Astro Sled Bubbletop - Dave Shuten

This is a one-off, professionally built hot rod done as a tribute to Ed “Big Daddy” Roth and other 1960s vintage show rods. Roth was well-known to hot rod enthusiasts as the hobby’s “most extreme beatnik” who made numerous contributions to car fabrication in this field. Available through May 22, 2021 here on Mecum at the JRW Western Exposure auction in Indianapolis, Indiana, this car has an estimated value between $90,000 and $125,000. Thanks, Larry D, for another “way out” find!

Outlandish looking hot rods were the order of the day in the 1960s. One of my favorites has been the DRAG-U-LA, a coffin-shaped dragster built by the famed George Barris for use in The Munsters TV show and movie. With its bubbletop, this Astro Sled has a space age look to it, which also fits right in with the ‘60s. Using some of the then-latest advancements in fiberglass and plastics fabrication, this build was completed by Dave Shuten using a variety of 1950s/1960s parts and themes. This car is something of a celebrity, having been featured in a 2007 issue of Rod and Custom (which, unfortunately, is no longer published).

Perhaps the most notable fabrication work that was done on this vehicle is its hand-crafted and gel-coated fiberglass body topped by a 48-inch-wide, 18-inch-tall round bubble top. While no mention is made regarding how cockpit occupants stay cool or warm, this thing looks like it could be an oven in the summer! The bubble is activated to open or close using convertible-top cylinders. The body wears a combination of House of Kolor White Pearl paint with Silver Kandy Blue fogging.

If you look closely, you’ll see where parts were borrowed from production automobiles to complete the ensemble. That includes taillights from a 1959 Cadillac, headlight bezels from a 1964 Ford Galaxie and decklid trim from a 1957 Lincoln Premier. The interior is finished all in white, with a custom seat where fluffy material is everywhere and it has a curved dash with functional gauges and the iconic t-handle Hurst shift top. The battery and fuel filler neck are tucked away in a small trunk.

This machine is powered by a 354 cubic Hemi V8 from a 1957 Chrysler and is paired with (no, not a TorqueFlite) a GM TH-350 automatic transmission. It’s all connected to a 1957 Chevy rear end. On top of the motor is a Weiand GMC-designed blower and eight Stromberg 97 carburetors. A quadrant of chromed exhaust trumpets can be found on both sides of the car.

If you’re anywhere near Indy between May 14-22, 2021 and have a hundred-thou or so to spare, maybe you could take this baby home with you. It’s not practical or useful in any way, but who cares. This is a one-of-a-kind machine that harkens back to the creative side of automotive design that permeated through the middle of the 20th Century!