George Barris at BarrisBilt

This hub is about our production company's travels around the country with Geroge Barris, perhaps one of the most famous car "Kustomizers" (his K) in the world. If you don't know him or his name, you have probably seen his face peeking out from behind those slightly oversized Gazelle shades. But you have most certainly seen one or two of his automotive creations. The original TV Batmobile comes to mind. Anyway, for a little more background before we continue, take a look at the 1 minute video below.

I met George Barris at the Grand National Car Show in Pomona CA in January 2005. I knew about him all my life. I built his model cars when I was a kid growing up on the east coast. He, along with Ed "Big Daddy" Roth, made the coolest cars in the world. A true pioneer in the automotive industry, his designs and concepts were years ahead of Detroit. I was a fan but not a true "car guy". But George is a very special person. Celebrity? Yes. But there was something more, something very real about him that went beyond celebrity.