Mercury Cyclone
Even with its impressive horsepower of 375, which would make it a fast-selling commodity, it is rare to spot a Mercury Cyclone. This is because the automobile was only made between 1964 and 1971.
Even though its manufacturer admitted that the Cyclone resulted from a failed experiment, this automobile would inspire the creation of several other aerodynamically optimized muscle cars, thanks to its excellent performance, especially in motorsports. According to a popular site for car enthusiasts, the Mercury Cyclone would have had a better sales record if only Ford had been more clear about who they were targeting.
1948 Norman Timbs Special
The 1948 Norman Timbs Special was the first race car to use negative pressure. Engineer Norman Timbs, the designer of this masterpiece, was inspired by supercharged V16-powered Auto Union streamliners, a popular choice in Europe's World Championship series before the Second World War.
Timbs would draw several sketches of this roadster, modifying them until he was satisfied before he started to single-handedly put together aircraft-grade steel tubing through wielding. The result was a 17.5-foot-long automobile body that would grace the cover of 'Motor Trend' magazine just a year after its release. Unfortunately, most people have only seen this car on a magazine or the internet as it's one of those that's a rare find.
1962 Covington Tiburon
Strange is the word that best describes the 1962 Covington Tiburon. So uncommon is this car that although we live in a world flooded with information, there’s hardly much known about this model except a handful of personal experiences shared by people who have encountered the vehicle.
Although the Covington Tiburon was initially hailed for being lightweight due to the fiberglass used in building its body, it would soon prove to be a nightmare, owing to its trouble with overheating. The issue would be resolved, though, by the inventor of this automobile, who added larger ducts to the car’s sides, elevating its performance to near perfection.
1967 OSI Silver Fox Prototype
Although speed was the main idea behind the invention of the 1967 OSI Silver Fox Prototype, this car also became famous for its ability to blow people's minds because of its extraordinarily shaped body. Italian car manufacturer OSI came up with this distinct design that would capture everyone's attention at the 1967 Turin Motor Show when it was first exhibited and long after.
Even with its small engine, this double-trunk automobile can go as fast as 155mph. Unfortunately, shortly after introducing it, the manufacturer of this car experienced financial difficulty, making them halt its production in 1968, which explains the model's rarity.
ThunderCat Hellcat
Unless you are a vintage car junkie, you probably didn't even know about the existence of the ThunderCat Hellcat until you read this piece. This tri-point front-end beast of a car is like the perfect man with all the right qualities a woman would love, but somehow he manages to stay in the background.
Converted from a Corvette, this motor car gets described by people as a 'speed demon,' and this is primarily because of the vehicle's body's design. You may not like it, it may seem too odd, but this is a machine that very few would accept a challenge to race against because beating it would be nearly impossible.
1955 Chrysler GHIA Streamline
At first glance, you'd almost not believe that you were staring at a vehicle. The design looks too complicated to pass for a car, but that's just one of the beautiful things about the 1955 Chrysler GHIA Streamline. Although the Streamline was never driven, it remains one of the most significant vehicles ever created and is still featured at different automotive exhibits.
Exhibits aside, you can find this beauty at the Ford Museum and in the hands of some individual owners. We imagine that it must be a rare privilege to own this wild car built with ambitious performance in mind.
1963 Ford Thunderbird
Honestly, no car should be that mysterious, but nothing's hardly normal about the 1963 Ford Thunderbird car. The vehicle is customized, and with its custom interior, long lines, wheel covers, and Corvette badge, it was definitely what Eddie Leon wanted. You only need to see the car to know it moves like thunder, fast and powerful, just as its name implies.
Thunderbird has changed hands since Mr. Leon purchased it, and the car has been sighted in various locations - Southern California, Las Vegas, and Australia. It's nice to see the vehicle retain its power and speed even after all these years.
1968 Chevrolet C3 Corvette Sportwagon
The 1968 Chevrolet C3 Corvette Sportwagon came with a bang and left the market with equal impact. Since Chuck Miller designed the first model, the car has undergone several modifications, but the 1968 C3 version will forever be a classic. In fact, it became as basis for other epic vehicles such as the King Rat and Panther 16.
While Miller designed the car to be muscular and have extra cargo room, it had some aesthetic flaws and a dysfunctional hatch that required some upgrade. Still, this Sportwagon served its purpose, especially since it was built for a band owner who needed extra space for his drums.
