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The Zimmer Golden Spirit was the flagship of Zimmer Motor Cars Corporation, a Florida maker of neo-classic automobiles, during its production run from 1980 to 1988. Built on a Ford Mustang platform stretched by 38 inches, it wore fibreglass bodywork styled after the grand cars of the 1930s and a leather-trimmed interior.
Zimmer Golden Spirit at a glance
| Maker | Zimmer Motor Cars Corporation, Pompano Beach, Florida |
|---|---|
| Production | 1980–1988 |
| Class | Neo-classic car |
| Donor car | Ford Mustang |
| Chassis | extended by 38 inches |
| Body | fibreglass panels made by Zimmer, chrome bumpers |
| Interior | leather trim, Recaro seats, Nardi steering wheels |
| Instruments | standard Ford Mustang |
| Body styles | two-door hardtop, plus limited convertibles and t-top cars |
| Built | approximately 1,500 (estimate from surviving cars) |
| Stablemate | Zimmer Quicksilver, on a Pontiac Fiero |
Based on one source, the English Wikipedia article on Zimmer (automobile); the article covers the company and its two models rather than the Golden Spirit alone.
History of the Zimmer Golden Spirit
A car drawn on a napkin
Zimmer Motor Cars Corporation was established in 1980 as a manufacturer of neo-classic automobiles and was originally incorporated in Ohio in July 1980 as the Zimmer Motor Cars Corporation. In August 1980 it was registered as a Foreign For Profit Corporation in Florida, as a subsidiary of the Zimmer Corporation, then based in Pompano Beach. The idea for the car was drawn on a napkin at a private dinner between Paul Zimmer, chairman and president of Zimmer Corporation, and his son Robert “Bob” Zimmer: Paul sketched what was to become the Golden Spirit, handed the drawing to his son and told him he would be responsible for the whole operation. By 1982 Bob Zimmer had become president of Zimmer Motor Cars Corporation.
Mustang underneath
The Golden Spirit was the flagship of the company throughout its production run. It began life as a Ford Mustang: all body panels except the doors and roof were cut off or removed, the chassis was extended by 38 inches and new steering and brake components were installed. Zimmer manufactured fibreglass body panels and fitted them together with chrome bumpers and other exterior parts. The interior was re-trimmed in leather with Recaro seats and a Nardi steering wheel, but otherwise carried the standard Mustang instrumentation. Most cars were two-door hardtops, though a limited number of convertibles and t-top variants were built, and at least one four-door sedan and one “personal limousine” are known. The Mustang vehicle identification number was retained to meet the US safety requirements of the time; depending on where a car was first registered, it could be titled as a Zimmer Golden Spirit or as a Ford Mustang.
Success and collapse
At its peak in the 1980s Zimmer Motor Cars Corporation had 48 dealers in 28 states, employed 175 people and generated $25 million in annual revenue. In 1986 the company added the mid-engined Quicksilver, based on the Pontiac Fiero and designed by former General Motors designer Don “D.A.” Johnson; both models were built in the same Pompano Beach factory on simultaneous production lines from 1980 to 1988. No factory production records are known to exist, but a survey of surviving cars and their Zimmer production plates suggests that approximately 1,500 Golden Spirits and 170 Quicksilvers were built. The parent Zimmer Corporation ran into trouble: in May 1988 it filed for reorganization under Chapter 11, and although it emerged in July 1989, all but the Cordele, Georgia van conversion plant had been closed. In 1997 the Zimmer name and remaining assets were sold to Art Zimmer, unrelated to the founding family, whose Art Zimmer Neo-Classic Motor Car Company continued producing Zimmer-badged cars until 2020.
Design and features
- Napkin origin: the shape of the Golden Spirit was first sketched by Paul Zimmer at a private dinner.
- Stretched Mustang chassis: the platform was lengthened by 38 inches, with new steering and brakes.
- In-house fibreglass: Zimmer made its own body panels and fitted chrome bumpers to the neo-classic shape.
- Leather cabin: Recaro seats and a Nardi wheel around standard Mustang instruments.
- Mustang VIN retained: the car kept the donor identification number to satisfy US safety rules.
Zimmer Golden Spirit versions
- Two-door hardtop: the majority of Golden Spirits built.
- Convertible: a limited number were built alongside the hardtops.
- T-top: a small series with removable roof panels.
- Four-door sedan and “personal limousine”: at least one of each is known to have been built.
The Golden Spirit was the first product of the company; its stablemate was the Quicksilver, built on a Pontiac Fiero. More cars of the marque are in the Zimmer collection.
Video: Zimmer Golden Spirit 2014 Convertible
Video on YouTube.
Sources
- Zimmer (automobile), English Wikipedia: company history, models, production estimate