No, that is not a typo! Thank you so much to reader Nevadahalfrack for sending in this great tip!
George Barris opened his shop customizing cars during World War II, with his brother Sam joining him after he was discharged in 1945. Their skills quickly made them the top customizers on the West coast, and their business grew as their style took over the scene. Their creations were featured in all the major little page magazines of the day, and the Barris name became synonymous with customizing across the nation. George and Sam’s early cars have a tremendous style: very clean lines and panels with softened corners. Check out the Hirohata Merc if you have never seen the quintessential 50’s Kustom language the Barris brothers created. Unfortunately, Sam passed away in 1967, but George continued building cars until he died in 2015. The original Batmobile, The Munster Koach, and KITT from Knight Rider are just a few cars from Barris’ shop.
Due to the popularity of traditional hot rodding and kustoms, there is a good amount of historical information in the archives available to the car scene. I searched all the sites I knew about to see if there was more information about this car from its days in the late 50s, but I could not find anything. The only trail I could find is that car collector Sam Schoenberg found this car, and after getting the car into his shop, he realized that the car needed restoration. However, since the original Barris paint was in good shape, he left it alone after cleaning and polishing.
I have always been a huge fan of kustoms since I saw a chopped ’51 Mercury at the World of Wheels as a kid. The clean lines and menacing look of that black Merc’ is still seared in my memory. This example has all the kustom touches: a chopped white Carson top, custom front end with Frenched headlights, and Dagmar bumperettes to name a few. The modern driveline will be a nice touch for some people, but I prefer a lopey flathead to keep this period correct. What do you all think? Are you into kustoms? Do any of you have any more info about this ride? Please let us know in the comments below!
Let me be the 1st to say thanks to Dusty, the monument thing is spot on. To anyone collecting SS, the name George Barris spoke volumes. There was no question seeing his creations who made them. I read, they turned out many cars, some to famous people, but many like this, with no real history except it was a “Barris Kustom”.( with a K)
American Pickers did a show where the “guys” went to his shop shortly before he died. ( 2015 at 89) You’d think the guy would have a snooty Hollywood attitude, but he was remarkably cordial. I think his daughter inherited most of everything. While most here were too young to actually have one of these, the magazines that featured these cars, played a big part in customizing our car models. Remember the “3in1″( not the oil) models? One of the “versions” was always a custom Barris type, that and an Exacto knife( or dads Stanley) and some kind of body putty that gave us a headache, we made our own.
And he did it all on a budget. I read, he bought the Lincoln Futura for $1, and had 15 days and a budget of $15,000 to make the 1st Batmobile. He was in the right place at the right time. TV was huge and his cars were many times the center of attention. To say he, and his heirs were/are wealthy people is an understatement. But he worked for it, wasn’t handed to him, and that is worthy of recognition. He left behind beautiful examples like this, and a more profound auto designer I doubt we’ll ever see again.
The fact that George started building cars and never stopped until he died says lots about his passion for his work and the quality of his products. Remember seeing this car in a car magazine and one of his works in person at a car show in Portland, Oregon. What stood out was the detail of every part on the body and it’s proper fit among the other parts.
I’m going to have to ask, if those out there not liking the engine choice would you really tear up a Barris custom to make it “period correct” when the real period is when he built he car?
Five will get you ten those are ’54 Buick headlights in this gorgeous automobile!
Yes, those are 1954s. 1953 had a cross hatch pattern visible and were stainless, while these 1954 bezels were pot metal, and just horizontal lines.
Fun fact, in 1953, unless you owned a Special, you had Buick’s first Nailhead V8.
I remember seeing this car in a hot rod magazine! What an amazing build. Lots of money, but someone out there may want a piece of history!
Anything George Barris built that’s in decent shape is worth a good buck, but the 350 V-8/Turbo 350 isn’t what it should have. That may hold the price down. I don’t mind 350 Chevys in an early Ford driver street rod, but not in a George Barris custom. That’s just wrong.
