1955 Chevrolet Bel Air Custom

In the world of custom cars there are few names as revered as that of George Barris. This car made its first appearance at the 1959 Detroit Autorama. It was built by Barris for Bill Carr, his roommate, at the time. Based on a 1955 Chevy convertible, the car was modified and renamed the Aztec. The Aztec uses tail fins from a Studebaker Hawk, bumpers and mesh grille from a 1957 DeSoto, pans from a 1953 Studebaker, and headlights from a 1957 Mercury Turnpike Cruiser. Originally fitted with a 265cid Chevy V-8, the Aztec was upgraded with a 350cid Chevrolet crate V-8 engine and 700R4 transmission when last restored. It was rescued from a New Jersey body shop in the early 1990s by its current owner, where it was left to rot after being tied over the years to bank robberies and ultimately seized by the government.