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The Golden Sahara Radical Lincoln convertible

 

The Golden Sahara is well recognized as one of the wildest customs ever built.
The exotic custom started as George Barris' new car with which he was towing a customer's car to a car show on a foggy night and ran into the back of a big truck and literally totaled his new Lincoln.
Taking the remains back to his Hollywood custom shop that he ran with his brother Sam, he had his workmen, Bill Carr and Bill DeCarr, started customizing the remains.
Somewhere along the way Jim Skonkakes (AKA Jim Street) of Ohio bought the car as it was being built. At what stage of construction, only Barris and Street know for sure.
There were two versions with extensive modifications. Looking at the photos you can see how extensive the modifications were. The second version had much body work done by Bob Metz. including the rear fins.
What really made this car wild was the extensive use of electronics and the car could be started and steering by voice control. This was in 1960. Jim Street toured the car to car dealers all over the country and this allowed people back east to see the car in operation.
he car also appeared in the movie Cinderfella, and on television's ''To Tell The Truth'' celebrity quiz show.
I saw the car twice in Clearwater, Fl and later in Alabama where I was stationed in the Army.
It is rumored to still exist, but the owner Jim Street is not allowing it to be seen.

Bob Nugent
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