Video: “Barn Find” Of The Millennium? Lost “Golden Sahara” Surfaces

[solarite_guy]

The first autonomous car too. Heck, it/they does/do everything...except fly.

By Dave Cruikshank April 22, 2018

http://www.rodauthority.com/features...hara-surfaces/

Kustom Kar impresario George Barris has been gone for three years now, but his legacy of kool kustoms and TV cars live on forever. One of his most famous builds from the early ’50s, the exotic “Golden Sahara,” created a worldwide sensation, and then abruptly disappeared for decades.

Until now.

The “Golden Sahara” has surfaced in a garage in Ohio from Jim Street’s estate and will soon go on the block at Mecum Auctions this May in Indianapolis, IN. The question now is, how much is a priceless piece of long lost Americana worth?

Let’s go back in time to the early fifties and trace the origins of the s****y Golden Sahara and how it came to be. George Barris was piloting his brand new 1953 Lincoln Capri home from a Sacramento car show with his friend Don Landon following behind in a 1949 Chevrolet. Landon’s engine gave up the ghost, so Barris lashed the old Chevv to the rear bumper of his Lincoln and off they went.

Barris recounted the story in an interview with Jonnie King in his “Hall of Fame Legends” series. “I was towing a guy’s car back because he blew the engine, and we just bumpered it together and back over to Ridge Route—that’s all we had, we didn’t have trailers in those days,” he explained. “Regretfully, we slid under a hay truck with it, and we came out of it alright, but the hay truck bed went over the top and peeled the top off, so the rest of the car was good, but the top was gone.”

Golden Sahara 1.0: Easy to spot with Kaiser taillights, gold trim on rear flanks only and no fins.

When life gives you lemons, you make lemonade and Barris did just that. With the Lincoln now topless, Barris and body man Bill Carr decided to go all out and make a custom to end all customs. With the financial backing of Ohioan James Skonzakes, better known as Jim Street, they tore the old Lincoln down and got to work.

Barris and Street put their heads together and conjured up a real whopper of a sled. When they were done it looked nothing like the Lincoln they started with. They added almost every postwar design flourish–with heaping helping of styling MSG–and troweled it on the car. Wraparound windshield, a bubble top, gold bullet bumper, gold-anodized panels on the lower section of the rear fenders, and Kaiser tail lights.

The best part is the low and lean contours of the sectioned body. Barely belt buckle high, it looked a block long with “hips” and curves. Although not built for Liberace, “Lee” would have looked perfectly at home behind the wheel of this gaudy, gold encrusted chariot.

The resulting slip stream design of the reshaped metal body boasted a stunning two-tone finish of 24-karat gold in place of chrome, and paint that twinkled like no other car ever did. According to Barris, he says, “It was one of the first pearlescent paint jobs.”

Here’s where it gets real crazy. According to Mecum, Barris wanted a special kind of paint for the car, “The one thing I wanted was gold pearl, and there was no pearl in those days, so where would I go to get gold pearl? You can’t just take white and put gold in it. So Shirley and I went down to the fish market, and I remember fish were very ‘pearlish’ looking.

I had the fish guys turn all the sardines over so their bellies were showing till I found the right belly that had the gold. So we took it and scraped the scales off the belly and put it in a jar and took it back to the shop and mixed it in with a natural cellulose clear lacquer and toner lacquers. And then I based it in a very dull white and then sprayed that over it, and it just came out really pearly gold. The only problem was that it smelled like fish…”

Golden Sahara 1.0 had a simple face with gold grille and single headlights.

Glen Hauser’s Carson Top Shop stitched the interior in 50’s baroque splendor. Gold and white brocade fabric graced the seats, padded dash, door panels, with white mink carpeting. It was equipped with a television in the dash, radio, tape recorder and even a refrigerated cocktail lounge in the rear. Be sure and check out the round, fitted back seat.

