Photo credit: Aaron Summerfield
Here’s a rare look at the Pontiac Ghost Car from 1939. It was built specifically for the 1939-1940 World’s Fair in New York and the first to boast a fully transparent plexiglass body. Not just a showpiece, it sports a working Series 26. 85 bhp, 222.7 cu. in. L-head six-cylinder engine, mated to a three-speed manual transmission. Continue reading for a video, more pictures, and additional information.
Video
The structural metal underneath was given a copper wash, and all hardware, including the dashboard, was chrome plated. Rubber moldings were made in white, as were the car’s tires. Cost a reported $25,000 to build (using Consumer Price Index to estimate inflation, it is approx. $388,000 in 2010 US dollars). Car still rides on its original white tires with odometer reading of 86 miles (138 km). Does not have a conventional vehicle identification number.
