Hot Rod Road Show

2008 Santa Maria Paso Roblas Car Show

ralph@avalonmm.tv (Ralph Riccardi) — Tue, 27 May 2008 00:28:09 +0000

Tony just sent the photos from the 2008 Santa Maria/Paso Roblas Car Show last weekend. Of course, he won another award. That TBird keeps getting better and better. Check out the full gallery

There were some pretty serious cars there. (as always). Take a look.

Corky Coker and George Barris at the NHRA Exhibit

ralph@avalonmm.tv (Ralph Riccardi) — Mon, 19 May 2008 02:35:12 +0000

Here is a quote from our good friend Corky Coker’s blog:

At the opening of our exhibit at the NHRA Museum it all came together. Casey and Aaron did a great job building the exhibits for Coker Tire’s 50th and Honest Charley’s 60th Anniversaries. Everyone was really enjoying the opening of the displays. It was really something special to see all these pieces of our history on display. It was also my pleasure to spend some time with one of the car hobby’s most influential people, ever. And I mean EVER! The legendary George Barris was with us, as his famous 1949 Mercury Custom is proudly included in our exhibit. Barris’ custom Mercury is widely regarded as the most famous custom Mercury of all time, and by some as the father-car of all customs! George and I had a chance to do this little video blog during all the festivities. I hope you enjoy it.

There are some other videos of the exhibit and the famous Prolong Twilight Cruise Night at the NHRA museum in Pomona, CA. Check ‘em out

THE BARRIS MANNIX GTS DART

ralph@avalonmm.tv (Ralph Riccardi) — Thu, 15 May 2008 02:08:20 +0000

from: Bill Krzastek (Saint’s Volvo) from last year at the Fleetwood Country Cruize-in, Canada.
” I have another car that I will be bringing: this one is the actual “Mannix” Dodge Dart GTS convertible that was used in the “Mannix” TV series from 1968-1970. The car was modified for the show by George Barris, himself! I’m finishing it up and will have it there. Here are a few photos.
Best Regards,
Bill Krzastek”
This car is THE 1968 Dodge Dart GTS convertible that was used from 1968 until 1970 in the popular CBS Television series “MANNIX” starring Mike Connors and Gail Fisher.
The history of this particular car is most interesting. “Mannix” debuted in 1967 and the lead character, Joe Mannix, worked for a private detective firm called INTERTECH. However, Joe Mannix tended solve cases his own way rather than follow the company rules. During the first season, Mannix drove an Oldsmobile Toronado customized by George Barris.

The show, though popular with fans, wasn’t quite the success that CBS had wanted and rumors of cancellation circulated. Luckily, “Mannix” had a guardian angel in the form of Lucille Ball whose company Desilu produced the series. She liked the show and she liked Mike Connors enough to persuade CBS to give the series another chance. CBS agreed and the producers decided to revamp the show. It is this revised form with Joe Mannix now working out his own office with his secretary, Peggy, that the show went on to great success.

It was also decided that the Toronado would be replaced as Joe Mannix’s mode of transport as it was thought to be too “flashy” for a Private Investigator. In it’s place, Chrysler Corporation provided a red 1968 Dodge Dart GTS convertible. Bruce Geller, the producer of “Mannix”, was a car guy and liked the GTS but thought that the color red was again “too flashy” for a detective.
Mr. Geller again called on “The King of the Kustomizers”, George Barris, to work his magic on the GTS. Mr. Barris repainted the car dark green, modified the grille to accept Lucas Flamethrower lamps, added “tunnel port” scoops to the hood, reshaped the rear of the car with a flaired spoiler, modified the taillights and decklid trim, and added Rader mag wheels and a racing mirror for a little added pizzazz.
Mr. Geller was quite pleased with the car and it was used for the next two seasons of “Mannix”. Chrysler Corporation was also pleased with the attention the GTS received and supplied the series with a 1969 GTS which was also modified by Mr. Barris. At this time, the 1968 car was updated with Cragar wheels and the racing mirror was replaced with the original remote unit.
Contrary to published reports, both cars were equipped with the 340 engine. This can be quite clearly seen in the episode when the hood is raised (and the original red engine compartment is shown!).
After series duty, the car was sold into private hands and fell into obscurity. It was found in the early 1980’s in a California forest under a Ranger’s lookout tower in very poor condition.
Restoration began in the late 1990’s and is continuing.

