You could perhaps be forgiven if you can’t immediately identify the car pictured above.
It’s a 1965 Corwin Getaway – or, to be more accurate, the only Corwin Getaway – and it’s now the subject of a fundraising campaign by the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles, California.
Using crowdfunding service Indiegogo, the museum hopes to raise $32,000 by 7 November 2018 to fund this prototype’s restoration.
But what is it?
The car was built in Los Angeles by an African-American gentleman called Cliff Hall and got its name, Corwin, from the project’s main financial backer, Louis Corwin.
Hall’s goal was not just to produce a fun-to-drive, mid-engined car, but also to create employment in the Los Angeles area.
He secured endorsements from celebrities including boxer, activist, and philanthropist Muhammad Ali, singer-songwriter Marvin Gaye and actor Sidney Poitier, but insufficient resources meant Hall was unable to develop and produce the car, so this prototype is the only one ever built.
“At the Petersen, we’ve restored many cars through the charitable support of donors from around the world,” said Petersen Automotive Museum Executive Director, Terry L Karges.
“Crowdfunding opens up a whole new avenue to spread the word about special projects like this one to potential donors.
"The success of this campaign means that the museum will be able to restore and display more cars in the future and do so at a faster rate.”
