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Crime & Safety

Restored 1948 Paddywagon to Debut in Monday's Parade

Frank Bozzo, with help from the Police Officers Association and the community, spent five years restoring the 1948 Ford F-1 Panel Delivery Van. Check back on Monday for an interview with Frank and photos showing how the vehicle looks now.

In 1973, when Frank Bozzo began his association with the Gilroy Police Department, he noticed a decommissioned 1948 paddywagon being used as a janitor’s vehicle. The city auctioned off the paddywagon in the early 1980s, but Bozzo made a note of who had bought it.

More than twenty years later, in 2005, Bozzo approached community members and the Police Officers Association about possibly buying back the vehicle and restoring it.

At that point the paddywagon had sat outdoors for more than nine years, and almost every part was badly rusted.

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Using funds from the POA, Bozzo bought the paddywagon in 2005 and spent more than five years working to restore it. With fellow officer Gilbert Gallo, who helped to take apart the vehicle, and Frank’s brother, Jim Bozzo, who helped Frank painstakingly put the sand-blasted parts back together, Bozzo spent from one to three days a week on the vehicle while he was working full-time. After he retired in June of 2009, he spent time on the vehicle just about every day. 

“I had so much support from the community,” Bozzo said. “The vehicle’s body work and painting was done by the Gilroy Collision Center, and all their labor was donated. All paint and materials was donated by PPG and Finish Masters on Church Street. The rust mitigation and media blasting was done by Mission Powder Coating; they sand-blasted every part, and donated every bit of it. The engine work was done by Batchelder’s Auto Repair, and all labor was donated. We did pay to have the engine rebuilt, but they only charged us for parts, not for labor.”

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“George Atkins, who is very well known for his upholstery work, did the interior, and he donated all his time. George works for Sid Chavers Company, who does upholstery for hot rods and nostalgic period cars. Sid Chavers Company donated the materials and George did the work on his own time.”

“Ana Barberi let us work in a building on her ranch for two and a half years,” Bozzo added. “Before her offer of a workspace, we were working on the vehicle outdoors in extreme heat, rain, and cold. Her generosity made finishing the work much easier.”

“These are the major contributors, but there were so many people involved in this effort,” Bozzo said. “Everyone in the POA, and every community member who donated time and money, was very important in having this vehicle come together.”

“Also my wife, Michele. She’s been my main support – she’s been supportive of my entire career.”

The restored paddywagon will have her debut run during Gilroy’s 2011 Memorial Day Parade. Frank Bozzo will be behind the wheel, with his wife Michele beside him.

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