See Wilt Chamberlain’s customized supercar that is for sale at auction
Drake’s Ferrari LaFerrari makes appearance at student-led auto show
Exotic cars worth over $12 million were seen on campus at the Northwood University International Auto Show recently.
- The car was created for NBA legend Wilt Chamberlain, who stood over 7 feet tall.
- The Searcher 1 supercar was extended by 6 inches so Chamberlain could fit.
Ever wondered what kind of vehicle a 7-foot-1-inch NBA legend would drive?
Basketball Hall of Famer Wilt Chamberlain had a kit car custom built to his specifications — and it’s a modified supercar like no other.
The 1986 Searcher 1 was developed by Lyncar, a British racing company that has built many racecars, including two Formula 1 cars. The vehicle for Chamberlain was extended to fit his large frame so he could drive it on the road and see out of it comfortably. And now you can get your hands on it.
The luxury ride, which was seen on display at the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Massachusetts, is now being sold by Julien’s Auctions and is available to bid on until Nov. 6.
Who is Wilt Chamberlain?
For those that are unfamiliar with Chamberlain, he was an NBA center that played for the Los Angeles Lakers, San Francisco Warriors (formerly the Philadelphia Warriors) and the Philadelphia 76ers. Considered one of sport’s all-time greats, in 1962 he became is the only player to ever 100 points in a single game. When basketball fans see a modern player put up an insane stat line, there is usually a disclaimer that Chamberlain had accomplished the same feat several times back when he was an active player.
Professional basketball players make a lot of money, so it’s no surprise that they buy a lot of luxury items. But when it comes to cars, there are some players that are too tall for regular vehicles.
Shaquille O’Neal, who stands at 7-foot-1 and weighs above 350 pounds, has a customized Lamborghini but was often teased by other players and fans for being in Buick commercials with cars that looked too small for him.
Chamberlain had a similar issue, as he didn’t fit in many vehicles that were for sale at the time, and was featured in a Volkswagen ad for the 1979 Volkswagen Rabbit. As a man over 7 feet, he needed a unique car that fit his lifestyle and personality.
How the car was made
Lyncar, along with the lead designer of the project, Peter Bohanon, built the vehicle to resemble the cars that raced in Le Mans. While they assembled it, there was still strong input from Chamberlain during the creation process.
The Searcher 1 was a one-off supercar that was powered by a marine block GM V8 that paired with an axial-flow supercharger. The powertrain supplies 470 horsepower and can reach a top speed north of 200 miles per hour. The Searcher 1 uses a ZF-built five-speed manual transmission that was derived from a BMW M1. The interior was stretched an extra 6 inches so Chamberlain would be able to fit inside.
How much will the car sell for?
Bidding for the Searcher 1 has already begun and will end on Nov. 6. The bidding started at $50,000, and currently sits at $200,000 as of Friday, Oct. 31. The vehicle is estimated by Julien’s Auctions to reach between $300,000 and $500,000. More information can be found at juliensauctions.com.
Keenan Thompson is a car culture reporter for the Detroit Free Press. Contact Keenan at kthompson@freepress.com. Follow him on Instagram at @keenanautos. To sign up for our autos newsletter. Become a subscriber.
