10 Odd Looking Classic American Cars That Are Worth A Fortune Now

Owners of smooshed-faced dogs like Pugs and Boxers like to say they are so ugly that they are cute, and they may have a legitimate point, but the excess slobber certainly doesn’t sell most people. Unfortunately, there is no such rule when it comes to automobiles, where ugly is still ugly no matter how extreme it is. American automakers have built some of the most beautiful rides of all time, but on occasion, have turned out some fairly hideous cars as well. The Pontiac Aztec was such an eyesore that it actually killed off the long-running GM division.

It’s doubtful that the Aztec will ever be a big-money collectible, but there are plenty of odd-looking cars that originally flopped and are now worth a fortune. A list of these cars could be populated with super-bizarre concept cars like the flip-top Dodge Charger III, but one-off prototypes are obviously not regular production vehicles. It turns out there are quite a few strange-looking rides that were sold to the general public, which are now going for top dollar, so there’s no need to mess around with Cadillac Cyclones or the Aurora Safety Car.

In order to give you the most up-to-date and accurate information possible, the data used to compile this article was sourced from various manufacturers and other authoritative sources, including Mecum, Berrett-Jackson, and R.M. Southeby’s. The models you see here have been ranked by their estimated value; from lowest to highest.

10 Stout Scarab

Estimated Value: $90,000

$90,000 is not exactly a fortune, but it is a lot of money to pay for something as goofy-looking as the Stout Scarab. Often touted as the world’s first minivan, the Scarab was designed and built by American inventor, William Bushnell Stout. These hand-built weirdomobiles were supposed to imitate an Egyptian beetle, and probably achieved that, but not everyone wanted to drive a creepy insect. An estimated 9 Scarabs were produced in 10 years, with five known to still exist.

Limited Production Specs

Being such a rarity should make the Stout Scarab an expensive collectible, despite its aesthetically displeasing appearance, and it actually may be. There is no evidence that a Scarab has ever been sold at auction, nor are there any reports of private sales. The Scarab originally sold for $5,000, so its estimated value is basically that price adjusted for inflation. Chances are if one of the handful of existing Scarabs ever came up for auction it could fetch in the millions, simply because it is such an odd rarity, or rare oddity.

9 Studebaker Avanti

Estimated Value: $97,000

The Avanti isn’t just a peculiar-looking ride, it’s downright radical for a Studebaker, a company known for conservative designs. While not exactly ugly, there is definitely something off about the Avanti’s appearance. The front fascia kind of looks like a smirking frog, and the overall shape is off-putting. Not surprisingly, the initial design was doodled on a cocktail napkin, so maybe there were some adult beverages that helped inspire this flop.

Limited Production Specs

Had they spent a little more time on development, the Avanti could have been a winner because it was actually a nice performance vehicle. The 289ci supercharged V-8, sent this thing flying down the road, and in fact, it was marketed as “the fastest production car in the world” back in the day. As a rare curiosity, the Avanti is a great deal for collectors, coming in far under similar rides. The highest recent auction price for a 1963 Avanti was $97,000 at Mecum Kissimmee 2023.

8 Davis Divan

Estimated Value: $125,000

Easily the weirdest-looking American vehicle of all time, the three-wheeled Davis Divan was the brainchild of used car salesman Glen Gordon “Gary” Davis. It is possible Davis may have had good intentions with the goony little pseudo-car, but he ended up defrauding investors while screwing over his employees and was eventually convicted of fraud and grand theft, spending two years in a labor camp prison.

Limited Production Specs

Before all that, he did manage to make 13 head-turning Divans, of which 12 still exist. This is a tough one for collectors, because it is a morbid curiosity with serious camp value, but they also cost way more than most people would be willing to pay for a conversation piece. Originally priced at $1,000, which wasn’t a ton of money in 1947, $14,105 adjusted for inflation, they are now six-figure cars. R.M. Sotheby’s sold a 1948 Divan in 2022 for $125,000, which actually is a lot of money now.

7 DeLorean DMC-12

Estimated Value: $243,000

While at GM, John DeLorean was instrumental in the development of killer rides like the Pontiac GTO and Firebird, but when he ventured out on his own, he created one of the biggest flops in automotive history. The DeLorean DMC-12 sports car was a neat idea, but it ended up being an underpowered car with styling that took some getting used to. Worst of all, it was a colossal hunk of junk, with massive quality control issues.

Limited Production Specs

The original price was also no help, topping $25,000, which is $86,507 in 2024 dollars. Thanks to being featured in the Back to the Future movies as the time machine, DMC-12s are now very desirable and collectible. In fact, most of the highest auction sales are for time machine replicas, which are sure to fetch six figures. The top auction sale, however, was for a pure untouched 1981 DMC-12 that went for $243,000 at the gavel in 2021.

6 Dodge HEMI Coronet Deluxe Four-Door

Estimated Value: $660,000

There’s nothing particularly unusual about the 1966 Dodge Coronet Delux as a 1960s sedan, but as a 426 Hemi-equipped muscle car, those four doors make it stranger than fiction. Chrysler introduced the mighty 426ci Street Hemi in 1966, to homologate the engine for NASCAR competition, and somebody thought it would be a cool idea to put it in the four-door Coronet. Only five were made, with most being purchased by the FBI, adding another level of weirdness to this anomaly.

Limited Production Specs

While four doors were decidedly uncool in the 1960s, the fact that this rare car has a 426 Hemi has made it one of the most collectible Mopars ever. One sold for auction in 2007 for $660,000, which is actually a steal. That’s the first and last time a four-door ’66 Cornet Delux Hemi has come up for auction, but it’s a guarantee that if one should come across the blocks now, it will top $1 million. The thing about the 426 Hemi engine is that whatever car it is equipped in, turns to gold.

