1955 Ford “Beatnik” Bubbletop Custom Concept Car
The car was built by Gary “Chopit” Fioto, who says he admits that as a kid growing up on Long Island he was fascinated with bubbletops. He chopped up a 1950 Mercury and named it the “Beatnik” after his car club.
Photo by Patrick Ernzen, courtesy Auctions America.
The car is actually a lavender 1955 Ford-based custom. It won the $20,000 Grand Prize at Darryl Starbird’s National Rod and Custom Car Show, in Tulsa.
Photo by Patrick Ernzen, courtesy Auctions America.
“Beatnik” rides on a modified ’88 Lincoln Town Car chassis. It uses an eclectic mix of Cadillac, Chrysler and Lincoln components:The front bumper was adapted from a ’59 Cadillac, while the rear bumper was fashioned from the front bumper of a ’58 Cadillac.
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The finned taillights are 1960 Chrysler. The front and rear fenders, the door skins and the entire rear section of the car are all steel, hand-formed and oxy-acetylene welded.
It has a 400 horsepower, 350-inch Chevrolet V-8 engine with six carburetors, GM automatic transmission, hydraulic front disc, rear drum brakes.
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