We've run a number of tech stories in Rod & Custom over the past couple of years with Brad Masterson of Masterson Kustom Automobiles. What we've never mentioned up until now is that the Masterson shop is actually the old Dean Jeffries shop next door to the old Barris premises at 11054 Atlantic Ave in Lynwood. Brad would dearly love to move into the old Barris building, which still operates today as a muffler and brake shop, but for now even working out of the shop that has seen the likes of Jeffries, Watson and Hines plying their trade is pretty damn cool. Though the storefront that exists today stretches out to the sidewalk, Brad has undertaken a little archeology and unearthed the original 'Animal Hospital' lettering on the side wall that can be seen in many old pictures of the Barris location. His plan is to turn the front part of the premises into a store and mini museum, and create traditional kustoms out back.
I received a phone call from Brad on the evening of December 7 2007 saying he was eating dinner in the Chinese restaurant over the street from the shop, and had just had the weirdest feeling, as he'd realized it was 50 years to the day that Dean Jeffries sat in that same restaurant and spotted the fire that ravaged the Barris shop. This sparked an idea (pun intended!) and December 7 2008 saw Brad host an open house in remembrance of the fire. As usual we showed up late, but a steady stream of visitors had come and gone throughout the afternoon, prompting Brad to plan an even bigger event for this year.