Zimmer Golden Spirit
The first Zimmer, built at Pompano Beach, Florida, from 1980 to 1988: a new Ford Mustang cut back to its cabin, lengthened and rebodied in hand-laid fibreglass as a 1930s-style touring car. Sellers and titles often call it the Zimmer Mustang or the Ford Zimmer; neither was the maker's name.
In March 1981 Michael Langberg of the Fort Lauderdale News described one being made at Zimmer Motor Cars in Pompano Beach, Florida. "A white 1981 Ford Mustang is driven onto the shop floor," he wrote, and then "All the body, except for the roof and doors, is cut off." What came out was a Golden Spirit: the Mustang's cabin, lengthened ahead of the doors and clothed in fibreglass, with sweeping wings (fenders), running boards and a tall chrome grille. Zimmer Motor Cars Corp. built it in that form until its plant closed in May 1988.
The company's own story, from mobile homes to Chapter 11, is on the history page; this page is about the car. A different company, Art Zimmer's, built Golden Spirits of its own from 1998 on later Mustangs and on Lincoln Town Cars, and they have a page of their own, the Zimmer Neo-Classic.source 1source 2source 3
What it was
The Golden Spirit was a modern American car dressed as a classic of the 1930s. Zimmer called it a touring car, and it seated four. Its fibreglass wings swept over wire wheels into running boards; at the front a tall chrome grille stood under a gold eagle, with big headlamps, fog lamps, trumpet horns and side exhausts, and at the back sat a boot (trunk) with straps.
It began as a sketch by Paul H. Zimmer, chairman of the mobile-home maker Zimmer Homes, which the company's engineers worked up, in the Fort Lauderdale News's words, from "the most memorable features of the classic Duesenberg, Mercedes, Cord, Cadillac and Packard". UPI dated his first drawing to 1976. No period source read names anyone else as the designer of the body.
So it was that, in 1980, Zimmer Corp. got into the business of egomobility with the Golden Spirit. A touring car on a stretched Mustang chassis, complete with teak running boards and 24-karat-gold-plated trim, the Spirit moves on a V8 engine.
Zimmer Homes announced the car on 26 November 1980 and showed it at the Miami Auto Show that month. The federal recall report of 1982 dates the first manufacture of the series cars to 29 December 1980. The company later pushed its start back: a promotional feature of 1985 spoke of its "inception in 1979", and its 1987 press release had it "in production since 1979", but no other source read shows a car built in 1979.
The donor: a new Mustang
Every two-door Golden Spirit began as a new Ford Mustang of the Fox-body generation, bought from a Ford dealer. "They buy them right off the lot, fully loaded," the Miami Herald reported from the plant in 1987. Zimmer kept the Mustang's doors, roof, windscreen (windshield) and passenger cell, its "rollcage", as Automotive News called it in 1982, and cut away the rest with hand tools. For the T-roof cars of 1982 it used Ford's own T-roof Mustang.
Later descriptions name other donors, among them a Mercury Cougar and a Buick Regal. Apart from one newspaper of April 1982, which called it a Mustang II, a model Ford no longer made, no period source read names any donor but a new Mustang. The Lincoln Town Cars belong to the revival company's four-doors of 2001 to 2011, not to these cars.
The stretch
The Golden Spirit was stretched, never shortened. The extra length went in ahead of the cabin, so the front wheels stand far forward of the Mustang's doors, under a long bonnet (hood). How far is reported three ways. In 1981 the Fort Lauderdale News described a "38-inch extender to the front end"; in 1982 Automotive News had the wheelbase "extended 39 inches"; and in 2014 Hagerty had the front wheels "pushed 42 inches forward", about 1.1 m. Only Hagerty's figure fits the finished car: set against the wheelbase Ford gave the Mustang in 1984, the Golden Spirit's, in the specification below, is about 1.06 m (41.6 in) longer, as the specifications page works out. The two earlier figures may have measured the section let into the frame rather than the gain in wheelbase; no source says.
Art Zimmer's cars of 1998 to about 2012 were lengthened another way, which the Zimmer Neo-Classic page describes.source 1source 12source 15source 16source 17
How a car was built
The body panels were hand-laid fibreglass, made in Zimmer's own moulds and, in 1982, laid up out of doors in the Florida sun, then joined to the Mustang's steel cell. The paint went on in many coats: 11 in 1981, by the Fort Lauderdale News's count, and 14 coats of lacquer in 1982, which Automotive News reported took two weeks to apply. A brochure of about 1985–86 speaks instead of "High Tech European enamel". Automotive News put the work in each car at 680 hours in 1982; a dealer said in 1986 that a car took 27 days to build.
