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1955 Ford 'Beatnik' Bubbletop Custom goes on the block
Bubbletops are unquestionably an enthralling part of the custom car world, and the one we are talking about here is one good, gorgeous baby to look at. Built by Gary “Chopit” Fioto, the 1955 Ford “Beatnik” Bubbletop Custom is expected to fetch between $200,000 and $300,000 at RM Auction’s Amelia Island event on March 12, 2011. Inspired by futuristic design studies from the ‘50s, the Beatnik is a lavender 1955 Ford-based custom, rides on a modified ‘88 Lincoln Town Car chassis and gets its power from a Chevrolet 350-cubic inch small-block V8 engine. For the Beatnik, Fioto used a mix of Cadillac, Chrysler and Lincoln components, including the canted quad headlights. The front and rear fenders, the door skins and the rear section of the car are hand-formed. In 2006, the custom Bubbletop won the coveted $20,000 Grand Prize at Darryl Starbird’s National Rod and Custom Car Show. The Beatnik has received a number of awards, including the “Blackie” Gejeian’s 2005 Fresno Autorama Sweepstakes Award, “Outstanding Custom” at the 2006 Grand National Roadster Show and the George Barris Kustom d’Elegance Award.
