Automobile Designer. He gained fame as American car customizer and designer. Known as the "King of the Kustomizers," Barris created some of the most iconic automobiles for film and television, among them the Batmobile and the Munster Koach. He and his brother, Sam, began fixing up cars in their teen years, opening the Barris Brothers Custom Shop in Los Angeles in 1945. After Barris formed the hobby club Kustoms of America, his work got noticed by Hollywood, with producers commissioning him a car for the movie 'High School Confidential' in 1958. In the 1960s, he became heavily involved in vehicle design for television production. When ABC Television asked him to create a car for a new TV series, 'Batman', he converted a Lincoln Futura, a concept car of the mid-1950s, into what is arguably the most famous TV car, the Batmobile. Barris retained ownership of the original Batmobile until an auction in 2013, where it sold for $4.6 million. Among other TV cars built by Barris Kustom Industries include the Drag-U-La for 'The Munsters, a jalopy for 'The Beverly Hillbillies,' a customized Lincoln for the 'Green Hornet' as well as cars for 'Knight Rider,' 'Starsky & Hutch,' 'Dukes of Hazzard,' and 'Power Rangers.' Among the celebrities he customized cars for were Bob Hope, Zsa Zsa Gabor, John Wayne, Liberace, Sonny and Cher, Bing Crosby, Dean Martin, and Elton John. Barris, who often appeared as himself on television and in films, died in his sleep of natural causes.
Automobile Designer. He gained fame as American car customizer and designer. Known as the "King of the Kustomizers," Barris created some of the most iconic automobiles for film and television, among them the Batmobile and the Munster Koach. He and his brother, Sam, began fixing up cars in their teen years, opening the Barris Brothers Custom Shop in Los Angeles in 1945. After Barris formed the hobby club Kustoms of America, his work got noticed by Hollywood, with producers commissioning him a car for the movie 'High School Confidential' in 1958. In the 1960s, he became heavily involved in vehicle design for television production. When ABC Television asked him to create a car for a new TV series, 'Batman', he converted a Lincoln Futura, a concept car of the mid-1950s, into what is arguably the most famous TV car, the Batmobile. Barris retained ownership of the original Batmobile until an auction in 2013, where it sold for $4.6 million. Among other TV cars built by Barris Kustom Industries include the Drag-U-La for 'The Munsters, a jalopy for 'The Beverly Hillbillies,' a customized Lincoln for the 'Green Hornet' as well as cars for 'Knight Rider,' 'Starsky & Hutch,' 'Dukes of Hazzard,' and 'Power Rangers.' Among the celebrities he customized cars for were Bob Hope, Zsa Zsa Gabor, John Wayne, Liberace, Sonny and Cher, Bing Crosby, Dean Martin, and Elton John. Barris, who often appeared as himself on television and in films, died in his sleep of natural causes.
Bio by: Louis du Mort
Inscription
“KING OF THE KUSTOMIZERS”
HUSBAND, FATHER, GRANDFATHER, DEAR FRIEND,
KUSTOM CAR LEGEND AND AMERICAN ICON,
WHOSE PASSION CONTINUES TO INVIGORATE US ALL.
GOD HAS A BIGGER GARAGE IN THE SKY FOR YOU.
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