The condo belonging to George Barris, the late custom car whiz who designed one-of-a-kind cars for film and television, including the 1966 Batmobile and the Munster Koach, is on the market for $599,000.
The condo, which is in Encino, CA, was the secondary residence of Barris and his wife, Shirley, for over 25 years. The couple bought it in 1988 to be closer to Barris' business, Barris Kustom Industries, according to listing agent George Ghiz of Sotheby's International Realty.
"George was still involved in creating cars for television and movies, and they wanted the pied--terre close to George's studio" in Universal City, CA, Ghiz says. Barris died in November at the age of 89.
The 1,837-square-foot condo features two fireplaces, a walk-in closet, an eat-in kitchen, and mirrored walls in the living room and dining area. It features a large desert mural in the breakfast nook and has two bedrooms and two bathrooms. The condo complex boasts a number of amenities, including a swimming pool, spa, dual tennis courts, and waterfalls on the grounds.
Known as "The King of The Kustomizers," Barris was one of the leading pioneers in Kustom Kulture and one of the subjects of Tom Wolfe's essay collection, "The Kandy-Kolored Tangerine-Flake Streamline Baby." Barris also customized cars for the Hollywood A-list, including a golden Rolls-Royce for Zsa Zsa Gabor and a modified Cadillac for Elvis Presley. Most recently he made two Cadillac hearses for the show "Monster Garage."
But most of us will remember him for giving the world the original Batmobile. Vroom!