Underneath it stayed a Mustang, with the brakes modified for the heavier car and bigger tyres; the specification below gives the suspension, steering and brakes. Parts came from all over: UPI listed the Mustang base, "parts from Lincolns", German Recaro seats and an Italian Nardi steering wheel, and The Autopian found Volkswagen Beetle front indicators on Liberace's Golden Spirit, a 1981 model. In 1982 the head of quality control drove every car about 160 km (100 miles) before it left, and every 10th car about 800 km (500 miles).source 12source 1source 4source 18source 19source 20
Bodies and roofs, by year
The first Golden Spirit was a coupé with a padded landau roof, chrome landau bars and opera lamps. The range grew from there:
| When | Style | What it was |
|---|---|---|
| From November 1980 | Coupé | The padded landau roof, landau bars and opera lamps |
| From mid-1982 | T-roof | Ford's T-roof Mustang, at extra cost |
| January 1983 | Convertible | Shown at the Greater Los Angeles Auto Show, with a power top |
| By mid-1983 | Formal | A coupé with its roof painted in the body colour |
| 1986 models | Classic, Elegance, Cabriolet | Three roofs for the coupé: a half padded roof; a full padded roof with a luggage rack; a full top over ribs, made to look like a convertible |
The 1984 line-up, shipped from December 1983, was the Coupe, the Formal, the Convertible and a new four-door, the Personal Limousine, which has its own page with the later Sedan: the Golden Spirit Sedan. Dealers sold the coupé of 1986 as the Zimmer Classic, and the price list of 1 December 1986 names only the "Golden Spirit (Classic)" among the two-doors; whether the other roofs and the convertible were still built after that, no source read says. The convertible's launch price is in its specification below.
One early change was to the lamps. The first cars had a fixed metal "spider" and lens in front of each headlamp, and in July 1982 Zimmer recalled every car built from 29 December 1980 to 20 July 1982 to have them removed, because they could spoil the light from the lamps.source 1source 12source 21source 22source 7source 17source 9source 18source 19source 10source 8
Engines and gearboxes
A Golden Spirit had its donor's engine, so it followed Ford's Mustang year by year. The early cars had Ford's smaller V8, the 4.2, which UPI described in 1982, and from 1983 they had the 5.0 V8, as Automotive News reported of the convertible at its launch. Zimmer's specification sheet of May 1984 lists the 5.0 with fuel injection and a four-speed automatic gearbox (transmission) with overdrive, and the 1986 models had Ford's high-performance 5.0 with electronic fuel injection, again with the four-speed automatic. For 1987 the press kit announced a more powerful 5.0 still, whose rating the specification gives with Zimmer's claimed performance.
In March 1981 Robert Zimmer, Paul Zimmer's son, said the car had only one option, a turbocharger for the engine, and explained why it had no others: "If they try to change something, they'll only be downgrading what we've already done." No turbocharged Golden Spirit is known.source 4source 21source 17source 23source 9source 10source 1
Equipment
Zimmer made nearly everything standard. Its specification sheet of May 1984 and a brochure of about 1985–86 list power-adjusted Recaro seats in leather with lumbar support, a Nardi wood-rim steering wheel on a tilting column, air conditioning, cruise control, power windows and locks, imported Mouton (sheepskin) carpet, German crystal vases, a leather-covered dash and a console faced in high-gloss wood. Outside there were teak treads on the running boards, etched-glass wind wings engraved with roses, chrome trumpet air horns, the eagle and medallions in 24-carat gold plate, polished stainless side exhausts, fog lamps, wire wheels and a fitted car cover. Automotive News counted "four air horns" in 1982; the later brochure calls them a matched pair. The options were few: cowl lamps, a rear-window demister (defroster), leather boot straps and a badge bar.
To understand the Golden Spirit, just look at the 24 karat gold-plated eagle hood ornament. This is the finest expression of the classic American luxury car in the market today,
The cabin
Some cars kept the Mustang's own dashboard, re-covered: the brochures list a leather-covered dash and a console faced in high-gloss wood, and the El Segundo car below shows the Ford instruments in a wood-faced panel, with the power switches on the console. Others, like the car in the second picture, have a padded dash and console of Zimmer's own design, unlike any Mustang's. Zimmer announced a "refined Golden Spirit" for 1987, but no period source read dates the new dash, and the identification page sets out the details that do date a car.source 17source 18source 10
List prices when new
Zimmer raised the price almost every year. The specification below gives the first-year price announced in November 1980, and the convertible's at its launch in January 1983. No price list of 1984 or 1985 was found.source 1source 12source 5source 23source 9source 19source 10source 11
| Date | Model | List price |
|---|---|---|
| March 1981 | Coupé | $55,900 |
| June 1982 | Coupé, base price | $59,500, and $1,600 more for the T-roof |
| September 1983 | Coupé | $62,500 |
| November 1985 | Classic, Elegance, Cabriolet (1986 models) | $62,500–64,900, by two reports |
| November 1985 | Convertible (1986 models) | $69,850 |
| Mid-1986 | Classic, Elegance, Cabriolet | $67,900 |
| 1 December 1986 | Golden Spirit (Classic) | $71,950 |
| September 1987 | Golden Spirit | about $72,000 |
How many were built
No factory production record is known, and the figures in print count different things. The production readings below give them with their sources: a count of the first cars, made in March 1981, the federal recall's count of the cars built to July 1982, the company's own running totals of 1985 and 1987, and the larger totals the revival company published after 1997. Zimmer's production numbers had passed 1,300 by September 1987, when the Miami Herald saw a car numbered 1,310 being built, but a production number is not a count. This site's own reckoning, weighing all of that, is about 1,250 cars and a few four-doors; How Many Zimmers Were Made sets out how it was reached.source 1source 8source 11source 10source 14
Dealers and the warranty
Zimmer sold only through franchised dealers, who bought their cars on wholesale finance from FinanceAmerica, a Bank of America company. It had 17 in March 1981, 75 by Forbes's count in September 1983 and 85 of a planned 150 at the end of that year; in 1986 Venture counted 42 in 28 states, and the Crain News Service 55 in September. Each car came with a one-year warranty on parts and labour, honoured by any Zimmer dealer. A Pasadena dealer told Venture in 1986 that Zimmer did owners' tune-ups and repairs free.source 1source 12source 5source 7source 24source 25source 17source 18
Before and after, rivals and the press
There was no Zimmer car before it. What set it going, by Paul Zimmer's account to Forbes, was the Excalibur roadster he bought in 1976, and the company behind it made mobile homes, recreational vehicles and converted vans, as the history tells. Production ended when Zimmer Corporation filed for Chapter 11 on 10 May 1988 and the plant closed. The name came back in 1998, on an unrelated company's cars.
