1939 see-through 'Ghost car' headed for auction

PLYMOUTH, Mich. — A see-through Pontiac built by General Motors for the 1939-40 New York World's Fair is going on the auction block this weekend.

The 1939 Pontiac Deluxe Six "Ghost Car" was part of the automaker's "Highways and Horizons" pavilion, and it's one of 70 vehicles being sold Saturday, The Detroit News reported. The auction is part of a Concours d'Elegance event in the Detroit suburb of Plymouth.

"This car is very, very special," said Alain Squindo, a car specialist for RM Auctions. "We've never before offered anything so unique."

The car, which only has about 90 miles on the odometer since it's not meant to be driven on the road, cost about $25,000 to build. It's expected to sell at from $275,000 to $475,000, the newspaper reported.

The car's Plexiglas body offers a view of its chrome, steel and iron innards. It also features white-colored rubber moldings and tires. After the fair, it toured Pontiac dealerships across the U.S., was displayed at the Smithsonian Institution and sold to an undisclosed private owner, Squindo said.

"The same family has owned it for the past two decades and it has been shown very, very infrequently," Squindo said.