The one-off Chamberlain Searcher One and its copies

Star Rides When we saw this car for the first time, we immediately remembered the car made by the British automaker of 1992, the Jaguar XJ-220. But upon a bit closer seeing, it was not. The car was the Chamberlain Searcher One, a one-off mid-engined sportscar specially built for NBA Basketball star Wilt Chamberlain in the 1996.

NBA Star Wilt Chamberlain posed along with his dreamcar called Searcher One (Picture from: New York Times)

As quoted of the New York Times, to build this car, the automaker spends around $ 750,000. The custom made car design was first created by Wilt-himself and later given to Peter Bohanna, an automotive engineer who worked on special effects and props for James Bond movies, ship and car builder, etc. 

The Seacher One is a mid-engine one-off sportscar specially built for NBA Basketball star Wilt Chamberlain in the 1996. (Picture from: Drive2.ru)

Bohanna made a wooden body buck with the main features in order to accommodate a bulky and tall driver such Wilt Chamberlain, made the cockpit is different in that it allows for both a driver and a passenger with seven foot height posture. As the result, the cockpit was stretched by 6 inches. The one-of-a-kind body was molded out of fiberglass.

The Seacher One is built on a steel and aluminium monocoque with steel tube sub frame and GRP bodywork. (Picture from: Rarecomponentcars)

As for those kind of working was handed over to a British company, Lyncar Motor Company, which had previously signed up to participate in the project. In short, Lyncar Motor Co. then based its chassis for the Searcher One on the Le Mans endurance car design (made of a steel and aluminium monocoque with steel tube sub frame and GRP bodywork). After the chassis and body were completed in England, the car was then transported to California by air.

After arriving in America, the machine was worked on and installed by Richard Paul. Initially the car was designed to use a Jaguar V12 engine, but then a rear-mounted GM V8 engine (which reportedly produces up to 700 hp) combined with a 5-speed manual transmission was eventually transplanted.

The Seacher One is powered by a rear-mounted GM V8 engine (which reportedly produces up to 700 hp) combined with a 5-speed manual transmission. (Picture from: Axialflow)

The Searcher One's interior is hand-formed aluminum and upholstered in Italian glove leather completed also with the four point belt and harness racing style seats. Actually, Wilt Chamberlain never really drove the Searcher One aside from a few trips to the track (maybe because the cabin made him bent down so he felt uncomfortable). No wonder if the car has only about 100 miles on its speedometer.

Apparently becomes the famous car figure there was an advantage or disadvantage.😲 After some time being one-off supercar, in mid the 2000s, several cars that looked similar to the Chamberlain Searcher One were seen. How come? In short, Martin Slater (the owner of Lyncar Motor Co.) is known also the Searcher One body builder in the UK, retained the chassis and body drawings. And a few years later after those one-off car project finished, a collegue bought the rights to them, and started to produce a kit car based on those designs called the Veleno and Predator.

The Auto Speciali Veleno built by Auto Speciali Ltd. based on the Chamberlain Searcher One. (Picture from: Rarecomponentcars)

Well, later the mentioned car above was known made by an automotive company based in Bromsgrove, Worcestershire, called Auto Speciali Ltd. The company was founded on March 6, 2006 by Jonathan Lane Harris and Keith Kirk, who previously ran the Venom Sports Cars. As quoted from Rarecomponentcars, Keith Kirk left the company on May 28, 2007 and died in 2008. In our opinion, most likely the Slater's rights buyer is the Auto Speciali Ltd.

The Auto Speciali Veleno is built on a custom spaceframe which is powered by various engines ranging from Toyota MR2, Ford V6s, and V8s with many parts are taken from Ford Granada. (Picture from: Rarecomponentcars)

It is built on a custom spaceframe which is powered by various engines ranging from Toyota MR2, Ford V6s, and V8s with many parts are taken from Ford Granada. Actually the Veleno is only available as a kit car, which in the period 2006 to 2010 was sold to four buyers only. While the Predator is more likely to be a finished car made in-house by the company.

The Auto Speciali Veleno is only available as a kit car, which in the period 2006 to 2010 was sold to four buyers only. (Picture from: Rarecomponentcars)

Unfortunately, the journey of this British kit car brand is very short, and its production ended in 2010, and the company was officially dissolved on October 4, 2011. During this short production period the company was famous for producing replica cars such as the Auto Speciali AS 427 (which is replica of the famous AC Cobra).

In addition, the company also works by taking orders from another automotive companies such as Fiero Factory (1998-2002), Euro 427 Sports Cars (2002-2003), again Fiero Factory (2003-2004), Venom Sports Cars (2004-2006) and Vindicator Cars (since 2010), so the total number is approximately 1,000 units that have been made. Even though the company went out of business, Vindicator Cars continued their work after 2010, but it is not clear if any cars were produced. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | WIKIPEDIA | NYTIMES | GREYFLANNELAUCTION | AXIALFLOW | RARECOMPONENTCARS | MADABOUT-KITCARS | DRIVE2.RU | CLASSICANDRECREATIONSPORTSCARS ]

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