WOW Barn find, the Grecian, Barris

I remember seeing these hubcaps in the old magazines as a Barris Kustom Accessory item. So Barris used his own hubcaps on his own car.

If anybody has the movie "Teenagers from Outer Space", one of these hubcaps is used in the intro to simulate a UFO coming in for a landing. Pretty sure thats the movie.

 

that explain,s it they used it as a test dummy

 

I'll have to check out this museum next time I'm passin' through A-Town. Thanks for the info.

 

yuck.

 

A true artist makes things no one wants!

 

I love that car!!! I wish it were mine.

 

So?
Where is it now?
I'd like to know, i think if you get rid of those fins the car could be "nice".
It definiteley has his place, even the latest version, as in Riksters post seems to have his place. imagine the people seeing it for the 1st time in 54? quite mind warping i bet.

 

I know this is old news...

but I came across some shots of the car now... I dig it!! ugly as it is ... its beautiful in my eyes... hahaha

George told me that the fins were put on for a TV shoot and the were removable..

 

I really wish someone would stuff that car back in a barn

 

You mean... so that they can do a proper restoration on it in the barn! Or at least I hope thats what you mean... otherwise it would be a "bit" silly statement.

This car is part of Custom Car history and needs to be restored... to its first version. I know people who would love to do it... but the current owner does not want to sell for a reasonable price. Or at least the silly pink paint should be removed, so that the car will look a bit more as it was supposed to look like when first built.

Image from the Mad Fabricator's Barris Photo DVD

 

I just aint diggin it, i understand it was a famous car, but it's that whole era that i, and most other people too, dont like

 

The car was first built in 1952! The era that the most famous Custom Cars like the Hirohata Merc, and the Sam Barris 1950 Buick and many others where built.
Pat Ganahl refers to this period as "The Classic Custom Car Era" 1947-1957 in his "The American Custom Car" book.
So most people dont like that era!!!, that's new to me....
I'm shocked!

 

Looks like it got done up the ass by a couple of Malibu surfboards and raised it's headlights in surprise! Imho

 

Auburn = awesome
Grecian = Ugly as a hat full of assholes
My 2C

 

Looks better than a STOCK studebaker 4-door thats for sure.

 

Couldn't agree more. Was this an early attempt on Barris' part???

 

So is the Grecian actually sectioned below the window line? It looks very different to the stock Studie.

 

Okay so it might not be the best looking Barris build, but I think it's pretty cool! I agree that someone should restore it to it's first glory! ........ Palle?

Klaus

 

ha ha!!well Klaus i think my time is a bit short the next couple of years!!
palle

 

I remember seeing the Grecian sitting in a low-dollar used car lot in Tucson around 1969-70(?)

 

John Saltsman of Rialto, California owned this in the '80's and drove it all over to events in grey primer and it ran a pair of vice grips for a window crank.

A lot of comments about being ugly but in the time frame a lot of great custom work and just like today..................... someone stepped up with a pickup load of money and this is the result.
Mike

 

I understand that...... Man I can't wait to see it! Maybe Bedrock weekend!

 

In the mid 80's I was watching one of the episodes of Rockford Files on the Swedish television (I think it was Rockford Files, though it might could have been another poor TV series...). Suddendly for a very short moment, parked at a street, there it was. For no special reason, just a car in the background... The Modern Greecian, in primer grey! It was just a few seconds, or maybe even less, but seeing it at television, a kustom that I though was long lost, that really gave me a kick!

 

Personally, I think Barris built more ugly cars than nice ones. You can start organizing the lynch party now...

I DO agree that the car is historically important, and should if possible, be restored to the first version.

 

Seen the boattail speedster in west world this weekend, That ride is sick!
I'm pretty sure it was. it was at the good guys show

 

Customs get a lot of tough love on this board for whatever reason. The Grecian isn't one of my favorites, but it's not bad; I'd like to see the same headlight treatment on a Stude sectioned 4-6 inches.

 

there is more metalwork and imagination than some of us would dare to ever do on our own car,, ugly or not ,lot's of you probably learned from the tech articles on this ride,,
it deserves to live!!

 

My first find on Ebay was a set of four hubcaps like the ones on Modern Grecian. They are in perfect condition, chromed. I have a LOT of Hot Rod and Custom magazines but I have only seen them on two other cars, the Barris built 57 Chevy El Capitola and Ron Aguirres Corvette, see Rodders Journal nr 50? In Car Craft July 60 You could see how they welded on bolts to the wheel to get them on, and make plastic centers for Grecian. Roth Studios sold them for 64.95 for a set of four.