George Barris
The King of Kustomizers
Celebrating the 'King of Kustomizers' who created iconic vehicles for film and television, showcasing how his designs shaped American automotive culture and entertainment.
Known For
Biography
George Barris (born George Salapatas; November 20, 1925 – November 5, 2015) was an American designer and builder of Hollywood custom cars. Born in Chicago, Illinois, Barris and his brother Sam began customizing cars as teenagers after restoring a dilapidated 1925 Buick. Before graduating high school, they created the Kustoms Car Club—the first use of the spelling 'Kustom' that would become synonymous with the Barris name. At 18, George moved to Los Angeles to become part of the emerging teen car culture and opened the Barris Custom Shop in Bell, California. In 1951, the Barris Brothers designed the legendary Hirohata Merc, which was displayed at the 1952 General Motors Motorama auto show and overshadowed Detroit's top designers, establishing the early 1950s Mercury as the foundation of custom car design.
“A car is a rolling sculpture. It's art that moves.”
— George Barris
Legacy & Impact
Barris revolutionized custom cars and specialty vehicles for Hollywood, creating some of the most iconic vehicles in television and film history. His most famous creation, the Batmobile, was built in just three weeks in 1965 by converting the Lincoln Futura concept car for the Batman TV series. The original Batmobile sold at auction in 2013 for $4.6 million. Barris Kustom Industries also created the Munster Koach and DRAG-U-LA for The Munsters, the truck for The Beverly Hillbillies, vehicles for Mannix, My Mother the Car, and updated KITTs for Knight Rider. Hollywood studio executives and stars sought Barris custom cars for personal use and as film props, while Robert E. Petersen publicized his work through Hot Rod and Motor Trend magazines, cementing his status as the undisputed 'King of Kustomizers.'
Key Achievements
Created the original Batmobile
Batmobile sold for $4.6M (2013)
Hirohata Merc (1951)
Munster Koach & DRAG-U-LA
Knight Rider KITT vehicles
King of Kustomizers title
Founded Kustom culture movement
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