Sonny & Cher's George Barris Kustomized Mustang Convertible

This delightfully cheesy mid-1960s publicity shot shows the Fab Couple with their George Barris "Kustomized" Mustang convertibles. They were typical Barris movie/television pieces for the day: loud paint with shading around the body lines, grilles made out of hardware-store materials, and tacked-on, nonfunctional scoops (of sorts) on the hoods. Barris gave the interiors a makeover featuring flamboyant fabrics and wild colors--not so different from what Mrs. Bono would become known for later in her career. The Pontiac-style split nose was an interesting design touch. The cars must've been provided by Ford; note the manufacturer license plates. Cher has been in the music business for four decades now. Sonny went into politics, but met an untimely end in a skiing accident. Anybody seen these Mustangs lately?

Coverage August 1961
45 years ago, "What's Coming in Cars: Forecast from Detroit" was analogous to today's future-cars issue, except that automotive horizons extend far beyond the confines of Michigan these days. But back then, domestic hardware was what most Americans cared about. Check out Craig Breedlove's jet-propelled 600-mph futuristic rocket car, the Spirit of America. We also covered the Indy 500, won that year by a young Texan named A.J. Foyt.