5 Vector W8 Twin Turbo

Estimated Value: $740,000

The Vector W8 Twin Turbo, produced by the Vector Aeromotive Corporation in the 80s and 90s, is actually not ugly, but it has some unsettling design aspects to it. With a vehicle height of just 42.5 inches, it doesn’t seem like an adult could sit in it without being mostly reclined, which can’t be comfortable driving a car with a reported top speed of 242 MPH. As sort of a flat Lamborghini Countach, the W8 Twin Turbo barely had three dimensions and a windshield that had more in common with a sunroof.

Limited Production Specs

The company messed up by shipping vehicles without testing them first, which didn’t create any good buzz. Tennis great Andre Agassi reportedly returned his, demanding a refund after the heat from the exhaust system set the carpet on fire. Car and Driver was lent three W8 Twin Turbos for review, and they all broke down during testing. Once the W8 Twin Turbos was dialed in, it was a dynamite performer, hitting 0-60 in 4.1 seconds and red-lining at 218 MPH. They don’t often change hands, but a 1990 model was bid for $740,000 on Bring a Trailer, failing to hit the reserve.

4 Plymouth Superbird

Estimated Value: $1.65 Million

The Superbird is the Plymouth version of the Dodge Daytona aerocar, but is based on the Road Runner as opposed to the Charger. It seems positively awesome nowadays, but back in 1970, it was one seriously weird-looking ride. Like the Daytona, the Superbird was developed to kick ass in NASCAR, which it did, but earned a ban until it met homologation requirements, which meant it must be sold to the public. The crazy front nose cone and wild flying rear wing are what helped it dominate on the racetrack, but it wasn’t something the public was terribly interested in.

Limited Production Specs

It seems bizarre now, because the Superbird is a prized collectible, but they didn’t sell very well. For years after it was introduced in 1970, Superbirds were gathering dust on dealer lots, going unsold. As with any Mopar muscle car, the 426 Street Hemi is what makes it special, and only 135 Superbirds were built with the iconic engine. In 2022, a 1970 Superbird 426 sold at auction for $1.65 million, beating the top sale price for a 1969 Daytona, which was $1.43 million. In either case, these are crazy-looking muscle cars that turn weirdness into cold hard cash.

3 Tucker 48 Torpedo

Estimated Value: $2.92 Million

Those who like a good conspiracy theory will dig the story of the Tucker 48 “Torpedo”, which was briefly produced in the late 1940s. Without pointing too many fingers, basically, Preston Tucker designed and produced a fairly innovative car, and some unfounded allegations sunk his company after building only 50 units. There are rumors that the Big Three automakers viewed the Tucker as a threat and colluded to destroy the company, but that too is unfounded, lacking any concrete evidence.

Limited Production Specs

The Tucker Torpedo had an extremely wacky design with a third headlight, triple-grille front fascia, and bulbous rear bumpers. The actual kookiest thing about it was that Tucker developed a 589ci flat-six hemispherical engine for the car, that was unfortunately not ready upon launch. The Tucker 48 Torpedo had an original MSRP of $1,000, which was probably more like $4,000, but either way, that won’t get you a hubcap these days. There’s actually a lot of movement on these cars, that regularly go for over a million bucks, but the top sale was $2.92 million, making it one of the most expensive American cars.

2 General Motors Futurliner

Estimated Value: $4 Million

Even after almost 90 years since its introduction, people are still having a hard time wrapping their heads around just what the heck the General Motors Futurliner is supposed to be. Presumably, it is a bus, but for whatever reason, GM thought that passengers wouldn’t be interested in windows and would rather sit in claustrophobic darkness. They also figured that the driver would be comfortable piloting this atrocity 15 feet up off the road. The end result was the single most impractical eyesore ever conceived.

Limited Production Specs

GM used the Futurliner to promote its innovative car brands, but there wasn’t a single vehicle in its lineup that shared any of the styling miscues of this clunky behemoth. It’s unclear whether the Futurliner was ever sold to the public (probably not), but there is a zero percent chance anyone would have actually bought one. Fast-forward to 2022, and suddenly this freakmobile is a valuable commodity. At a Barrett-Jackson auction, a 1950 GM Futurliner actually sold for $4 million, which is as ludicrous as it sounds.

1 Duesenberg SJ Speedster Mormon Meteor

Estimated Value: $4.45 Million

Duesenberg has made some of the most absolutely gorgeous American luxury vehicles ever seen, and then they created the loony 1935 SJ Speedster Mormon Meteor. The name, which was selected through a contest, wasn’t the only weird thing about this ride, as its appearance, let’s say, was an acquired taste. Yes, it was a pretty funky-looking set of wheels, but it was also the most badass performance vehicle for decades. With a 750-horsepower 26.0-liter Curtis Conquerer aircraft engine, the Mormon Meteor set land-speed records that wouldn’t be beat until the 1960s.

Limited Production Specs

There is a Mormon Meteor I as well as a Mormon Metoer III, but only two cars were ever produced. As can be imagined, these rare early performance cars are extremely collectible and very expensive. The 1935 Mormon Meteor sold for $4.45 million at Gooding & Company in 2004, and there is speculation among car enthusiasts that its value today is in excess of $10 million. The Mormon Meteor III has never come up for auction, but it too would likely command a price in the double-digit millions, which ain’t bad for something that looks like Pee Wee Heerman would be puttering around in.