In the late 1950s, Goodyear research chemist William M. Larson along with Goodyear chemist Anthony F. Finelli developed a polyurethane compound derived from petroleum and synthetic chemicals called Neothane. Larson described the mixture as ‘’a three-dimensional fishnet,” and it allowed the company to build a tubeless, cordless tire. After a few tests found that tires made of the compound were road ready. But more than just able to withstand speeds of up to 65mph on the highway these tires were believed to be more averse to wear and tear that the standard rubber tires of the day.

Aside from being more rough and ready than common rubber tires, those made of Neothane were also clear and could be painted any number of colors. The possibility of colorized accessorizing of tires was exciting for Goodyear’s marketing department who felt that they could push customers to buy more tires to make their lives aesthetically pleasing. One piece of internal documentation from Goodyear read in part:

Goodyear’s translucent tire can be produced in any color to match the car... or perhaps the wife’s new outfit. Some day a wife may tell a husband: ‘Charlie, go out and change the tires. I’m wearing my blue dress tonight.’

The most unique thing about these tires was their ability to let light pass through their walls. Even without a coat of paint these bad boys make for a unique viewing experience. They don’t make a car look like it’s driving on air, but they do give off the effect that something special is afoot. Goodyear took full advantage of the possibilities and fitted the tires with 18 lightbulbs which were then wired to the steering wheel. When switched on, the tires cast a luminescent glow that surrounded the vehicle and illuminated the underside of the car. To show off their new product, Goodyear painted tires red, blue, green, orange, yellow, and pink before parading them in a photo spread in Life Magazine and taking them out on the street in hopes of stirring interest in the public.

Goodyear took their tires to New York City and Miami to create a spectacle out of the vast array of colors and visuals that could be attained through their new tires. As impressed as the public was with Goodyear’s achievement, the tires never made it to the shelves so to speak. They just didn’t make a lot of sense. Whatever color painted on the tires was rendered null after a few miles on the road (there’s nothing like a little asphalt to ruin a perfectly good paint job), and the cost of producing millions of tires out of Neothane was much higher than the cost of producing tires out of the standard rubber.

Another cost-prohibitive factor was the lightning mechanism. There was no inexpensive way to wire 18 lightbulbs to the steering column without causing shorts or major battery drain. As if the added cost wasn’t bad enough, when put through wet weather tests the translucent tires performed poorly. The tires may have looked cool but there was just no way to justify putting them on the market.

Regular drivers may not be able to pick up a set of translucent tires from Goodyear, but at least one car in the world is outfitted with these fascinating Neothane wonders - the Golden Sahara II. The GSII is a retro-futuristic car that looks like something Elvis would have driven on a trip to the Moon. Constructed in 1954, the car began its life as a 1953 Lincoln Capri before it was broken down and redesigned by George Barris, the guy who designed the Batmobile in 1966 (and you can totally tell). After $70,000, the GS II features a bubble-shaped roof, long fenders and a wrap-around windshield. All of which sits on a pair of custom-made translucent tires from Goodyear with turn signals integrated into the wheels.

After a few decades of wear and tear, Chicago-based Klairmont Kollections bought the Golden Sahara II for $358,000 and restored it to pristine condition, complete with a new set of translucent tires from Goodyear - although these are made from urethane so don't expect to see a set of translucent tires on the road any time soon.