Frequently Asked Questions about Classic Zimmer

What is a Zimmer car?

A Zimmer is a neoclassic automobile, a modern production car rebodied in a retro style. Zimmer Motor Cars Corporation built them in Pompano Beach, Florida, during the 1980s, starting from new Ford Mustangs for the Golden Spirit, which recalled prewar luxury cars, and from Pontiac Fieros for the Quicksilver. According to the Zimmer Registry, the cars were sold complete through Zimmer dealers and were never offered as kits.

Who founded Zimmer Motor Cars and when?

Zimmer Motor Cars was started by Paul Zimmer and his son Robert, known as Bob, as a subsidiary of the family's Zimmer Corporation, a Florida company that also built manufactured housing and recreational vehicles. Sources differ on the date. Several give 1978 as the founding year, while others date the company from 1980, the year tied to the first Golden Spirit. The marque carries the family surname.

What is the Zimmer Golden Spirit based on?

The original Zimmer Golden Spirit was based on a new Fox-body Ford Mustang. Zimmer removed the Mustang's body panels except for the roof and doors, lengthened the chassis by 38 inches and fitted its own fiberglass bodywork with long, sweeping fenders, keeping the Ford V8 drivetrain. Golden Spirits built after the 1997 revival used later Mustangs and the Lincoln Town Car.

How many Zimmer Golden Spirits were made?

About 1,500 Golden Spirits are generally believed to have been built by the original company, most of them two-door coupes with smaller numbers of convertibles. The figure is an estimate, and the Zimmer Registry puts it lower, at about 1,350 cars built between 1980 and 1988. Some sources date the start of production to 1978 instead of 1980.

What is the Zimmer Quicksilver?

The Zimmer Quicksilver was a two-seat luxury coupe built on the mid-engine Pontiac Fiero and styled by former General Motors designer Don Johnson. Zimmer added 16 inches between the front wheels and the windshield pillar and left the Fiero's 2.8-liter V6 and three-speed automatic unchanged. The Zimmer Registry dates it from 1986 to 1988, though other accounts start it in 1984 or 1985. About 170 were built, and the Registry puts the figure lower, at about 152.

When did the original Zimmer company stop making cars?

The original Zimmer Motor Cars stopped building cars in 1988, when its parent, Zimmer Corporation, went into Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Most accounts date the bankruptcy to 1988, though one history places the Chapter 11 filing in May 1987. Production of both the Mustang-based Golden Spirit and the Fiero-based Quicksilver ended at that point.

Were Zimmer cars made after 1988?

Yes. In 1997 the Zimmer name and remaining assets were bought by Art Zimmer, owner of the Syracuse New Times newspaper in New York, who was not related to the founding family. His Art Zimmer Neo-Classic Motor Car Company built new Golden Spirits in small numbers on later Ford Mustang and Lincoln Town Car platforms until 2020. Some accounts date his purchase to 1996.