See Wilt Chamberlain’s customized supercar for sale at auction
Drake’s Ferrari LaFerrari appears at student-led car show
More than $12 million worth of exotic cars were recently seen on campus at the Northwood University International Auto Show.
- This car was built for NBA legend Wilt Chamberlain, who is over 7 feet tall.
- The Searcher 1 supercar was extended by 6 inches to allow Chamberlain to fit.
Have you ever wondered what kind of car the 7-foot-1-inch NBA legend drives?
Basketball Hall of Famer Wilt Chamberlain had a kit car custom built to his specifications. It’s a modified supercar like no other.
The 1986 Searcher 1 was developed by Lyncar, a British racing company that has built many race cars, including two F1 cars. Chamberlain’s vehicle was enlarged to accommodate his large size, allowing him to drive on the road and see out comfortably. And now you can have it.
This luxurious vehicle is on display at the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Massachusetts, and is currently being sold by Julien’s Auctions, where it is available for bidding until November 6th.
Who is Wilt Chamberlain?
For those unfamiliar with Chamberlain, he was an NBA center who played for the Los Angeles Lakers, San Francisco Warriors (formerly Philadelphia Warriors), and Philadelphia 76ers. Regarded as one of the sport’s all-time greats, in 1962 he became the only player to score 100 points in a single game. When basketball fans see an insane performance by a modern-day player, there’s usually a disclaimer that Chamberlain accomplished the same feat several times during his time as an active player.
Professional basketball players earn a lot of money, so it’s no wonder they buy a lot of luxury items. However, when it comes to cars, some players are too tall for regular cars.
Shaquille O’Neal, who is 7-foot-1 and weighs more than 350 pounds, owns a customized Lamborghini, but was often teased by other players and fans that the cars he featured in Buick commercials were too small for him.
The Chamberlain had similar problems and did not fit many cars being sold at the time, appearing in a Volkswagen ad for the 1979 Volkswagen Rabbit. As a man over 7 feet tall, he needed a unique car that fit his lifestyle and personality.
how cars were made
Lyncar, along with the project’s lead designer, Peter Bohanon, created the vehicle to resemble the cars that raced at Le Mans. While they were putting it together, there was still strong input from Chamberlain during the creation process.
The Searcher 1 was a one-off supercar powered by a Marine Block GM V8 paired with an axial flow supercharger. The powertrain delivers 470 horsepower and reaches a top speed of over 200 miles per hour. The Searcher 1 uses a ZF five-speed manual transmission derived from the BMW M1. The interior was expanded an additional 6 inches to accommodate Chamberlain inside.
How much can the car sell for?
Bidding for Searcher 1 is already open and will end on November 6th. Bidding started at $50,000 and is standing at $200,000 as of Friday, October 31st. According to Julien’s Auctions, the vehicle is estimated to be worth between $300,000 and $500,000. For more information, visit juliensauctions.com.
Kenan Thompson is a car culture reporter for the Detroit Free Press. Contact Keenan at kthompson@freepress.com. Follow him on Instagram @keenanaautos. To sign up automotive newsletter. become a subscriber.
