One Of The Wildest Show Cars In History Is Going To Auction

On top of being as efficient, comfortable, and fast as they are, they have some really crazy technology. They can stop, go, and even steer to a certain extent on their own. They're covered in cameras and sensors. They can wirelessly deliver music and even movies to their interior screens. Even though we're used to this at this point, it's still all amazing. So you can imagine just how much more mind-blowing these features would be more than 60 years ago when many of them appeared on the Golden Sahara II show car.

It Was A Car From The Future
In its final state, the Golden Sahara II, a custom car built by Jim "Street" Skonzakes, had a features list that wouldn't be out of place today. It had automatic emergency braking, made possible by sensors in the front bumper. It could be remotely controlled, not unlike some modern Kias and Hyundais with their Smart Park Assist. Although the Golden Sahara II could also be steered from that remote control. Building on the remote control, there was a big control stick between the front seats that would allow people to drive one-handed, and from either side of the car. Plenty of entertainment was on hand thanks to a TV under the dash and a tape player and minibar in the back. It had a car phone, too. It all sounds too good to be true, but it really was. The proof is in period video. In addition to showing up in a couple of movies, the car, and Jim Street himself, showed up at car shows and even TV shows such as "I've Got A Secret." You can see that clip below.

No show car is complete without wild visuals either. Even before Street bestowed the car with its high-tech features, the car featured a striking color scheme of pearl white (created with the help of fish scales), and actual gold-plated exterior trim. That initial incarnation was finished in 1954 with the help of George Barris, the legendary custom car builder known for all kinds of cars including the original Batmobile. The real showstopper was the set of illuminated tires.

What Happened To It In The Future
Mecum is the auction house selling the Golden Sahara II, and it's actually the second time it has done so. Back in 2018, Mecum was selected to auction the car, which had apparently just emerged after having disappeared from the public eye sometime in the 1960s. At that point, the car was intact, but in really rough shape. The winning bidder was Larry Klairmont, owner of a massive car collection and museum in the Chicago area. Klairmont had the vehicle fully restored by a Chicago-area shop called Speakeasy Customs and Classics. It was brought back to show condition even down to the tires, which Goodyear recreated from urethane and original molds.

Now, the Klairmont Kollections museum is closing down, and the cars are being auctioned off by Mecum, including the Golden Sahara II. Mecum doesn't have an auction estimate for the car, but it surely won't go for cheap. We'll know when it eventually crosses the block on September 20. The auction itself runs from September 19 to 20. Before the auction, there will be a preview event at the museum from September 13 to 14 as one last chance to see the cars together.