Dreaming in Chrome and Gold

Few custom cars are as mythical as Jim Street’s Golden Sahara II. Originally derived from a 1953 Lincoln Capri customised by George Barris, the car became a rolling showcase of 1950s futurism. Built at a cost of around $75,000 by Delphos Machine and Tool in Ohio, it featured innovations well ahead of its time – including remote-controlled acceleration and antenna-based automatic braking.

The Golden Sahara II also found fame on screen, starring in Jerry Lewis’s 1960 film Cinderfella and even appearing on US game show I’ve Got a Secret in 1962. After decades in Jim Street’s care, it resurfaced in 2018 when collector Larry Klairmont acquired it and commissioned a faithful restoration by Speakeasy Customs and Classics. Goodyear even recreated its illuminated Neothane-style tyres with programmable LEDs, a detail as dazzling now as it was in its heyday.

Since then, the Golden Sahara II has returned to the spotlight, shown at the 2019 Geneva International Motor Show and displayed in major museums – a true time capsule of mid-century custom culture, still sparking imaginations today. The Golden Sahara II recently sold through Mecum Auctions for just over $1.2m.

Photos © Mecum Auctions / Olgun Kordal / Goodyear.