I was born in the 1980s so I remember having a Hot Wheels version of the sleek and sinister Phantom Corsair in the the early 2000s. People of all ages who visit the National Automobile Museum (NAM) in Reno, Nevada will see the Corsair there — and probably never forget it. Jay Leno, who was born in 1950, recalls the Corsair from his youth. As the following “Jay Leno’s Garage” video shows, his time behind the wheel of the ill-fated Phantom will make it even more memorable.

As NAM executive director Phil MacDougall explains, the idea for the Phantom Corsair came from Rust Heinz (grandson of Henry J. Heinz, who started the Heinz empire). In his early 20s, he went against his family’s wishes and dropped out of college, then headed to Pasadena to design cars, a venture funded by financial help from his aunt. Heinz sketched the lines for what would become the Phantom Corsair.

Instead of developing a chassis and powertrain, Heinz used the front-wheel-drive architecture and the Lycoming 289ci V-8 from a 1936 Cord 810, which was paired with a four-speed pre-selector semi-automatic transmission. All that remained was getting a coachbuilder to turn his design into a reality. Luckily, Bohman & Schwartz was nearby to help Heinz create a car that looked (and looks) both sleek and imposing, like an objet d’art and a tank at the same time. Heinz had plans to produce the Phantom Corsair for sale, but he died in a car accident in 1939, leaving this prototype as the only specimen in existence.

Despite its seemingly wind-cheating profile, at more than 4,600 pounds, the Corsair is far from svelte. It also clearly put form over function (strangely, fixed Woodlites were chosen over the 810’s retractable headlights). Overheating problems required louvers and other openings to draw in cooling air. Although the front seats could potentially fit four across (under T-tops!) and two in the back (along with a bar setup), there was no trunk.

Given the limited outward visibility, Leno decides to keep the prototype off public roads and take it around the Hollywood Burbank Airport. There he discovers more of the Phantom’s characteristics and quirks — luckily without becoming a ghost in the process. As I said earlier, it was a memorable experience …