Barris Kustom Techniques of the 50's by George Barris

Every car enthusiast knows who George Barris is, what many of those enthusiasts don’t know is that George did a great deal of photography throughout the 1950s. In fact, it was these photos, published by magazines of the period, that helped to make the Barris shop famous. The photos that make up Volume one include both brother Sam chopping tops and leading fenders, and the feature shots of the cars after they were finished. Fans of custom cars or George Barris will enjoy the photos of the famous cars like the Hirohata Merc and the Metranga coupe. In-the-shop sequences show Sam heating a stick of lead after pulling all the chrome off an early Ford. Tools of the time were simple and direct. Cutting the top was done with an air chisel or hack saw, welding was accomplished with an oxy-acetylene outfit. Other than a pair of welding goggles, safety equipment was non-existent. The fact that they are black and white just adds to the historical significance of this book. For the hard-core fan it doesn’t get any better than this.