A dealer in Dania, Florida, rated Excalibur, Clénet and Zimmer the top three makers of such cars, and by 1982 Automotive News reported that Zimmer's output had "surpassed" the other two; Forbes set the car against a Mercedes 450. Neoclassic Car Brands compares them all. The company claimed sales abroad, but no export version is documented, as the history's other markets section explains. No magazine road test of a Golden Spirit was found: the period press wrote about it as a business story, and the reviews gather what it said.source 5source 26source 2source 3source 1source 12source 9
Specification: Golden Spirit Coupé
Production
Sources for Production, Golden Spirit Coupé
- Price new
- One good source.First-year price, announced 26 November 1980. Miami Herald, Business brief: Zimmer Homes to build the Golden Spirit, 26 Nov 1980source 6
- Built
- One good source.Announced on 26 November 1980. Miami Herald, Business brief: Zimmer Homes to build the Golden Spirit, 26 Nov 1980source 6
- Designers
- Good sources agree.A sketch by Paul Zimmer, worked up by the company engineers. Michael Langberg, "Zimmer has 'Golden Spirit'", Fort Lauderdale News and Sun-Sentinel, 22 Mar 1981 (Sunday), p. 3Fsource 1; J. P. Faber, "He produces immaculate autos for the filthy rich", St. Petersburg Times, from United Press International, 17 Oct 1982source 4
- Built at
- Good sources agree.The maker's address. Zimmer Motor Cars Corp., Pompano Beach, Florida, "Zimmer Motor Car Features and Specifications", revised May 1984source 17; Michael Langberg, "Zimmer has 'Golden Spirit'", Fort Lauderdale News and Sun-Sentinel, 22 Mar 1981 (Sunday), p. 3Fsource 1
| Price new | $45,900 |
|---|---|
| Built | 1980–1988 |
| Designers | Paul H. Zimmer (sketch) |
| Built at | Pompano Beach, Florida |
Engine
Sources for Engine, Golden Spirit Coupé
- Engine maker
- Good sources agree.1986 models: Ford's high-performance 5.0-liter V-8. Automotive News (Crain Communications), via Internet Archive, Item on Zimmer's 1986 models, 25 Nov 1985source 23; J. P. Faber, "He produces immaculate autos for the filthy rich", St. Petersburg Times, from United Press International, 17 Oct 1982source 4
- Capacity
- Several figures in print.Zimmer Motor Cars Corp., Pompano Beach, Florida, "Zimmer Motor Car Features and Specifications", revised May 1984source 17; J. P. Faber, "He produces immaculate autos for the filthy rich", St. Petersburg Times, from United Press International, 17 Oct 1982source 4
- Engine position
- One good source.1987 cars. Zimmer Motor Cars Corp., Pompano Beach, Florida, 1987 press kit (Golden Spirit and QuickSilver), covering letter of 31 Jul 1987; price list of 1 Dec 1986source 10
- Fuel system
- One good source.May 1984. Zimmer Motor Cars Corp., Pompano Beach, Florida, "Zimmer Motor Car Features and Specifications", revised May 1984source 17; Zimmer Motor Cars Corp., Pompano Beach, Florida, 1987 press kit (Golden Spirit and QuickSilver), covering letter of 31 Jul 1987; price list of 1 Dec 1986source 10
- Cylinder layout
- Good sources agree.1982: 255 cu in V8. J. P. Faber, "He produces immaculate autos for the filthy rich", St. Petersburg Times, from United Press International, 17 Oct 1982source 4; Zimmer Motor Cars Corp., Pompano Beach, Florida, "Zimmer Motor Car Features and Specifications", revised May 1984source 17
- Cylinders
- Good sources agree.1982: 255 cu in V8. J. P. Faber, "He produces immaculate autos for the filthy rich", St. Petersburg Times, from United Press International, 17 Oct 1982source 4; Zimmer Motor Cars Corp., Pompano Beach, Florida, "Zimmer Motor Car Features and Specifications", revised May 1984source 17
| Engine maker | Ford |
|---|---|
| Capacity | 302 ci Capacity, Golden Spirit Coupé Several figures in print.
