George Barris '63 Thunderbird for sale in bay area

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/car/442083999.html

anybody have any other info on this car?

Pretty neat to see a Barris car hidden in the bay area.

-scott noteboom

 

Sounds like he wants a mint. Looks like a lot more rust than he claims though. The body would have to be graded rough. Looks like it had a battle with the bat mobile, and the bat mobile won...

This ones cheaper ($1000) and looks better

 

Not a good example of the talents of George Barris. That car is ugly inside and out, IMO.

 

**** ugly. no.. double **** ugly.

 

No doubt George did it. It's as ugly as homemade soup.

 

Yuk.

 

Hey publicenemy1925... homemade soup can be a wonderful thing! If done right.
This, on the otherhand... not so much.

 

looks like a Barris custom, and its ugly

 

i think that would be "bugly".

 

Wrong. That car is a perfect example of George Barris' work.

"King of Kustoms" - That always makes me laugh.

JH

 

"bugly"
Good word. I like it.
Now.. Barris did a few cars that looked good. Didn't he?

 

Ala kart and kopper kart were two nice looking customs. There were other decent ones also. He may have had more bad than good but still some nice work. You are correct, he is far from the king of customs!

 

Awful. Just plain awful.

 

Now folks... who wouldn't love the "Bathtub Buggy"? http://www.barris.com/gallery_cars/Novelty_ProductCars/gallery_bathtubbuggy.html
Ok, ok... it looked just awful.
Some became cl***ics like the Hirohata Merc http://www.barris.com/gallery_cars/Kustoms_HotRods/gallery_hirohatamerc.html
, the BatMobile and the Beverly Hillbillies Olds.
But the more traditional ones, like Tom Pollard's 29, were just.. well, "ok". Don't get me wrong. That's a nice little roadster but I've seen as good and lots better from many HAMBers.
To each their own.
If we all liked the same style it would be boring.

 

cant access the link at work can someone post the pix of the bird I am curious??

 

Was that built for a movie or something like that? Looks like a cross between George Barris, DeRosa, and Starbird built it without talking to each other!

 

I actually really like it. It's really wild and pseudo-futuristic. I'd drive it and show it if it was mine, for sure.

The owner seems like he's really fishing for bids hard on it, can't set a price or even hint at what he wants, doesn't even say what he wants in trade. And all the stuff he did to the engine really ruins the 60's/70's vibe.

Art is subjective and not everyone is going to "get it". That's the whole point. I don't think some of you guys understand that.

 

Fugly...

 

Yup. Art IS subjective.
Nope. Not all of us "get it".
But that's cool.
We don't HAVE to get it.
But we shouldn't be too critical. Lots of folks don't "get" what we do to our cars either.
A fellow I knew had a teacher them him, "You're en***led to your opinon. You can be wrong for the rest of your life if you want!"

 

I don't "get it"..... & I'm damn proud to admit it.

JH

 

WTF that thing is ugly!!!!!!!!!!!

 

FUGLY!The Barris bros built some of the best looking Kustoms in the '50's and I am a HUGE fan of their work from that era, but after that I lose interest.They will always be heroes to me .

 

HaHaHa.
I know all 3 and respect what they have done thru the years. What was being built; the good/bad/ugly is what was the thing then just like the fads of today. Times, styles and people change.
I guess they are "famous" for being some of the oldest greats in customizing because they did what everyone else was doing, afraid to take risks or build for what they wanted or maybe they were "followers" vs. being "leaders" huh?
Have you picked up a Car Craft or old magazine from the 60's or 70's and seen what's plastered across the pages? The style.

I think my dad said it best over the weekend in Solvang while talking to the man who played Timmy in L***ie.
"It's hell to be remembered for being Timmy in the well in L***ie when you've done so many other things in your career and life....like me with that against the grain Sharkmobile...that is what I am remembered for when my taste and style is more the King of Mercs but you just never know the impact/impression you will make even years and years later from your art or actions....it's all about rolling with the times and growing old with as much knowledge as you can with grace not like an ***hole..."

 

The controversy with those are, they are NOT Barris cars...yes he owned them, NO he didn't build them. He bought them pre-built and added them to his collection. Like a lot of the "Famous Barris Cars".... he didn't build them...he just built a collection.

Hence why a lot of builders laugh so hard when he calls himself the "King of Kustoms"

But this T-Bird in question, I do beleive he had a hand in manufacturing....

It's BUGLY.... Barris-***-Ugly!

 

Good point about some being in his collection but not of his hand.
It's one thing to build something like that but to go spend money for it.. ya gotta really like it.
Long live the King.
Yup. BUGLY

 

I think that people have a hard time visualizing because they see dirty white with blackwalls. I imagine deep maroon lacquer and whitewalls and I think the conception would be different. It seems a lot of people here want to get others to back them up, and others then pile on. I think the guy was pretty honest in his description and presentation. I would gladly try to bring this one back if I was one of the tall spenders with DISCRETIONARY income.
Whoever built it was really pushing the envelope for the day. Properly painted, it would have made the cover of the mags of the day, I think.

 

In the chance that hotrod1940 was right (bow to the senior member and all that ), I just gave it a little paint on the old computer (wish I had these coloring tools in the 70s and 80s when I had my shop). Still don't like it. I simply don't care for the style of this car. Didn't years ago when I first saw it. But that's MY opinion. As for others backing me up? Nope. It doesn't matter to me what others think. That's their opinion. I have mine. If we agree, fine. If not, that's fine too.

 

Gizmo Joe, thanks for the bow, I need all the help I can get.

One of the advantages of age is that it all doesn't have to be so intense. Poor Barris, he catches a lot of flack, but I still think of the Ernst Chevy hardtop, Hirahita Merc, Matranga coupe, Sam's Buick, many more and I know he didn't work on all of them, but he sure owned the place and kept it going. Not all work is accepted, but these were the guys that were actually doing saomething other than taking cheap shots.
That old car deserves to have someone bring it back, it's a piece of history, OUR history.

 

I completely agree with you that it deserves someone to bring it back. Yes, it is history. Just as the "ricers" are. Just not my cup of tea (or cup of Joe.. sorry.. couldn't resist).
I didn't think I was coming across as "intense". Not the intent. That's a downfall of the written word on these computer thingies these days.

 

My use of the word intense was for the ones that are so strongly against poor old George and also some of the old cars. It was traditional and happened in the day and that is a fact. You are right, the computer sometimes has a hard time conveying the true meaning, or maybe my wife is right, I don't make any sense at all.