2011 STARS Hall of Fame

George Barris

“King of the Kustomizers” • Custom Car Legend
San Juan High School

George Barris (1925–2015), a San Juan High School graduate, revolutionized America's vehicle imagination for more than six decades. He transformed everyday cars into cultural icons—designing the 1966 Batmobile, the Munster Koach, KITT from Knight Rider, and countless celebrity hot rods. His flair and engineering prowess turned the custom car into a form of kinetic art, featured on TV, film, album covers, toys, and more.

Starting in the 1950s, Barris and his brother invented – and even christened – the term "kustom," laying the foundation for an entire movement. He built landmark designs like the Ala Kart, Hirohata Merc, Drag-U-La, and jet-inspired showpieces for stars like Elvis, Sinatra, and Dean Martin. His shop in North Hollywood became a pilgrimage site for car enthusiasts—and the street was later renamed “George Barris Place.”

Barris’s influence earned him unprecedented recognition: lifetime achievement honors from Petersen Auto Museum, Hot Rod Magazine, the Friars Club, SEMA, and many others. Motor Trend proclaimed he “changed the face of Detroit,” while Tom Wolfe acknowledged him as an artist in Tangerine‑Flake Streamline Baby.

When he passed in 2015 at age 89, the auto and pop-culture worlds mourned the loss of a true legend. But George Barris’s legacy lives on: his creations continue to inspire designers, entertain fans, influence media, and shift paradigms in creative vision—proving that with a little imagination, even a car can be an icon.