When Sam Barris got out the service in
the late 1940s,he went to help George in
Los Angeles.He helped George buy his
first body shop building.
Sam Barris was responsible for his fine
craftsmanship of chopping tops with
perfection. This caused many famous
custom lead sleds to be built.
The first Sam Barris Kustom was a
1940 Mercury with a Carson top that
you can remove.It had wide fender
skirts in the rear.Sam was one the
first to chop tops.This hidden talent
caused George Barris,to get many
contracts,to build customs.His brother
Sam Barris was responsible,for George's
biggest success,in the fifties.
Sam Barris bought a 1949 Mercury
brand new,and improved the lines of the
bathtub styled car,by chopping it's top.
This was a Fade Away 1949 Mecury
with a dark rich green paint job,and
wide whites tires and hubcaps.It was so
cool.
Many other Sam Barris Kustom lead
sleds were made.This included: a 1951
Chevy Hardtop for Ohio Priest,the
famous Hirohata Mercury,built in 1952
for Bob Hirohata ,who racked from
1952-1955,184 tropheys for his car.
Then in 1955 it was used in a famous
movie:"RunninWild"with the lovely
movie star Mammie Van Doren.
This time Bob Hirohata did most of
of the work on his famous Aztec custom
lead sled 1955 Chevy Convertible.It
included on this Barris Kustom,which
Bob Hirohata worked for George,a 1953
Studebaker grill,1957 Desoto bumper and
grill,also wild looking angled fenders,and
custom taillights to go in those wild fenders.
The front had some cool Mercury Turnpike
quad headlights.This also had a new custom
scoop,and a Carson top.Even the bronze
like color,the custom interior,including the
top set this custom away from others.
More of Sam Barris customs,were his
1950 Buick,and a 1949 Mercury Custom.
There were more major customs,the
famous truck called The Kopper Kart,
in which two were made,one for Sam,
the other for George.
Tragedy happened to Sam's custom
Kopper Kart,when Sam Barris truck
fell off the trailer while transporting it.
It was crashed,and it was never tried
to be restored.So in 1960 George
sold his Kopper Kart,which included
a television set,and much custom
upholstery to people who build lowriders.
This was a bad mistake.They ruined the
custom Kopper Kart,by cutting it up.
Another famous custom is my favorite.
The Golden Sahara 1953 Lincoln lead sled.
This was a wrecked 1953 Lincoln,which was
made into the The Golden Sahara,for client.
The whole top section,includind back half was
removed, their craftsmanship,went to work.
It had a custom Carson bubble top,dazzling
long fender skirts,two angled custom fins for
both left and right,a custom spare tire cover
angled Continental kit,custom hubcaps,wide
whites tires,custom grill,blunt bullets,in both
sides in front.The actually,had redesign the car,
The car originally had pointed bullets in
front,but Bob Metz,realized,that it was
too much,and the blunt bullets looked
better.He was right,the crowds lovedit at the car shows.It was a big hit.
There was a Golden Sahara II,but a man
Mad Dog wrecked the car going too fast.
It looked similar,to the original,but it was
built a little different,but still pretty.
George Barris had a idea,for a custom
truck.He was at a diner,took out a
a napkin,and drew a custom truck,
1929 Model A truck,but with the
back of Model T Bucket,grafted in.
It had a custom nose,canted headlights, a
oval opening in the nose looked like Indy
front.It had a chrome grill with holes,to
put the gold plastic Ts in the grill.There
gold plastic Ts in the grill.There was a
indent,with a chrome spear for the hood.
It had four air bags suspension,a Hemi
engine,with canted injector tubes under
hood.It alsohad short chrome headers,
that hooked to the chrome exhaust tubes
perfectly over the rear torque tube chrome
axle.It looked amazing,four chrome pipes
all coming together,like a beautiful symphony.
There were ribbed dummy dual side pipes on
both sides of the truck.It had a custom truck
bed to hold the moon like chrome gas tank.
It also had a three prong chrome gas cap.
Then there were the custom bullet taillights,
and rear custom grill.The top was custom.
Also the interior bench seat was custom
of silver and black.The black pleats,in the
seat,were very beautifully done.Even the
bullet center of the steering wheel,worked
magic,with those chrome gauges in the dash
board.Now top it off with fine chrome
reversed wheels and spider caps.Then it had
wide whites tires,and tall thin white wall slicks.
The color was Swedish Pearl White,with
purple and gold scallops.The rear tail gate
was painted gold.There was chrome racks,
and a bed cover,for the pick up box.
Then tragedy happened in 1957.George
remembers the fire department calling him
saying his shop is on fire.George Barris
thought he was joking with him.However,
lightning hit his shop,and it caught fire.
One the custom cars was a magnesium
Jaguar.Magnesium is hard to burn,but
but once it starts,you can not stop it.The
result,is only a handful of vehicles,were
saved.The Ali Kart,was in a different
building,but there was fire damaged.George
had no choice,but to send it to the Alexander
Brothers to restore it.They restored the car,in
time for the Grand National in Oakland.The
result Sam and George Barris won the biggest
award."The Most Beautiful Roadster" in 1958
and also in 1959."The Golden Sahara"was
made from a wrecked 1953 Lincoln.The whole
top half of the car was removed.Then a full top
would have to be designed,to weld,the buttom
part of the body.A new front would be cut out,
as well as the rear.The result,a dream rod that
cost $25.000.Today this car would cost over
$250,000 to build,unless you are a body man,
and can build your own.
There was also a special truck painted gold,
with graphics,to transport it.
Sam Barris beautiful green 1949 Mercury. Below in the third photo,is the destroyed Magnesium Jaguar.The fire was caused by lightning hitting the shop.When magnesium burns it is hard to put out the fire.
George Barris with Sam Barris on this custom
1946 Caddy.
The Hirohata Mercury first in color in mint.Next the dashboard.Third a model in the trunk in a swimsuit.Click Here
ReplyDelete