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As the story goes, when writer Tom Wolfe saw Mr. Barris’s customization of a 1960 Chevrolet convertible, he called it, in his own ineffable way, a “Tangerine-Flake Streamline Baby.” Barris reportedly liked the sobriquet and thereafter referred to it by that name. As is his wont, Wolfe hit upon the very essence of the much-altered Chevy, with its radical, metallic, orange-colored exterior and Naugahyde-covered interior.
And DM has captured the essence of the original perfectly. This is the third Barris hot-rod I’ve acquired. Though I’m not a hot-rod collector per se, I like the clean lines of Barris’s creations. This beauty’s no exception. Painted in a flawless, shocking, metal-flake, Tangerine-orange color, with a pearlescent white interior, this “Streamline Baby” sure stands out. And DM includes a lot of the features of this custom car; features like: rotating front seats, simulated Naugahyde interior, with matching rear tonneau cover (there’s a top-up, cloth top too), and fluffy white “pile” carpet for the interior and the trunk. The detailing on the richly chromed dashboard is up to the usual DM high standards, as are the door (like the Barris originals, I suspect) and hood hinges. Even the sun visors operate. Also, if you look closely at the doors, you’ll find the bottoms are “carpeted” and the tiny lock buttons are visible. They even shut with a distinct “click,” due to tiny, spring-loaded pins and opposing latch-plates! The same attention to detail is continued under the hood and on the undercarriage. All this fine detail serves to show off the beauty of Barris’s exceptional ‘60s hot-rod—the “Tangerine-Flake Streamline Baby.” [NOTE: although the literature instructions mention operating suspensions, my model does no have that feature. Since DM has older and newer versions of the ’60 Impala, it might depend on which version was used to make this custom. Then again, the literature might simply be wrong. I’d appreciate feedback on this feature, if you have this image.]
If, like me, you think Mr. Barris’s creations epitomize what hot-rods are all about, you’ll want to put this “Tangerine-Flake Streamline Baby” next to the “Ala Kart” and the “Hirohata Merc.” I’m looking forward to other renderings of his creations, should DM choose to do them.
(03/01/2004)
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