The name George Barris likely rings a bell in the minds of most folks
familiar with custom cars. He is perhaps the best-known customizer from
an era where over the top was just right,
and this 1955 Chevrolet Aztec is an example of how wild such projects
could go. This one even made an appearance at the 1959 Detroit Autorama.
Before
we get ahead of ourselves, though, it’s worth explaining that there was
no Aztec model in the Chevrolet lineup that year, or any year. This
custom got its name from Barris and the builders of the car, Bill DeCarr
and Bill Carr. DeCarr was a Barris employee and Carr was Barris’
housemate and the car’s owner. The design was all Barris, and the
fabrication and creation of the car took place on nights and weekends in
the Barris shop with Carr and DeCarr cutting, welding, and leading
their way to a wild one-off.
Like many customs of the era, the powertrain is nothing to write home
about. A humble small-block V-8 and automatic transmission combine to
motivate the striking convertible. On top of that though are innumerable
custom details. The taillights are hand-formed red Lucite. The tailfins
are pulled from a Studebaker Hawk, similar to how the side trim was
pilfered from a Ford. The rear fenders were stretched 18
inches—unimaginable by today’s standards – and got stylized skirts to
cover the wheel openings. A new, gaping grille was built from ‘53
Studebaker sheet metal and fitted with a full-width bumper below quad
headlights from a ‘57 Mercury Turnpike Cruiser. A matching rear fascia
also features a full-width bumper made from DeSoto, Oldsmobile, and
Chevy hardware. Inside, crushed velour upholstery on the seats was
matched by the headliner in the custom 1/2 top that gave the convertible
a Targa look.
The finished product was wild, and it spent the first part of its
life on the show circuit, racking up wins and finding its way onto
several magazine covers. Bill Carr had his fun though and was ready to
sell the car and move on to the next shiny thing. That’s the point where
Carr ended up with a big headache.
The buyer was a man who had only recently become independently
wealthy, specifically because he held up banks on the east coast of the
United States. Carr was ignorant of this at the time, but when the FBI
knocked on his door and wanted the money back his eyes were quickly
opened. Some say he helped the FBI snare the bank robber, but
unfortunately, the car went to auction instead of back to Carr.
After
multiple owners, the car degraded over the years before receiving an
exacting restoration in 1999. The golden honey paint was matched exactly
by House of Kolor after a paint chip was pulled from the interior of
the glove box. Now the car stands as a reminder to the wild
individualization we can blend into our cars should we choose to. If you
want to skip the customization part and just write a check, the Aztec is crossing the auction block
as part of Mecum’s Kissimmee, Florida, sale in January 2020. There
aren’t many cars that cement true one-of-one status like this classic
custom, and that is what makes it so special.
