The HAMB is reporting that George Barris has died

[Vince Nemanic]

I have been checking elsewhere for confirmation, but nothing yet.

[maltsr]

Wikipedia also states this - a sad day.

[SfanGoch]

Rumors of his demise are obviously premature. There isn't any report on any wire services confirming this. Actor John Agar was reported dead numerous times over a twenty year period before he cashed his chips in 2002.

[unclescott58]

Though I'm not big fan of Mr. Barris, I'm sorry to hear about this.

[Vince Nemanic]

A reply to the HAMB thread said that his son confirmed it on the Barris Facebook page. I'm not on FB so maybe one of the others can check.

[maltsr]

Yep, lots of tributes coming through on his facebook page from respected sources.

[Ramfins59]

Wow...... Bummer......  A friend told me that he saw Barris at a Car Show last year and that he appeared to be very shaky and unsteady.  Another great loss if it is true.

[DrKerry]

Sad day indeed, another legend lost!!

http://www.comicbookresources.com/article/george-barris-designer-of-iconic-tv-batmobile-passes-away

 

 

[Ramfins59]

Definitely a bummer..  Another icon of the Kustom world gone.   R.I.P. Mr. Barris.

[Harry P.]

He's definitely dead.

Now who gets credit for all the cars he claimed to have designed... but didn't?

[oldcarfan]

I have been ambivalent about him for a long time.  While indeed talented, he always seemed all too ready to claim other people's work as his own.

[Tom Geiger]

I always thought I'd meet him someday at a car event,  or even GSL....  guess not!

I also wanted to meet Ed Roth.  I actually got planning my first trip to GSL because he was going to be there.  He died right before the show.

[Harry P.]

...he always seemed all too ready to claim other people's work as his own.

Yep. That's pretty sleazy.

[wayne swayze]

 Well, I figured everybody would jump all over this. Despite all the negatively we'll undoubtedly hear about the man, he sure inspired me as as a kid watching someone build very cool cars, and to me, he was a great influence.   RIP George!

[Geno]

CNN)George Barris, the Batmobile creator whose talent for turning Detroit iron into decked-out automotive fantasies earned him the nickname "King of the Kustomizers," has died. He was 89.

Barris died early Thursday morning, son Brett Barris said on Facebook.

[Howard Cohen]

Whether he built them or not, George was the biggest promoter of custom cars! He loved cars of all types. I worked with George at Performance World Car Show in Toronto a few times and chatted with him at other shows. He loved model cars! We had a display one year at Performance World and he walked by, stopped to look at the models, spent about 30 minutes visiting, told a few stories, was late for an interview and came back later to chat. Yes, he had his flaws (don't we all), he had spats with other builders but he did promote the heck out of the custom car and model car hobbies. The last time we chatted was this past June in London at the Fleetwood Cruise. RIP George  

[ChrisBcritter]

RIP George, you were a nice guy the few times we met. Condolences to Brett - wish we had spent more time together.

A couple video stills from when he and Brett brought a Batmobile to our car club's drive-in movie night in 2005:

 

^^^ Only shot I got of George and Brett together.

George with Bat-maven Scott Sebring and wife.

[Ace-Garageguy]

 Well, I figured everybody would jump all over this. Despite all the negatively we'll undoubtedly hear about the man, he sure inspired me as as a kid watching someone build very cool cars, and to me, he was a great influence.   RIP George!

X2.

His early work was really pretty important in developing the whole custom car movement, and though his cars went a little off-the-rails in later years, he was major influence in the '40s, '50s and '60s.

 These are just flat kool...      

                     

                                                                                                                

Edited November 6, 2015 by Ace-Garageguy

[GLMFAA1]

Sorry to hear of his passing, The closet I got to the man was when he was on Larry King on CNN years and years ago, I called in and got to be chosen to be on the air and I asked him about the influence of car modeling on car customizers. Then they went to commercial!

greg,

[Mr mopar]

I met Mr Barris a few time a our once a year car show ,and he had all the time to talk about models cars with me ,I even got my ZZR spy car autographed by him R.I..P my friend .

[John Teresi]

R.I.P. George.......thank you for al lthe good times my friend

 

[ChrisBcritter]

Spot the blooper:

Somebody should get the gong...

[High octane]

I always thought I'd meet him someday at a car event,  or even GSL....  guess not!

I also wanted to meet Ed Roth.  I actually got planning my first trip to GSL because he was going to be there.  He died right before the show.

I was lucky enough to meet George Barris a couple of times at car shows and I also recall meeting Ed Roth at a model car contest back in the mid-70's where he presented me with a trophy. I didn't get his autograph at the time, but I did get one from George. May he R.I.P.

[Harry P.]

X2.

His early work was really pretty important in developing the whole custom car movement, and though his cars went a little off-the-rails in later years, he was major influence in the '40s, '50s and '60s.

 These are just flat kool...      

                     

                                                                                                                

Wasn't it Sam Barris who did the Ala Kart?

[Ace-Garageguy]

Wasn't it Sam Barris who did the Ala Kart?

From Brizio's site  http://www.roybriziostreetrods.com/progress/mumford_ak/index.htm  ..."Built by George Barris, Richard Peters and Blackie Gegian in 1957, the Ala Kart won the coveted AMBR trophy at the Oakland Roadster Show twice, in ’58 and ’59 "