1939 Pontiac Plexiglas Deluxe Six Ghost Car
The 1939 Pontiac Plexiglas Deluxe Six Ghost Car is the first full-size transparent car built in America. This special vehicle will be put up for St. John’s auction on July 30, 2011 by RM Auctions in Plymouth, Michigan and is estimated to fetch between $275,000 – $475,000. This 1939 Ghost Pontiac Plexiglas deluxe is the only known survivor of the two built. A second Ghost Car was built for the 1940 Golden Gate Exposition on Treasure Island, near San Francisco.
Unveiled at the General Motors Highways and Horizons pavilion at the 1939-40 World’s Fair in New York, the Pontiac Transparent Car was buit on the chassis of a 1939 Pontiac Deluxe Six. The Ghost Car also appeared at the 1940 New York World’s Fair and proudly showcased its newly redesigned front end and grill.
This transparent vehicle was constructed of plexiglas (the world’s first transparent acrylic sheet product), which made visible the many parts that created the Deluxe Six. All screws and fasteners were chrome-plated for dramatic effect. Plexiglas was a serendipitous discovery arising from Rohm & Haas’ work with laminated safety glass. The result of their experiment was the discovery of this unique material which would be as transparent as glass and also provide the flexibility needed to mould it into a car. [RM Auctions]
