Kinda seems backwards that he wants to claim TV turds like the DeLorean or the General lee.... but nothing about the actual cool cars that came from that shop like the Hirohata Merc and many others... duh.
Barris has signed all kinds of shit... Calling cards, stock late-model corvettes, sweatshirts, Cruiser bicycles built by Electra. Did he build these bikes? No, little Chinese kids welded and assembled them. Did he design them? Probably not, someone in a design firm down in LA probably did. I'm not trying to provide evidence to credit or discredit this argument, but we can all admit that he promoted the shit out of hotrods, brought them into the public eye, and undoubtibly is one of the main influences in attracting many of us TO hotrodding. The point is, the point has ALWAYS been, it's not necessarly important who did the work. There are always ghosts behind that scenes that do amazing things without credit. Look at what work has been done and brought to the public's eye, and take your inspiration from there. I'm young enough to be considered a noob, but even I can tell the difference between green m&m's and brussel sprouts. When you talk to an old geezer and he gets to telling a story, you know what's up. Most of them are too old to care who takes credit at this point, and are just stoked that young'uns like us are still interested in what they hafta say. Barris may be an exception, but who cares?
it's weird to sign a car you didn't build. and who goes around signing their name on crap anyways? the day i think i'm so cool that i can scribble my name on some other guys car please kick my ass.
My neighbor knows Dean Jeffries and he says that Barris stole the Monkey mobile and has been hiding it for something like 20 years and just recently was brave enough to get it out of it's hiding spot. There was a video on his website where he goes on and on talking about how he built it. My neighbor wanted to get a copy of the video to send to Jeffries and encourage Dean to stop Barris from making such claims but Mr. Jeffries doesn't seem to have the energy to worry about it anymore. It is disgusting to see someone take credit for other people's work.
Barris has built some of the most horrible looking cars ever.....but built a couple that came close to cool......Sorta like OCC bikes.....lotta publicity, no style, except for a couple that come close. The tradition continues.
I grew up in SoCal and I loved the cars Sam built and watched ( on TV ) the cars George built. Together they were the Barris brothers custom cars shop oviously a pair of icons in their own rites. So business being business whats the beef chill out they are part of our culture just enjoy what they have done. Rags
I'm with you Jeff!!!. Hey Kirk!, how about posting some pictures of you partyin' with Ron Jeremy!!!!!!???????.
just a guess, but i'm assuming the owners of the cars ask him to sign them, hell alot of people sign cars, not surprising people would want to have barris sign something, for some reason people like getting autographs (i personally don't) and everyone must have lost interst in the article or just missed this part
Thats why to this day I always say "when I owned the Rocky 33" it was never mine, Rocky deserves the credit.
That Monkey mobile has been sitting in his shop for years over on Riverside and Lankershim Blvd. You can see it through the big ass front windows when you drive by. Don't think it has been a secret from anyone. KNUX!
This goes along the lines as someone asking who did this or who did that on your car, just good karma to give where credit is due. KNUX!
I wish I'd had a camera. Actually he is very cool and smart. I hung out with him at a party for a couple hours in Vegas.
Here's what I know, since the fifties George Barris has been the foremost name in the public eye building custom cars. At one time or the other almost every famous name in customizing has worked for the Barris shop. He paid their salaries and they did the work. A phenomenal amount of cars went through that shop. Unarguably more than any west coast custom shop. Over a period of sixty years cars have come from that shop, all the responsibility of George Barris. My guess is that the Barris shop may have customized and painted the Chrisman coupe. When he said built he probably meant what his shop contributed. I have seen the Monkeemobile for years in the Barris museum in Gatlinburg TN along with many other cars that George bought, built or displayed for the owners. It has been quite a life for the man and I didn't always like what came out of the shop, but my hat is off to him, I respect him, and thanks for the memories.
Ken, re-read my post. That was a reply to wvenfield's offer to sign pictures of himself with his finger inserted anally.
He bought it when nobody else wanted it. It's his so he can make a planter out of it if he wishes. Anyone have a link to this video?
The link was removed from the main page but I found it. http://www.barrisbilt.com/monkee.html These aren't the videos that I had originally seen, but when they refer to Jefferies they say things like "he did the basic paint". Well yeah, but he also designed and built the whole car.
He says "the old, The middle (speaking of himself) and the new. He doesn't claim to have built the car in that video.
You,ll miss him when he,s gone. go on, next time you see him give him a hug. tell him it don,t matter ......................
Miss George? I won't have him to make fun of anymore. I guess I could use Boyd for that, oh I already do that. Nevermind.
All I can say is that we drove my son all the way from vegas to see his shop, and we were all sorely disappointed.We were told that it was a " private collection", and we shouldn't touch anything. I would think that some one like him would encourage kids to checkout his creations, and try to encourage them to dream of what they could do in that field later in life.Maybe he wasn't so much of a grumpy old fart in his earlier years, but I'll never go to his shop , or buy his merch again.
Barris takes a lot of credit for things he did and didn't do. Look at the original concept for the 1955 Lincoln Futara. Designed by Ford, Built by Ford and Ghia. Barris claims it as his design for the batmobile. Barris changed the hood to add a scoup of sorts as well as a few other minor changes. And for the last 40+ years alls we've heard is that Barris built and designed the Batmobile. I'm sick of barris stealing ideas from others. The bubble top on the Licoln was done in 1955. NOT in 1965 Like Barris has claimed for 42 years. Barris built 3 more Batmobiles in 1966 based on the 1955 Lincoln that he was lucky enough to put a hood scoop on. Barris Did Not Design Or Build The Batmobile. Lincoln Did Ten Years Before Barris Changed The Hood. I have little respect for thieves of any sort. Claiming to be the original designer of this thing places him in the Plagurist category. My thoughts, not yours. Nuke Barris.
the fucking bat mobile? the monkey mobile? who gives two shits. here's george's best effort. this is just one of many. lets see yours.
Yeah, I own a Vincent Van Gough that Since I own It, I have the right to autograph it. Lets go to the louve in Paris and autograph everything we can.
... .. . . Get them here while they are hot... Pay your money to George at the counter... http://www.1966batmobile.com/auto.htm Cheap, Cheap, Cheap, A real peice of history with someones signature on it... Only $25, Hurry don't miss out on this once in a lifetime offer.. ... ....Boxes of pictures ready to be autographed by George Barris . . .
The Jalopy Journal