|
| Engine position | Front |
| Fuel system | Electronic Fuel Injection |
| Cylinder layout | V |
| Cylinders | 8 |
Performance
Sources for Performance, Golden Spirit Coupé
- Power
- One good source.1987 cars, SAE net, at 4,000 rpm. Zimmer Motor Cars Corp., Pompano Beach, Florida, 1987 press kit (Golden Spirit and QuickSilver), covering letter of 31 Jul 1987; price list of 1 Dec 1986source 10
- Torque
- One good source.1987 cars, at 3,200 rpm. Zimmer Motor Cars Corp., Pompano Beach, Florida, 1987 press kit (Golden Spirit and QuickSilver), covering letter of 31 Jul 1987; price list of 1 Dec 1986source 10
- Top speed
- One good source.Zimmer's claim for the 1987 cars, 'maximum at full load'. Zimmer Motor Cars Corp., Pompano Beach, Florida, 1987 press kit (Golden Spirit and QuickSilver), covering letter of 31 Jul 1987; price list of 1 Dec 1986source 10
- 0–60 mph
- One good source.Zimmer's estimate for the 1987 cars. Zimmer Motor Cars Corp., Pompano Beach, Florida, 1987 press kit (Golden Spirit and QuickSilver), covering letter of 31 Jul 1987; price list of 1 Dec 1986source 10
| Power | 225 hp |
|---|---|
| Torque | 300 lb-ft |
| Top speed | 121 mph |
| 0–60 mph | 8.9 s |
Running gear
Sources for Running gear, Golden Spirit Coupé
- Steering
- One good source.May 1984; 3.2 turns lock to lock. Zimmer Motor Cars Corp., Pompano Beach, Florida, "Zimmer Motor Car Features and Specifications", revised May 1984source 17
- Gearbox
- One good source.May 1984: four-speed automatic with overdrive. Zimmer Motor Cars Corp., Pompano Beach, Florida, "Zimmer Motor Car Features and Specifications", revised May 1984source 17; Miami Herald, "Luxury automobile still the prime success indicator", 1 Nov 1985 (promotional feature)source 9
- Gears
- One good source.May 1984: four-speed automatic with overdrive. Zimmer Motor Cars Corp., Pompano Beach, Florida, "Zimmer Motor Car Features and Specifications", revised May 1984source 17; Miami Herald, "Luxury automobile still the prime success indicator", 1 Nov 1985 (promotional feature)source 9
- Layout
- One good source.1987 cars. Zimmer Motor Cars Corp., Pompano Beach, Florida, 1987 press kit (Golden Spirit and QuickSilver), covering letter of 31 Jul 1987; price list of 1 Dec 1986source 10
- Front brakes
- One good source.May 1984: power-assisted vented discs. Zimmer Motor Cars Corp., Pompano Beach, Florida, "Zimmer Motor Car Features and Specifications", revised May 1984source 17
- Rear brakes
- Good sources agree.May 1984: self-adjusting drums. Zimmer Motor Cars Corp., Pompano Beach, Florida, "Zimmer Motor Car Features and Specifications", revised May 1984source 17; Kathleen Hamilton, "Zimmer's flashy cars swimming in almost-dry market", Automotive News (Crain Communications), via Internet Archive, 28 Jun 1982, p. 3source 12
- Front suspension
- One good source.C.1985–86: MacPherson struts, coil springs, stabiliser bar. Zimmer Motor Cars Corp., Golden Spirit "Road Map" fold-out brochure, c.1985–86source 18
- Rear suspension
- One good source.C.1985–86, with air-adjustable dampers. Zimmer Motor Cars Corp., Golden Spirit "Road Map" fold-out brochure, c.1985–86source 18
- Tyres
- One good source.May 1984. Zimmer Motor Cars Corp., Pompano Beach, Florida, "Zimmer Motor Car Features and Specifications", revised May 1984source 17
- Wheels
- One good source.May 1984. Zimmer Motor Cars Corp., Pompano Beach, Florida, "Zimmer Motor Car Features and Specifications", revised May 1984source 17
| Steering | Rack and pinion, power-assisted |
|---|---|
| Gearbox | Automatic |
| Gears | 4 |
| Layout | RWD |
| Front brakes | Ventilated disc, servo-assisted |
| Rear brakes | Drum |
| Front suspension | Independent, MacPherson struts, coil springs, anti-roll bar |
| Rear suspension | Four-bar link, coil springs, anti-roll bar |
| Tyres | P235/75R15 white-stripe radial |
| Wheels | 15 in wire |
Body and chassis
Sources for Body and chassis, Golden Spirit Coupé
