This Week’s Weird and Wonderful—January 2, 2026 — Explained
We tip our hats—not only have you officially made it through another week, but the holidays and, not to mention, another trip around the sun. If you’re needing a break from all of that travel, then may we present you with this week’s Weird and Wonderful. As always, this list is merely a snippet of goodness, so we encourage you to check out our live auctions page for more.
Enjoy this week’s Weird and Wonderful, and let us know what else caught your eye in the comments!
2007 Volkswagen New Beetle 5-Speed Ute Conversion
We’ve listed a smattering of ute conversions in recent years, several of which were built with kits sold by Smyth Performance. The seller, @Embermen, purposely sought out a New Beetle for such a project; though purchased in 2023, it was nearly two years before a blade was taken to the back half of it. The build combines a mix of fiberglass body panels with a 1960s Chevy pickup bulkhead to form the new mullet. Forgive us for calling the end result one cute ute.
The handsome and sleek DeTomaso Mangusta began with the DeTomaso-Shelby P70, a mid-engined prototype born out of Carroll Shelby’s search for a successor to the “King Cobra.” But when Shelby shifted his focus to the GT40 program, the idea was shelved and DeTomaso snubbed. The prototype’s chassis was adapted for DeTomaso’s newest production car, designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro, and christened the Mangusta—Italian for “mongoose,” one of the only animals known to be a real danger to Cobras. Around 401 examples were built during a short four-year production run.
1945 Cadillac M19A1 Multiple Gun Motor Carriage
The year 2025 was an unexpectedly strong one for tanks on BaT, and this Cadillac-built M19A1 MGMC recently sold to @Roger2851. The M19A1 was effectively an anti-aircraft tank built on the M24 Chaffee platform, featuring an electrically powered turret swinging dual 40mm Bofors guns. A relatively light chassis helped with mobility; of course, “light” is a relative term when speaking of a 38,500-lb. curb weight.
Ex-Bill Harrah, 5.3L Vortec-Powered 1939 Cadillac V16 Seven-Passenger Imperial Sedan
The last two cars we featured from Bill Harrah’s past were pristine commuter-spec examples. By contrast, this Cadillac is believed to have passed through the casino mogul’s collection before circulating among a number of Cadillac & LaSalle Club members during the 2000s. By 2014, its original cylinder count had been halved to eight via a 5.3L Vortec V8, which was paired with a TH400 automatic. For those curious: yes, it comes with its removed V16.
1965 Alfa Romeo Giulia Sprint GT Project
The lead photo brings back memories of childhood model kits—slapdash paint jobs, stringy glue residue, and smudged fingerprints everywhere. BaT Local Partner @1600veloce first purchased the car on BaT in 2017; it was then featured in a 2018 Success Story and dismantled shortly afterward. Mounted to a rolling dolly, the body has since been soda-blasted and coated in epoxy primer. Additional work included powder-coating suspension parts as well as servicing the transmission, rear axle, and fuel system. This Stepnose still requires more than a little reassembly, but it’s in a good spot for its next owner to bring it over the finish line.
This RB44 comes from one of the oldest fire apparatus makers in the United States, and is a former Tahoe Douglas Fire District truck that spent its life working as a water tender. With a classic two-stroke Detroit Diesel and a rebuilt turbocharger under the hood, this rig seems ready for whatever its post-retirement life has in store. Commenters are wasting no time in brainstorming ideas for its next chapter.
1954 Dodge Power Wagon C-1-PW6 Fire Truck
The Hercules dynamite plant—originally California Powder Works—had become the largest maker of TNT by the early 1900s. As you might imagine, such work led to a number of explosive accidents, many of which occurred well into the 20th century. This Power Wagon was converted to brush-fire duty by Van Pelt in the 1950s and was reportedly stationed at the plant, presumably for incident response. The truck still wears its fire equipment, making it perhaps ready for a true blast from the past (sorry).
Martin-Baker Aircraft Company Ejection Seat
BaT Local Partner @MPC_Concierge is well on their way to becoming BaT’s patron saint of ejection seats. The last one was pulled from a Boeing B-52 Stratofortress; this Martin-Baker unit was recovered from an F-4 Phantom II supersonic fighter-bomber used by the US Air Force during the mid-1960s. This little artifact might just come in handy should the talk turn to politics at the family New Year’s dinner table.
The Isetta is essentially a car the size of a hat—or in the case of this cabriolet, maybe just a visor. This 300 model has been refurbished in a minty-fresh scheme and was purchased by the current owner in 2020. Since then, the engine’s been overhauled with increased compression for better drivability. Who knows, someone might be convinced to take it on a nice cross-country winter road trip!
2.9L-Powered Porsche 911 Carrera RS Touring
The Carrera RS hardly needs an introduction, but contemporary advertising from Porsche put it thusly: Carrera RS—full of inexhaustible reserves in sprints and marathons. This mad homologation special left the factory in M472 Touring spec, which basically added a handful of interior creature comforts. Repainted white sometime in the 1970s, it most recently was the subject of a $140k+ refurbishment including a bump in engine displacement to 2.9 liters. One of 1,580 examples made, it’s currently offered by BaT Local Partner @motivearchive.
Honorable Mentions:
Modified 1963 Chevrolet Corvette
You would think this modified C2 was a relic of 1970s custom car culture, but it was actually built in the early 2000s. Converted into a roadster, it also had its tail clipped as well as getting a one-piece hood and nose treatment, among other things. One commenter noted that it gives off a Meyers Manx vibe, and from certain angles, we can see it.
The Merkur Scorpio was Ford’s short-lived foray into the European luxury segment in North America, sold through FoMoCo’s Lincoln-Mercury franchise dealerships to compete with the likes of BMW and Mercedes-Benz. Despite the effort, sales ultimately fell flat. This car is a a survivor from the first year of Ford’s transatlantic experiment.
2017 Thor Outlaw 37RB Motorhome & Toy Hauler
It’s been said that you can live in your car, but you can’t drive your house; this Thor Outlaw motorhome and toy hauler combo begs to differ. Most notable is a rear garage area that’s rated for a 2,500-lb. payload, which the current owner seems to have put to good use.
Thanks for checking out this edition of the Weekly Weird & Wonderful! Follow this page to get updates when new installments post, and tell what caught your eye or what you think we’ve left out!