Culver City Classic Cars Coming May 10

ralph@avalonmm.tv (Ralph Riccardi) — Wed, 07 May 2008 21:02:21 +0000

This Saturday, May 10, Culver City presents its 5th annual antique car show, “Cruisin’ Back to the 50s,” from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The event, to benefit local children’s charities, will take place on Culver and Washington Boulevards, between Duquesne and Ince. Over 400 classic cars will be on display. Food will be cooking, music will be playing, and vendors will be vending. George Barris, creator of such classic tv cars as the Batmobile, the Beverly Hillbillies Jalopy, and the Munsters Koach, will have some of his cars on display as well.
For more information, call 310-499-4840.

Big Als Aruba Ratrods

ralph@avalonmm.tv (Ralph Riccardi) — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 14:43:45 +0000

Big Al finds the best rides no matter where he is. Aruba looks like a great spot for ratrods. Take a look at the gallery. He sent us 95 photos.
Big Al’s Aruba Ratrods.

Barris Kustom Techniques of the ’50s: Flames, Scallops, Paneling

ralph@avalonmm.tv (Ralph Riccardi) — Sat, 05 Apr 2008 15:28:30 +0000

George’s klassic Kustomizing bibles are now back in print from our friends over at Wolfgang Publications
In this book George Barris explains how he and brother Sam did their custom painting and early flame jobs in the 1950s. No one can tell this story as well as George Barris, a fine photographer and the man who built many of the cars shown in the book.
People are as interesting in painting and customizing now, as they were when this material was first created, in the 1950s. Everyone wants to know how to do a flame job, or how to run a pair of pinstripes straight down the side of their car.
This particular book contains more than just the photos and words of George Barris. This volume contains first-person side-bars by legendary painters and builders like Dean Jeffries and Larry Watson, describing how they developed their talents and what it was like to work directly with the Barris brothers.
Wolfgang has some other great hot rod books, so check ‘em out.

THE KING OF KUSTOMIZERS IN MIAMI BEACH AT AUTOMATIC SLIMS

ralph@avalonmm.tv (Ralph Riccardi) — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 01:10:11 +0000

THE KING OF KUSTOMIZERS WILL BE IN MIAMI BEACH AT AUTOMATIC SLIMS- 1216 WASHINGTON AVE. HOSTING A ONE NIGHT ONLY EVENT. THIS IS A HOT ROD NIGHT SO BRING YOUR HOT ROD OR RAT ROD, AND MEET THE KING OF KUSTOMIZERS. HE IS THE CREATOR OF SUCH CARS AS THE BATMOBILE, THE MONKEES CAR, THE DUKES OF HAZZARD, THE MUNSTERS COACH AND MANY MORE. HE IS ONE INCREDIBLE PERSON. WE WILL ALSO BE LAUNCHING A NEW T SHIRT LINE WITH MR BARRIS, SO COME AND BE A PART OF HISTORY. CHEAP DRINKS AND GOOD FOOD ON HAND! NO CHARGE FOR THIS EVENT AND FREE PARKING FOR YOUR RAT OR HOT ROD! DOORS OPEN AT 10:00 PM AUTOMATIC SLIMS 1216 WASHINGTON AVE MIAMI BEACH, FL 33139 WWW.AUTOMATIC-SLIMS.COM

Race car and street rod builder “Lil’ John” Buttera has died

ralph@avalonmm.tv (Ralph Riccardi) — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 00:24:09 +0000

Race car and street rod builder “Lil’ John” Buttera has died. He passed away in Southern California last week due to complications from a brain tumor. He was 67.

