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The Bugazzi

“This uniquely styled motor car was created for the person who has everything and can afford the luxuries it has to offer.” George Barris

George Barris’ ultra-pimp Lincoln-based Bugazzi went through a David Pygeorge level of customization creating a one-of-a-kind automobile with historic relevance and value.This car is simply known as a Bugazzi.  A magnificent and historic automobile.

History

The idea for such an ostentatious car, surprisingly, came not from George Barris, though sources differ on from whom the idea did come. According to an RM Sotheby’s account, Harry Bentley Bradley originally designed the Bugazzi for custom car show promoter Paul Rimmer, who bought a custom car shop in Long Beach specifically to have it build the Bugazzi for him and then turned the concept over to George Barris. 

Custom car builder, designer and owner David Pygeorge speaking with Joe Bailon, who is the creator of candy apple red paint for automobiles, built three Bugazzis before George Barris took over construction. Exactly how many Bugazzis Barris built is uncertain. George Barris reportedly set up a coach building firm, Hollywood Coach Builders, and boasted he had built a total of 11 cars. Estimates of how many he actually turned out range from six to 12. 

David Pygeorge claims there were eight, all of them slightly different from one another. Most of them were sold to Hollywood executives and actors and a similarly styled Continental George Barris built for Professional Boxer, George Foreman.

David Pygeorge first saw a Bugazzi in about 1973 or 1974 when his uncle, Joe Conforte stopped by his house with the car. Over the next several years following, Conforte put about 50,000 miles on the car. David Pygeorge became the owner of the car in 1995 - obtaining the Bugazzi from the top of a hill in Sparks, Nevada. The car was a good design for the 1970’s but David needed to make more customizations to bring it current for the 2000’s.

The value of the car in 1973, the top-of-the-line Lincoln Continental Mark IV sold for $7,000-plus, and the Lincoln Bugazzi sold for between $35,000 and $40,000. The car requires a unique and limited market owner. 

Who were some these limited market owners? 

As mentioned above, Hollywood executives, actors, World Champion Boxer, George Foreman and also The Rat Pack — Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr., Dean Martin, Peter Lawford and Joey Bishop — all owned a Bugazzi! 

There was another well-known individual who thought the Bugazzi fit his image — Joe Conforte, the owner of the Mustang Ranch and other brothels in Nevada! In 1973, Joe Conforte was just about on top of the world. His Mustang Ranch outside Reno had recently obtained legal status, and he even got to appear as himself in a Walter Matthau flick, Charley Varrick, that year. With the money from the former, and perhaps the influence of Hollywood executives stemming from the latter, Conforte found himself in George Barris’ shop buying one of the handful of 1973 Lincoln Continental Mark IV’s that George Barris modified in a vague neoclassical vein. Mark IV’s, of course, came at a luxury price – about $9,000 – but George Barris aimed for a much more affluent buyer, with prices ranging from $30,000 to $40,000. For that price, a Bugazzi owner got essentially a Mark IV with a fiberglass cap covering the original opera windows, standalone headlamps and interiors adorned with Persian rugs, marble panels and brass fittings. 

It is Joe Conforte’s car that David Pygeorge now owns, restored and modified. With George Barris’ blessing, David Pygeorge continued with his vision and design. 

Using David Pygeorge’s world renowned extensive and award-winning car customization experience, he stripped it down to bare metal to restore it but then had a vision. That was the difficult part because the Bugazzi was a concept car by General Motors designer Harry Bentley Bradley. There were only 11 Lincoln Bugazzi vehicles ever built. Three Buzazzis were built by Joe Bailon and eight, including David Pygeorge’s car, by George Barris and his company, California Coach Builders of Hollywood.

Reportedly, only two are left today.

David Pygeorge went through the entire car, reworking the front end by placing a more prominent grille, extending the quarter panels, lowering the car three inches, replacing the taillights with 1939 Buick directional lamps fitted with LEDs, and sending it to Art Himsl for paint. Instead of marble interior panels, he went with granite. About all that remained from the original Bugazzi were the above-mentioned headlights, the halo roof band, fiberglass roof cap, phone and the 460 drivetrain.

David Pygeorge took about a year to restore the Bugazzi.The first thing he needed was a donor car. He needed the front fenders and the trunk lid in order to keep the Bugazzi as close to the original Bugazzi as possible but still make the changes that make it more inviting and prettier than it had been previously. 