1963 Czech Republic Fire Truck
It seems like most of the oddest cars in history were built in the '60s, and the 1963 Czech Republic fire truck is one of them. Once upon a time, firefighters fought fire in style, thanks to this fantastic antique fire truck. Designed in the Czech Republic, one can't be too surprised at the design of the car - the country is known to often deviate from the standard.
The truck features a glass roof, ladders on top, and old-school hoses - a nice combo for a fire vehicle. We're sure the firefighters would have enjoyed the time spent riding the car as much as they loved doing what they did best, putting out a fire.
The Mysterious Car
Not much is known about this car, but it's undoubtedly one of the old and rare older cars you'd find around. Either that, or we're simply drawn to the mystery surrounding the vehicle. From the looks of things, the car was obviously custom-built and painted in a flashy burgundy color that you're bound to notice miles away. It also features a gold trim that makes the pristine color pop.
The car is huge, alright, and it looks like it packs enough speed and power to make whoever's riding it feel on top of the world. Hopefully, more will be revealed about the car later.
The Flatmobile
The 1963-based Flatmobile is one of its kind. This iconic car is 19 inches tall with an outstanding ground clearance of only 2 inches. For years, it was considered the world’s lowest street legal car, but it lost its title to the Mirai.
But don’t be fooled by this car’s small size, as it shoots a 20-foot flame from its jet engine. The jet engine is fitted at the car’s rear and is designed to speed up for up to 70 miles per hour. Many automobile fans consider this car a modern take on the Batmobile, and we definitely love to see it around.
Mayan Magnum
Dean Charles Ing, an American Air Force veteran and aero engineer, was passionate about automobiles. He also loved science fiction and wrote some books himself, so he tried to build a street legal car as a representation of his passion.
He began building the first prototype of the Mayan Magnum in the 1950s. With its futuristic design, the car featured a strong Porsche engine and a Chevrolet Corvair-sourced 2.4-liter flat-six in a second iteration. He borrowed the car’s metal frame and fiberglass body from Volkswagen. It doesn’t have a pretty face as Ing’s goal was to build the best aerodynamic car. After his death, his family decided to put the car up for auction.
1980 BMW M1 Mod
The 1980 BMW is a classic with many fans because of its strong engine and superb performance on the road. Here, a Massachusetts-based owner and automobile lover decided to give his car a new look. At its core, everything speaks of BMW’s superior quality. Yet, the outside of the car makes it almost unrecognizable.
Apart from its rather unusual color, the car’s owner added an extra body plate that extended beyond the original frame. This plate hid the tires completely, giving the car a hovercraft look. It seems that he’s very fond of his creation, as he keeps his car looking great and almost as good as new.
1958 Ford Edsel Pacer Snowplow
In 1958, Ford’s new division, Edsel, introduced one iconic car that would capture the attention of automobile lovers across the globe. Unlike other Ford cars, this one was based on the narrower and shorter Edsel platform, giving the Pacer its unique look.
This short-lived model wasn’t successful, though. Although it was a step up from the basic Ranger model, it didn’t achieve the expected success. Yet, it appears that it has its fans, like this owner here who did some modifications to change it to a snowplow. If you’re in New Mexico, you’d be happy to see it roaming the streets.
1951 Studebaker Manta Ray
Inspired by General Motors’ Buick XP-8 LeSabre, Glen Hire and Vernon Antoine of Whittier, California, took more than 4000 hours to build their Studebaker Manta Ray. It’s obvious that both were big fans of automotive designer Harley Earl, so they followed in his footsteps to create their one and only custom-made car.
They both worked for North American Aviation Company in the design and engineering department, so they might have got more inspiration from jets. They used a 1951 Studebaker Commander as the base of their design but replaced the body with a molded fiberglass body to make this car as light as possible. They also got the taillights from a Lincoln but kept the original engine.
Donald Ducks 313 Real-Life Version
Cartoons have always been an integral part of people’s childhood. Speaking of cartoons, anyone who grew up in the '90s must be familiar with the quirky duck named Donald. One of the most memorable things about that character has to be its car which is known as the 1934 Belchfire Runabout.
A massive fan of that cartoon character built a real-life version of that car. The man seems to be enjoying the ride very much. About the fictional car, it is said that Donald left no stone unturned while building the car for himself. He took different car parts—the 1922 Dudge body, the 1920 Mixwell engine, and 1923 Paclac axles—and put them together to create the 313.
1966 Custom Crafted Pontiac GTO
There are many things that people like to spend their money on, and one of those things is fancy wheels. People who love cars not only buy the vehicle that matches their personality but also put in extra effort to customize it to alter the vehicle completely.
