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Topic starter
01/01/2025 3:07 am
The Pontiac Club de Mer was a purpose-built, experimental car that was built by Pontiac for the General Motors Motorama in 1956 to celebrate General Motors' commitment to futuristic design. The brainchild of GM engineer-designer, Harley Earl. One Club de Mer prototype was constructed and unveiled, along with another quarter-scale model, in Miami, Florida. As per GM's "kill order" it was reportedly scrapped in 1958. Only the model exists today, which was owned by Joseph Bortz of Highland Park, IL. until it was sold to noted car collector Ron Pratt at the 2007 Barrett-Jackson Classic Car Auction for $75,000. A running replica based on a 1959 Pontiac chassis was also built by Marty Martino. Taking three years to complete, it sold for $110,000 at the 2009 Barrett-Jackson Auction in Arizona. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pontiac_Club_de_Mer
Unusual kit, instructions are dated 1956 but are in too good condition to be nearly 70 years old. No engine unfortunately but a really interesting car design. Love having concepts in the collection
01/01/2025 7:26 am
I remember that car. I had some great B&W photos of it and other GM concepts and have no idea whatever became of them. Looks GREAT in color!
01/01/2025 8:25 am
Very nicely built model. Not something I would build. Too futuristic for the time period.
01/01/2025 5:16 pm
I built that model a million years ago and somehow, it disappeared. I have one now in 1/43:
Topic starter
02/01/2025 2:36 am
@rich-sufficool that 1/43 is a stunner Rich. I have this one on the way now, one of my favorite concepts
And thanks Tony, John and Geno
Tony Perrone and Pete Rovero reacted
02/01/2025 2:10 pm
@geoff-jowett I bought and built that Futura TWICE. Once as a kid and a half century later. When Minichamps released the Futura in 1/18. I started to strip it for parts to build a 1/24 Barris Batmobile from a resin casting. Then Mattel finally paid the licensing freight so the hundreds of hours I spent finishing that bubbly resin body and collecting and pre-fitting all the aftermarket and kitbashed parts, unfinished (and never to be finished) are in a parts box somewhere,
Steve Jacobs and Geoff Jowett reacted