The running gear is all standard for the 223-inch long 1973 Lincoln Continental Mark IV. The 4,900-pound beauty has a 460-cubic-inch V-8 engine with the C6 automatic transmission plus all of the luxury equipment that was available at that time including an AM/FM radio with an eight-track tape player. 

It also has the original car phone from Nevada Bell that had a rotary dial.

The 4,900-pound car sits on the standard 120.4-inch wheelbase and gets 8 to 10 mpg.

The Bugazzi has only 53,000 miles.

A significant amount of mechanical work was done during the restoration and customizing and then there was among other things the new belts, hoses, spark plugs, and wiring plus rebuilding the carburetor.

Then the FUN part of the project…

David Pygeorge lowered the car about three inches. He restyled the front and back end of the car --- and extended the front end of the car by eight inches and the back end of the car by six inches.

As David Pygeorge is an ardent admirer of the French luxury carmaker Delayaye, the front and rear fenders have a suggested Delahaye look.

The interior of the Bugazzi is period correct, redone with peanut butter–colored leather and a tan and gold brocade. It has a center console running from the dash to the rear package tray. The interior arm rests are color-coordinated granite as is the top of the front to rear console.

The fabulous $22,000 paint job is a special PPG blend applied by Art Himsi Paint Studio in Concord, California. The colors are Gold Pearl in clear coat with Ice Pearl added, shaded with light tan pin striping and a hand graphic on the truck lid. The car has a peanut butter-colored padded vinyl roof that matches the interior.

So many details in the Bugazzi!

There are too many unique features to mention about this car, but most noticeable is the enormous grille, the floating headlights and how David Pygeorge styled the rear of the car by combining two Lincoln Continental deck lids.

The project was completed in 2009, and naturally David Pygeorge wanted to see how it would do in competitive car shows. 

Awards

After about a year’s worth of work, David Pygeorge debuted the Bugazzi in 2010 at the Grand National Roadster Show, Fresno Autorama, the Sacramento Autorama just to mention a few and proceeded to display it at shows for years afterward. The Bugazzi went through the show circuit for all the indoor car shows like the Grand National, the oldest car show in the world, and it won every award there is to win.

Jay Leno’s staff contacted David Pygeorge to have the Bugazzi in an episode of Jay Leno’s Garage. But the show ended shortly thereafter.

The Phat 39

1939 Chevrolet Convertible

The Chasis

·  Custom Tubular Frame Constructed of 1 5/8” .134 wall round tubing.  

-  Stock length 112” wheel      base

·  Frame built by Scott Graham of Franklin, IN.

·  Narrowed 9” Ford rear end with 28 spline posi.

·  With Moser Axels 4:11 ratio

·  R/E smoothed with composite torque arm along driveshaft.  

·  2 Link set up with 201/2” swing arms by Rayburn Race Cars.

·  Panhard bar 36” aluminum bar

·  Shocks are Carrera with 300# Springs

·  Front Shocks are Carrera with 500# Springs

·  Custom Independent Front Suspension by Scott Graham

·  Spindles are 1969 Camaro Disc. Master Cyclinder Afco Dual 7/8” bore

·  Pedal Assembly is by Howe

·  All steel braided brake lines

·  Appleton power steering rack

·  Steering column is an 1989 Grand Am Altered

·  1969 Camaro gas tank

·  The chasis is a complete custom tubular constructed sprint car type frame totally unitized

The Engine

·  Small Block Chevrolet stock displacement was 400” bored to 415”

·  Block was deburred, bored, decked, line honed, smoothed and painted black

·  Crank is “Cola” 3.800 storke forged

·  Rods are Carrilo 6” “H” beam

·  Pistons are Lunati Forged 9.5:1

·  Rings are sealed power

·  Bearings are Vandervell

·  Flywheel is G.M. 153 tooth

·  Oil pump is a Melling

·  Stock windage tray

·  7 Qt Oil Pan

·  Camshaft is Lunati Roller

·  Summers Bros. Gear Drive

·  Lunati push rods .300 long

·  Lifters are Crane Roller

·  Heads are polished Brodix Aluminum with 19 degree valve angel, heads have been ported, polished, CC’ed

·  Titanium and stainless valves with bronze guides

·  Springs are Lunati 3 170# seat pressure

·  Retainers are titanium 10 degree 

·  Rockers are aluminum Harlan Sharp 1.5

·  Head Stud kit ARP 12 point moly bolts

·  Valve coversa are Moroso smooth and polished

·  Breathers are moroso chromed

·  Manifold is a Brodix polished HVH raised runner

·  Carburator is a polished Holley 750 double pump with a 14”X6” K&N filter

·  Water pump is polished aluminum

·  Cooling is a Howe verticle flow custom polished aluminum radiator with mechanicle fan and a Spal pusher

·  Custom engine pulleys all polished by Rayburn, Sweet, Billet Specialties, Wisc.

