[bsa_pro_ad_space id=14]
One of the world’s most storied show cars has returned from a deep slumber, gracing the 2019 Geneva Motor Show with its presence after sitting in a garage for 50 years. The car in question is called the Golden Sahara II, and those old enough to remember it can attest to its showstopping qualities. The Golden Sahara II was, in many ways, ahead of its time. Designed by the famed Hollywood car customizer George Barris for businessman Jim Street, the 1953 Lincoln Capri-based show car was conceived as a futuristic dream machine when it burst into the custom car circuit in the 1950s. The Golden Sahara II became a celebrity in its own right, appearing in numerous TV shows and movies, including the Jerry Lewis movie, Cinderfella. Then, just as quickly as it shot to fame, the Golden Sahara II vanished as Street tucked it away in a garage and left it there for 50 years. It wasn’t until last year that the Golden Sahara II reemerged from hiding, appearing at the Mecum auctions where it looked worse for wear after a half-a-century in slumber. Despite its condition, the Golden Sahara II still sold for an impressive $350,000 to Chicago-area collector Larry Klairmont, who, after purchasing the car, proceeded to give it the restoration of a lifetime. The car that sat at the 2019 Geneva Motor Show alongside the Ferrari F8 Tributo and the Koenigsegg Jesko is the product of that restoration.
[bsa_pro_ad_space id=15]