Thank You, Mr. Barris

As I’m sure many of you have heard, George Barris passed away yesterday. News like that travels fast, faster than it ever has before. There’s good reason—George was King, King of the Kustomizers. He was born in Chicago and moved west early on, and it was here in the state of California that he made a name for himself.

Barris’ impact was widespread. He carried the custom car into the public consciousness in a way that was often imitated and never duplicated. George was a master of ideas and a man of action who created a unique identity that jutted out in all directions, flowed through numerous channels and always managed to stay anchored—even if in some small way—to his customizing roots. Chopped Mercs, Hovercars, vans, rockets, boats, you name it—he was incessantly building, shaping and redefining how Americas saw vehicles big and small.

I never had the opportunity to meet Mr. Barris, but throughout my life I’ve felt as if his cars haven’t been all that far away. More than a decade ago, I remember my friends ditching me on Halloween because I was spending too much time looking at the neighbor’s Barris Batmobile (a faithful clone) that he brought out just for the occasion. The bubble tops, afterburner and pair of “Bat-Chutes�? were pure sensory overload for a 10-year-old like myself. And don’t even get me started on the trio of pipes angled back into the nighttime sky.

Whether or not I knew it at the time, I was heavily influenced by the Barris Kustom way. I noticed the Hirohata Mercury for the first time on the cover of a book at the local mall. Cars in my notebooks started getting chopped tops and later sprouted fins and canted quads. I built the Barris T Buggy just like George, except mine was 1/25 scale. I completely wore out one copy of the Kustom-filled Taschen Hot Rods and Custom Cars book and had to buy another.

It’s important to note that this wasn’t the early-’60s—this was the 2000s. That’s not only a testament to the longevity of Barris’ customizing career, but also the diversity of his projects. He constantly had his ear to the ground, ready to take on the latest trends—whatever they may have been—in his signature style. He was a craftsman, a visionary, a savvy promoter and an integral part of American culture both inside and outside of the automotive realm.

Thank you for all you’ve done, George. You’ll be missed. —J.U.

A thread on this topic has been started here. Condolences to his family and all those inspired by his work through the years. Lead photo from Hot Rods & Custom Cars: Vintage Speed Graphics.