One of the most pertinent examples of a customized car is this 1966 Pontiac GTO. It is almost impossible to spot another one of these models because it got customized to a new level. The only thing that is factory-made in this car is the doors at the back. It must have taken a huge car enthusiast to create something like this.
1952 SOCEMA Gregoire
With every passing day, we see newer innovations in the automobile industry. With such a wide range of cars available today, it is straightforward for people to find their dream car. Yet still, even this wide range can’t satisfy some people, so they take up the challenge of making their own.
Jean-Albert Gregoire, who was a French automobile engineer, took it upon himself to build a car around a Hotchkiss Grégoire. The vehicle was called SOCEMA Gregoire, which had a single rotor turbo engine powered by kerosene. The unique body was developed in such a way that the car could reach a speed of 124.27 mph.
1980 4-Door Corvette Sedan
People get bored of the existing things and then try to come up with something new to keep the fun and excitement alive. It takes a lot of effort for car lovers to modify and customize existing cars into something new, but has it ever stopped people from doing so? No.
This long, shiny red sedan that might look like an illustration is real and is a result of people’s creativity. This model of the sedan with four doors was around for quite some time in the '80s. Only six cars were made using 12 sedans; it took two vehicles to create one.
1947 Alamagny Rhomboid
If anyone spots this car on their way, they would instantly think that aliens have invaded our land. Well, it would not be their fault as this 1947 Alamagny Rhomboid looks like an alien vehicle.
This car was designed by Marcel Alamagny, who was a French engineer, in 1947. What makes this car unique and different from the rest is the placement of the wheels. The reason why this car got designed this way was to make sharp turns possible. Another big difference between this vehicle and other cars; the passenger seat is faced backward.
El Corvette Camino Charger
Chevrolet released this unique automobile on October 16, 1968. Just as the photos will tell you, this was its attempt at distributing a car-truck hybrid, a combination of a sedan and a pickup vehicle that provided the comfort of a four-door passenger car but had enough trunk space to support a ton.
This initial model was inspired by Ford's Ranchero, a car-truck combo on the market two years prior. People received Ford's design so well that other car companies thought to sell their own. The El Camino was "the most beautiful thing that ever shouldered a load," according to the press, but in 1987, Chevrolet had to drop it off their line-up.
1957 Aurora Safety Car
The Aurora Safety Car was designed with passengers' safety in mind. Most of its unique features, like seatbelts, roll cages, and side impact bars, are now essential components of any typical vehicle but were novel designs by Father Alfred Juliano at the time.
Father Juliano ran a congregation but was passionate about automobiles, so he partially funded the Aurora Car Company to bring his design to light. Unfortunately, though it made significant contributions to the interior of safety vehicles, it was dubbed the "ugliest car ever made" due to some odd portions, such as the enormous windshield. As a result, it was discontinued not long after its release.
1956 Buick Centurion
The Buick Centurion is unique, considering its design was way ahead of its time. Though it never went into production, its 1956 debut at the General Motors Motorama Show ushered in a whole new set of concepts for automobiles in the United States, and it is still a gold mine of ideas for car companies.
Bucket seats, for instance, were largely uncommon in the U.S. until the Buick came along. Also, car users have it to thank for the comfortable headrests later introduced into their vehicles. Another cool feature was its unique passenger seats, which automatically slide forward to allow easy entry and exit from the car.
1969 Dodge Charger Daytona + Camino
This version of the Dodge Charger was not only named after the high-profile Daytona NASCAR races but was solely produced to be a high flyer at the events. It became a six-time winner, with two wins in 1969 and four in 1970.
It’s since been discontinued, but being a largely sought-after vintage vehicle, it now goes for millions of dollars on the market. Even in its prime, it had unique specifications: a 440 cubic inch Magnum V8 engine with a capacity of 390 horses. This one also includes a pickup truck space for some heavy lifting, hence the Camino addition in the name.
1996 Rolls Royce FAB 1
Though it has "Rolls Royce" in its name, this six-wheeled vehicle was not an original Rolls-Royce production. The Rolls-Royce company hated FAB 1 so much they tried to have it destroyed. So instead, you can see a replica of a pink supercar from the British sci-fi television series 'Thunderbirds,' which was popular in the '60s.
A 1966 model was created to transport voice actress Sylvia Anderson to the premiere, but unfortunately, the whole thing broke down, and she had to continue her journey by taxi. After many failed attempts by Rolls Royce to buy the item and have it demolished, it was finally purchased by the Dezer Car Museum in Miami, Florida.