It would be easy to blame this mess on George Barris. He just couldn't stop himself. He couldn't leave functionality well enough alone. In the name of promotion, money, and ego, he created on top of a creation that needed to be left alone. In a few... <BR><BR>To read the rest of this blog entry from The Jalopy Journal, click here.
I had this cut-out from the local paper and I asked George if he built this car and he grabbed the "sharpie" and signed it right across the front before I could stop him & he said "Yep, I built it, Next" (Oh yea, he didn't charge me for the autograph.....haha). Chris Nelson Kansas
If you could dis-associate what's underneath.......some interesting features on the barris version. Those pontoons....if they weren't so crude I'd say they were actually very forward looking. That kind of styling gimmick, trying to put fendered flow onto an open wheel car, is getting a lot of attention today. The hood and roof paint treatment is actually quite tasty. Side stripe has a great start but doesn't end with much flash.
You are so right Ryan, Thats exactly what happened to the Tom Peterson Roadster in its build. It got caught up in the fender pod trend and over the top chrome with a show car statement that became an undriveable show piece. That is exactly why the car has evolved back to a fun and useable hot rod. By the way I am still gathering your info for aa article
If you ignore the absurdity of things like the two-way radio, air speed indicator, gull-wing doors, etc... It really isn't that bad looking. However, if I look at what is was built over, my stomach turns. The Chrisman coupe is, in my mind, the most beautiful coupe ever built... and I think I consider it in that regard because it was built so purposefully. It's just a hard pill to swallow when something with so much soul, depth, and direction gets replaced by something with so much surface jewelry... and pseudo-faux crap.
I had to read that a couple times. I was trying to figure out if you actually meant it or not. HAHA! "tinkle in my Dad's eye" sort of had a nice ring to it.
The original is great, not sure I like the Barris version. As noted, seems to be a lot of "Gimmicks". Maybe without the Pontoons, just not sure. Did they help with the streamlining? It would be interesting to know if car was tested with or without them to judge effect.
I had no idea they were even the same car until about 5 years ago. And you're right, the original car rules. Countless cars suffered the same fate. Even recently. How many really cool Deuce coupes has TRJ featured that show vintage pics. You see them and it is heart stopping. Then you look at the beauty shots of the finished car and it looks like every other pseudo-traditional looking street rod. And it's not like he turned it into the Monkeemobile. Hahaha! I like the pontoons.
Right, it would've been like Johnny Cash ditching the black, donning a rhinestone suit and platform shoes, and doin' disco....... In a way, they castrated that car, removed all of the masculinity and purpose, and made it into a metro-sexual.........."Queer Eye for the Car Guy". The car went from General Patton, to Liberace.
What a shame. The Chrisman coupe was as close to perfect as one could be. Built with purpose and style that was in my mind spot on. What a shame.
So, how many folks remember it as "The Dobie Gillis Car"?? Barris knew(knows?) how to promote from every angle. Back then, I thought Barris was really cool to be able to build all of the different types of cars. Ah, the gullibility of youth. Larry T
I aggree with Django. I hadn't thought about how many really nice cars the "legends" have screwed up. It was business, they had to make a living. It's still happening to this day. I know I've screwed up a few myself. Gary
Seems like things often got carried to extremes in the sixties. Many cars were gaudied up in an effort to attract attention or outdo everyone else. Ever see how Norm's Lightnin' Bug/Kooky T ended up?
another angle on this is though most of us would agree that barris screwed up this car, at least it was still around to be brought back to its former glory and restored in its original form. How many of these cars are simply just gone forever?
"The car went from General Patton, to Liberace" I just peed a little. I have a love hate relationship for what GB did to cars. Sometimes you've got to say enough is enough when you're slapping a bunch of ornaments and crap on a timeless machine like that coupe. Put the damn fiberglass away and ask yourself WTF. Simplicity is more complex to attain in a custom than one can imagine. Especially when you're lost in that "Hollywood" state of mind. Difficult to stay commited to tradition. Then again, lots of his stuff was "made for TV" My 2 cents...
There are some gaps in this story. Did someone rescue the Barris version (when, where, how) and return it to its former glory? The Chrisman version is perfect. The Barris version borderlines gay.
Talking about fender pods!! These I can attest are very heavy and the bracketry is a challenge at best. But the concern for the artistic flow of a open wheeled car is always a debate. Does it help?? Or was it a monkey see monkey do in an attempt to compete for the almighty trophy? In any case it happens in the art world to this day. In an effort to please as many people as possible the average person opts to include everything. Where as I like the view of Less Is More attitude. Just my thoughts.
I don't like them on the coupe - something is a bit off. The idea for them has been around a long time. Here is a set circa 1930.
There's been a lot of Barris bashing over the last few years and I agree at some point George kinda lost it but I think both versions of this car FUCKING ROCK!!! I'd kill to have the later incarnation. -stick
Have you guys seen some of the beautiful Indy roadsters that were turned into Super modifieds? Keep in mind nobody wants a recently old racecar...and nothing Barris did was cast in stone. Only thing that bothers me would be taking credit for others work, now it's just part of the history of the car.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sitcom Cars -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- "Dobie Gillis Hot Rod - On the sitcom THE MANY LOVES OF DOBIE GILLIS/CBS/1959-63 teenager Dobie Gillis (Dwayne Hickman) and his friends Maynard G. Krebs (Bob Denver), Zelda Gilroy (Sheila James) and millionaire Chatsworth Osborne Junior (Steve Franken) had the chance of hanging around the coolest hot rod on the planet. Renamed the XMSC-210 for the show, the car featured Halibrand Indy magnesium rear wheels, chromed fuel-dragster spoked front wheels, half gull-wing doors, white pearl Naugahyde seats and door panels. The engine sported a fully chromed blown Oldsmobile engine and a rear-chromed suspension. The exterior was painted with thirty coats of Swedish pearl white lacquer with a diamond sparkle and accented with candy tangerine panels on the rood and sides. Expert customizer, George Barris created this sleek, V-shaped TV hot rod from an existing 1930 model A Bonneville coupe originally built by Art and Lloyd Christman. The car clocked at 196 mph." -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- http://www.tvacres.com/autos_sports.htm
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