It could have come from the drawing board of legendary General Motors design chief Harley Earl, perhaps as one of his iconic 1950s dream cars showcased at the automaker's breathlessly anticipated Motorama shows. Instead, it was the dream of a New York commercial artist and his speedboat-racing buddy who, back in 1953, commissioned a top Italian coachbuilder to create this rolling piece of automotive art they named "Elegante."Built on a 1953 Cadillac Series 62 chassis, fit with a 331 ci V-8, this all-aluminum two-seater features a retractable hardtop, a wraparound windshield, a Lucite steering wheel, and Liberace levels of gold-plating.More from Robb ReportAdvertisementAdvertisementForget the Cold Plunge. Luxury Condos Are Now Getting Their Own Speakeasies.Designer Matthieu Blazy Has Helped Make Chanel the Most Popular Brand on the RealRealPresident Trump Threatens a New 50% Tariff on Canadian CarsThe one-off 1953 Cadillac "Elegante" Concept being offered to the public through Kruse Auctions.Taking over 30 months to complete, the project reportedly cost of over $30,000 during a period when a brand new Corvette cost under $3,000. Not surprisingly, the resulting roadster was the undisputed star of the 1955 New York Auto Show. Now, for the first time in 73 years, this one-of-one automobile is being offered to the public, headlining the Kruse Auctions sale in Auburn, Ind., on September 5."This really is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for someone to acquire a truly unique and spectacular example of futuristic '50s American design," John Kruse, founder and chief appraiser of Kruse Auctions, tells Robb Report. "I can't think of any major concours event in the world where this car would not be welcomed with open arms. After spending its life largely out of the public eye, it is a global sensation waiting to happen," he adds.Rewind to 1953, and commercial artist Harry Birdsall fantasized about building a luxury convertible coupe in Harley Earl's style, but one that could actually be purchased. He teamed up with his close friend, Long Island–based building contractor Joe Mascari, to make his vision a reality.Taking 30 months to complete at a cost of $30,000, this concept was the undisputed star of the 1955 New York Auto Show.Birdsall had already sketched the initial design before turning the project over for fine-tuning to another friend, automotive designer Albrecht Goertz, who had just set up his New York studio. Goertz would go on to shape the iconic 1956 BMW 507 and 1970 Datsun 240Z. AdvertisementAdvertisementWith Mascari's connections in Italy—he imported Italian speedboats—they called on Turin-based coachbuilder Carrozzeria Rocco Motto to construct the car. They even shipped over a complete chassis and running gear from a burned-out 1953 Series 62 Cadillac convertible. Seems the car had caught fire at a Cadillac dealership in New York, and Birdsall had acquired it. The build included hand-forming that aluminum body—with its curvy windshield and towering rear fins—and creating the hydraulically powered chain-and-sprocket folding hardtop.Inside, it's all Italian leather upholstery—presented in a Deep Red Wine color scheme—red carpeting, and ubiquitous gold accents.Then there was the gold. Birdsall wanted a showstopper, so requested 24-karat gold plating, or gold anodizing, for the custom-made headlamp rings, the wheel covers, the windshield surround, and the straked side-air intakes. Inside is a sea of gold, covering the full-width instrument panel and gauges, the radio surround, and dash-top ash tray. The door frames and panels are also encrusted in gold.Adding to all this visual drama is a thin-rimmed, custom Lucite steering wheel with an illuminated Lucite center hub. The car itself is painted in iridescent mother-of-pearl white, capped by a gold-painted hardtop. Inside, it's all Italian leather upholstery—presented in a Deep Red Wine color scheme—red carpeting ,and perforated red leather for the hardtop headlining.Once completed, the car was shipped back to New York just in time for the 1955 New York Auto Show, which was held outdoors at the Cross County shopping mall in Yonkers. A New York Times story at the time proclaimed, "Gold-Plated Car Becomes a Fact: $30,000 Cadillac is Star of Yonkers Show."Built on a 1953 Cadillac Series 62 chassis, the concept is also fit with a 331 ci V-8 engine.During the exhibition, Birdsall reportedly talked of his plans to build a limited run of 10 Elegante examples, each priced at $20,000. At the time, a new Cadillac Eldorado convertible cost $6,286. Unfortunately, nothing came of Birdsall's plan. Following its New York debut, the car was reportedly used by Birdsall as his daily driver until his untimely death, at age 49, in 1960. The car then went to his business partner Mascari, who quickly sold it to a fellow speed-boat racer named Louis Nuta. The latter then passed it on to Miami building contractor Stan Marks, who had famously built the 3.6-mile Rickenbacker Causeway linking Miami to Key Biscayne.AdvertisementAdvertisementDespite the determined efforts of Birdsall's son, Richard "Dicky" Birdsall, to buy back the Elegante, Marks always declined. But after the death of Marks in 1990, Birdsall reportedly approached his widow who, two years later, finally agreed to sell.But there was a catch. The car had spent years being stored out in the open, rusting away beneath a carport in Miami's Coconut Grove district. The condition was made worse when the carport collapsed during Hurricane Andrew in 1992. The Elegante was in a far from elegant shape when Birdsall went to retrieve it.The vehicle was constructed by Turin-based coachbuilder Carrozzeria Rocco Motto.An award-winning custom-car fabricator, Dicky Birdsall gave the vehicle a complete, ground-up restoration that would end up taking 16 years. Fully restored and fully drivable, the car made only its second show appearance in its life, at the 2014 Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance in Florida. There, Birdsall's efforts were rewarded with a People's Choice Award."I was on the field at Amelia that day in 2014 and clearly remember seeing the car for the first time," explains Kruse. "It was a shock as it was so visually stunning. Everything about it was breathtaking."This concept won the People's Choice Award at the 2014 Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance.Post Amelia, the car went back into hiding. Dickie Birdsall sadly passed away last year, and his family has now decided to let the car go. What's it worth? "That's the question we've been getting, and I have to say that I have no idea," explains Kruse. "There is truly nothing else that has sold to compare it with. In this case, it's the market that will decide on September 5." AdvertisementAdvertisementClick here for more photos of this 1953 Cadillac "Elegante" Concept.The 1953 Cadillac "Elegante" Concept will be auctioned on September 5.Best of Robb ReportThe 2024 Chevy C8 Corvette: Everything We Know About the Powerful Mid-Engine BeastThe World's Best Superyacht ShipyardsThe ABCs of Chartering a YachtSign up for RobbReports's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.Click here to read the full article.