If you were looking for a car that no one else would have, the Sceptre 6.6S would have to be it. Only 15 were ever built, who knows how many survive today, and this one is said to be the prototype that won Best-Of-Show in Los Angeles in 1978. Based on a Mercury Cougar platform with a Ford V8 and some MG parts, this beauty has not just sat around in a museum as more than 57,000 miles are shown on the odometer. Available through a dealer in Henderson, Nevada, and here on craigslist, you could take it home for $69,980. Thanks, T.J., for shedding some light for us on the rare roadster!
In the late 1970s, at least five entrepreneurs got together to form the Sceptre Motorcar Co. to design and produce a unique luxury sports car. The result of their efforts was a single model, the Sceptre 6.6S which was styled in the art deco look of the 1930s. The 6.6S was reminiscent of the Delage, Delahaye, Bugatti, 1935 BMW, Alfa Romeo, 500 XK Mercedes, and even the 1950s Jaguar. Nothing but the best went into making a Sceptre, of which only 15 ever saw the light of day. That included hand-rubbed lacquer paint and Connelly leather and walnut burl in the passenger compartment.
Using a Mercury chassis, the body was made of fiberglass except for the doors, which were steel. The drivetrain was strictly Ford, too, a 400 cubic inch V8 paired with a 3-speed automatic transmission. That’s a huge plus in keeping a Sceptre on the road since parts (except the body) are not hard to come by. At just over 3,000 lbs., the Sceptre should be a peppy car. These automobiles were owned by the rich and famous of whom one of them must have the 16th uncompleted Sceptre that’s said to be floating around.
No history is offered on the seller’s rare car. Was it owned by Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra, or one of the other Rat Pack types? We don’t know. The black and silver paint looks spectacular, and the golden-brown interior seems especially inviting. If this car is a prototype, that may make it even more valuable, but at 15 autos built in total, you could consider them all prototypes.
15 MG Midgets were sacrificed to make these cars. Must say though, they were were put to good use. Very nice cars.
That’s politically incorrect….they are called “diminutive cars” not Midgets. You’re been warned….your friendly ACLU chapter.
On a serious note….great looking car!
Sam61;
“diminutive” ? Do you mean “size-challanged”, “of modest stature”. and “wee feller” are no longer acceptable?? I guess I need a new Politically Correct dictionary. :-) :-)
Actually there were 16 built, I built #16 in 2005, bought all the parts from a friend’s estate, he bought the unassembled car in 1980 from Tom Burney as he closed the company. And yes another Midget was sacrificed for the doors, windshield, and seats…
Wow yes that is a Midget windshield, I had a Midget and there wasn’t a lot of interior with the top up. But the design is sweet, lines just flow and the front end is knockout gorgeous.
Midget doors, too. Interesting we’ve recently seen another car based on a Midget passenger compartment, yet this one looks considerably larger in every dimension. I wonder if they widened that shell here, or if it’s just the bulbous fenders and extra length making it look that way?
It has to be a standard midget cabin because the windshield, doors and top all match up.
Just swapping seats in my Midget as we speak and am just taking a beer break!
Not knowing much about foreign brands compared to domestics, I immediately thought this has a Morgan +4 (or +8, in this case), look to it – albeit in a larger size…
You can have a whole ’77 Cougar (get a wagon with woodgrain if you can!), and a whole MG Midget, and probably well over $50k in change.
This dealer is about 2 miles from my home. They often have interesting cars, but they tend to be priced for someone who just hit a big jackpot. There’s no way to know if this is a fair price, though, it’s not like there are a ton of listings to compare!
This got me googling. I found an article stating that the prototype was all steel…would be easy to figure out if this is it.
https://www.dimoramotorcar.com/ajd_sceptre.html
I’d give them $6900. Tops.
Good luck with that offer… :(
The 400M is an interesting choice of engine for this car- an detuned truck engine optimized for low end torque, in something light and svelte like this, but I guess engine choices were limited in the late 70’s… drop dead gorgeous though, for sure.
Ugh, and since the 400 has the 385 series bell housing pattern, and unique engine mounts, you can’t easily drop in a 351W, which has great aftermarket support, for a higher performance build.
Can’t make a wolf in sheep’s clothing.
Too bad, nice body.
“Nothing but the best went into making a Sceptre” Really? An MG top is the top of the line of stupid, ill fitting and hard to use folding tops. Use something easy and well made like one from a Fiat. And that engine is a huge lump of fuel sucking cast iron. I love the style and the interior, but the rest screams to me, “Build it quickly and cheap now that we have splurged on the style and body!”
not bad for limited production ’78 throw back (dont like many othere esp xcaliber). Now if it handels well that a ‘car’ nota toy, show vehicle (more worthy). I like the ‘lines’ for it. Strange engine choice (the largest displacement ‘square’ production motor) as to weight/vehicle.
What a interesting toy but if I was going to drop $70k on vehicle it would be a new one or a nice condition 57 Chevy
Being a sucker for Art Deco styling, this really yanks my chain. There´s nothing to compare in elegance to this.
Yes very cool, but not my cup of tea, and priced too high.
looks good, and the interior is really nice, but not for the $$$$$$ asking, at least for me :-(
A modern set of heads on it and maybe a little cam and presto you have 400 plus hp and very good torque
Connolly leather, I’m pretty sure.
Good looking car! I think I’d change the taillights, though.
You read my mind. They look like they were mounted on a trailer.
I would drive it.
It is hard for most to understand the climate of business that produced a car like this. The DeLorean came out in that time, too. Traditional dealers would wait years for a product that became obsolete by economic change the day it arrived. With back end money drying up and razor thin margins combined with most contracts not being margin builders, but money losers due to usury and 20% prime rate buydowns they had to seek some other profit center. Voila! Coachbuilt to the rescue. Convertibles, scratch projects, custom vans, etc. were here to fill the void. That it didn’t work is now obvious, but try to cut the poor guys some slack. Many long time family stores bit the bullet from 1977 to 1984. If you’ve seen the video of DeLorean getting the cocaine, you can take a peek at the desperation that was pervasive.
Something only a Bond villain would drive. Perhaps from his lair, which has sharks with laser beams swimming in the moat, and a mountain that spews liquid hot magma.
Although not roomy, and driving with the hood up is the last resort, Midgets have reasonable leg room. My arm is always out the window unless it is raining or very cold.
The later models had a very user friendly top. I have pulled it up while driving when it started raining sooner than I would have hoped.
As for this car, it looks nice but V8 and automatic transmission coupled with a 3000 pound weight seems the worst of both worlds.
A roadster like this should have a small V8 at most and a 5 speed manual. It should not be over 2500 pounds and 1800 is better.
If I had the space and funds I’d buy it in a heartbeat. One of the 15 sold for about $30K a few years ago, so the current $49,980 asking price for this one doesn’t seem out of line as a starting point in negotiations. The original ad is gone, but the new craigslist ad is https://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/ctd/d/henderson-1978-sceptre-66s-convertible/7513385881.html and the link for the listing at the dealer in Henderson, NV, Atomic Motors, is https://www.atomicmotors.net/Pre-owned-Inventory-1978-Spectre-Motorcar-Company-Car-Spectre-6-6S-Atomic-Motors-12084345?ref=list
If it was mine I think I’d have to add some modern touches for reliability, such as EFI and either a newer overdrive transmission or a GearVendors overdrive. And with a name like 6.6S I think I’d have to add some type of supercharger to that engine. Although not particularly popular raw material for power mods, the 351M/400 engines can be modified to make serious power, reliably and smoothly.