Does anyone have any old pictures of the Kookie Kar & Golden Sahara they could post on here ? Thank's
I believe one of your neighbors there in Dayton still owns both. Jim "Street" Skonzakis is the guy that has had both since the 50's!
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That's true, but the "Kookie" car is ruined. It's pearl white with (better sit down) dual slicks, as in two per side, and has twin GMC blowers on it. Most of the stuff that made the car look "right" is not on the thing anymore. Sad, just sad.
Back in the 80's the Golden Sahara was at the cruise in down in Hamilton at the Frishes. It was covered in a car cover setting in one of the bays at the drive in. I dont know who was with the car then but the cover was removed and there it was the Golden Sahara. It wasnt started up while I was there but I was told it was trailored in and rolled off. It was falling a part then and needed a full resto. This was the same time frame when the movie Mischief was filmed at this drive in. The place use to get packed with cars. Someone evidently talked to the owner and said he needed to let people see the car. This was early 80's I was a teenager and no camera on me. You dont exactly see a Barris Kustom at the local cruise in haha.
And, although this has been on here before, if you haven't seen it, you absolutely have to check this out. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hh79rjltJJI Paul.
the original kookie T got me interested in hotrods , the abortion it is now , needs to be hidden from public view because its eye hurting Butt ugly
Does anyne know if he still lives in Ohio and has anyone ever approached him about showing the cars? Like Von Franco says he seems like an asshole form that clip on youtube. I hope the Golden Sahara is not as ruined as the Kookie Kar. That Golden Sahara is one my very favorites, but I like the first version alot better than the second.
As far as I know he still lives in Ohio. A year or perhaps two years ago I emailed with Jim a few times and spoke with him on the phone once. He seamed to be a nice guy, but he is into boats now, and I guess already for a long time. We talked about the Golden Sahara and how he made all the electronics for it, and how Barris always took credit for everything. He also mentioned that it was him who drove the car in the Cinderfella movie.... He still has both cars, and he told me that the kookie Kar could be brought back to its original specs very easily. The Sahara needs a full restoration. What I could make up from the conversation is that he is not interested in doing that... nor willing to sell them at that time.
The Sahara was really in bad shape when I saw it and that was in the 80's. It looked like it had been in an old dirt floor barn somewhere or drug from a junkyard. It was so bad I was suprised the tires didnt blow out while it set there. Cob webs were hanging off the frame looking under it everything was rusted and nasty chrome etc.
Rikster ,that was not him as the butler ,it was actor Norman Leavitt. My point of view of mr. Street is and was personal, I've only talked to him once and he was so very rude. He told numerous friends to go fuck them selfs, even told Bruce Myers to F-off the only person who I know who has seen the golden sahara in person was Pat Ganahl and he said it was trashed just sitting in his garage and wasting away.And when Pat asked him about the Kookie Car he told Pat ,I still have it and mind your own business....
A bit o/t, but if anyone on this planet deserves respect, it's Pat Ganahl. In my opinion, that man has done more to help all of us learn about and appreciate our hot rod history. I've been a fan of his from the early '70's at Street Rodder and would hopefully meet him someday to let him know how mcuh he has done for this hobby. To hear some asshat that happened to own a couple of someone elses creations talked to Pat and Bruce Meyer (who I have been lucky enough to meet) like that kinda gives me a clue as to what kind of guy Jim Street really is.
It was the first I had ever seen. I saw the car demonstrated in 1958 and he spoke into a small wireless box and the car reacted by starting and he also could turn the wheels. I still don't know how he did it. The Kookie T was also there in it's second reincarnation before this last one. It could easily be brought back to it's original configuration, by removing the blowers, exhaust stacks and the dual wheels. Have you ever known a rich kid that kept stuff just because he knew you wanted it?
I already thought it was weird. The butler seemed to be much older than Jim could ever been when the movie was shot. Now I know that Jim was the actual driver in the car in the road scenes. The close up where of the actor Norman Leavitt.
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