Harbor and Hollywood Freeway Overpass

The dramatic overpasses of the Harbor (110) and Hollywood (101) Freeways in Los Angeles provided George Barris with another striking backdrop. Here, the sweeping concrete structures framed custom cars with a sense of modernity and scale. Photo by George Barris - Barris Kustoms.

Fred Rowe's 1951 Mercury photographed alongside Robert La Briola's 1949 Oldsmobile convertible under the Harbor and Hollywood Freeway Overpass. George Barris shot both cars at the location the same day, taking advantage of the dramatic concrete backdrop. Photo by George Barris - Barris Kustoms.

A dramatic shot of Fred Rowe's 1951 Mercury taken under the Harbor and Hollywood Freeway Overpass landed the cover of Rod & Custom August 1953, cementing the location as one of George Barris’ many iconic photo backdrops.

Jason Bickford helped chase down a present-day view of the Harbor and Hollywood Freeway Overpass. Once a futuristic symbol of postwar progress, the dramatic concrete structure served as a striking backdrop for some of George Barris’ most iconic custom car photo shoots in the early 1950s.

An aerial view of the Harbor and Hollywood Freeway Overpass, better known as the Four Level Interchange. Click here to view the Harbor and Hollywood Freeway Overpass on Google Maps.

Famous Hot Rod and Custom Car Photo Locations

The Harbor and Hollywood Freeway Overpass, located in Downtown Los Angeles, became one of George Barris’ most dramatic photo locations. Known locally as the Four Level Interchange, today the Bill Keene Memorial Interchange, it was the first stack interchange in the world when it opened in 1949.

Barris favored the location for its massive concrete columns and sweeping ramps, which gave his custom car photography a bold, modern backdrop. Among the cars photographed here were Fred Rowe's 1951 Mercury and Robert La Briola's 1949 Oldsmobile convertible, both shot on the same day beneath the interchange.

Click here to view the Harbor and Hollywood Freeway Overpass on Google Maps.