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When I made the Python over 3 years ago, I was immensely proud. But, like with most art by artists, as time goes on you fall out of love with it, find flaws with it. In the case of the Python, the biggest one was the interior. Poor planning and proportions lead to a interior so cramped even Flat Stanley would have a sad time driving it. So at the start of the year, I decided it was high time I revamped the interior.
However this just lead to me noticing more and more flaws, more and more things to improves. I personally see the model as my flagship model - In terms of both building and design. So I tackled everything I could to try and make this model the best of my builds.
And the end result is probably you staring at your screen going "this is the same you absolute egg" followed by "oh there's a lil black intake yes well done you did it you absolute madlad". However, my dear nameless judgmental viewer, I can promise almost everything has been tweaked (aside from the roof). There's a side by side comparison already on my Instagram (PLUGPLUGPLUG) but I'll explain the tweaks as we go along.
For anyone unaware, Prowler is my make-believe car brand, and the Python is the top of the lines, balls to the wall, full bells n whistles hypercar. It uses a Hybrid powertrain, like the Holy Trinity of the mid 2010s (wow that feels weird to say), just a lil less powerful and designed with an aggressive fun>laptime attitude. Rear bias AWD, 650bhp, crazy tourque from the electric motors and hellish noise from the V8. It took the best part of a year to build in the first place, and I'm even happier with this updated version. I hope you enjoy!
Delahaye was a French automotive manufacturer founded in 1894 by Emile Delahaye. Initially, the company focused on building stationary engines and motorized vehicles, but soon shifted its focus to producing luxury cars, trucks, and fire engines. Delahaye's commitment to innovation was evident in its early adoption of belt-driven cars and its development of the V6 engine. The brand quickly gained a reputation for its craftsmanship and engineering prowess, attracting the attention of discerning customers and racing enthusiasts alike.
During the 1930s and 1940s, Delahaye's collaboration with talented coachbuilders like Figoni et Falaschi resulted in some of the most elegant and iconic automobiles of the era. These bespoke creations, often featuring flamboyant curves and luxurious interiors, were considered the epitome of automotive artistry. The company's success in motorsport further solidified its reputation, with notable victories in events such as the Monte Carlo Rally and the 24 Hours of Le Mans. However, despite its acclaim, Delahaye struggled to compete in the post-war market, leading to its acquisition by Hotchkiss in 1954 and eventual dissolution in 1955. [Source: Wikipedia]
1957 Bonaguro Custom Car shown at the May 2015 Rally in the [Fraser] Valley, Abbotsford, BC.
The doors are locked by electricity, and the battery is inside the car behind the back seats. So if it dies, you'd have a hard time getting into the car!
The engine is an Oldsmobile Rocket V8 from 1955 as is the transmission.
1957 Bonaguro Custom Car shown at the May 2015 Rally in the [Fraser] Valley, Abbotsford, BC.
There are 3 rear view mirrors on the dash so the driver can adjust for various angles.
1957 Bonaguro Custom Car shown at the May 2015 Rally in the [Fraser] Valley, Abbotsford, BC.
Rather Batmobile-ish design, wouldn't you say?
This is a cool little car which I've been lucky enough to have been loaned several times by friends of mine, and I've used it when travelling to see my parents in Reading. Particularly helpful on weekends like this latest one, when there's been a train strike.
I've always liked this slightly quirky design and particularly am a fan of the purple colour ...
1957 Bonaguro Custom Car shown at the May 2015 Rally in the [Fraser] Valley, Abbotsford, BC.
The doors are locked by electricity, and the battery compartment is INSIDE the car behind the back seats. So if it dies, you'd have a hard time getting into the car!
The leather seats are 1962 T-Bird.
1957 Bonaguro Custom Car shown at the May 2015 Rally in the [Fraser] Valley, Abbotsford, BC.
The windshield and cowl are 1959 Dodge.
1957 Bonaguro Custom Car shown at the May 2015 Rally in the [Fraser] Valley, Abbotsford, BC.
The leather seats are 1962 T-Bird.
It was a Tuesday in early spring, the kind of day when the sun slants just right through the classroom blinds, casting long shadows across drafting tables and half-finished shop projects. The scent of sawdust lingered in the air, mingling with the faint tang of oil and adolescent ambition.
That afternoon, a man arrived—Salvatore “Sonny” Romano, Ford’s youngest design prodigy, dressed in a crisp suit. He carried a leather suitcase, scuffed at the corners, and inside: sketches of dream machines, swooping silhouettes, and a block of industrial clay wrapped in wax paper.
He spoke not like a salesman, but like a sculptor. “A fender,” he said, pressing his thumb into the clay, “should curve like a cheekbone. A tailfin—like the wing of a bird banking into twilight.” The students watched, rapt, as Sonny coaxed a coupe from the clay, each gesture a whisper of possibility.
Young Loren stood quietly at the edge, absorbing every line, every metaphor. The next day, he bought his own clay—cheap, crumbly, not quite right—and cleared space on his desk between comic books and science kits. He sculpted late into the evening, lit by a desk lamp and the flicker of imagined headlights.
What emerged wasn’t perfect. The lines wobbled, the proportions strained. But it had presence. It had velocity. It had longing. He called it the Ford Romeo—a name that felt like a secret handshake between elegance and emotion.
Though I’ve changed a couple names, the story is based on true events. Loren was the son of our high school principal. His clay model occupied a place of honor in our high school from 1958 until its closing in 1974, replaced by a regional high school miles away. While Loren’s dream car may have vanished from sight, it never vanished from memory. Fifty years later, I was able to approximate a picture of the car for a school reunion with the help of Bing Copilot.
[Note: During the 1950s–60s, industrial arts programs in American high schools flourished. Car companies sometimes partnered with these programs, sending representatives or materials to encourage careers in automotive design. Clay modeling was seen as a tactile way to teach form, proportion, and industrial design. Some schools received kits or materials from manufacturers, and a few lucky students got to see professional sculptors in action.]
1957 Bonaguro Custom Car shown at the May 2015 Rally in the [Fraser] Valley, Abbotsford, BC.
Ever seen an accelerator in the shape of a foot before? Bonaguro must have had a sense of humour!
Was the Batmobile inspired by this 1957 Bonaguro custom car shown at the May 2015 Rally in the [Fraser] Valley, Abbotsford, BC?
This incredible 50's custom is the result of years of work by John Bonaguro of Michigan. This is a completely hand-crafted automobile that was constructed over the period of 1957-1963. The suspension is 50's Studebaker; the engine is an Oldsmobile Rocket V8 from 1955 as is the transmission. The other parts identified are 1958 Chevy taillight lenses, the windshield and cowl are 1959 Dodge and the seats are 1962 T-Bird. Everything else on this incredible automobile is hand fabricated. The body on the car is fiberglass. The bumpers are polished aluminum. The interior is leather.