John Bucci’s Visionary Fiberglass Dream Cars of the 1960s

Fiberglass Fantasy - In the mid-1960s, the world of automotive design was on fire with creativity. Jet-age optimism shaped everything from architecture to furniture — and cars were no exception. Amid this thrilling period of imagination stood Giovanni “John” Bucci, an Italian-born artist and designer who saw cars not merely as machines, but as living sculptures. His works weren’t built to fill roads — they were meant to stir emotions, challenge conventions, and turn heads wherever they went. One of his most extraordinary creations, the 1966 Trieste I and II, embodied that bold spirit like nothing else. 

The Trieste I built by John Bucci during 1966 to 1967 based on a Porsche 356 chassis and powered by a 1600cc four-cylinder engine, capable of reaching speeds up to 160 mph—an impressive achievement for a hand-built car of its time. (Picture from: WeirdWheels in Facebook)

Bucci had already gained attention for his earlier creation, the La Shabbla—meaning “The Sword” in a mix of Arabic and Italian—also known as the Astro. This concept car, built on a Fiat chassis, looked as if it had driven straight out of a science fiction movie. With its retractable headlights, foldaway steering wheel, dashboard oscilloscope, and electrically powered features far ahead of its era, La Shabbla proved that Bucci pursued innovation rather than imitation. Yet it was with the Trieste that he truly defined his legacy—a car where art, engineering, and imagination merged into one seamless vision. 

The La Shabbla—meaning “The Sword” in a mix of Arabic and Italian—also known as the Astro, built on a Fiat chassis during 1963 to 1984, looked as if it had driven straight out of a science fiction movie. (Picture from: UndiscoveredClassics)

A couple of years later, he built the Trieste I, based on a Porsche 356 chassis and powered by a 1600cc four-cylinder engine, capable of reaching speeds up to 160 mph—an impressive achievement for a hand-built car of its time. Yet what truly set the Trieste apart wasn’t its performance figures, but its design philosophy. The entire body was hand-shaped from layered fiberglass, a painstaking process that took nearly two years of late-night and weekend work. 

The La Shabbla was once photographed in front of the Chez Paree, a renowned Chicago nightclub that epitomized glamour during its heyday in the 1960s. (Picture from: UndiscoveredClassics)

Bucci refused to settle for the ordinary; he crafted a five-layer shell, each layer carefully reinforced with cloth and matting fibers. The result was a body so durable it could withstand hammer blows without cracking or denting—a remarkable accomplishment that anticipated many of today’s advanced composite engineering techniques. 

After its completion in 1967, the Trieste I embarked on an ambitious European tour, mesmerizing crowds and even intriguing police officers who stopped Bucci not for speeding, but to marvel at the extraordinary car up close. (Picture from: UndiscoveredClassics)

Once completed, the Trieste I was a marvel of futuristic elegance: a low-slung silhouette only 39 inches tall, with curves that looked ready to slice through air. It resembled a land-bound missile — aggressive, sleek, and utterly mesmerizing. The windshield and side windows, made of polycarbonate instead of glass, gave the car a lightweight yet durable character. Even the door locks were electro-magnetic, a touch that seemed like science fiction in the 1960s. | 62tPpjWoij4 |

In 1967, Bucci took his creation on an ambitious European tour, driving across the continent and exhibiting it in cities that had never seen anything like it. Crowds would gather around the strange, beautiful car wherever it stopped, and even the police couldn’t resist pulling Bucci over — not for speeding, but simply to take a closer look. The Chicago Sun-Times would later describe the Trieste as “a land-bound missile” and “a milestone in auto styling.” It wasn’t just a car; it was a magnet for curiosity and admiration. 

The Trieste II, seen in the foreground, was a longer-wheelbase mock-up initiated by John Bucci in 1967 shortly after the completion and European exhibition of Trieste I that same summer. (Picture from: UndiscoveredClassics)

The second prototype, Trieste II, was a longer-wheelbase mock-up built soon after, intended to refine the design further. Unfortunately, it never reached completion and was lost around 1990, leaving only the legend of what could have been. Trieste I, however, remained with Bucci throughout his life — a personal treasure that embodied his vision and persistence. Today, it survives under the care of restorers like Geoff Hacker, awaiting the revival it truly deserves. 

The Gina Sport Coupe by John Bucci, crafted in 1976, was a striking Ferrari Dino–inspired kit car built on a VW Beetle chassis, showcasing his continued passion for blending artistic design with accessible engineering. (Picture from: UndiscoveredClassics)

Bucci’s life in Illinois after moving from Italy was marked by relentless creativity. Beyond the Trieste, he explored other concepts like Gina, a Ferrari Dino-inspired kit car based on a VW Beetle, and the futuristic Executive RV, built from a Ford Econoline chassis. Yet none captured his artistic soul quite like the Trieste. It wasn’t just a machine; it was his philosophy made tangible — proof that design could be emotional, experimental, and deeply personal all at once.

The futuristic Executive RV, built in 1976 on a Ford Econoline chassis, was designed by John Bucci as a versatile, single-piece fiberglass vehicle intended for a wide range of recreational and practical uses. (Picture from: UndiscoveredClassics)

Looking at the Trieste today, nearly six decades later, it still feels ahead of its time. The craftsmanship, the fearlessness, and the imagination behind it remind us that true innovation doesn’t rely on technology alone — it comes from daring to dream differently. John Bucci didn’t just design a car; he designed a story on wheels, one that continues to inspire every creative mind drawn to the magic where art and motion collide. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | UNDISCOVEREDCLASSICS | EVERARD | UNDISCOVEREDCLASSICS IN INSTAGRAM | WEIRDWHEELS IN REDDIT | WEIRDWHEELS IN FACEBOOK | CLASSIC AND RECREATION SPORTSCARS IN FACEBOOK | THINGIES IN FACEBOOK ]

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