Customs First pics of the golden Sahara in decades

Always did like the Golden Sahara.... Didn't matter which version. Didn't it have the light up tires for awhile?

 

Mark, I would love to see you take ownership of the Sahara! But I think you'd have to unload quite a bit of your collection to do so. Mecum will be sending notices of the auction to all their high end clients. One hope would be that the auction price wouldn't go through the roof like we all think it may because prospective buyers may balk at the cost of a correct pro restoration what with all the electronics, paint work and unknowns. As significant as the car is, it's of a quirky, acquired taste for hardcore fans and maybe the big buck bidders won't be all over it.
If you were able to swing the deal, we'll start a 'go fund me' Golden Sahara account. You can take it to a few shows as it sits and sell "I helped save the Golden Sahara" T Shirts to help fund the restoration. If an average guy such as yourself gets the car, perhaps some of the labor to go through the car, shoot the paint, etc will be donated like was done with the Hirohata Merc.
I think it's in terrific shape compared to some of the floorless, rusted hulks we've seen as starting points. The car was provided a real decent storage. The body is straight, bubble top and interior good and the car looks to be complete down to the remote controls. Just maybe a thorough go through would see it fire up and most of the electronics work. Electronics is no different than mechanical's if you divide and conquer and take it a section (circuit) at a time. The right car electrician would take it as a challenge and love to work on it.
Too bad Barris isn't with us. I'd love to see him take a walk around the car.

 

Its blows me away how much labor this and lots of other rides past and present it takes to bring a vision and bring it to life. I think its a bitchin ride, different like some art that is hard to describe.

 

Ahh, the hamb when it was still fun and fiestey

 

subscribed

 

Cool video

 

Well I have been wondering the last several years if Street(RIP) was going to out live me and I would never see the Kookie car again. Of coarse I would like to see it put back the way Norm built it.

 

I wonder what George and Norm are saying to Street as he passes through the Pearly Gates? Maybe they are all laughing at us and this thread?

(and are the Pearly Gates covered with drawer pull knobs?)

 

Here's the copy from the Autoweek blog this morning:

http://autoweek.com/article/classic...er&utm_content=body&utm_campaign=awdailydrive

 

Wow that fellow was quite the genious...cutie of a wife who knew her stuff too. It is interesting as well that he had the car all along as well. The fact that the paint is part organic may explain the yellowing that has taken place. Did this thing see much street action?

 

It's the same car, @dreracecar. Watson painted it in '59 after Jim bought it to update it and make it his own. It's remarkably pretty much all still there. Its even the same motor underneath those funky "zoomie" headers and twin blowers! I wouldn't mind seeing it shown as it was in '59 after Watson painted it.

 

I suppose with the Kookie car you have options with restoration as it has several period transitions. Like movies the sequels or remakes are very seldom an improvement.

 

Wow great videos on golden Sahara ! It would be a shame to paint over a Larry Watson paint job it's part of the T's history

 

While it’s krazy Kool...it’s gonna take a certain kind of person to step up with the cash..It seems to me radical Kustoms don’t seem to sell well at auctions, but not all of them are this car.

 

I tried to find Jim Skonzakes' (Street) obituary with no luck. Anyone got a link? He was really an interesting guy. I had read that his longtime pet monkey had passed away and it was quite a blow to him.
To his credit he kept this most significant custom for decades and decades. It is so cool to see it again. I'm sure probably only us old guys understand its significance in the custom world. It was THE car. The one that made our jaws drop.

 

The GS blows my mind. It always has. It is the epitome of lavish excess in a kustom. A previous post made fun of these things as ridiculous excess... this is exactly why I love them. Lets go too far then go farther.

It's so wrapped up in kustom history, few ever realize what this car really is- Telephone, TV, auto-steering, self-driving, radar warning, etc... This car was a realistic vision of the future wrapped in fantasy. Most of our daily drivers have refined working versions of all the dream-features on this car. Crazy!

I'm glad it's going to auction. It's known enough that the only person the will shed the cash necessary is going to do it outta love. And whichever way they take it- whether it's a worthy restoration or if they keep it as is, I'm glad it's gonna get some love.

 

Not sure there is one. His wife kept his passing pretty hush hush for quite a while from what I have heard.

 

I'm betting Leno may step up. He likes quirky and iconic. I believe he's got the pockets to do it right.

 

Too cool

 

Yeah it's "ugly"... and it's beautiful! So over the top..my favorite shot is the Lake Mead photo, can you imagine water skiing all day, then heading back to the Strip , pulling into the Sands parking lot (last row) and ordering a nice cool drink in the lounge, rat pack members already in there :"Hey who's the cat with the cool sled?" they ask...

I notice all the futuristic way-out features :
Massage for the seats
TV set
"radar screen for self guidance" -GPS or an autopilot?
voice controlled operation
are finally being put into regular cars ~ 60 years after this thing hit the show circuit! The builders were real visionaries not just stylists. I'm sure "Hybrid engine" means something different than it does today. Would love to hear more about that.

"pulverized fish scales"? Wouldn't they float on the surface flat and not sink in like metal flake? I wonder if the car has a fishy smell.

I assume those remotes are for the TV, they needed one for each passenger?

Other favorite feature is the "cocktail bar!"....better have the autopilot doing the driving, when that one was being tested...heh heh
When this country was truly great. Kind of embodies the reason I/we like this board and the vintage shots thread so much. (I wonder what other ultra wild customs are out there languishing....)

 

https://www.mecum.com/auctions/indianapolis-2018/lots/featured/

https://www.mecum.com/lots/SC0518-327376/the-golden-sahara-ii/

 

norms original T he built helped get me into hotrod cars, if i as rich id buy his old car and restore it the way it originally was and sell all the add on crap away to some one else so id never need eye bleach after remembering how ugly it became

 

Up on mecum





Sent from my iPad

 

The GS is listed but the Kookie T is not. Under the "Jim Street Collection", the GS is the only car listed. I wonder if it is the only one being sold at auction or if Mecum has just not listed the rest of them yet.

 

Too cool too see pic's of these car's!

 

Just a reminder of where it all started...

(from Rikster's Archives)