I learned something new about George Barris and Co.

[Mike 1017]

 I am reading about Ed Pink and his early years at the Bonniville Salt Flats
, and I came across this photo of a Barris built Streamliner. The person in the wheelchair is Chet Herbert the man behind Herbert Cams. He never let Polio stop him.

Mike

 

 

Edited September 13, 2024 by Mike 1017
wrong word

[Can-Con]

Looks like that pic was taken before Sam passed. I'd suspect it was Sam's work, not Georges as I don't see any tiger fur or gold lamé.

[Ace-Garageguy]

3 hours ago, Mike 1017 said:

 ...The person in the wheelchair is Chet Herbert the man behind Herbert Cams. He never let Polio stop him

Chet Herbert was quite a guy, having designed and ground the first roller cams for performance automotive engines in 1949.

His company is still in business, and I'll be running a Herbert Cams roller in my '32 just because.

https://www.herbertcams.com/about-herbert-cams/

His "Beast IV" streamliner, shown in the OP's photos above, was the fastest single engine car in the US in 1953, turning 246 at Bonneville.

Edited September 13, 2024 by Ace-Garageguy

[Ace-Garageguy]

41 minutes ago, Can-Con said:

Looks like that pic was taken before Sam passed.

Yup. Sam checked out in '67, but was definitely working with George when Herbert's streamliner Beast IV body was built.

https://kustomrama.com/wiki/Sam_Barris

Edited September 13, 2024 by Ace-Garageguy

[slusher]

reat  info I didn’t know! Thanks for sharing..

[Mike 1017]

16 hours ago, Can-Con said:

Looks like that pic was taken before Sam passed. I'd suspect it was Sam's work, not Georges as I don't see any tiger fur or gold lamé.

All of that is probably in the interior. 

[Mark]

Everybody likes to bag on George now, but before he got into the TV and movie stuff big time the brothers turned out a bunch of legendary customs.

[JollySipper]

I've read that George B. was quite the ladies man! 50+ years later, folks are finding lipsticks and such in the customs they built.........

[1972coronet]

9 hours ago, JollySipper said:

I've read that George B. was quite the ladies man! 50+ years later, folks are finding lipsticks and such in the customs they built.........

Bondo fumes and Pb vapour Insufflation / skin absorption will do that kinda stuff !

[Mark]

Barris' shop probably painted other competition cars.  Dean Jeffries painted and lettered a bunch of Indy cars in the Fifties and Sixties.  The Alexander Brothers painted a bunch of drag cars including those of the Ramchargers and Golden Commandos.  (They didn't do the Ramchargers lettering though, they had another guy do that.)  And Ed Roth lettered a bunch of drag cars including the Stone, Woods, & Cook Willys as depicted in the first Revell kit.

[Mike 1017]

14 hours ago, Mark said:

Barris' shop probably painted other competition cars.  Dean Jeffries painted and lettered a bunch of Indy cars in the Fifties and Sixties.  The Alexander Brothers painted a bunch of drag cars including those of the Ramchargers and Golden Commandos.  (They didn't do the Ramchargers lettering though, they had another guy do that.)  And Ed Roth lettered a bunch of drag cars including the Stone, Woods, & Cook Willys as depicted in the first Revell kit.

I wish that photo was in color. The paint job may have been a masterpiece. I wonder how many race car bodies were by them. My favorite paint job is when Lace is used.

Mike

[Ace-Garageguy]

1 hour ago, Mike 1017 said:

I wish that photo was in color. The paint job may have been a masterpiece. 

https://www.hopupmagazine.com/blog/2017/6/5/chet-herberts-beast-iv