Barris christened the thing “The Golden Sahara,” and it made it’s public debut in 1954 at the Petersen Motorama held at the Pan Pacific Auditorium in Los Angeles. If there were ever the perfect venue, it was at this long gone, mythical Los Angeles arena. It was the stand out of Barris’ custom-built cars and twirled on a big turn table so all it’s curves and angles could be admired, twinkling under the big lights with it’s crazy, pearlescent fish-scale paint.

The car wowed ’em on the national show circuit as well. Street took it around the country to various shows and rented it out for displays at dealerships to attract curious crowds that might be converted to customers. The tour helped Street recover the costs of the car’s build, which had come in at a unheard of for the time, $25,000.

It created a huge buzz. Dealerships and companies clamored for the opportunity for publicity. “Motor Trend” named the Golden Sahara “The $25,000 Custom” on the cover of its May 1955 issue, and the Seiberling Rubber Company commissioned its use as the “face” of the company’s “Tires of Tomorrow” campaign. All of the attention served to convince owner Jim Street that investing in the car even further would surely pay off.

Famous picture of GS II with boat. This was for publicity purposes only as car didn’t have a hitch. Nonetheless, looked great with ’50s era speedboat and trailer with wide whites. Dig single, center fin on boat.

Transformation to Golden Sahara II

Then, around 1956, the car metamorphosed again, This time without Barris at the helm. Remember, Jim Street was from Ohio, so maybe he wanted to stay close to home or maybe he wanted a new set of eyes on the project.

Back east, Street commissioned Delphos Machine and Tool shop out of Dayton, Ohio, to take the car to the next level. Bob Metz took the lead on the rework, altering the windshield, hood and roof, and adding stacked quad headlights with frosted covers.

Golden Sahara II swapped out single headlights for stacked dual units with frosted glass covers.

More gold plating was ladled on the the sides of the fenders, and the car was fitted with new twin-V tail fins and bumperettes. Jim Rote was brought into the mix to design an electronic control system for the car that would allow for a plethora of steering options, including manual or standard (the steering wheel for which was completely removable—column and all), pushbutton steering on both the driver and passenger side, and a centered, aircraft like “uni-control” lever that could also regulate acceleration and braking.

Yesterday’s high tech office: Land line phone, analog reel-to-reel, notepad, Dictaphone and martian ear antenna. Steering wheel looks to be a cut-down MoPar unit, probably from an Imperial.

An automatic braking unit using antennaz to “look” for things in the car’s path was installed in the front bumperettes, and the wheels were made with glass elements that illuminated and acted as turn signals, while the tires boasted a revolutionary rubber compound developed by Goodyear that allowed them to actually glow in the dark.

[IMG]Goodyear had been developing illuminated tires and found a perfect promo vehicle with the GS II. Photo: Life Magazine The electronic control system included voice command and a remote that could open the doors as well as start and stop the motor. The same remote could be used to accelerate and brake—effectively categorizing it as the first autonomous car, with no need for a driver.[/IMG]

The entire affair was straight out of a Buck Rogers comic book and the total cost swelled to a whopping $75,000. The buzz about the new car exploded, now christened the Golden Sahara II. A self-driving, remote-controlled car with futuristic styling and a exotic appearance was an exceptionally sensational thing that transfixed the nation. People couldn’t get enough of the car. Everywhere it went, breathless declarations about the “$75,000 Car of the Future” we plastered on the radio and newspapers.

Photo – Custom Car Chronicle. Dig the baby “Robbie The Robot” figurines…

Next stop, Hollywood

The Golden Sahara II was featured in a 1960 fantasy-romance film “Cinderfella” starring Jerry Lewis, Ed Wynn and Judith Anderson. The Golden Sahara II was so over-the-top, it translated well onto the silver screen. The film highlighted the car’s electronics including handle-free doors that opened on their own as Lewis approached.

Captured on celluloid and celebrated as one of the most futuristic and flamboyant vehicles of the decade, the Golden Sahara was a celebrity in it’s own right. Street continued to display the car on the show circuit and in the late ‘50s, he added mechanical toy “Robby Robots” and displayed them with capitalizing on the space age theme of the car.

