Vehicle Description
George Barris bought himself this Ferrari 308 GTS in 1978 as a
personal indulgence after years of building some of the most
memorable "Kustom" cars in history for Hollywood. Not surprisingly,
he soon set to work modifying his new 308 GTS with the signature
Barris Kustom's style. On the body, front and rear fenders were
dramatically flared to accommodate extra-wide wheels and tires. The
pop-up headlights were shaved and replaced by driving lights behind
amber covers, inspired by the contemporary 512 BB, while the
headlamps were relocated to the grille below the bumper. A deep
chin spoiler was made, and a custom grille and spoiler were
fabricated for the rear. The 308 was then refinished a striking
two-tone gold and brown color scheme, with Italian tricolore
stripes and gold leaf pinstripe detailing on the upper bodywork,
which ties in nicely with the gold-finished, BBS RS alloy wheels.
George worked his magic on the interior, too, with reupholstered
seats and a dramatic, fully customized digital instrument pod and
center console, featuring futuristic digital displays and LED
lights set in custom-made burl-wood panels. Period high-tech bits
include an integrated NEC telephone, Sony television, Kenwood audio
system, backup camera and a security key pad. Any bright interior
trim - such as the steering wheel, switches and hardware - have
been gold-plated. Like the bodywork and paint, the execution of the
interior was done to a very high-quality standard. When it was
completed, George's 308 made a guest appearance on an episode of
"Knight Rider," alongside one of George's other creations, K.I.T.T.
The 308 starred as "Dagger D-X," the chosen steed of the leader of
an illegal underground street racing gang. Today, the car presents
in amazingly well-preserved condition, a solid and strong-running
308 that has covered just 8,000 miles from new, benefiting from a
fresh timing belt, tensioner and clutch service. Photos of the car
with George and a Barris Kustom's Certificate of Authenticity are
included. George Barris built many cars over his long career, but
only a handful were worthy enough to be kept by the "King of
Kustoms" himself, and this Ferrari 308 is surely one of the most
uniquely eye-catching of them all.
