I have potentially found the first lead for My 59 El Camino I have been trying to identify for over 20 years, The strory is Sam Barris customized it when new due to a fender bender, couldnt pay for it, and gave it to Sam, to pay the debt. I saw a bill of sale, Signed by a person named Joyce Barris, but by the time I got the car it had been partially parted out, and the do***ent did not come with the car. So I have nothing, but a 59 El Camino, that was Customized as Early as 1962, with very well done metal work, in the Northern California Area. It was in Auburn Ca from 1962 to 2000, and is still int the area at my friends house. this picture shows a 59 El Camino in the upper left. Does anyone have any pictures potentially of this car? The Photo of the Oakland show is from Pat Ganahls webpage
only a shaved emblem. It has a pancaked good, shaved door handles with ****ons in the side trim, a rose color with a white interior. The most distinguishing feature are turn signals hidden in the stock headlight bucket, behind a triangular shaped piece of clear plexiglas
The last car Sam customized was El Capitola in 1960. He moved back to Northern Cal in 1956 and did sporadic work up there but was out of the business by 1960 when he became an insurance investigator and Fire Commissioner so if your car was customized in 1962 or later it is unlikely it was Sam. Although I am confused by you saying it was customized "as early as 1962" but are looking for pictures of it at the 1960 Oakland show.
I can only confirm what I saw, a picture, dated 1962, with a motorcycle in the back. A bill of sale, November 1962, signed by A person named Joyce Barris. The rest of the story was told to me by people who are no longer with us. The car in the picture of the show is the closest I have come to a northern California Customized 59 El Camino in 20 years. Likely not it, but just 1 picture or reference would be Cool. Whoever did the work was not a novice
Another vote for the Petersen Archives. I know for a fact that there are photos from the show you mentioned, I've spent a considerable amount of time sifting through them looking for photos of my own car (that's my black '36 Phaeton in the upper right of the photo you posted.) Here is the link: Petersen Digital Archive There is a search function, just type in Oakland Roadster Show and it should find it. ironandsteele.com
Thanks for the links, went through the Peterson Archives, the One in the show was not the car i hoped it was, If anyone sees it in the background of any Northern California Pictures, let me know. I have been at it 20 years, on and off, no luck yet. Seems it was just someones cruiser, but I had to try.
The problem with "Barris" cars is if you believed all the stories there are 3 for everyone that was actually built. The good thing is George was about as prolific a photographer as there was back then. Have you gone through his photo archives? I don't remember seeing anything like it but I wasn't looking for it specifically https://www.barriskustomcity.com/
The problem with "Barris" cars is if you believed all the stories there are 3 (Or more...) for everyone that was actually built.
Some more pictures. It sat with no gl*** for years, most of the interior paint is gone .One of the Guys I talked to remembered the turn signals, you can see the plexigl*** on the bezels between the headlights.
Quote: "Signed by a person named Joyce Barris" well that was Sam's wife. Ask her if you can find her. She is still with us somewhere.
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