Convertible on glowing tires is put up for sale
In the 1950s, Goodyear developed an experimental model of semi-transparent tires that could glow due to small bulbs installed on the disks, and became one of the features of the show car Golden Sahara. The tires never went into production because they did not meet safety requirements, including on wet roads and at high speeds, but their striking appearance was remembered by many, and now this story has a continuation.
In March 2018, the Golden Sahara was sold at auction for an impressive $385,000 (almost 31 million rubles at the current exchange rate), and, as noted by the publication Auto Evolution, the car was "in terrible condition", and after a complete restoration, it should cost much more.
The Golden Sahara, based on the Lincoln Capri, was created by one of the most authoritative American specialists in car tuning, George Barris, and at one time caused a sensation due to not only the lit tires, but also such details as a two-tone interior trim with 24-karat gold instead of chrome, a cooled cocktail bar and a display on the dashboard.
After its premiere, the convertible was displayed across the United States for two years, and about $900,000 was invested in its creation, if we take the current exchange rate. After that, the car appeared in various commercials, on magazine covers, in films ("Cinderella" 1960) and TV series (I've Got a Secret).
In the same decade, the car disappeared from public view for many years, remaining in the garage of the person who initially financed the project, Jim Street, and when it was put up for auction, the excitement, as reported, was outstanding, and the media noted that the new owner was Larry Klairmont. Now the convertible was waiting for a complete restoration, to which the Chicago tuning studio Speakeasy Customs and Classics was attracted, and Goodyear itself did not stay away, as well as Kelsey Tire, which worked on the tires for the first concept, but now the backlight is implemented using LEDs.
In the auction lot, which will take place on September 20 in Chicago, it is stated that the car is made in golden and white colors, and, in addition to the glowing tires, many elements of the original design have been preserved, such as white carpeting, a TV in the "dashboard", a steering wheel that refers to aircraft steering wheels, and even a tape recorder.
Photo: autoevolution.com