Update 04/29/09
Buggy with new owner, Gary Hillman (r), and creator, George Barris (l)!
George Barris worshipping, I mean autographing the Buggy!
Seen in
public for the first time since being sold at auction in 1983, the
Bugaloo
Buggy is pictured above featured in a car show in Sweden, April 10-12. George
Barris attended and signed the Buggy!
"George loved it and done a piece on TV about the car. I also built some new wings
and got them fully working as well. It really did look like it came alive when they
started flapping!" - Gary Hillman
How fantastic is that!
Buggy is pictured above featured in a car show in Sweden, April 10-12. George
Barris attended and signed the Buggy!
"George loved it and done a piece on TV about the car. I also built some new wings
and got them fully working as well. It really did look like it came alive when they
started flapping!" - Gary Hillman
How fantastic is that!
The
Bugaloo Buggy has been found - AGAIN!
The last we knew of the whereabouts of the Buggy was in France in dark, underground storage.
Well, I am happy to say the Buggy is back in the light and has a new owner, Gary Hillman!
The Buggy is now in London and
in the
process of being fully restored. In fact, the Buggy will The last we knew of the whereabouts of the Buggy was in France in dark, underground storage.
Well, I am happy to say the Buggy is back in the light and has a new owner, Gary Hillman!
be shown for the first time in over 30 years in a car show in Sweden in April. George Barris
is also scheduled to attend - what a reunion! I will provide details and pics of the show when
available. For now, enjoy the newest Buggy photos!!
I'm so happy I could fly!!!
A
Barris Fun Buggy four-passenger
fiberglass body was used as a base for the
hockey stick silhouette design of the Bugaloos Buggy, featured on "The
Bugaloos" television series. Since the concept of the show, starring
Martha Raye and the four Bugaloos, showed the group with wings enabling
them to fly, it was determined logical for the car to "fly"
and to "ride"
on water. The buggy was equipped with two large flapping
butterfly wings,
and twin screws installed under the rear body for high-powered
water
sporting. Oversized headlights looked like the eyes of a bug,
while the taillights
were tunneled portholes that illuminate at night. Wide
oval Firestone tires
were installed on Ansen one-piece sprint wheels. The
interior was individualized
for each Bugaloo - each star having his/her own telephone
system and
Muntz stereo tape system with individual earphones. The buggy
was painted
in a green, yellow and orange butterfly theme with orange and purple
pinstripes. - Cars of the Stars, ©1974
The Bugaloos buggy was another television show car constructed especially at the Barris Kustom shop for Krofft Productions. The producers desired a small, wild-looking, fun buggy to incorporate into their new NBC-TV series. To supply an automotive interest for the series, Barris built the buggy in late 1969 to be used in the 1970-71 TV season. His motivation: the vehicle was to possess all of the fun characteristics that made
the Meyers Manx dune buggy
famous - yet
push
the concept beyond the envelope with attention-getting color and design
elements. The goal was a completely different and vibrant
look. Using a four-passenger body mounted on a Volkswagen
floorpan, the buggy actually looked just like a bug - mixing well with
the show characters who could fly and walk on water like little flying
insects. The design featured a T-shaped rollbar set over the rear
wheels with a pair of "wings" that gave the effect of an airborne bug
yet allowed plenty of space for television camera maneuvers. The
chassis rolled on Ansen Spring alloy wheels, highlighted with orange
spoked centers. The fully fendered four-wheeler featured
oversized headlights that looked just like bug eyes. On the
outside, the paint scheme was a wild combination of green, yellow and
orange applied to copy the markings found on a butterfly's wing.
There was much more. The interior was fitted with four custom
bucket seats with leaf-like design elements that continued the buggy's
nature theme. Four Capitol Communications telephones and four
Muntz stereo tape cartridge players were also installed. A
four-tone horn was on board as well, offering a distinct tone for each
one of the characters. Fully street legal, The Bugaloos buggy was
used extensively in the show. When the series was introduced to
the airwaves, Barris contracted with model kit manufacturer MPC to
design a plastic model kit based on the program vehicle (which never
saw production. See MCP catalog in Collectibles).
- Barris TV & Movie Cars, 1996.
The Bugaloo Buggy was sold at the Cars of the Stars collector car auction at the Sheraton-Universal Hotel on Sept. 25, 1983. The auction catalog featured this write up:
Bugaloo
Another most creative TV show by SID & MARTY KROFFT, the Bugaloos, starred Caroline Ellis, Wayne Laryea, John Philpott, John McIndoe, and Martha Raye. BARRIS was given the challenge to make the group's fantasy rod with BUTTERFLY WINGS mounted on the sides of a BOOMERAND fiberglass bodied dune buggy. This buggy was powered by a VW engine. The buggy is equipped with four bucket seats and four telephones for the stars. Multi-colors were sprayed and combined with contrasting pin stripes by BOB BOND. Quad KRACO units were installed for music backup with the singing group. This feature toured the HOT ROD SHOW WORLD and ROD & CUSTOM EXHIBITS.
Another most creative TV show by SID & MARTY KROFFT, the Bugaloos, starred Caroline Ellis, Wayne Laryea, John Philpott, John McIndoe, and Martha Raye. BARRIS was given the challenge to make the group's fantasy rod with BUTTERFLY WINGS mounted on the sides of a BOOMERAND fiberglass bodied dune buggy. This buggy was powered by a VW engine. The buggy is equipped with four bucket seats and four telephones for the stars. Multi-colors were sprayed and combined with contrasting pin stripes by BOB BOND. Quad KRACO units were installed for music backup with the singing group. This feature toured the HOT ROD SHOW WORLD and ROD & CUSTOM EXHIBITS.