- Body
- One good source.May 1984: the Coupe and the Formal coupe. Zimmer Motor Cars Corp., Pompano Beach, Florida, "Zimmer Motor Car Features and Specifications", revised May 1984source 17
- Body material
- Good sources agree.1981: the Mustang's roof, doors and cabin kept. Michael Langberg, "Zimmer has 'Golden Spirit'", Fort Lauderdale News and Sun-Sentinel, 22 Mar 1981 (Sunday), p. 3Fsource 1; Kathleen Hamilton, "Zimmer's flashy cars swimming in almost-dry market", Automotive News (Crain Communications), via Internet Archive, 28 Jun 1982, p. 3source 12
- Panels
- Good sources agree.1981: hand-laid fibreglass panels. Michael Langberg, "Zimmer has 'Golden Spirit'", Fort Lauderdale News and Sun-Sentinel, 22 Mar 1981 (Sunday), p. 3Fsource 1; Kathleen Hamilton, "Zimmer's flashy cars swimming in almost-dry market", Automotive News (Crain Communications), via Internet Archive, 28 Jun 1982, p. 3source 12
- Doors
- One good source.May 1984: two-door. Zimmer Motor Cars Corp., Pompano Beach, Florida, "Zimmer Motor Car Features and Specifications", revised May 1984source 17
- Seats
- Good sources agree.May 1984: four-seat touring car. Zimmer Motor Cars Corp., Pompano Beach, Florida, "Zimmer Motor Car Features and Specifications", revised May 1984source 17; Michael Langberg, "Zimmer has 'Golden Spirit'", Fort Lauderdale News and Sun-Sentinel, 22 Mar 1981 (Sunday), p. 3Fsource 1
- Chassis material
- One good source.1982: the Mustang's steel cell kept. Kathleen Hamilton, "Zimmer's flashy cars swimming in almost-dry market", Automotive News (Crain Communications), via Internet Archive, 28 Jun 1982, p. 3source 12
- Chassis
- One good source.1987 cars: unit construction. Zimmer Motor Cars Corp., Pompano Beach, Florida, 1987 press kit (Golden Spirit and QuickSilver), covering letter of 31 Jul 1987; price list of 1 Dec 1986source 10
| Body | Coupe |
|---|---|
| Body material | Steel |
| Panels | Fibreglass |
| Doors | 2 |
| Seats | 4 |
| Chassis material | Steel |
| Chassis | Monocoque |
Dimensions and weight
Sources for Dimensions and weight, Golden Spirit Coupé
- Length
- Good sources agree.May 1984. Zimmer Motor Cars Corp., Pompano Beach, Florida, "Zimmer Motor Car Features and Specifications", revised May 1984source 17; H. William Sacks, "Zimmer Classics catching eye of visitors", York Dispatch, 3 Jul 1986, p. 14source 19
- Width
- One good source.May 1984. Zimmer Motor Cars Corp., Pompano Beach, Florida, "Zimmer Motor Car Features and Specifications", revised May 1984source 17
- Height
- Good sources agree.May 1984. Zimmer Motor Cars Corp., Pompano Beach, Florida, "Zimmer Motor Car Features and Specifications", revised May 1984source 17; H. William Sacks, "Zimmer Classics catching eye of visitors", York Dispatch, 3 Jul 1986, p. 14source 19
- Kerb weight
- Several figures in print.Kathleen Hamilton, "Zimmer's flashy cars swimming in almost-dry market", Automotive News (Crain Communications), via Internet Archive, 28 Jun 1982, p. 3source 12; Zimmer Motor Cars Corp., Pompano Beach, Florida, "Zimmer Motor Car Features and Specifications", revised May 1984source 17; H. William Sacks, "Zimmer Classics catching eye of visitors", York Dispatch, 3 Jul 1986, p. 14source 19
- Wheelbase
- Good sources agree.May 1984. Zimmer Motor Cars Corp., Pompano Beach, Florida, "Zimmer Motor Car Features and Specifications", revised May 1984source 17; Michael Langberg, "Zimmer has 'Golden Spirit'", Fort Lauderdale News and Sun-Sentinel, 22 Mar 1981 (Sunday), p. 3Fsource 1; H. William Sacks, "Zimmer Classics catching eye of visitors", York Dispatch, 3 Jul 1986, p. 14source 19
- Fuel tank
- One good source.May 1984, approximate. Zimmer Motor Cars Corp., Pompano Beach, Florida, "Zimmer Motor Car Features and Specifications", revised May 1984source 17
| Length | 214 in |
|---|---|
| Width | 74 in |
| Height | 53.5 in |
| Kerb weight | 3,600 lb Kerb weight, Golden Spirit Coupé Several figures in print.
