Brown's Body Shop

George Barris' 1936 Ford Coupe of Roseville, California. This was George's first real custom. He bought the car with money he had earned while doing some odd jobs for Harry Westergard at Brown's Body Shop. George worked at the car between the staggering amount of school work and working with Westergard. The build was completed in 1941.

The old Brown's Body Shop building at 19th and G streets in Sacramento, California. This was where Harry Westergard worked in the early 1940s, and where a young George Barris got his first hands-on experience in metalwork. Henrik Forss stopped by to check out the historical ground in May of 2026. Photo courtesy of Henrik Forss.

Map showing the location of the old Brown's Body Shop at 19th and G streets in Sacramento, California. The exact location of Brown's Body Shop had long been a source of confusion, with several accounts placing the shop in Roseville, California, while others referred to it as "Brown Brothers in Sacramento." In May of 2026, Henrik Forss visited the building and had the address confirmed by a local automotive historian, settling the question in favor of the Sacramento location. Photo courtesy of Henrik Forss.

Photo courtesy of Henrik Forss.

Photo courtesy of Henrik Forss.

Brown's Body Shop was a small body and fender shop in Roseville, California. It is best remembered as the place where Harry Westergard mentored a young George Barris in the early 1940s, providing Barris with his first hands-on experience in metalwork and laying the foundation for one of the most influential careers in American custom car history.

Location

Brown's Body Shop was a small body and fender shop in Roseville, California. Some accounts of George Barris' early career refer to the shop where he worked on his 1936 Ford Convertible as "Brown Brothers in Sacramento."

Harry Westergard

Around 1940 - 1941 Harry Westergard worked at Brown's Body Shop. Harry was a skilled tradesman in traditional body building.

George Barris

While he was still in high school, George Barris began spending his spare time at Brown's Body Shop. At first he watched quietly the way the men did metal work, then began asking questions. The shop owner eventually put George to work, letting him do a little welding, and letting him "set in" the license plate of a 1936 Ford. The owner was surprised at the fine job George did on the car. George later said that he knew after his first custom job at Brown's that restyling automobiles was the thing for him.

It was at Brown's that George found a mentor and information resource in Harry Westergard. George began helping Harry whenever time would permit, and carefully followed the instructions of his new friend, who eventually taught him such necessary formalities as layout and paneling. Doing these odd jobs brought in a little extra money for George.

George Barris' 1936 Ford Coupe

With the money he had earned doing odd jobs for Harry Westergard at Brown's Body Shop, George Barris bought a 1936 Ford Coupe, the first car in which he had sole interest. George worked on the car between the staggering amount of school work and working with Westergard. Over a period of time, he set in the rear license plate, chopped the top, removed the running boards, altered the taillights, lowered the car, added skirts, ripple discs, ripple bumpers, an antenna on the cowl, and a spotlight. He installed solid hood sides, changed the grille, removed all exterior handles, push buttoned the doors and deck lid, and finished off the job with a lacquer paint job. The build was completed in 1941.

George Barris' 1936 Ford Convertible

George Barris traded the 1936 Ford Coupe for a 1936 Ford Convertible in 1941. Much of the work on the convertible was done while George was working at "Brown Brothers in Sacramento." Before he moved to Los Angeles, California, George had molded the lights and seams on the convertible, chopped and lowered it, removed the handles, and fitted it with a 1941 Packard Clipper grille, 1934 Pontiac hood sides, ripple discs, and DeSoto bumpers.

Cars Restyled at Brown's Body Shop

George Barris' 1936 Ford 3-Window Coupe

Employees

George Barris
Harry Westergard