Another trick he employed as bait to generate a buzz, was enlisting his wife at the time, Gloria, a former Miss Florida, to demo the car’s various features completely covered in gold body paint, adding another element of intrigue to the spectacle. These displays embedded the car even deeper into the hearts and minds of millions of showgoers.

In 1962, the car was featured on the game show “I’ve Got a Secret,” during which Street was asked by host Gary Moore to demonstrate a selection of its impressive capabilities, including its ability to travel sans-driver.

Gone Without A Trace

Despite the car’s fame and stature, as the ‘60s winded down, Street abruptly withdrew it from the show circuit. Without explanation, the car simply disappeared—never to be seen again. But while it may have been lost, it was not forgotten, and as the years rolled by, car historians and fans wondered “Whatever happened to the Golden Sahara?”

With the advent of the internet, social media and forums, many conversations about the car and its whereabouts ricocheted around the web with most speculation ending with the same hypothesis, the car was likely stored away somewhere or possibly even destroyed.

Alive And Well, Hidden Away in Ohio

Now, nearly 50 years after the car’s disappearance, the elusive kustom has surfaced. Tucked away for years at Jim Street’s home, the Golden Sahara will cross the auction block at Mecum in May 2018.

Found largely untouched, but weathered from the hands of time, the car will be available for public viewing in its as-discovered condition as it graces the stage of Dana Mecum’s 31st Original Spring Classic Auction.

According to Mecum, “For the first time in decades, the car will be available for public viewing in its as-discovered condition as it graces the stage of Dana Mecum’s 31st Original Spring Classic Auction. Certainly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, the car’s appearance will not only mark its reentry into the world that has long vied for its return, but it will also mark a momentous occasion for one fortunate and ambitious collector as it crosses the auction block in search of someone to carry on its unparalleled legacy. To own the Golden Sahara is to own possibly the most memorable and certainly the most interesting car born of the 1950s, spawned from the ingenuity and talents of the eccentric but brilliant Jim Street, George Barris, Bill De Carr, Bob Metz and others. There is nothing like it in the world, and there will never be another like it again.”

What the hell is this thing worth? We’ll soon find out. For those interested in bidding, the car has no reserve.

More importantly, what do you do with a car like this? Like unearthing Tutankhamun’s chamber, how do you restore it without disturbing it’s provenance?

Like an autograph, the hands of Barris, Street, Jerry Lewis, Bob Metz and Jim Rote are all over this thing and significantly, it’s all that remains of their toil–and commensurately–their existence on this planet.

What say you? Is this the “barn find” of the millennium?

What would you do with this car? Restore it to it’s golden, technicolor splendor? Or leave it as is, a faded starlet frozen in time?

[stock1991]

Who needs reverse anyway, just have to park sensibly

[solarite_guy]

Originally Posted by stock1991

Who needs reverse anyway, just have to park sensibly

I can picture George Jetson scooting to work on that, or would that be Mr. Spacely instead?

[jaydee]

That is stunning, love the rear end, and with that boat, sexy as.

[solarite_guy]

Originally Posted by jaydee

That is stunning, love the rear end, and with that boat, sexy as.

I am glad you appreciated it. I can't imagine how Barris went from a wreck to what the car became. Then again, the tome and place of post war fascination the modern, jet age and rocketry probably stirred many imaginations.

BTW, that boat picture is my favourite.

Cheers.

[Vesper Martini]

Love it! see the TV in the centre consol!

[Vesper Martini]

and Golden Phone!

[solarite_guy]

Originally Posted by Bevsta007

and Golden Phone!

It has a lot of features many cars don't have today.

One of the features that convinced me to post the article are the sensing devices in the lower front for object detection. An early accident avoidance mechanism...the boat picture clinched the deal.

Can't forget the reel to reel tape recorder and the "fridge".

[Thornie]

looked up how much it would cost to build in 2018, over 600k in todays money.