|
| Wheelbase | 142 in |
| Fuel tank | 15.4 US gal |
Specification: Golden Spirit Convertible
Production
Sources for Production, Golden Spirit Convertible
- Price new
- One good source.January 1983, with a power top. Automotive News (Crain Communications), via Internet Archive, "Sunnier Golden Spirit", 3 Jan 1983source 21
- Built
- One good source.Shown January 1983; the last year is not established. Automotive News (Crain Communications), via Internet Archive, "Sunnier Golden Spirit", 3 Jan 1983source 21
- Built at
- One good source.The maker's address; the sheet covers the Coupe, Formal and Convertible. Zimmer Motor Cars Corp., Pompano Beach, Florida, "Zimmer Motor Car Features and Specifications", revised May 1984source 17
| Price new | $67,850 |
|---|---|
| Built | 1983–1988 |
| Built at | Pompano Beach, Florida |
Engine
Sources for Engine, Golden Spirit Convertible
- Engine maker
- One good source.1986 models: Ford's high-performance 5.0-liter V-8. Automotive News (Crain Communications), via Internet Archive, Item on Zimmer's 1986 models, 25 Nov 1985source 23
- Capacity
- Good sources agree.May 1984. Zimmer Motor Cars Corp., Pompano Beach, Florida, "Zimmer Motor Car Features and Specifications", revised May 1984source 17; Automotive News (Crain Communications), via Internet Archive, "Sunnier Golden Spirit", 3 Jan 1983source 21; Miami Herald, "Luxury automobile still the prime success indicator", 1 Nov 1985 (promotional feature)source 9; Automotive News (Crain Communications), via Internet Archive, Item on Zimmer's 1986 models, 25 Nov 1985source 23
- Valve gear
- One good source.May 1984: 5 litre OHV V8. Zimmer Motor Cars Corp., Pompano Beach, Florida, "Zimmer Motor Car Features and Specifications", revised May 1984source 17
- Cylinder layout
- Good sources agree.May 1984: 5 litre OHV V8. Zimmer Motor Cars Corp., Pompano Beach, Florida, "Zimmer Motor Car Features and Specifications", revised May 1984source 17; Miami Herald, "Luxury automobile still the prime success indicator", 1 Nov 1985 (promotional feature)source 9; Automotive News (Crain Communications), via Internet Archive, Item on Zimmer's 1986 models, 25 Nov 1985source 23
- Cylinders
- Good sources agree.May 1984: 5 litre OHV V8. Zimmer Motor Cars Corp., Pompano Beach, Florida, "Zimmer Motor Car Features and Specifications", revised May 1984source 17; Miami Herald, "Luxury automobile still the prime success indicator", 1 Nov 1985 (promotional feature)source 9; Automotive News (Crain Communications), via Internet Archive, Item on Zimmer's 1986 models, 25 Nov 1985source 23
| Engine maker | Ford |
|---|---|
| Capacity | 302 ci |
| Valve gear | OHV |
| Cylinder layout | V |
| Cylinders | 8 |
Running gear
Sources for Running gear, Golden Spirit Convertible
- Steering
- One good source.May 1984. Zimmer Motor Cars Corp., Pompano Beach, Florida, "Zimmer Motor Car Features and Specifications", revised May 1984source 17
- Layout
- One good source.May 1984: 'Traction-Lok' rear axle. Zimmer Motor Cars Corp., Pompano Beach, Florida, "Zimmer Motor Car Features and Specifications", revised May 1984source 17
- Front brakes
- One good source.May 1984: power-assisted vented discs. Zimmer Motor Cars Corp., Pompano Beach, Florida, "Zimmer Motor Car Features and Specifications", revised May 1984source 17
- Rear brakes
- One good source.May 1984. Zimmer Motor Cars Corp., Pompano Beach, Florida, "Zimmer Motor Car Features and Specifications", revised May 1984source 17
- Tyres
- One good source.May 1984. Zimmer Motor Cars Corp., Pompano Beach, Florida, "Zimmer Motor Car Features and Specifications", revised May 1984source 17
- Wheels
- One good source.May 1984. Zimmer Motor Cars Corp., Pompano Beach, Florida, "Zimmer Motor Car Features and Specifications", revised May 1984source 17
| Steering | Rack and pinion, power-assisted |
|---|---|
| Layout | RWD |
| Front brakes | Ventilated disc, servo-assisted |
| Rear brakes | Drum |
| Tyres | P235/75R15 white-stripe radial |
| Wheels | 15 in wire |
Body and chassis
Sources for Body and chassis, Golden Spirit Convertible
- Body
- One good source.January 1983. Automotive News (Crain Communications), via Internet Archive, "Sunnier Golden Spirit", 3 Jan 1983source 21
| Body | Convertible |
|---|
Dimensions and weight
Sources for Dimensions and weight, Golden Spirit Convertible
- Wheelbase
- One good source.May 1984. Zimmer Motor Cars Corp., Pompano Beach, Florida, "Zimmer Motor Car Features and Specifications", revised May 1984source 17; Miami Herald, "Luxury automobile still the prime success indicator", 1 Nov 1985 (promotional feature)source 9
- Fuel tank
- One good source.May 1984, approximate. Zimmer Motor Cars Corp., Pompano Beach, Florida, "Zimmer Motor Car Features and Specifications", revised May 1984source 17
| Wheelbase | 142 in |
|---|---|
| Fuel tank | 15.4 US gal |
Specification: Golden Spirit Sedan
Production
Sources for Production, Golden Spirit Sedan
- Price new
- One good source.The Personal Limousine, autumn 1983. Anne Bagamery, "The egomobile", Forbes, 26 Sep 1983, pp. 90–94source 5
- Built
- One good source.The Personal Limousine shown in November 1983 and shipped from 15 December 1983. Zimmer Corporation, Zimmer Update, premiere issue, Jan 1984source 7
| Price new | $85,000 |
|---|---|
| Built | 1983–1987 |
Body and chassis
Sources for Body and chassis, Golden Spirit Sedan
- Body
- Good sources agree.1986 models: the 'four-door Sedan'. Miami Herald, "Luxury automobile still the prime success indicator", 1 Nov 1985 (promotional feature)source 9; H. William Sacks, "Zimmer Classics catching eye of visitors", York Dispatch, 3 Jul 1986, p. 14source 19
- Doors
- Good sources agree.'the all new four door personal limousine'. Zimmer Corporation, Zimmer Update, premiere issue, Jan 1984source 7; Miami Herald, "Luxury automobile still the prime success indicator", 1 Nov 1985 (promotional feature)source 9; H. William Sacks, "Zimmer Classics catching eye of visitors", York Dispatch, 3 Jul 1986, p. 14source 19
| Body | Sedan |
|---|---|
| Doors | 4 |
Production
Production: how far the sources agree
- 1,200, 'over 1,200 cars in the field', the company, July 1987
- One good source.