No matter what Buttera built, it set trends, dating back to the dragsters, funny cars and Pro Stock machines he built in the 60s and 70s. He built funny cars for the biggest names in the sport during the halcyon days of drag racing including Don Prudhomme, Don Schumacher – the list goes on and on. The race cars Buttera built represented a sea change in the 1970s Funny Car class, much in the way Kent Fuller’s “Greer, Black & Prudhomme” dragster changed the approach to dragster building in the early 1960s. Characteristics of a Buttera Funny car included simplicity, elegance in design, and a low slung wicked stance. They were also much easier to work on than earlier models. The cockpit area laid the driver’s way back in the seat, sometimes making it hard for them to see but the aerodynamic advantage outweighed any driver’s complaints. His funny cars not only looked amazing, they won championships too. He also set the standard in the NHRA Pro Stock class. The Pro Stock machine he built for longtime client Barry Setzer in the mid 1970s featured removable panels all around with a chrome molly tube chassis – a build style still implemented today. Prior to that car – Pro Stocker’s were mostly factory stock unibody machines.
Buttera turned his sights to street rods in 1974 building a 1926 Tall T Ford – the first in a long series of influential hot rods. The 26 T sedan, his white ’29 roadster, John Corno’s ’32 roadster that won the 1980 Oakland America’s Most Beautiful Roadster award, and a ’33 Willy’s model 77 for Mr. Gasket’s Joe Hrudka (wheels machined out of solid chucks of aluminum, naturally) were just some of his influential and mouth watering hot rods. His subtle craftsmanship and superior engineering skills again set his cars above all others. He is credited as being the first to whittle street rod, race car and motorcycle parts from solid chunks of billet aluminum. He also drove his rods, sometimes long distances in the 1970s and 1980s alongside his friendly rival from Northern California Andy Brizio. The late Gray Baskerville once asked Buttera how he could make a rear view mirror out of a solid block of aluminum to which Buttera tersely replied…”That’s easy – just cut away everything that doesn’t look like a rear view mirror.”
Content to let others have the spotlight and build on the platforms he pioneered in street rodding and racing, Buttera focused his attention in other avenues during the later half of the 1980s through and the 1990s and into the new millennium. He designed cutting edge parts and components for many companies during this time, working with the likes of the Edelbrock Corporation, Harley Davidson, Bon Speed and others. He became well known in the custom motorcycle scene building several “smoothie” style V-Twin bikes.
In 2004, he returned to what he loved best, building street rods and driving them across country. He scratch built a little polished aluminum lakes modified roadster in his Los Alamitos, California garage and drove it to Indianapolis to the Goodguys Hot Rod Nationals in June of 2005 where he was honored as a Goodguys “Hot Rod Hero.” While not a warm and fuzzy guy at all, you could visibly see how happy that trip made him and he got a chance to hang out with many old friends along the way.
One of Buttera’s many racing peers was Tom Hanna – a talented and well respected metal fabricator and former top fuel drag racer. “Buttera’s inspiration for me was immense,” said Hanna. “This guy would take it a step beyond your wildest creative imagination. He could leave you feeling pretty inadequate. I remember going to SEMA one year and John had built a motorcycle that was on display. It blew me away. I’m not a motorcycle guy at all – but this bike left such an indelible impression on me, that years later when I built a dragster for the Reunion Cacklefests, I plagiarized the spirit of that first bike John built. He was amazing. You could conjure up your best project, execute it to perfection, then see something John built and it would make you want to throw your deal in the scrap yard. He was an absolute artist. If Kent Fuller is the Leonardo of the wheel, John may well have been the Michelangelo”
Perhaps the highlight of John’s legacy was his Indy car involvement. Hanna remembers it this way. “John had participated in one of those soap pyramid schemes that blew through drag racing and unlike most of the chumps, he got lucky and wound up with enough of a nest egg to try the Indy 500 on the cheap. Most of us would have given it up as a passing dream far beyond our reach. But not John, he was hell bent to try the impossible. With several volunteers (including Steve Leach) he picked up a used Eagle tub from Dan Gurney, built an engine with help from Bruce Crower and thrashed the thing together working around the clock in his two car garage. In the process he amazed the Gurney camp with what he had done to improve their product, qualified eighth the first time he ever set foot on Indy’s hallowed ground and all of this with a driver nobody else wanted. He so impressed the Champ Car establishment with what a bunch of broke drag racers had achieved, that he was awarded the first-ever Clint Brawner Trophy for technical achievement. That award resides today in the Indianapolis Motor Speedway museum. Back before Indy racing was spec. series, you could actually build you own components, engines, modify the chassis and aero package. You know - be creative. Few share John’s level of pure artistic and technical creativity.”
When asked recently about Buttera’s contribution to the street rod world, STREET RODDER Magazine’s Brian Brennan simply shook his head and said, “He was the first true craftsman in the street rod industry, the pre-eminent car builder of his era, perhaps any era.”
Long divorced, never remarried, Buttera is survived by his son Chris, daughter Leigh, son in law Ronnie Capps, granddaughter Katie and grandson Max.

Boyd Coddington, Hot Rod King, Dead At Age 63 Ride in Peace

ralph@avalonmm.tv (Ralph Riccardi) — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 23:28:39 +0000

World-renowned tuner and hot rod king Boyd Coddington died at 6:20 am this morning. The cause of death is still unknown. Coddington, founder of Boyds Wheels and designer of prize-winning custom cars, had recently been hospitalized twice for an undisclosed medical condition. Although he was though to be in recovery, rumors of his untimely death began circulating today throughout the forums. A spokesperson for Boyd Coddington's corporation has confirmed to Jalopnik that those rumors are true. The company will be releasing a statement later today. (Story Credit Jalopnik)

picture credit: Discovery Channel

The Newly Restored Munster Koach

ralph@avalonmm.tv (Ralph Riccardi) — Sat, 09 Feb 2008 17:20:13 +0000

Here it is. Straight from the Sacramento Autorama. Thanks, Tony