before it was a huge cult phenom, the Batmobile was rented out as a dragstrip attraction

all found on http://stiffspeed.tumblr.com

in all the cars that have been made famous, these two Mercurys are among the most classic and well known, the Hirahota and the Sam Barris Mercs

both found on http://swissstash.tumblr.com

First time I've seen the Super Teen 1968 Firebird by Barris

Notice the fine print, it is a collaboration between Bob Petersen (owned dozens of young adult magazines from the 50's to 70's including Hot Rod Magazine) and George Barris who had been a photographer and article writer for Hot Rod in the 1950s as he was getting his customizing business going

cantilevered roof, roof windows, spoiler...the Super Teen Machine! Windows swing up, cantilevered roof, V-8 engine, Hurst mag wheels, custom TV/Stereo console, custom hood, wide tread tires, custom buckets, overhead cam six engine, custom grille & bumperettes.

This car was created for a talent contest by Singer Corp. in 1968. Grand prize was this car and a recording contract with Capital records.

There were three of these cars made by George Barris. One for best group, one for best female, and one for best male singer. They were awarded on a Singer TV special called The Sounds Of '68 hosted by Ed Ames and Aretha Franklin.

 The car that was won in the group category was won by The Things To Come from Albert Lea , Minnesota. It was a convertible--not the gull wing depicted in the model.

first photo from http://www.showrods.com/showrod_pages/superteen_firebird.html and the rest from http://www.highperformancepontiac.com/features/hppp_0803_1967_superteen_pontiac_firebird/

If you've wanted to buy a Barris Built movie car, this could be the last chance

67 Barracuda with a 383 and about 20000 miles

holy crap, a Robert Blake movie? 

The ebay listing http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1967-Plymouth-Corkys-Cuda-Movie-Car-Barris-MGM-/330950772132?pt=US_Cars_Trucks&hash=item4d0e3405a4#ht_500wt_1168

The Zebra Mustang that Barris built for Frank Sinatra's character in a movie

photos from, and a full story at http://www.autotraderclassics.com/car-article/Sinatra%E2%80%99s+%E2%80%99Stang-75463.xhtml via: http://outsidethecubicle.tumblr.com

the 70's strike back with a vengeance... the Travolta Fever Firebird... I bet you're laughing. I am

I wonder if this sort of thing embarrasses anyone in the years long after the impulse wears off?

Full gallery at http://flaviendachet.blogspot.de/2011/10/pontiac-travolta-fever-by-george-barris.html

San Diego held an Annual Autorama from at least 1957 -1959, A Custom and Hot Rod Show, some icons attended included Roth with his Outlaw, Kookie's T-Bucket, Tommy Ivo, and the Kopper Kart

 above image and the rest of the story thanks entirely to Kelly and Crystal Hutchinson who posted it at http://ecotisticmag.com/204/

Ed “Big Daddy” Roth was present at the show with one of his earliest creations, “Excalibur” (named after his mother-in-law’s family’s Revolutionary War sword that he used as the shifter). The name he later changed to the “Outlaw”. Ed drove down in a 1957 Chevy with a trunk full of t-shirts, easels, and an airbrush kit. 

Kookie’s Car, built by Norm Grabowski, was pulled off the set of the “‘77 Sunset Strip” television show just to be displayed at this event. It was a bold move. If anything would have happened to the car, it would have halted the production of the show and much of the success it later famed.

Larry Watson displayed a brand new 1959 Thunderbird at the event that he had just purchased and repainted. Larry became a famous pinstriper and painter. He grew up in California and witnessed the work of Von Dutch and Dean Jeffries at Barris Kustoms.

above image from http://www.streetrodderweb.com/features/0711sr_trophy_queen/photo_18.html

model Louise Muller and the Ala Kart, photo from the Bog Book of Barris, google books, http://books.google.com/books?id=ATjy1tKxfjYC&pg=PA64&lpg=PA64&dq=%22san+diego+AUTORAMA%22&source=bl&ots=Iz-J0Pk1fv&sig=TuorWt9DG5KG59KX2rBBiytG9Y4&hl=en&sa=X&ei=2TppT426D-aXiALJ0ICIBw&ved=0CGQQ6AEwCA#v=onepage&q=%22san%20diego%20AUTORAMA%22&f=false

from the august 1957 Hot Rod magazine

and it was mentioned ina  magazine called the Red Cedar Review, issue 8:2/3 page 71, author Peter Nye

and 4 pages were about the San Diego Autorama in the September 1958 issue of Custom Cars found on ebay http://esp.ebay.com/viewItem?item=140713003320&v=gbh

and is mentioned to an unknown extent in the February 1962 Car Craft and Cart also from the same seller on Ebay

A Barris built custom was in the parking lot at the Del Mar Goodguys

the shops of Watson and Barris found on howtobuildatimemachine.tumblr.com

just two shops of this era and reputation, and I found them both at http://howtobuildatimemachine.tumblr.com/