- 1,000, 'over 1,000' in the five years to late 1985, the company
- One good source.
- 31, completed by about 22 March 1981
- One good source.
- 247, built 29 December 1980 to 20 July 1982, the headlamp recall population
- One good source.
- 1,400, 'over 1400', the revival company's figure, c.2000
- Disputed.
- 1,500, 'approximately 1,500', the revival company, c.2000
- Disputed.
1,200'over 1,200 cars in the field', the company, July 1987
Zimmer Motor Cars Corp., Pompano Beach, Florida, 1987 press kit (Golden Spirit and QuickSilver), covering letter of 31 Jul 1987; price list of 1 Dec 1986source 10
1,000'over 1,000' in the five years to late 1985, the company
Miami Herald, "Luxury automobile still the prime success indicator", 1 Nov 1985 (promotional feature)source 9
31completed by about 22 March 1981
Michael Langberg, "Zimmer has 'Golden Spirit'", Fort Lauderdale News and Sun-Sentinel, 22 Mar 1981 (Sunday), p. 3Fsource 1
247built 29 December 1980 to 20 July 1982, the headlamp recall population
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (US Government Printing Office microfiche), via Internet Archive, Safety Related Recall Campaigns for Motor Vehicles and Motor Vehicle Equipment, Including Tires, quarterly report, 1982source 8
1,400'over 1400', the revival company's figure, c.2000
Zimmer Neo-Classic Motor Car Co., Syracuse, New York, Zimmer Motor Car Company website (zimmermotorcars.com, 2000–2012), Wayback Machine captures, 3 Mar 2000 to 13 May 2012source 14
1,500'approximately 1,500', the revival company, c.2000
Zimmer Neo-Classic Motor Car Co., Syracuse, New York, Zimmer Motor Car Company website (zimmermotorcars.com, 2000–2012), Wayback Machine captures, 3 Mar 2000 to 13 May 2012source 14
Sources
Sources are given as plain text; their addresses are on the sources page.
- Primarymade at the time, by the maker or by people who were there
- Referenceserious later work: clubs, specialists, magazines, books
- Michael Langberg, "Zimmer has 'Golden Spirit'", Fort Lauderdale News and Sun-Sentinel, 22 Mar 1981 (Sunday), p. 3F, p. 3F, the car being built; p. 3F, the sketch, the engineers' sources and the dealers; p. 3F, "A white 1981 Ford Mustang"; p. 3F, the "38-inch extender"; p. 3F, the coats of paint; p. 3F, the first coupé; p. 3F, the turbocharger; p. 3F, the price in March 1981; p. 3F, the cars completed by March 1981; p. 3F, the dealers in March 1981; p. 3F, the Dania dealer's top three; p. 3F. Primary
- Ellen Forman, Report on Zimmer Corporation's reorganisation plan, Sun-Sentinel (Fort Lauderdale), 18 Jul 1989, the Pompano Beach plant, closed in May 1988; the plant closed with the filing. Primary
- Zimmer Neo-Classic Motor Car Company, on nyautos.com, Zimmer Golden Spirit coupé and convertible pages on nyautos.com, Wayback Machine captures of 6 Dec 1998, 28 Jan 1999, 24 Apr 1999 and 12 Oct 1999, the coupé page, December 1998. Primary
- J. P. Faber, "He produces immaculate autos for the filthy rich", St. Petersburg Times, from United Press International, 17 Oct 1982, Paul Zimmer's drawing of 1976; the parts and the test drives; the Ford V8 of the 1982 cars; article. Primary
- Anne Bagamery, "The egomobile", Forbes, 26 Sep 1983, pp. 90–94, pp. 90–94, "the business of egomobility"; the price in September 1983; the dealers in 1983; the Excalibur of 1976; the Mercedes 450; p. 94. Primary
- Miami Herald, Business brief: Zimmer Homes to build the Golden Spirit, 26 Nov 1980, the announcement of 26 November 1980; business brief. Primary
- Zimmer Corporation, Zimmer Update, premiere issue, Jan 1984, p. 3, the introduction in November 1980; the 1984 line-up; p. 3, the dealers at the end of 1983; 'Zimmer Limo Premiere', January 1984. Primary
- National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (US Government Printing Office microfiche), via Internet Archive, Safety Related Recall Campaigns for Motor Vehicles and Motor Vehicle Equipment, Including Tires, quarterly report, 1982, campaign 82V-073, the dates of manufacture; campaign 82V-073, "altered version of 1979-82 Ford Mustang"; campaign 82V-073, the headlamp recall; campaign 82V-073, the cars recalled; campaign 82V-073. Primary