If I waned it, I would figure on replacing the motor with either a flathead with 1950’s speed parts or something later model exotic. My guess is that’s what George would have built it with.
I love Chevy small blocks, but not in this car. Most of my stuff is 302 DZ blocks or 327’s, but I wouldn’t dream of putting one of them in something that George Barris built.
Ya,wrong engine..It should have a flathead or a period Caddy or Buick nailhead in it.
Guess what? If this was built in the late 50s, as Dusty surmises, everything mechanically has changed. There weren’t Mustang 2 front ends, air bag suspensions, disc brakes, or other stuff. It would be nice if people actually read the ad before spouting off about flatties etc.
It would have been good to know when this car was built. I would assume an early Barros creation would be worth considerably more than a later build.
Steve R
It’s Barr I s,.. this car would’ve been latex’40s/\early ’50s.
GB was a kidhood hero of mine, and I was fortunate to work with/for him after I moved to SoCal in 1983. I learned a lot, saw the lesser side of fame a few times, and ended the association after one unpleasant episode. ‘Hollywood’ had saturated him since the fame of the ’60s.
That said, the early work of the Barris brothers, including this car, were trend-setting masterpieces.
Best thing for me, he employed and trained some of the craftsmen who were to become legends in their own right… Dean Jeffries, Dick Dean, Junior Conway, and others worked under George before he made the move to the former DeSoto dealer site in North Hollywood in 1961.
The Barris brothers are certainly in the pantheon of the great customizers. Hard to not think of Gene Winfield or Ed ‘Big Daddy’ Roth in the same breath, maybe even Boyd Coddington. Among the younger set, Chip Foose stands out but Troy Ladd, RIck Dore, and Troy Trepanier are right there too. TV has pushed forward Jesse James, Joe Martin, Javier ‘Shorty’ Ponce, and Bad Chad, but I’m not personally a fan of their work (which feels repetitive and ultimately banal to me, particularly Martin’s stuff). Quality is high but designs are staid. Kindig and the Texas Metal stuff is quality, but not my cuppa. I also really like Ian Roussel’s work especially with Victor’s cars.
“This car is a Driver”
engine does not matter
TERRY I belve you are spot on about the 54 Buick headlight’s just LIKE ON MY 54…
I met Barris twice. At car shows. He autographed one of his books for me the first time I met him but I thought he was arrogant. The second time they wanted $10 for him to just look at you. His early customs were the best and just beautiful.
George Barris, Several of you mention knowing him, I also knew him and met him on several occasions. I have several stories as I am sure you also do, I think they would be best saved for a small group over some Beers. There is no doubt George was a celebrity in the automotive world and I feel fortunate that I actually knew him.
My impression of the few Barris cars I have seen at shows was that the styling was great but don’t look close up. This is not said to degrade his accomplishments.
I too, talked with Mr Barris at car shows and found him very cordial. That said, George was the mouthpiece and Sam was the talent, imo. While certainly talented he was a showman first. Sam created so many iconic cars during his career it is almost unbelievable. They also employed many fantastic customizers during their years in business. In his later years it has been said that he would say a car was built at their shop when it wasn’t as long as he was paid and sell the Barris badge to whoever wanted them. I would strongly suggest contacting one of the noted custom car experts for a opinion and demand rock solid evidence this was a Barris car befire i dropped $140K. Try the HAMB custom car section
Yes I grew up on the car mags featuring Barris kustoms. One i remember vividly was a 1959 Chevrolet El Camino custom. Weird taillights that I couldn’t figure out how they worked (if they worked at all)
Ever notice how customizers will take a Ford product and customize it with GM parts? ’54 Buick headlight bezels, ’55 Cadillac bumpers, ’49 Cadillac hubcap and lord knows what’s out back and inside.
And what is with the eyelashes above the headlights?
Yeah, Mr. Barris was a great influencer to all of us.