A one-of-a-kind custom trike dreamed up by legendary builder George Barris in the mid-1970s is preparing to cross the auction block, offering collectors a chance to acquire one of the most unusual machines ever created by the “King of the Kustomizers.” Known as the Sidewinder, the three-wheeler blends hot-rod engineering, mid-century showmanship and aviation hardware into a rolling sculpture that embodies the high-energy spirit of 1970s custom culture.
Designed and built at Barris’ North Hollywood shop in 1975, the Sidewinder was never intended for the street. Instead, it served as a showcase for the creativity and spectacle that defined Barris’ later work. Power comes from an all-aluminum 329-cubic-inch Buick V8 estimated to produce between 350 and 400 horsepower. The engine sits sideways within a tripod-style frame and feeds power through an automatic transmission connected to a double-chain drive and a floating rear axle — the configuration that inspired the Sidewinder name.
The drivetrain is packed with performance parts of the era, including an Iskenderian camshaft, Jahn racing pistons and fuel injection fed by a hand-spun MOON tank running on 100-octane fuel. Chrome headers, sculpted side pipes and a cleanly detailed engine bay complete the mechanical display. Up front, long chopper forks built by George Barton of Randy Enterprises extend the trike’s stance, tying the motorcycle influence into the vehicle’s dramatic silhouette.
The bodywork, shaped from 20-gauge steel, adopts a sweeping boomerang profile with twin rear spoiler wings. As with many Barris creations, the design mixes fantasy and function. That philosophy extends to the oversized magnesium wheels taken from a Douglas DC-6 airliner, paired with twin Hurst/AirHeart disc brakes and decorative parachutes intended to echo high-speed drag racing themes.
The Sidewinder arrives from a builder whose reputation shaped decades of custom-car design. Barris’ influence began in the 1940s and grew rapidly through the 1950s with landmark customs like the Hirohata Mercury. Hollywood fame followed in the 1960s when he delivered some of television’s most memorable cars, including the Batmobile, the Munsters’ Koach and the Beverly Hillbillies’ truck. Even as his creations gained mainstream recognition, Barris continued producing experimental showpieces into the 1970s and beyond, each reflecting a blend of spectacle and craftsmanship.
Now, the Sidewinder is scheduled to appear at a Historics Auctioneers sale in late November, offering bidders a rare opportunity to own a distinctive example of Barris’ imagination. Whether viewed as a motorcycle, a custom car or a kinetic art piece, the Sidewinder stands as one of the most dramatic expressions of his later work — a machine built to turn heads rather than turn laps, and a reminder of a time when custom builders pushed the boundaries of what a vehicle could be.