[XByoot]

So many guys these days just throw money at a car and actually think they are buying a show stopping winner. Usually the end result is the only competition they win is the award for spending the most money, if it even gets completed. Often all they end up with is a mess of either mechanically or visually non compatable components that just don’t work. Please don’t read that wrong, there’s a lot of amazingly talented people out here these days too.
If you stripped Sahara down to a pile of parts and told these cashed up guys of today to make a car out of it they would be totally lost...these guys who did Sahara have skills money alone can’t ever buy.
These guys were true innovators. Sure there was big coin in it for the day but they had vision, fabricating talents and a plan..That’s how to build a true winner in my book and is often missing in many of today’s builds. Plus they started with a wreck

[solarite_guy]

Originally Posted by XByoot

...If you stripped Sahara down to a pile of parts and told these cashed up guys of today to make a car out of it they would be totally lost...these guys who did Sahara have skills money alone can’t ever buy.

These guys were true innovators. Sure there was big coin in it for the day but they had vision, fabricating talents and a plan..That’s how to build a true winner in my book and is often missing in many of today’s builds. Plus they started with a wreck

Maybe I am wrong, but I think we are past that "golden era" now. There are still a lot of nice builds happening, but what was produced then was in a different realm. Where builds fit in the scheme of things within society is different now.

Still, there are stories behind all these efforts that can be as entertaining as the end product itself.

I think of a local fella I know here, Bob Rizzoli, "The Riz". My nephew worked for him for a while before moving on to Chic Denino's Fabrications. Ronnie Sox's long time fabricator and chassis man.

So back in the early 90's Riz was in the position to build something he had thought about for a while. An un-sprung rear suspension in the conventional sense with a cantilever in the chassis between the front 3rd and back 2/3rds of the chassis.

So he built this '92 Mercedes 560 SEL with this chassis concept under it.

Pretty much standard drag race McPherson strut front suspension and the rear solid axle was managed by how the cantilever worked. I can only describe it's appearance when it launched. I can't diagram the cantilever. When it launched the car would appear to lift the front wheels as is normal, EXCEPT the front tyres remained on the track. For real.

It won the 1995 Ridler Award.



Ok, ok, ok, anybody can build a crazy show car. Except a good friend of mind Al, was going to drive it in real competition. Comp Eliminator C/Altered. They had a Rocket block with raised cam and a set of GM splayed valve heads (NHRA Pro Stock Truck heads) that Al was prepping. Al is a cylinder head guy. They were concerned about competing at some national level events with this completely new combination and really didn't want to mess with building an engine too.

I asked Al one day, "who always wins in Comp Eliminator?". At the time David Nickens. So I told Al, call them up and tell them you want a motor. They struck a deal on an engine in need of a freshen up and went racing.

Here's the car closer to race trim:



Al set the C/A record a couple times with it. Look at that front end. Looks like it belongs on the street.

Successful effort and car.

A couple years later Riz had another idea up his sleeve. Kind of a reverse concept to what the Mercedes was. This time, something that, on the face looks like an old time Altered race car, but with all the modern conveniences of a modern road car.

The one obstacle Riz had was the exhaust system. He didn't want the appearance of mufflers in the exhaust system. My nephew had maintained contact with Riz and we were talking about this one night. Of all things I had been researching some sound cancellation technology that was floating around at the time.

We left it as, design a real race exhaust system and I will do the research on the sound cancellation. Not long after, Riz went "dark". No word. No nothing, to anybody, except his girlfriend. He became ill. Very ill. Something which threw a wrench into his autonomic nervous system.

He was down for several years. Many years. Over time, he finally overcame things and resumed his project. Ridler award competitor? I don't know. Maybe someday.

But it runs. Here's a couple vids. First one is with Riz driving the second with Al driving. Camera work is terrible, Riz is a little cautious with the power level in a 1600lb car and Al doesn't like a wobble in the steering.

These were the first 2 shake down runs of the 37 Fiat Topolino.





