George Barris Archives - Custom Car ChronicleCustom Car Chronicle

The Original Kustoms of America

ORIGINAL KUSTOMS of AMERICA 1954 the Custom Car business was booming Nation wide. Time for George Barris to take the Custom Car Club to a new level. Kustoms Of America was fou...

by David/Michelle

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LIFE magazine photo shoot at Barris

LIFE Magazine photo shoot at BARRIS In the early 1950s several non car related magazines did some magazine features on Custom Cars. One of them was Life Magazine, or at least ...

by Rik Hoving

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Johnny Zaro 1941 Ford

JOHNNY ZARO 1941 FORD Originally created for John Vara by George Barris. This radical full fade away fendered 1941 Ford padded topped Convertible is best known as the Johnny Z...

by Rik Hoving

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Balboa Beach Rendezvous Ballroom

BALBOA BEACH Rendezvous Ballroom From 1948 till 1951 the Kustoms Los Angles Car Club would cruise down to Balboa Beach for Easter Ballweek. Free Custom Car show on the parkin...

by Rik Hoving

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Petersen Motorama 1952

PETERSEN MOTORAMA 1952 Custom Cars at the third Annual International Motorama show held at the Pan Pacific Auditorium in Los Angeles 1952. The Annual International Motorama he...

by Rik Hoving

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Shaved Door Handles

SHAVED DOOR HANDLES Shaving the door handles of your car for that Ultra Smooth Custom Look was one of the major trends in the early to mid 1950s. The history of Shaved Door Ha...

by Rik Hoving

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Edison Photo Location

EDISON Photo Location In the late 1940’s a series of Color and black and white photos were taken at an Edison Plant or something like that. Unique Color photos of early ...

by Rik Hoving

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Sam Barris Custom Stylist

SAM BARRIS CUSTOM STYLIST We have all read about how Sam Barris was the metal craftsman at the Barris Shop. But what was his roll when it came to the designs of the Barris Cus...

by Rik Hoving

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57 Chevy El Capitola

EL CAPITOLA 1957 Chevy El Capitola restyled by Sam Barris after he moved back to NorCal was the last Custom he created for the Barris Kustom Shop. Don Fletcher, from Del Paso ...

by Rik Hoving

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Bill Gaylord 49 Mercury

BILL GAYLORD 49 MERCURY In 1949 Bill Gaylord gets a 1949 Mercury Convertible which George Barris chops right away. Its the first ever chopped 1949 Mercury Convertible. In t...

by Rik Hoving

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Barris Bell Shop

BARRIS BELL SHOP After establishing a name in the Custom world in the Barris Compton Ave shop in Los Angeles, the shop was relocated in Bell for a short period. Very little is...

by Rik Hoving

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About CCC

Custom Car Chronicle: THE BEAUTY OF CUSTOMIZING

Custom Car Chronicle is a online magazine and forum, for custom car and hot rod people who are looking for inspiration, historical knowledge, and a place were their passion can be shared.

CCC is created by a small, international group of custom car, hot rod, model car, art, design-, photography-, and architecture enthusiasts.
Editor in chief is custom car historian- Rik Hoving.

For centuries people are inspired to built beautiful cars. CCC focuses on everything that ignites that special inspiration: design, history, technology, perfect proportions, the right feeling, and amazing personal stories.

The Original Kustoms of America

LIFE magazine photo shoot at Barris

Johnny Zaro 1941 Ford

Balboa Beach Rendezvous Ballroom

Petersen Motorama 1952

Shaved Door Handles

Edison Photo Location

Sam Barris Custom Stylist

57 Chevy El Capitola

Bill Gaylord 49 Mercury

Barris Bell Shop

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