Mercman Posted October 4, 2013 Share Posted October 4, 2013 Here is a pic of the hearse. It was on the show with Hef's girlfriends. They used it on Halloween. Not sure if it was ever in a movie or not. . Also in the shop at the time was John Schnieder's General Lee, to be touched up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mnwildpunk Posted October 7, 2013 Share Posted October 7, 2013 I have always been a fan of gene winfield myself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jantrix Posted October 7, 2013 Share Posted October 7, 2013 For those who have never seen Sam Barris' famous Merc, here it is. This was done in '49 with a new vehicle. One could say he was among those that started it all, and was the hands-on customizer of the family. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mercman Posted October 7, 2013 Share Posted October 7, 2013 Heres a couple of pics I got of Sams Merc at the NHRA museum a few years back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1930fordpickup Posted October 8, 2013 Share Posted October 8, 2013 Sams Mercury is one of the few chopped Mercs I like. Awesome color and a tasteful chop. Most shop owners get credit for what the others do. I must have missed the shows when Foose did anything but stand in front the camera. Wait, he does do the art work (yes art is a skill must of us do not have) still not the same as doing the metal work and painting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Longbox55 Posted October 8, 2013 Share Posted October 8, 2013 I think it was Sam Barris that built the Hiroshima?? Mercury. . Close. It's Hirohata, after the original owner, Bob Hirohata. More on the car can be found here http://www.kustomrama.com/index.php?title=Bob_Hirohata%27s_1951_Mercury Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ace-Garageguy Posted October 11, 2013 Share Posted October 11, 2013 Gee whillikers...I sure wish they still made babes like that. I'd forget how old I am and make a real fool of myself. As far as George Barris goes, he WAS the real deal and had his hands on a lot of the early cars that defined the "kustom" look on the left coast. He also wrote how-to columns for the early car rags, and he's often photographed actually doing the work...welding, leading, grinding etc. Like a lot of folks who make it, he became much more involved over time in the promotional aspects of the business than the actual work. And like many artists, the quality and attractiveness of his credited designs have highs and lows ...and I agree, there are a few instances where the actual deserved 'credit' for a particular car is somewhat cloudy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ace-Garageguy Posted October 11, 2013 Share Posted October 11, 2013 I must have missed the shows when Foose did anything but stand in front the camera. Wait, he does do the art work (yes art is a skill must of us do not have) still not the same as doing the metal work and painting. I've been building stuff other people got the credit for most of my life, and I've been around the biz long enough to know if a shop owner knows the dirty end of the work. Chip Foose most certainly DOES. It's pretty obvious when his guys have a problem fitting something, or whatever...Foose gets in there and makes it look easy, and you can't do that unless you know your stuff and paid your dues actually doing the WORK. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blown03SVT Posted October 12, 2013 Share Posted October 12, 2013 (edited) Little known fact about Mr. Barris I just learned... he learned the craft early on working with Harry Westergard in Sacremento in the late 30's before he made the trek to L.A. to eventually start out with his brother Sam. http://www.customcarchronicle.com/cc-builders/barris-kustom-shop/george-barris-personal-36-ford/ Edited October 12, 2013 by Blown03SVT Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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