To go full circle, this takes me back Barris and his wreck. I'd love to know the story behind the scenes.

[GasoLane]

Originally Posted by XByoot

These guys were true innovators. Sure there was big coin in it for the day but they had vision, fabricating talents and a plan..That’s how to build a true winner in my book and is often missing in many of today’s builds. Plus they started with a wreck

I'm also old enough to remember George Barris along with Ed -Big Daddy- Roth...somewhere I still have a Rat Fink T shirt.

Back then customising your car amounted to more than bragging about your new chrome exhaust tips or fitting big wheels with rubber bands for tyres.

[XByoot]

That’s a great story Solarite. Love it
So many innovations, guys that think outside the square and make it work. That Topolino is crazy! I’d love to see that chassis up close. The Merc? Tough and what an amazing concept for rear end design. I’m sure many top level sport bikes run similar systems by your description..if I got it right in my head.
It was an amazing era, the golden days. Things were far from perfect I have no doubt, neither were the cars, but they were cool, had character, had soul, real people made them. You can’t buy that in the Summit catalogue.

I still love the Munster rod he did..that thing was wild!!
https://roadtrippers.com/stories/munster-koach

[GasoLane]

Originally Posted by XByoot

I still love the Munster rod he did..that thing was wild!!
https://roadtrippers.com/stories/munster-koach

I never could figure out how 10 carbies worked with 8 cylinders, but it looked good

[solarite_guy]

Originally Posted by XByoot

That’s a great story Solarite. Love it
So many innovations, guys that think outside the square and make it work. That Topolino is crazy! I’d love to see that chassis up close. The Merc? Tough and what an amazing concept for rear end design. I’m sure many top level sport bikes run similar systems by your description..if I got it right in my head.
It was an amazing era, the golden days. Things were far from perfect I have no doubt, neither were the cars, but they were cool, had character, had soul, real people made them. You can’t buy that in the Summit catalogue.

I still love the Munster rod he did..that thing was wild!!
https://roadtrippers.com/stories/munster-koach

They had the rolling coffin too and there was another Model T bucket in there somewhere.

[solarite_guy]

Originally Posted by XByoot

That’s a great story Solarite. Love it
So many innovations, guys that think outside the square and make it work. That Topolino is crazy! I’d love to see that chassis up close. The Merc? Tough and what an amazing concept for rear end design. I’m sure many top level sport bikes run similar systems by your description..if I got it right in my head.
It was an amazing era, the golden days. Things were far from perfect I have no doubt, neither were the cars, but they were cool, had character, had soul, real people made them. You can’t buy that in the Summit catalogue.

I still love the Munster rod he did..that thing was wild!!
https://roadtrippers.com/stories/munster-koach

I found the vid with a couple sequences of the bonnet on the car and a scene of how Riz can get in and out of the car. You will notice the cones removed from the collectors.

[XByoot]

Originally Posted by GasOLane

Back then customising your car amounted to more than bragging about your new chrome exhaust tips or fitting big wheels with rubber bands for tyres.

For sure, reminds me of the saying we used to use...
“If it don’t go just chrome it”
I don’t recall who said this one but it stands true to this day.
“Good engineering is doing for a dime what any fool can do for a dollar”
Prob ol Henry I’d guess!

[JG33]

The Munsters Koach I think they called it.

[solarite_guy]

I doubt if it has run at a sanctioned track. Doubt it would pass tech given no doors for entry or exit.

Last night it occurred to me some Drag Race fans in Australia may still be familiar with some of the work Riz has done. If anyone remembers the Wild Bunch cars back in the 80s and 90s that came from the States to run in Australia, Riz made most of those cars. That's when my nephew worked for Riz. He was one of the fabricators of Tommy Howes 300ZX and Camp Stanley's Taurus Wagon. I don't remember if those were the cars taken to Australia. Both of them had different cars over the years. Now that I think about it, I am pretty sure Tommy took another car down there at some point...I have to go look for some pictures.