·  Motor mounts are custom made of aluminum and rubber

·  Ignition is a Accel Laser II electronic

·  Coil is Echlin performance chromed

·  Wires are Taylor and wire guides ar polished Zoop accessories

·  Engine work performed by Mike Dargie Race Engines and Bobby Allison Motor Sports in Indiana. 

·  Exhaust is Custom made headers by West Coast Muffler in Concord, CA – 36” mufflers with custom stainless tips have all been chrome power coated by West Coast Powder Coating in Concord, CA

·  Transmission is a 1996 Camero speed manual shift with a 101/2” G.M. clutch

·  Custom Drive shaft by Drive Line Service in Concord, CA

The 2002 Chrysler Prowler

Last build of Joe Candy Apple Red Bailon.

Bailon was the created of Candy Apple Red in the 1950s.Also the first to use aluminum conduit for grills and bumpers.

This particular car has the Bailon Candy Apple Red as a trim to Chryslers’ Candy Apple Red.

Also the grill was designed by Chip Foose executed by Bailon

Bailon badges are on both sides of the car

Dash signed by Bailon and Foose

2,000 miles original miles

Displayed at Darryl Starbird’s museum in Afton OK.

Car was built for a DIY company Buffalo Milke.

Used as their display at SEMA.

The Orange D'Light

The car was created for the 2005 SEMA Show in Las Vegas, Nevada as a joint venture with General Motors Corporation.

This car won first place at the San Francisco Rod, Custom and Motorcycle show, First place at Sacramento Autorama, and First Place at Blackie Gejeians’s Fresno Invitational only Show.

Orange D’Light was displayed at SEMA Show in Las Vegas in 2005 winning major awards at SEMA.

Some of the styling changes appearing on this vehicle are on the new 2008 G6 Pontiac.

This car was on display at many of General Motors displays during the year 2006, on display at General Motors Corporate offices with General Motors concept cars and used by SEMA for advertising.

Rick Bottom Motor Sports and David Pygeorge of Python Enterprises worked jointly. The owner is David Pygeorge’s wife Francine Garcia. Francine has been associated with motorsports for decades.  She is now presently involved in a new project for SEMA and is willing to part ways with Orange D’Light --- lovingly refers to her as Orange.

This piece of automotive art has less than 10,000 miles on the odometer – which are mostly show miles with a few joy rides.

There is over $83,000 invested to create this beautiful one off car- it was completely disassembled and rebuilt.

2006 Pontiac G6 GTP Coupe

3.9 Liter V6 Engine

Automatic Transmission/Manual Shift

Every available option

Moon Roof, full power, adjustable pedals, cruise, heated seats, the list goes on and on

Glasurit Two Tone Orange Pearl Paint with Silver Stripe including Engine compartment

Axis one off 20” X 8.5” wheels Painted Silver to match Stripes on side

All Grills and accessories Painted Silver to match

Michelin Pilot series tires 245x35x20”

Sprint, dropped springs, spindles, and sport shocks

Leather GTP Interior, Tan with Cognac Ostrich inserts, complete trunk upholstered

Complete restyling of front and rear with use of Razzi Body Kit molded into body

Ram Air Hood from MPD Inc. All Steel

All windows tinted bronze

3M clear bra on front

Complete Eclipse Sound System including.

1)  2 1000 watt amps installed into trunk

2)  2 12” sub woofers installed into trunk

3)  Eclipse Radio with Navigation, DVD, GPS, AMFM Sirius Radio, back up camera

4)  8 Disc CD Changer Mounted in trunk

5)  10 speakers, 3 speakers in doors as well as 3 way speakers on rear deck

The Mercedes European 1985 500  SEL

Owned since 1987.

Original 85,000.

Lowered Suspension .  Remotec European wheels 16 inch

Interior full custom made sheepskins front and back over clean interior – full leather.