The credit to Barris is a bit off base. The car was actually built by Norm Grabowski, it's a T phaeton: http://www.reesman.com/rumpsville/norm_vehicle3.asp

It's likely that Barris did the modifications to make it a "Porter".

For those not familiar with "Normie-poo" here's a Street Rodder write up, about 3/4 of the way down is another reference to My Mother the Car;
http://www.streetrodderweb.com/miles...kar/index.html