Mecum Auctions will offer Jim Street’s legendary “self-driving” 1950s custom car at no reserve in its as-discovered garage-find condition during Dana Mecum’s 31st Original Spring Classic auction this May 15-19 at the Indiana State Fairgrounds in Indianapolis. From years spent as one of America’s most famous custom cars — touring the country and drawing huge crowds and media attention everywhere it went — to a sudden disappearance into the garage of its owner, never to be seen again, the Golden Sahara II (above, photo courtesy of Mecum Auctions) has long been a lost darling among car enthusiasts. That history makes its return to the spotlight an occasion of historical significance within America’s deeply rooted custom-car culture.
Immortalized in the film Cinderfella starring Jerry Lewis, and celebrated as one of the most innovative, futuristic and generally awe-inspiring vehicles of the late ’50s, the Golden Sahara II enjoyed celebrity on a mass scale. The car’s revolutionary electronic control system — which allowed it to be steered and operated in myriad ways, including by remote control — effectively categorized the car as autonomous and earned it the designation as the most expensive car of its time. After its sudden, unexplained disappearance nearly 50 years ago, the Golden Sahara II will finally emerge from the garage of its original owner, still intact down to the Zenith remote controls that operated its self-driving capabilities. Other offerings from Jim Street’s long-hidden estate can be expected as well.
For more information about Mecum’s Spring Classic Auction, or to view the list of consigned vehicles, please visit www.Mecum.com