- Miami Herald, "Luxury automobile still the prime success indicator", 1 Nov 1985 (promotional feature), "since its inception in 1979"; the 1986 models; the 1986 models' engine and gearbox; the 1986 models' prices; the export claims; article. Primary
- Zimmer Motor Cars Corp., Pompano Beach, Florida, 1987 press kit (Golden Spirit and QuickSilver), covering letter of 31 Jul 1987; price list of 1 Dec 1986, release "Zimmer intro's refined Golden Spirit for 1987"; price list of 1 December 1986; release "Zimmer intro's refined Golden Spirit for 1987"; technical data; release "Zimmer intro's refined Golden Spirit for 1987": Carl Severe; release "Zimmer intro's refined Golden Spirit for 1987": the cars in the field; Golden Spirit technical data; release 'Zimmer intro's refined Golden Spirit for 1987'. Primary
- Joe Rhodes, "Autos as Art", Miami Herald, 20 Sep 1987, the plant visit: new Mustangs bought from dealers; "They buy them right off the lot"; the price in September 1987; the car numbered 1,310. Primary
- Kathleen Hamilton, "Zimmer's flashy cars swimming in almost-dry market", Automotive News (Crain Communications), via Internet Archive, 28 Jun 1982, p. 3, p. 3, the Mustang's "rollcage" and Ford's T-roof; p. 3, "extended 39 inches"; p. 3, the moulds, the paint, the hours, the brakes and tyres; p. 3, the T-roof option; p. 3, "four air horns"; p. 3, the base price and the T-roof; p. 3, FinanceAmerica; p. 3, "surpassed"; p. 3. Primary
- Mike Langberg, "Prospering in recession no problem for Zimmer", Fort Lauderdale News, 27 Apr 1982, the donor named as a Mustang II. Primary
- Zimmer Neo-Classic Motor Car Co., Syracuse, New York, Zimmer Motor Car Company website (zimmermotorcars.com, 2000–2012), Wayback Machine captures, 3 Mar 2000 to 13 May 2012, the four-door pages: the Lincoln Town Car; history page: the revival company's totals; history page (2000–06); Golden Spirit page (2000–04). Primary
- Jim Koscs, "All that Glitters is probably Fiberglass", Hagerty, 23 Oct 2014, Zimmer section, "pushed 42 inches forward". Reference
- Ford Motor Company, 1984 Ford Mustang (sales brochure), 1984 model year, "Measurements": the Mustang's wheelbase. Primary
- Zimmer Motor Cars Corp., Pompano Beach, Florida, "Zimmer Motor Car Features and Specifications", revised May 1984, dimensions; the Coupe, Formal and Convertible; engine and transmission; standard equipment and options; interior: the leather-covered dash and the wood console; the warranty; specification sheet, May 1984; specifications. Primary
- Zimmer Motor Cars Corp., Golden Spirit "Road Map" fold-out brochure, c.1985–86, the finish; the Classic, Elegance and Cabriolet panels; standard appointments and options panels; standard appointments panel; the warranty; specifications panel. Primary
- H. William Sacks, "Zimmer Classics catching eye of visitors", York Dispatch, 3 Jul 1986, p. 14, p. 14, the days in the plant; p. 14, the Zimmer Classic; p. 14, the dealer's prices; p. 14. Primary
- Jason Torchinsky, "There's Really Only One Person Who Would Have Owned A Zimmer Covered In Candlelabras", The Autopian, 20 Aug 2026, the Volkswagen Beetle front indicators. Reference
- Automotive News (Crain Communications), via Internet Archive, "Sunnier Golden Spirit", 3 Jan 1983, "Sunnier Golden Spirit": the convertible at Los Angeles; the convertible's V8; 'Sunnier Golden Spirit'. Primary
- Zimmer Corporation, Interim Report, second fiscal period 1983, chairman's letter of 3 Aug 1983, chairman's letter: the Formal and the convertible. Primary
- Automotive News (Crain Communications), via Internet Archive, Item on Zimmer's 1986 models, 25 Nov 1985, the 1986 models' engine; the Elegance for 1986; item on the 1986 models. Primary
- Jack Hayes, "Ostentatious — and priced accordingly", Venture, Jul 1986, the dealers, and the free service. Primary
- Daily Oklahoman, from Crain News Service, "Firm Hopes Sports Car Will Help Pocketbook", 7 Sep 1986, the dealer count. Primary
- Ed Lopez, Report on Zimmer Corporation's Chapter 11 filing, Miami Herald, 11 May 1988, the filing of 10 May 1988. Primary