1915 La Bestioni "Rusty Two" Speedster by Gary Wales

The La Bestioni #6 "Rusty Two" Boat Tail Speedster by Gary Wales arriving at and leaving the 2023 San Marino Motor Classic at Lacy Park, where it won the Most Creative Adaptation award. This is the sixth of several "La Bestioni" vehicles designed and built by Wales using antique fire trucks with the help of master mechanic Andres Aranada. It is based on a previously abandoned 1915 American LaFrance fire truck that was discovered in 2014 and uses the truck's chassis, radiator, 14-liter six-cylinder T-head engine, and hood with original patina preserved with clear coat. Wales added disc brakes, power steering, and custom speedster bodywork with rear fins using three different mahoganies. The car was completed in about 12 months and was displayed at The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering in 2015 and featured on Jay Leno's Garage in 2016.

You won't mistake Gary Wales' "La Bestioni" creations for anything else on the road, even if only because of their size. This particular beast is 22 feet long - That's about three feet longer than a Chevy Suburban, for an open-top car with a single row of seats. This is a vehicle fueled by passion and imagination no less than by the contents of its 24-gallon tank. The original fire truck had been abandoned for so long that removing it required cutting down over 20 trees. And the only reason Wales used three different mahoganies on the bodywork was simply that he could. The huge tail fins are an element found on several of Wales' projects, making the car look like a larger-than-life rendition of what may have been a vintage Batmobile. And given the incredible level of craftsmanship, few could have guessed that this enormous work of art was completed in Wales' own garage. He has since built at least two more La Bestionis, each with unique characteristics. If he can dream it, then there's nothing stopping him from building it!

Would you add one of Wales' La Bestionis to your collection? Leave a comment on YouTube and let me know!