Just amazing stuff...........Bill Carrs hometown, Huntington , West Virginia. I was born a few miles away from Huntington, I remember being in High School and seeing the Hot Rod magazine with the Aztec on the cover and upon reading,,,,wow, I guy from W.Va. with a car in Hot Rod. Very very few guys ever reached that high point. Many years later , in New Jersey, stumbled upon the Aztec sitting in a gas station, stopped to check it out and from then on, never lost touch with the car or owner, dogged him for near 15 years to sell me the car, never really imagined I would ever own it, that was a dream!! Sometimes they come true!! BARRESSE'
olpaul... It was the "Surf Woodie"...and Dick Dean & the Barris Crew did it. Dick, or his son Keith, may have later made a clone of it...not sure. Jonnie www.legends.thewwbc.net
I have a lot of photos... I'll have another one up on Monday Posted from the TJJ App for iPhone & iPad
Really enjoying these shots - I know Barry and I would love to see more of the early days of both our cars - here they are at Amelia Island in 2011
Thanks for the heads-up! Had no idea that a book like this was being worked on but I'm sure glad to hear it. Looking forward to getting a copy.
Karrera...........Wow man, I have to say, they look great together. What a day that was , Jefferies must be sorry he ever sold that car???? Only wish Bill Carr could have lived to see them both ..........LATER BARRESSE'
YA!! the "Surf Woodie" by Barris. I ran across it in Nevada back in the early 80's...ran down the lead that it was for sale...it was but, I passed on it. Not really my thing but, still ...the real deal. BARRESSE'
"...working on the book "The Art of George Barris" which is still being worked on..." I just shoved everything on my coffee table off onto the floor. There's plenty of room now. I'm waiting...
Heres another cool shot with the Aztec. George and crew were in a caravan of cars to promote the upcoming Autorama. I'm not sure where they were but it sure had some neat architecture.. Photo: Barris Kustom City
This is a shot of the Aztec inside the show from previous post I did with the Cars of the Stars show in Ohio.. Quite the display with plants and fencing... I have seen other displays for the Aztec that had shrubbery..funny what people use for displays.... Photo: Barris Kustom City
George and Shirley working in one of the stalls in Lynwood at night. They were both working on the car after the door handles were shaved and the Hines fin treatment was finished. Altho a sorta staged photo shoot the two loved to work on the car and hopefully continued after the camera was off..she defiantly had a hand in the design. Notice the dog on the right... That is Fang and he was in a lot of photos... Brett Barris told me he wasn't a fan of the little guy. Photo: Barris Kustom City
How do you promote a show? Well if your George and you have an upcoming show in San Louis Obispo and its 1959... you stick posters all over the cars and grab some rope grab a few pin up girls and put on a 2 car Kustom show in front of CorCorans's cafe! While everyone is cruising the strip you talk to on lookers and try to get them to the show.. In the first picture you can see the girls along with that damn FANG!!! Photo: Barris Kustom City
Out standing pictures......just great stuff. I'am sure happy to see these, very very pleasing!! Barresse'
I am looking forward to getting a copy of this book as well. George Barris is / was brilliant at the promotion game. Saw him at B J this year, and he is definitely a people person. Not trying at all to cause any controversy here. I just am curious. My impression has always been that the great Barris cars were all due to the designs of Sam Barris ,Bill Hines as well as the other guys working there. All of the cars I have seen that I know were George's projects, like the Bat and General Lee , Sonny and Cher's mustangs, Nancy Sinatra's t bird etc etc were well known , but hardly good design, nor skillfully done. Hardly the standard of the Hirohata Merc or Ala cart. Are there any cars that He designed or built himself that qualify him as "king"? Again, please don't take this as any kind of put down at all of his importance to our hobby, or the tv cars he created. I simply want to know more about what he contributed to the great EARLY Barris customs that I am a fan of. Posted from the TJJ App for iPhone & iPad
George was a HUGE part of all the design work that went on at Barris customs. A lot of people seem to want to knock him but there is no denying he had an eye for customs. There are a number of George"s design sketches out there including ones for the Hirohata Merc.
Thank you. I really don't know much about George's involvement, just bits and pieces from old mags and show car books. Most of them talk about the genius of Sam. I hope that THIS book will tell the whole story. With the guys involved, I am sure the story will be accurate and comprehensive. Posted from the TJJ App for iPhone & iPad
I dig this shot of unknown striper painting a dash on unknown car at the Lynwood shop.. It has a sorta stalker look to it. Photo: Barris Kustom City
Today is Mr. Roths birthday... Ed was an outcast who demanded to push the envelop and gave a big middle finger to the norm... He was a ture legend and is very missed. I picked some photos of Ed that George shot for today occasion.... This Photo George shot Ed (as well as Jeffries) for a "how to" on how to apply a sticker of the cool title that you named for your car. Of course Ed was rocking that sleeveless monster shirt! Photo: Barris Kustom City George was asked to be on a TV show to promote the upcoming Bakersfield Motor / Boat show and he had Roth come to the studio with the Outlaw and talk a bit about the upcoming show. Apeantly they asked him about his Wacky Monster shirt.. I only wish I could see this interview... Happy Bithday Ed "big Daddy" Roth.. you are missed...
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