The Bel-Jon car was designed in 1956. He named it after his daughter Athena. The 1938 Lincoln Zephyr Coupe was redesigned by building the frame out with clay and then covering it with metal mosaic tiles and fiberglass. The hood and roof of the car were translucent.  

In 1959 Bel-Jon drove his family cross country in this car. Unfortunately his creative hood design reduced air circulation in the engine and the car overheated the entire 3,000 mile trip. When the Bel-Jon family went cross country to NY Bel-Jon’s wife took their two daughters ahead by bus to Vegas while Bel-Jon crossed the desert alone. He could only drive at night and had to stop constantly, which took days.

Athena was featured in the 1960 Greek Independence Day parade in New York.  The beautiful car attracted attention wherever it went, but soon after the parade it had to be sold as the Police felt it caused too much of a distraction parked on the New York City streets.

One of the companies Nikos Bel-Jon produced murals for was Kaiser Steel. His close relationship with them and their involvement in the Kaiser-Fraser car may have influenced him to create his mosaic car. During a radio interview Bel-Jon talked about someday wanting to do a car for Kaiser-Fraser “that would shine in the reflected colors of neon and traffic lights”.

It took Bel-Jon 2500 hours and $3,000 to create “Athena” (named after his daughter). He started on it in 1956 and completed it a year and a half later. He was assisted in the body work by his father-in-law Frederick Brokoetter and his brother Achilleas. The mechanical work was done by an outside mechanic.

“Athena” was originally a 1938 Zephyr (not running) purchased for $35. The hood, part of the trunk and top were cut off and the entire body was rebuilt with clay and fiberglass. Bel-Jon’s signature technique of individually cut and directionally burnished tiles of aluminum applied in mosaic fashion and covered with epoxy resin plastic were used on the car. A rainbow of colors of anodized aluminum abstract sections formed the semi-translucent top and hood.  By the time he finished it had, among other things, a 1957 Mercury dash, Chevrolet bumpers, DeSoto lights, Ford V8 motor, Studebaker windows, Buick interior accessories, Olds hub caps, Naugahyde seats and black wool carpeting.  The rear bench seat was replaced with two seats with a table in between.