Seeing celebrities in their awesomely built custom cars sometimes makes non-enthusiasts wonder how on earth such modifications were ever possible. But gearheads who are accustomed to talented people like George Barris – King of the Kustomizers – know that anything is possible in the custom car world. Born in 1925, the American designer made a name for himself fabricating custom cars that got featured in big-budget Hollywood movies, among other projects.
Amazingly, Barris was already into fabrication as early as 7-years-old when his car model made out of balsa wood won a sponsored contest. While in high school, Barris partnered with his brother to start Kustoms Car Club which later became Barris Kustom Industries after his brother left. Notably, converting his Lincoln Futura into the Batmobile was one of the several highlights of his sterling career. Although George Barris died in 2015, his legacy lives on through the cars he built which include these unbelievable examples.
10 T Buggy Prototype
Before Barris made these kit cars in limited numbers, he tested out his ability to successfully embark on the project with this prototype. Built in 1965, the prototype is powered by a Chevrolet Corvair power plant while the production versions were available with air-cooled Chevy or Volkswagen engine.
Although this prototype was adopted and used by Barris, he later got it restored by a California-based custom shop called Advanced Restoration.
9 Bill Carr’s 1955 Chevrolet “Aztec”
Here is “Aztec,” a modified 1955 Chevrolet built by Barris for Bill Carr who used to be his roommate. Due to his background in automotive fabrication, Carr also had a lot of input in the build.
The modification features headlights from a 1957 Mercury Turnpike Cruiser, tail fins from a Studebaker Hawk, while the bumper and mesh grille is from a 1957 DeSoto. For power, the car was upgraded with a 350 Chevrolet crate engine mated to 700R4 transmission.
8 Barris' Ferrari 308 GTS
A car fit for the custom king himself; this Ferrari 308 GTS was fittingly modified for Barris’ garage. The exotically finished Ferrari is adorned in a metallic gold color custom paint which perfectly complements the car's flared fenders and widebody kit.
Further enhancing Barris’ car is the three stripes ornamented along its beltline, the copper metallic painting on the car’s lower body, and its extra-wide wheels. Barris made the interior complimentary enough as it was finished in beige leather upholstery wraps.
7 1998 Mercury Cougar “Woodie” 2050
No other example of this car is available anywhere in the world, because it’s a one-of-one car created by George Barris. Called the “Woodie 2050,” the car started life as a 1998 Mercury Cougar but has been built into this unique automobile powered by a supercharged V8 and finished in a total of 40 coats of Gold Pearl of Essence paint.
Notably, the mod is given a 1950s Ford front end and Mercury grille while the station wagon rear-end was custom-fabricated.
6 The Barrister
Let’s face it, most modification enthusiasts love the attention their modded cars bring. Knowing this, Barris built a series of magnificent and attention-grabbing drop-tops for his teeming customer base. He called the series “The Barristers” and the example here is based on the then-new C3 Corvette.
This Corvette was stripped to its frame which also got elongated. The modified ‘Vette features a long hood, fake external header and exhaust pipes, as well as a split front windscreen.
5 Munster Koach
So there’s no way we’ll talk about George Barris’ sickest builds without mentioning the Munster Koach. It was the family car used in the TV series The Munsters, and its production was contracted to George Barris by the show’s producers. Notably, Tom Daniel designed the Munster Koach, but the ten carburetor, ten air horns and lantern lights featured on the car are Barris’ ideas.
The incredible show car was fabricated using three Ford Model T bodies and was all put together at Barris Kustoms.
4 1966 Batmobile
Another iconic Barris car that earned him massive Hollywood fame and huge respect from his colleagues is the Batmobile. Widely called the Original Batmobile, the car was built from a Barris-owned one-off 1955 Lincoln Futura concept car created by Ford's design team.
Bill Cushenberry did the car’s metal modifications and the total Batmobile conversion was completed in a mere three weeks. The car is adorned in gloss black paint with “fluorescent cerise” stripes.
3 Bob Nordskog's 1963 "Asteroid" Corvette
Offshore powerboat racer and airline equipment mogul Bob Nordskog wanted a single car he could race, drive daily, and use to stun the crowds at auto shows as well. Hence, he commissioned Barris to help modify his 1963 Corvette.
Named the Asteroid, the customized Corvette features a custom grille that houses the headlamps, revised nose, headers channeled through front fenders with a deleted rear-window divider. Also, the reconstructed fiberglass hood hides the car’s 400 horsepower-producing V8 engine.
2 Barris’ 1975 SnakePit
Having a car get powered by a total of six V8 engines will surely sound like a wild joke to anyone who hasn’t discovered George Barris’ 1975 Snakepit. The steel-bodied car was built mainly to break speed records as it was rated at 2000 horsepower and has a top speed “goal” of 300 mph.
It took Barris a massive budget of $100,000 and four years’ worth of intense modification to arrive at this spectacular “show car,” because let’s face it, Snakepit wasn’t going to break any speed record built like that.
1 1958 Custom Corvette
For marketing purposes, Lee Sims’ of Accessories International commissioned Barris to fabricate this awesomely customized 1958 Corvette C1. Serving its purpose, the custom car was displayed mostly at car show circuits on the west coast winning the Los Angeles Arena show in the ‘60s.
Notably, the show car has been featured on Vette and Motor Trend magazines in the past as well. Currently, it’s been restored and power now comes from a 1964 Corvette’s 327/340 horsepower engine.