The first see-through car in the US was made back in 1939. But what’s the story of the vehicle?
The one-of-a-kind 1939 Pontiac Deluxe Six Plexiglas was revealed to the audience at the 1939 New York World’s Fair Highways and Horizons exhibition organized by General Motors. The specially fabricated see through vehicle was constructed of acrylic plastic, a material considered quite an advancement at the time, allowing visitors to admire each and every part of the vehicle. To enhance the dramatic effect, the screws and fasteners were chrome-plated.
General Motors collaborated with chemical company Rohm & Haas in developing the Plexiglas material. They used drawings for the Pontiac four-door Touring Sedan to create the body of the vehicle. The car reportedly cost $25,000 to build.
The amazing ghost car also appeared at the 1940 New York World’s Fair, and a second ghost car was built for the Golden Gate Exposition near San Francisco.
After its World’s Fair appearance, the car formed part of Smithsonian Institution’s permanent exhibition between 1942 and 1947. By the late 1940s, however, the styling on the car had been deemed old and outdated by the audience. Therefore, the car was sold to a Pontiac dealership in 1962, and then was resold to a car collector by the name of Don Barlup.
The 1939 Pontiac Deluxe Six Plexiglas undeniably counts as a very rare and one-of-a-kind model even today.
Source: Design You Trust
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