When famed customizer Gary “Chopit” Fioto sadly passed away at 61 years of age on May 30, 2016, he was lauded a one of the best in the business. Fioto was fascinated from youth with bubbletops. Fioto’s nickname, “Chopit,” craftily described his central customizing philosophy. After he impressed custom-car traditionalists with his new interpretation on an old theme, a chopped ’50 Merc transformed into the sleek hardtop called “Tuf Enuff,” Gary Fioto performed his unique take on the Bubbletop genre.

Bubbletops are a fascinating part of the custom-car world. Pioneered by such restyling maestros as Ed “Big Daddy” Roth and Darryl Starbird, Bubbletop cars wonderfully combine fascination of 1950s Americana with jet age fighter aircraft, rocketry, space travel and above all, the promise of the future, both real and imagined.

As per his style, he executed designs and builds like no other: Fioto built the famed “Beatnik Bubbletop” - a lavender 1955 Ford-based custom he skillfully reworked into dome-topped wonder. Instead of lowering the roof of his donor ’55 Ford, he raised it, handcrafting the largest-ever Bubbletop custom. With many retrospect’s written upon his passing; the 1955 Ford “Beatnik Bubbletop” is inevitably mentioned in the articles as one of the cars he’s most remembered for and associated with.

“Beatnik” is a truly exclusive custom and an inspired design statement that stands alone. The Beatnik Bubbletop Custom Powerchair was built by Gary “Chopit” Fioto as a tribute to this famed custom.

This original Fioto custom chair was purchased by Barry Weiss during the Season 3, Episode 10 airing of Storage Wars in an episode titled, “The Full Monty-Bello.” Once the project was completed, it appeared on another Storage Wars episode that was run in Season 3, Episode 21 and titled “Straight Outta Compton Biddaz with Attitude” and has many custom features.

Among the highlights on this fun and whimsical personal means of transport are a beauty salon hair dryer that emulates Gary’s signature bubbletop, a flamethrower “rear exhaust” that runs off of two propane canisters, a custom fabricated mechanical “wheelie bar” that lifts the chair and induces it into a wheel stand, a Tiki ice bucket mounted on the handlebar and Gold Bond travel bar luggage case with assorted bar accessories, “Team Collector” motif and handcuffs to insure it’s not lost from your possession, ala the Blues Brothers.

Fioto once said, “I don’t always know what I’ll do when I start, but I can see the result as I’m working.” He was a recognized expert at taking seemingly disparate elements and blending them to his intended perfection – personal mobility scooters included.

As part of Auctions America’s commitment to give back to the local community in which it operates, proceeds from this sale will benefit Kate’s Kart, a Northeast Indiana not-for-profit organization founded in memory of Katherine Anne Layman, (affectionately known to family and friends as "Baby Kate"), that supplies free new books to hospitalized children in the area. For further information on this deserving charity, please visit www.kateskart.org.