Originally constructed for Ford by Ghia in Italy, this eccentric little station wagon found a second career as a George Barris show car.

The Ford Motor Company and Carrozzeria Ghia of Turin have had a long and productive relationship—one that ultimately resulted in the Dearborn automaker acquiring the Italian coachbuilding firm in 1970. The partnership created many memorable cars, including the 1955 Lincoln Futura, and even a few curiosities as well. Like this one: the 1956 Ford Bimini, a show car for Ford of Europe. 

Produced during the Luigi Segre era at Ghia, the Bimini was a subcompact station wagon, as we might describe it today, with one remarkable feature. The doors, windshield, and forward roof section were constucted in a single unit, hinged at the front. For ease of passenger entry and exit it was the ultimate, fair to say. And the concept tied in, vaguely, with the name Bimini, the Caribbean fishing and resort destination.

The Ghia body construction was entirely of steel, which would make the hinged cab section quite heavy, one can assume. The Bimini’s display history is murky, though some sources assert it was presented at the Geneva Auto Show in the spring of 1958. From there the Bimini dropped out of sight until some point in the early ’60s, when it came into the custody of George Barris, Hollywood custom car impresario. At the time, Barris was Ford’s West coast connection to the custom car scene, and he also helped to manage its Custom Car Caravan, a traveling display of Ford special vehicles on the hot rod show circuit.

A number of Ford show cars made their way through Barris’ North Hollywood shop in that period, including the Lincoln Futura, which is how it became the Batmobile, of course. For the Bimini, Barris decided to give the Ghia wagon a makeover for the 1965 Custom Car Caravan. His crew added Fire metalflake and White Pearl two-tone lacquer, White Pearl Naughahyde and red Mouton fur upholstery, and Astro chrome wheels with three-lug knockoffs and redline tires.

The Ghia concept made one more appearance (below) as the “Bimini Wagon” in a set of 1968 Topps chewing gum trading cards that featured dozens of California customs of the period, mostly  Barris productions. It was an unusual career for an unusual Italian dream car, but it doesn’t end there. By the early ’90s, somehow the Bimini came into the possession of a Texas collector, in solid but somewhat shopworn condition, and when last heard from, it was for sale.